NZXT's history in the computer case industry began with the Guardian way back in 2003. Six years later NZXT has created the Beta Evo, a mid tower black steel chassis that is best associated with the word 'classic'. With the ability to fit six 120mm fans as standard, does this mid-range case provide anything new to the case community, or is it just another uninspiring chassis? Check out the review TBCS here!

Introduction

To mod or not to mod, that is the question. It has been asked thousands of times by thousands of people, many of whom frequent this forum. When a modder spies that new case on the horizon he has to ask himself, "Is this the one I settled down with, or should I try and change her and make her my own?" Though many modders never settle down, the NZXT Beta Evo is the first case that ever made me stop and think, "Do I really want to mod her?"

Normally an all black case deserves a paint job. Usually I like to cut windows where none existed before. I will almost always add lights to a computer if it only has a few. But for the Beta Evo, I am still torn over whether it deserves a mod, or even needs ones. Read on to understand my views on the case, and leave a comment on whether or not you think it should be modded.

Features and Specifications

NZXT touts the Beta Evo as a classic mid tower steel chasis, and their product website claims the following design aspects as features:

Quote:

Fits ATX Standard Motherboards and Power Supplies Fits large 10.5" performance graphic cards Expanded cooling directly cools video cards and CPU Support for up to 6 120mm fans with the option of dual 140mm at the top Screwless installation for hard drives and external 5.25" drives Black Internal finish for sleek look Meshed front panel allows for better airflow than traditional cases Superior wire management with bottom mounted PSU and CPU punchout for heatsink removable Removable PSU filter 180 degree Turned HDD for a cleaner internal finish and better wire management External Dual radiator support Top mounted USB/Audio for convenient usage

And the formal specifications:

As you can see, NZXT is focusing on three main things with the Beta Evo: space, ease of use, and cooling. After all, that is what every case focuses on, right? Nine tool-less drive bays are fairly standard for today's cases, and most modern cases are both widening and lengthening to accommodate our enormous graphics cards. However, the Beta Evo seems to be taking a rather abundant approach for cooling, and have included six default places for 120mm or larger fans and support for dual external radiators. Read on to find out if the Beta Evo lives up to its advertising claims.

Introduction | Features and Specifications | Packaging | Overview | Installation and Testing | Conclusion

 

 

Packaging

The NZXT Beta Evo arrives in a fairly nondescript corrugated cardboard box. The only cosmetic attributes of the packaging are bold black lines and text listing the name and features of the case, as well as a random mention that the case was, "Designed in Los Angeles". The cardboard is not reinforced like other gloss coated case packaging, and could be susceptible to substantial shipping damage. Inside the box the Beta Evo is shrouded in a loose plastic sleeve and standard molded shipping Styrofoam. The overall packaging is fairly standard for low end cases, but it still leaves much protection to be desired. However, the packaging deficiencies no doubt contribute to a low overall MSRP.

Cardboard Packaging

Plastic and Styrofoam Packaging

Overview

The NZXT Beta Evo is a very sleek and concise case immediately out of the box. The entire case is constructed out of black steel, black mesh, and black plastic. When the packaging is removed you simply have a sleek, all black tower emblazoned with white NZXT lettering on the front bezel. The case allows access to four 5.25" drive bays with removable mesh drive covers. The power and reset buttons are triangles that flank the top of the bezel grill, and the one included 120mm fan is located behind this grill. The power and reset buttons also double as the Power LED and the HDD LED, as the power button will glow when on and the reset button will flicker with HDD activity.

The top of the case provides the low profile front connection panel, which holds an HD audio, a microphone, two USB 2.0, and an eSATA port. Near the rear of the top panel two mesh fan grills provide mounting points for two 120mm or two 140mm top exhaust fans.

Both sides of the case are simple black steel case sides with no windows. The main case side has two 120mm fan grills to allow fans to blow directly on critical motherboard components. The rear of the case reveals the bottom mount PSU design, as well as two watercooling grommets and a spot for either a 120mm or 140mm rear exhaust fan. The main case side is anchored to the rear via two thumb screws, and the other side with two regular case screws.

Case front

Four drive bay covers

Power and reset buttons, and front fan grill

Case top

Main case side

Other case side

Case rear

The Beta Evo opens up to review a fairly spacious all black interior. Inside the case you will find the front panel wiring neatly wrapped and appearing from straight above the 5.25" drive bays. The included 120mm fan's wiring is available from the main case side, and the accessories box is nestled in outward facing 3.5" drive bays. The accessories box contains the normal array of tool-less parts:

• 5x 3.5" drive bay rails
• 4x 5.25" drive bay clips
• 1x 3.5" (floppy) drive bay clip
• Motherboard speaker
• Manual
• Screw set
• Locking mechanism

Oddly,

the manual

does not make a single mention of the accessories specifically. The manual is very thorough in regards to installing the motherboard, 5.25" drives, and 3.5" drives with the tools provided, but it is lacking in regards to the locking mechanism as well as any PCI card specifics.

Case Inside

Accessories Contents

The 3.5" hard drive bay uses a tool-less rail system for mounting the drives, and is cooled by the 120mm front intake fan. The 5.25" and middle 3.5" drive bays are also tool-less, but use a different system than the lower bays. The idea is that since the main hard drive bays face the case side a sliding rail system is preferred; whereas the external drive bays still have to face inward and therefore a locking clip system is used. Above the 5.25" bays the front panel wires trail over and out into the case. When I saw the cables sticking out of the case top like this, my immediate thought was that the case must be lacking cable management options. However, the Beta Evo employs the increasingly popular method of a HSF punchout in the motherboard tray as well as wire management reliefs near the bays.

