NZXT Tempest EVO Mid Tower Case Review

External Impressions

First view of the NZXT Tempest EVO case is the side panel with a window. Instead of a clear window that is typical, we have a nicely tinted window. Installed in the window is a 120x25mm intake fan. The fan has blue LED’s which provide an ambient blue tint behind the dark window. The fan is a NZXT DF1202512RFLN; a quick Google search turned up very little information on the fan.

The front of the NZXT Tempest EVO has a total of nine 5.25″ drive bays. However, you lose six of them with the included hard drive carriers. Each of the hard drive carriers take up three of the 5.25″ bays; we’ll take a look at these on the next page though, so don’t worry. Along the sides of the drive bays we have two clear plastic channels that have a blue LED mounted at the bottom. Having one LED at the bottom of the channel was sufficient to light the entire channel with a blue glow.

The top of the NZXT Tempest EVO is adorned with a pair of white nine bladed 140x25mm exhaust fans.

Not to be forgotten is the all important front panel. The front panel of the NZXT Tempest EVO has the typical connections, USB, Audio, power and reset buttons and E-Sata, which is becoming more and more common.

The back side panel has been dressed up a bit. The design mimics the shape of the window and helps provide a symmetrical look to the Tempest EVO. It also serves as a relief for the system wires that you choose to hide behind the motherboard tray.

The back of the NZXT Tempest EVO is not the most exciting side of the case but it is still important. It features 7 expansion slots and a 120x25mm exhaust fan, as well as 4 grommets designed for an external water cooling solution. The power supply can easily be mounted in either of two directions inside the case depending on your preference of air flow and design of your power supply.

The bottom of the NZXT Tempest EVO is a little less than exciting though still important. Bearing the weight of the case are 4 soft rubber feet which will prevent scratches on your desk or hardwood flooring. There is also a dust filter mounted right under the power supply. This helps keep out those annoying dust bunnies that your power supply may suck up through the intake fan.

Now that we are finished with the outside of the Tempest EVO, let’s take a look at the inside of the NZXT Tempest EVO!