NZXT Source 210
I purchased this case for use as a business computer. Doing a review on it really hadn't crossed my mind until I started using it. For a cheap case ($40), I was surprised by the quality.
Most case reviews are on expensive cases. For $80+ you expect certain features. Some people with tighter budgets would rather put another $40+ into hardware instead of a case. I've used the HAF 912 in a lot of builds for friends simply because it was good for the price. The Source 210 will now be another case that I recommend.
The case itself is very simple in appearance. There is nothing flashy about this case. It's very simple and looks great in that respect. The inside as well as the outside of the case is painted black. Usually with cheaper cases, the inside will not be painted.
Specifications
Brand
NZXT
Series
Source 210
Model
S210-001
Type
ATX Mid Tower
Color
Black
Case Material
Aluminum Brush / Plastic
Power Supply Mounted
Bottom
Motherboard Compatibility
Micro ATX / ATX
External 5.25" Drive Bays
3
External 3.5" Drive Bays
No
Internal 3.5" Drive Bays
8
Expansion Slots
7
Front Ports
1 x Standard Audio/Mic, 2 x USB 2.0
120mm Fans
1 x 120mm Rear Fan, 1200RPM
Dimensions
19.51" x 7.68" x 17.32"
Weight
14.33 lbs.
Features
Bottom Mounted PSU – Positioned for the most effective PSU ventilation
Wire Management Support – 20mm space for a neat and easy build
Aluminum Textured Panel – Accents the chassis for a clean, modern look and feel
Dual 120mm Front Intake – Takes advantage of front facing HDD bays for excellent airflow
Maximum Cooling Potential – Eliminate heat by installing up to seven 120mm fans
Cooling System:
Front, 2 x 120mm (optional)
Rear, 1 x 120mm @ 1200rpm (included)
Top, 1 x 140mm (optional)
Bottom, 1 x 120mm (optional)
VGA Clearance Maximum: 230mm w/ hard drive, 330mm w/o hard drive
CPU Heatsink Support: 160mm
What's included?
Front:
Inside:
Front Ports:
Rear:
Front expansion bays:
Accessories:
NZXT even went as far as to make the standoffs black. These are nothing you will see of course, but I thought it was a nice touch:
NZXT also include a tool to screw down the standoffs if you do not have a socket driver. Very nice IMO. You simply put the tool onto the standoff and use a philips screwdriver to tighten:
Assembly and Wire Management
This is pretty common now in most cases, but the motherboard tray is cut out to allow backplate installation with the board installed. This isn't just a nice feature anymore, it's something that should be standard on all cases:
There are holes in the case to allow the routing of wires behind the tray. However, being a cheap case, the holes do not have grommets:
I didn't really take my time on wire management as this PC isn't for show. The case does have decent options for it though including tie downs on the back of the motherboard tray for use with zip ties.
Watercooling Possibilities
Most people looking to watercool would probably opt for a bigger more expensive case. Out of the box, this case would not be a good choice. However, with a few mods watercooling is possible. If you removed the 3.5" expansion bays from the front (would require drilling a few rivets) you could install a 240mm radiator in the front of the case.
Also, there are holes punched in the back of the case for use with an external rad. You would simply need to remove the metal and add some grommets.
Unfortunately, the top of the case doesn't leave enough room for a rad. You could put fans in the top and mount the rad on the top of the case instead though.
Conclusion
All in all, this case has some features that you expect in a more expensive case. It's built rather sturdy and looks great. There is a white version of this case as well. For another $10 you could get the Source 210 Elite. This adds tool less brackets and USB 3.0. At newegg, the elite version offers free shipping, so the cases end up costing the same amount of money in the end.
Pros
Simple styling
Painted inside and out
Decent wire management
Two color options
Cheap in price
Cons
Tower coolers limited to 160mm in height. The CM Hyper 212+ I used just fits at 159mm.
