G.Skill Z5i

A case of two halves

- ZAK STOREY

THE G.SKILL Z5I is one of the best-looking cases we’ve seen in the last year or so. It would be easy for case manufacturers to fall back on those old tired design tropes, and make something generic. Those age-old cuboid utilitarian shapes are certainly efficient, but it’s hardly going to lead to a standout piece of art when it comes to thinking about a home for your next rig.

But the G.Skill Z5i is something else entirely. Its hinged curved tempered glass panels allude to the interior with subtlety and grace. The front I/O is a smooth sheet of brushed aluminum, bound into the rest of the aluminum frame, and littered with triangular perforations that run around and through the heart of the case itself, ensuring that airflow is plentiful. On top is a simple yet effective mesh vent, while the base is a surprisingly premium plastic composite, with integrated under glow RGB lighting, and a G.Skill logo cutout, all of which is controllable via your motherboard.