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NZXT TEMPEST - Enthusiast Steel Mid-Tower
Packaging
The packaging segment of this review is usually near the beginning of case reviews, but due to a design flaw with this first release of the Tempest and what I had to say about it, I figured you wouldn't read the rest of the review. The Tempest came in the standard run-of-the-mill computer case box with the case in a plastic bag and two pieces of foam holding the case firmly in place for shipping. This packaging arrangement was nothing new, nor did I see a reason to take photos of the same packaging arrangement as 99% of all the other computer cases on the market today. I removed the tempest from the packaging and proceeded to take photos and then continuing to populate the case with computer components. About a week or so later, I noticed the top of the case near the front was loose, now I wasn't sure at this point if this happened during shipping or while I was carrying it from the build table to the desk, but after further investigation it turns out that the top-front of the case is held on by two little tabs of plastic which screw into the front of the tempest case metal. These two little tabs of plastic if pressured snapped which allows me to lift the front part of the top. Now NZXT had sent TWL two of the Tempest cases for our review, so we opened the box to the second case and removed it carefully and examined these tabs to confirm they were not broken and they weren't. Next I moved the computer components from the first case to the second. Some weeks later TWL had a LAN party which I took the Tempest rig to. I had a friend carry the case from the car to the party and during which time the two tabs broke on the second case. Maybe a design flaw, but these two little tabs seem a little too weak..
Shown here the top is lifted by the corner. |
Here is a close up of the weak plastic tab which was once part of the top. |
Conclusion
The installation of the motherboard and the rest of the components into the NZXT Tempest was not bad at all. There was plenty of space to install the components and run cables. Though the lack of cable runs which would assist with hiding the cables was a little disappointing. The mounting screws which are required to mount the right side of any 5.25" drive bay component was also disappointing and above all else frustrating as each time the screw missed the mounting screw threads, the screw would drop between the motherboard panel and the 5.25" wall which resulted in leaning the case one direction or another to get the screw to drop. Finally the Tempest as stated above needs some re-engineering on the front two tabs which hold the top. Since both cases had broken within the first few times they were handled, and not roughly at all seemed to be a real downfall to its design. Despite this design flaw, the case is still a nice chassis. If you would like to pick up this case, you can find it on Newegg for $119.99.
