NZXT H510 Flow - Compact Brilliance

AS YOU MAY KNOW, we’re big fans of small cases here at Maximum PC. It’s perhaps a bit of an Achilles heel of ours that we don’t focus on the larger chassis out there. But there’s just something about compact chassis that really hits home. For the vast majority who don’t hoard TBs of data and process vast simulations or render video footage, a compact machine like this is all you really need. On-board audio killed the sound-card, Nvidia killed SLI, Intel killed networking cards, and the M.2 drive has decimated every other storage form. Because of that, for most people, a small case that you can lift off the ground and plonk on your desk is a smart move.

- ZAK STOREY

Typically that means a small form factor, but ITX cases are difficult to work with, they require special considerations during the build process, and it does limit your ability to expand it later on. On top of that, micro-ATX rigs, although stellar back in the day, have also gone the way of the woolly mammoth, so for the vast majority a small ATX mid-tower makes a lot of sense. It’s a perfect compromise.

NZXT’s H510 series of cases has been a popular pick for a long while now. The small compact design, with clean-cut lines, stylish color picks, tempered glass, and a host of design features to enhance your building experience has cemented this case as a fantastic budget(ish) option for anyone looking to build a new system.

The stock H510 comes in at $110, the H510i with included RGB lighting at $145, and the H510 Elite, the full tempered glass affair at $180. The one weakness these cases have, however, is airflow. A solid front panel might look great for those social media snaps of your setup, but it’s hardly conducive to good cooling. These cases aren’t without ventilation, the rear of the case has perforations along that edge, and there’s a cutout underneath, but it’s not quite what you’d call “airflow optimized”. Enter the H510 Flow.