Introduction and First Impressions

An affordable mid-tower case that sets a new standard

NZXT has created a stylish mid-tower enclosure with their Source 340 chassis, and made it an especially attractive option with a retail of just $69.99. Can this new case contend in a crowded market? We will find that out here!

With several interesting designs under their belt NZXT isn’t a surprising name when it comes to nice-looking enclosures. I looked at their H440 Razer Edition recently, and the H440 it was based on is a popular mid-tower enclosure with good looks and performance. This new S340 is very similar to the H440 but on a slightly reduced scale, and offers a more open internal layout with a reduction in hard drive storage space. This is a move that won’t work for everyone, but as I mentioned in the recent SilverStone Raven RV05 review being limited to a pair of hard drives and SSDs a fair tradeoff for a gaming or productivity setup.

On the subject of storage, like the aforementioned H440 and RV05 this Source 340 enclosure is another example of a optical bay-free design. There are no hidden slim-ODD bays here, and for any optical data needs a user will be required to use an external solution. I personally like an open layout and don’t use 5.25” bays at all anymore, and the added room in the S340 provides nearly unlimited space for long GPUs and stays clean with a clever approach to cable routing.

Continue reading our review of the NZXT S340 enclosure!!

Before taking a closer look at the S340 here are the full specs from NZXT:


Specifications

Materials: SECC Steel, ABS Plastic
Motherboard Support
Mini-ITX, MicroATX, ATX
Expansion Slots: 7
Drive Bays: Internal 3.5" x2+1, 2.5” x2
Cooling System: Front 2x 140/2x120mm; Top 1x 140/120mm (1x 120mm FN V2 fan included); Rear 1x 120mm (1 x 120mm FN V2 Fan Included)
Filters: Front, bottom Rear (included)
Radiator Support: Front 2x 140 or 2x 120mm; Rear 1x 120mm
GPU Clearance With Radiator: 334mm, GPU Without Radiator: 364mm
CPU Cooler Clearance: 161mm
External I.O: 2x USB 3.0, 1x Audio/Mic
Dimensions: 200mm x 445mm x 432mm (7.9" x 17.5" x 17")
Product Weight: 7.05 kg (15.54 lbs)


Our thanks to NZXT for providing the S340 enclosure for our review!

Packaging and First Impressions

The S340 arrives in a nice, shiny box with both the black and white versions pictured on opposite sides. I asked for the white version of the enclosure to test, just to mix it up in a market dominated by black boxes.

Inside we have the usual dense foam protecting the enclosure, which is further protected from scratches by a plastic bag.

The included hardware pack has each type of screw separated into individual bags, a welcome detail that’s usually reserved for more expensive cases.

The S340 in this white finish is an appliance-like white enamel over steel, and has a very clean and refreshing appearance.

I was immediately struck by not only how nice the enclosure looks, but how well built it already feels just taking it out of the box. It has a reassuring weight without being ridiculous, and it feels rock solid.

A windowed side panel is standard, and this arrives with protective plastic on both sides to keep it scratch-free. This might sound like a little thing, but our sample has a remarkably clear window that’s as good as any I’ve ever seen, regardless of price. This is looking less and less like a $70 case as we go…

Around back we see a conventional ATX layout with the usual motherboard orientation. Plenty of expansion slots are available and there’s the usual 120mm fan opening (with a rifle-bearing NZXT fan included).

The top provides a nice contrast with a matte black finish

Up top there is a single 120/140mm fan opening with another 120mm rifle-bearing fan installed, and the top I/O has the usual suspects in easy reach.

Finally we look at the bottom of the case, which has a flexible screen under the PSU mount for cleaning.

Next we’ll look at a build using the NZXT S340, and then see how this case performed!

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