Perusing the specification sheet, we can see that large E-ATX motherboards are supported, nine expansion slots are available, and up to nine fans can be installed. The chassis' reset button is too close to the fan controller for our liking - it might have been better hidden behind the front door - and the door itself has limitations it doesn't open much beyond 90 degrees, it can only open to the right, while the plastic material comes across as cheap.īut what the Phantom 820 lacks in refinement, it more than makes up for with ambition. There's a lot going on, and we enjoy the fact that the Phantom 820 is designed to be a big box of tricks, but there are a few minor issues.
All the bundled screws are neatly presented in a compartmentalised case, the four fan-controller channels are accompanied by small LEDs that glow brighter depending on fan speed, and the rubberised HUE colour-control dial has a nice feel about it and makes LED colour selection a doddle. There's no hot-water dispenser, sadly, but NZXT has covered pretty much everything else and the Phantom 820 isn't lacking in extra little touches, either. The fans turn off completely at the lowest setting and ramp up to maximum speed on the highest setting.įlip open the door and, in addition to the four optical bays, NZXT includes an SD card reader (connected to your motherboard via a USB 2.0 header), a toggle switch for the chassis' integrated HUE lighting system (you can switch zones or turn the LEDs off completely), a dial allowing you to change the colour of the internal lighting, and a toggle switch for the dedicated rear I/O light. The integrated digital fan controller has four channels, with the middle button allowing you to flip between them, and the up and down buttons are used to select one of five speed gradients. Users who prefer a sleeker look will instantly be put off by the Phantom 820's showy exterior - be it in Black, Gunmetal Grey or White - and, though the steel central frame is sturdy, the plastic additions don't provide the premium feel you'd expect from a £200 case. Though, that isn't to say it'll be to everyone's liking. It's not as vulgar as we'd feared, and in person, there's something actually quite cool about it. The Phantom 820 still has the hallmarks of a typical gaming chassis - lots of angles, protruding plastic parts and a good splattering of LEDs - but somehow or other, NZXT has found a reasonable middle ground. This full-tower behemoth is still a steel frame covered in plastic elements and consequently lacks the ultra-robust feel of all-metal alternatives, but NZXT has toned down the styling a bit. Can the Phantom 820 shake that habit? Well, yes and no. Trouble is, NZXT chassis have thus far had a tendency to look plasticky and overly gamer-orientated. At this price point, the Phantom 820 is up against premium cases such as the Corsair Obsidian Series 800D. Priced at £200, the Phantom 820 is an expensive proposition for any builder, but it's proof that NZXT has its sights set higher.
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