Watercooling would require some modifications
No brackets for 5.25" devices
No USB 3.0 support
I purchased this case for use as a business computer. Doing a review on it really hadn't crossed my mind until I started using it. For a cheap case ($40), I was surprised by the quality.
Most case reviews are on expensive cases. For $80+ you expect certain features. Some people with tighter budgets would rather put another $40+ into hardware instead of a case. I've used the HAF 912 in a lot of builds for friends simply because it was good for the price. The Source 210 will now be another case that I recommend.
The case itself is very simple in appearance. There is nothing flashy about this case. It's very simple and looks great in that respect. The inside as well as the outside of the case is painted black. Usually with cheaper cases, the inside will not be painted.
Specifications
Brand
NZXT
Series
Source 210
Model
S210-001
Type
ATX Mid Tower
Color
Black
Case Material
Aluminum Brush / Plastic
Power Supply Mounted
Bottom
Motherboard Compatibility
Micro ATX / ATX
External 5.25" Drive Bays
3
External 3.5" Drive Bays
No
Internal 3.5" Drive Bays
8
Expansion Slots
7
Front Ports
1 x Standard Audio/Mic, 2 x USB 2.0
120mm Fans
1 x 120mm Rear Fan, 1200RPM
Dimensions
19.51" x 7.68" x 17.32"
Weight
14.33 lbs.
Features
Bottom Mounted PSU – Positioned for the most effective PSU ventilation
Wire Management Support – 20mm space for a neat and easy build
Aluminum Textured Panel – Accents the chassis for a clean, modern look and feel
Dual 120mm Front Intake – Takes advantage of front facing HDD bays for excellent airflow
Maximum Cooling Potential – Eliminate heat by installing up to seven 120mm fans
Cooling System:
Front, 2 x 120mm (optional)
Rear, 1 x 120mm @ 1200rpm (included)
Top, 1 x 140mm (optional)
Bottom, 1 x 120mm (optional)
VGA Clearance Maximum: 230mm w/ hard drive, 330mm w/o hard drive
CPU Heatsink Support: 160mm
What's included?
Front:
Inside:
Front Ports:
Rear:
Front expansion bays:
Accessories:
NZXT even went as far as to make the standoffs black. These are nothing you will see of course, but I thought it was a nice touch:
NZXT also include a tool to screw down the standoffs if you do not have a socket driver. Very nice IMO. You simply put the tool onto the standoff and use a philips screwdriver to tighten:
Assembly and Wire Management
This is pretty common now in most cases, but the motherboard tray is cut out to allow backplate installation with the board installed. This isn't just a nice feature anymore, it's something that should be standard on all cases:
There are holes in the case to allow the routing of wires behind the tray. However, being a cheap case, the holes do not have grommets:
I didn't really take my time on wire management as this PC isn't for show. The case does have decent options for it though including tie downs on the back of the motherboard tray for use with zip ties.
Watercooling Possibilities
Most people looking to watercool would probably opt for a bigger more expensive case. Out of the box, this case would not be a good choice. However, with a few mods watercooling is possible. If you removed the 3.5" expansion bays from the front (would require drilling a few rivets) you could install a 240mm radiator in the front of the case.
Also, there are holes punched in the back of the case for use with an external rad. You would simply need to remove the metal and add some grommets.
Unfortunately, the top of the case doesn't leave enough room for a rad. You could put fans in the top and mount the rad on the top of the case instead though.
Conclusion
All in all, this case has some features that you expect in a more expensive case. It's built rather sturdy and looks great. There is a white version of this case as well. For another $10 you could get the Source 210 Elite. This adds tool less brackets and USB 3.0. At newegg, the elite version offers free shipping, so the cases end up costing the same amount of money in the end.
Pros
Simple styling
Painted inside and out
Decent wire management
Two color options
Cheap in price
Cons
Tower coolers limited to 160mm in height. The CM Hyper 212+ I used just fits at 159mm.
Watercooling would require some modifications
No brackets for 5.25" devices
No USB 3.0 support
