NZXT Launches H-Series Cases & GRID+ V3 Fan Controller

Cooling and looking cool have always been a part of the DIY PC gaming community. NZXT would like to fulfill both those obligations with its new product launches; the H-series cases for the looks, and the GRID+ V3 for the cooling. Clean lines, mesh filters, flat surfaces, and of course, tempered glass and RGB are the main order of the day, but there are a few tricks up the proverbial sleeve too, such as noise monitoring.

The cases are what you’d expect from NZXT;well thought out, clean, and plenty of usability and quality-of-life enhancements to make the whole building process as streamlined as possible. Shrouding to keep the mess hidden, decorative plates to stop branding from interfering, mesh filters to prevent dust, and lots of integrated features.

Making up the H-series are three towers, the H700i is the flagship mid-tower ATX for bigger builds, the H400i for mini-ATX systems, and the H200i for those dinky powerhouses built around ITX form factors. All three share the same core design and philosophies, with only the size being the main price factor.

All three come with a tempered glass panel, so you can ogle at your build while you game, they also all come with a built-in smart fan controller and RGB lighting system, similar in specs to the new GRID+ V3 controller we’ll touch on later. Each tower is made from steel to keep them rigid, although a bit on the heavy side. The front panel uses inset fans with a large filter and air-vents down the side with a solid plastic cover for a clean look.

There are a couple features that stand out though, the first being the pre-set cable routing guides. These are groves and notches to feed cabling through without having to squish things up or lock down with dozens of cable-ties. The second is the smart control system for fans and RGB lighting. It’s a software powered fan controller using NZXT’s CAM, for all those custom cooling profiles you may want to set, complete with RGB control, but it can also work and operate to within a noise profile, as it features a microphone to check total system volume.

The smart control is a cut-back version of the GRID+ V3, supporting three fans in the cases, instead of six with the full hub. It can detect and power both 4-pin PWM controlled fans, as well as 3-pin voltage control fans, up to 5 watts per channel. This isn’t enough for water pumps, but is enough for the majority of fans out there. If cooling is adequate, the controller can even disable fans for a completely silent system.

The H-series cases are available in four colors, including solid black or accents of white, blue and red. Pricing starts at $130 for the H200i ITX system and $150 for the mATX H400i, both of which will be available at a later date. The flagship H700i is available now for $200, along with the GRID+ V3 separately for $50.