NZXT TEMPEST EVO Computer Case Review

Introduction:

NZXT is a company that entered the computer chassis market a mere five years ago, but in that time they have managed to make a name for themselves with releases such as the Guardian, Lexa and popular Tempest cases. From the beginning, NZXT has been focusing their products at the gamer and enthusiast market, which can be an extremely hard group to please. Enthusiasts and gamers expect all of the latest bells and whistles and will usually skip over products that don't include them, even if it means paying a higher price. When the original Tempest was released, it included six case fans, tool-less installation, pre-drilled water-cooling tube access, room for eight hard drives, cable management, bottom mounted PSU, side window, and many other features that were a must have at the time and it still managed to come in at just over $100. With its features and price, it quickly became one of NZXT's more popular cases. However, as time passes, new ideas arise and what was new a year ago quickly becomes old. So to keep up with users' demands NZXT has released the Tempest EVO, which is the evolution of the Tempest. The EVO keeps the design and many aspects of the Tempest, but brings a host of new features to the table, such as improved cable management, black painted interior, CPU backplate access, and new case fans for better air flow.

I am glad that NZXT has decided to update the Tempest, as it is a case I have used in the past and one that I liked. I liked the design and exceptional airflow, but I found some of the features such as cable management to be lacking. The front LEDs on my Tempest would also fall out of place every time I would remove the front bezel. These were small issues and overall it was a great case while I had it. I am really going to be looking forward to seeing if NZXT has addressed the issues I ran into and how the new additions change to the overall quality of the case.

Closer Look:

The Tempest EVO comes packaged in a large cardboard box. The front of the box has an artistic style to it and shows a Tempest (violent windstorm) bringing the EVO up from the ground. Surrounding the image you will see some general information and a short list of some of the new additions to the case. The back of the box lists the features of the EVO and gives an explanation of how each feature is beneficial to you. Above the features NZXT has included some of the awards given to the Tempest from past reviewers. If you look closely you will see an OCC Silver award; this award is from Alan's (ajmatson) review of the original Tempest back in June of last year. Next to the features, NZXT has included two stock images of the EVO, one is with the case turned on showing off the blue LED lighting in the front and the other gives you a good internal view of the case. On the side of the packaging, the specifications are listed. This is where you will see what sizes of motherboards are supported, the amount of drive bays, and other useful information you will need to know before starting your new build.

The EVO comes securely packaged in the box with two large foam inserts on the sides, as well as a thin layer of plastic wrap surrounding the entire case. The EVO is positioned on its side in the box so you will see the font of the case when you first open the packaging. The direction should prevent any damage to the front of the case from hits to the side of the box during transit. The accessories that are included with the EVO come packaged in a 3.5" box and secured into the hard drive cage. The accessories that are included are used for mounting hardware and wire management. NZXT also included an installation guide that shows you step-by-step instructions of how to install your hardware.

Now that we have taken a close look at the packaging, we can take the EVO out of the box and get our first look at the new features.