NZXT Phantom 820 full-tower focuses on maximum cooling

Posted on Monday, October 15 2012 @ 11:27 CEST by Thomas De Maesschalck
NZXT delivers the Phantom 820, a new big-tower case with integrated hue lighting that focuses on "maximum cooling potential". The case features a front door that hides four 5.25" drive bays, and inside there are five 3.5/2.5" bays and nine expansion slots. Integrated into the case is a four channel digital fan controller with 15W per channel, as well as a I/O panel with two USB 3.0 ports, four USB 2.0 ports, an SD memory card reader and audio ports.

An acrylic window provides a view into the case, and inside is one 140mm fan and three 200mm fan to provide lots of airflow to your hardware. A total of nine fans can be mounted inside the case, and you can mount a triple-radiator in the top as well as a 240/280mm unit in the floor of the case.

The case will ship by the end of November for 249.90EUR, it will be available in white, black and gunmetal editions.

Here's the list of special features, the press release is listed below:
  • Fully equipped with one 140mm and three 200mm fans for the high airflow and low noise
  • Integrated HUE lighting for illuminating the exterior/interior of your enclosure with option to turn on/off and allow you to customize the colors at your heart’s content
  • High-end water cooling solutions up to three fans for a push-pull configuration: 90mm of internal top space with top 280/360mm and bottom 240/280mm radiator support for unmatched liquid cooling
  • State-of-the-art integrated 4 channel digital fan controller with 15 watts per channel and LED indicators that progressively gets brighter on high speeds and dimmer for low settings
  • Easily removable filters located in the top, front, side, and bottom to prevent dust from entering your rig and simple maintenance
  • interior pivot 120/140mm fan slot for directional airflow
  • Removable HDD cage and large storage capacity for 6 hard drives
  • Dual USB 3.0, quad USB 2.0, microphone, and audio jack along with a SD media card reader for high-speed data transfer and quick access to multimedia
  • Stylish acrylic window with a view to show off the interior of your rig
  • Unrivalled Cooling Capacity to mount up to nine fans for a maximum airflow
  • Rear I/O white light for visibility in dark environments with a toggle switch
  • Extruded right side panel for an elegant look and achieves 36mm clearance for cable wire management
  • Equipped with a stylish pedestal that lifts your enclosure off the ground for increased airflow.
  • NZXT starts a new chapter in the Phantom saga with the Phantom 820. The feature rich big-tower chassis with a four channel fan controller, multicolor LED lighting and futuristic design takes the elaborate look and feel of the Phantom series to new heights. Card reader and lighted motherboard back plate aid in every day operation. With up to nine installable fans, all of which controllable, the Phantom 820 is the best choice for both enthusiasts and silent computing users.

    To improve on a high-tech chassis like the extremely popular Phantom may seem an impossible task. NZXT answers this question with a loud and resounding yes. The Phantom 820 offers the incredible genes of the previous generation, but includes a long range of improvements and additional features along with even more futuristic design elements. These extras encompass a unique stand all the way up to multicolor LED elements. The Phantom 820 is available in various color choices like matt black, white and gunmetal.

    Just like the original, or the smaller Phantom 410 variant, the new 820 unit is a beauty to look at. It offers the same incredible asymmetrical shape with homogeneous lines along with larger dimensions. Front and top of the Phantom 820 are similarly shaped in a mirrored fashion to be the proper successor of the original.

    Viewing the big-tower from the front, one can see the two segments of the chassis. The pointy front houses a door in the top halve, behind which four 5.25 inch drives with mesh covers are hidden. On top of that, an SDHC card reader and the NZXT HUE equipped controls for the elaborate LED lighting. Thanks to the underlying technology, you may change the color and lighting theme seamlessly. An additional button in this area gives control over the white LEDs which light the motherboard expansion slots and the board backplate area. Below the external drive bays a fan is used to push cold air across the internal hard drive bays.

    The case controls, along with the audio I/O and fan controller can be found on the right side of the top panel. The fan controller utilizes four separate channels, each of which can handle up to 15 Watt. An separate button combines all individual channels into a single one to be controlled uniformly. On the left edge one will find the six USB ports, two of which are 3.0 variants.

    The interior of the NZXT Phantom 820 is painted to match the outside of the chassis. A very large motherboard tray with big openings below the CPU area enables the easy exchange of CPU coolers and an quick and simple assembly. Due to the large dimensions, the chassis can hold XL- or E-ATX motherboards along with long graphic cards with up to 33.3 cm length. Thanks to perfectly placed cable routing openings and plenty of space between motherboard tray and side panel, keeping the interior tidy even when using a large number of components is possible.

    The HDD or SSDs may be installed in beautifully designed cages, while the bottom one is easily removable to be filled outside of the chassis. Besides 3.5 inch drives, one may also place 2.5 inch units into any of the drive bays. Above the cages are the four 5.25 inch bays, each equipped with a tool-less locking mechanism.

    Newly designed case feet make the Phantom 820 even bigger and add another futuristic design element. The bottom mounted PSU bay features rubberized elements to eliminate any vibration from this area. A window allows some insight into the beautiful chassis, giving the user the possibility to show off the installed components.

    A large 200 mm fan in the front draws cool air into the chassis, while a rear 140 mm unit pushes warm air out, creating an efficient air flow within the Phantom 820. Thanks to the elaborate design, the chassis offers seven additional placement possibilities. The top offers multiple configuration possibilities, allowing the user to choose from a single 200 , two 140 or three 120 mm units. The position of the rear 140 mm unit may be adjusted vertically, giving the user the utmost flexibility regardless if air or water cooling is used. Two further placements for 120 or 140 mm fans can also be found on the floor of the chassis.

    Such an extensive cooling solution requires a potent controller to give the user the flexibility by adjusting the speed and noise level within the chassis. Each of the individual channels also allow for the fans to be completely deactivated. All intake areas of Phantom 820 are protected by dust filters, to keep dirt and grime away from the valuable components inside.

    Thanks to the large volume of the chassis, the Phantom 820 allows for triple radiator to be placed within the interior with up to 60 mm height. In addition to this, another 240 or 280 mm unit may be placed on the floor of the case, allowing for unprecedented cooling possibilities.
    NZXT Phantom 820 white front

    NZXT Phantom 820 interior

    NZXT Phantom 820 white cable management


    About the Author

    Thomas De Maesschalck

    Thomas has been messing with computer since early childhood and firmly believes the Internet is the best thing since sliced bread. Enjoys playing with new tech, is fascinated by science, and passionate about financial markets. When not behind a computer, he can be found with running shoes on or lifting heavy weights in the weight room.



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