3.5" HDD bays

5.25" drive bays and extra 3.5" drive bay

Front Panel Wiring

HSF Punchout

Integrated Wire Managers

Power supplies are meant to be mounted at the bottom of this case, and they are anchored by a small separator tab and standard PSU screws. The PCI covers are mesh panels that are screwed into the case, and can be replaced if you stop using a certain slot. The watercooling grommets appear next to the PCI slots, and are apparently meant to route to one or more radiators. If you use top exhaust fans, you will want to consider installing them before the motherboard, as the fan grills are perilously close to the last motherboard screw hole.

Power Supply Mount

PCI Slots and Watercooling Grommets

Top Fan Grills

The front bezel is easily removed by simply gripping from the top and bottom and pulling, and the bezel inside reveals the 120mm fan, foam filter and front LED's. NZXT recommends not removing the 5.25" drive bay covers until the front bezel is removed, and once separated the covers pop out with simple pressure. The normally sharp edges of all-steel cases are either rolled and rounded in the Beta Evo, or protected with rubber corners. All in all, the features provided in this case are those of a standard, no frills design that provides for a usable case.

[center]

Front 120mm Intake Fan

Inside of Front Bezel

Rubberized corner

Installation and Testing

Equipment used in testing:

• Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3R/UD3
• Scythe Kama Angle
• nVIDIA 9800GT
• 1x HDD
• 1x Optical Drive
• Sunbeam 650W PSU

After popping out one of the 5.25" drive bay covers, my standard DVD drive slid into the bay and was secured easily with the tool-less clip. The DVD facade can be made to sit flush with the case side, but due to the rounded drive covers there will be a noticeable gap between the drive and the surrounding covers. Those that enjoy continuity along a case's front bezel will be disappointed by the Beta Evo's curved drive bay covers and inability to replace a cover when a drive is present.

Installed Optical Drive

Curved Mesh Drive Cover

Calling the Beta Evo's 3.5" rail system tool-less is a bit misleading as it is not entirely tool-less. In order to attach the rails to the drive you have to use a small Phillips head screwdriver to properly thread the screws into the screw holes. Once attached, the railed HDD slides into the bays with ease and a small metal pressure clip keeps it snugly in place. The end of the HDD bay is fairly close to the side of the case, and I would recommend facing the connectors toward the motherboard tray, rather than the main case side, for better wire management and space allowances.

HDD Rails Attached

HDD in drive bay

Standard sized and extended length power supplies can fit in the case without a hitch, and are supported by rubberized standoffs on the bottom of the case. Even though the manual does not provide instructions on installing motherboard standoffs, the motherboard tray provides a short layout guide that worked well for my ATX motherboard. The Beta Evo is deep enough to support a modern graphics card like the 9800GT, and the wire management troughs are placed appropriately and are spacious enough to work with. The space between the motherboard tray and the other case side is sufficient enough to accommodate all the hidden wire management you need. NZXT also considered the use of the 4 and 8 pin motherboard connectors and instructs users to route the cable up through the HSF cutout to reach the receptacle at the top of the motherboard.

PSU Installed

Motherboard Standoffs

Motherboard installed

Wire Management

Overall, the case is very unassuming when completed. The mesh fan grills do not provide much in the way of windows, and by default the only lights are from the power and reset buttons, and the front fan. To note, the rear blue glow in the last picture below is fron the Sunbeam PSU.

Slight blue tint in light

Decent blue glow in the dark

Conclusion

Pros:

• Six default fan mounts
• Wire management
• All black inside and out

Cons:

• Limited watercooling support
• Tool-less 3.5" drive installation not entirely tool-less

The NZXT Beta Evo. The Classic Series. 'Classic' is a word that seems to fit this case best. It is sleek, unassuming, and functional. The Beta Evo does not try to be flashy with its all black paint job, inside and out. NZXT's case does not try to be noticeable with its all mesh curved front bezel. This case does not try to be a ground-breaker with its tool-less bays, punchouts, and covers. The NZXT Beta Evo is simply a functional case; a case worthy of the discerning professional or the ambitious modder.

With a retail price of $59.99 on Newegg and $54.99 on Amazon, the Beta Evo is understandably short on frills and extras. The case still lives up to the majority of its advertised features, like expanded cooling options with the six fan slots and decent wire management options. However, one feature in particular is near impossible to live up to: external dual radiator support. Just because a case has two grommets to allow watercooling tubes through does not mean it supports two radiators. If someone really wanted to constrain themselves, they could attach radiators to the side, top, or rear fan grills. Attaching radiators there isn't really 'radiator support' though; it is simply feature duality, and almost quashes the idea that this can be a watercooling case out of the box.

All said and done though, the best part of this case is that it is super simple. To the members of a community like TBCS, the NZXT Beta Evo is the perfect starting point for many a mod, assuming the modder can get around the mid-range MSRP. If a modder has an interest in watercooling the modder has a plethora of potential options in regards to adding an appropriate watercooling system. For those that want a flashy mod, the all black color scheme is a perfect starting point for all designs. For it's features and usability, the NZXT Beta Evo is deserving of a TBCS 4/5.