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NZXT Lexa Case Review
The install:
To test the Lexa's capacity and
cooling, I installed a high-end gaming build. The build uses two
Nvidia 7800 GT cards in SLI, an Intel Pentium 4 3.0 processor with the
OEM heatsink, and a 2 x 512 set of Crucial Ballistix DDR2 all installed
on a Foxconn NF4SLI7AA-8EKRS2 Motherboard. Power is handled
by the provided NZXT 500 Watt power supply and the drives include 2x 74
gig WD Raptors and a Lilte-on DVD Burner. I also added a water
cooler to the mix, but more on that in a minute!
Lets take a closer look at that optional 500 Watt PSU.
NZXT has provided a pretty solid power supply with the Lexa. The
addition of two +12V rails and the ATX 2.0 Standard make this a mark
above any OEM PSU I have seen.
On to the spaghetti! The PF500 has support for
20/24 pin motherboards, the usual drives and SATA. Worth
mentioning is the lack of SLI support for video. Fortunately most
major manufacturers include an adapter and BFG Technology is no
exception.
First I mounted the Foxconn motherboard. Its
nice to see there is room to spare between the board and the drive bays.
This allows for hiding the cables and better airflow.
Installing the Raptors using the included rails was
fast and easy. You can see I also routed the front panel cables
behind the drives to hide them and better reach the plugs on the
motherboard. The front 120 mm provides ample air flow through the
drive cage.
It is easier to see the rail against my blue DVD
burner.
To install drives in the floppy bays you must remove
the front completely and punch out the inserts. This is a major
bummer in an otherwise fast and easy install. As a habit I always
remove these knuckle biters. With the front off you can get a good
look at the removable filter present on both the front fan and bottom
vent. The door 120 mm has a fine steel mesh as its only
filtration.
This picture shows the completed system running with
some quick and dirty cable management. One disadvantage of the
internal bay layout is the rails force the drive cables to sit against
the window.
The install went so well, I added my Cooler Master
Mini Aquagate R80 to the build. There is no such thing as too much
cooling right?
With the case closed up and the lights lowered the
Lexa really shows its personality. I will definitely need to get
creative about hiding those cable runs.
This picture shows the front panel lighting as well as
the internal lights in full effect. That front surface may not be
metal but it sure does look like it. And reflects like it too!
With the cage installed on the rear of the case, you
can see how the cabling will go. I did have a bit of trouble
running the cables for the bottom row of audio jacks, they are a really
tight fit. And forget using that top card slot for anything that
protrudes at all.
Lets not forget the LAN Cary strap! The front
even has a large mesh pocket for your keyboard and such. With my
gaming habit, this is a nice feature and a thoughtful add in.
Conclusion:
NZXT continues to break out of the pack with more
innovative designs and performance and the Lexa is no exception.
While the back cage may cause some issues and the front panel removal is
just puzzling, the high degree of cooling and the included 500 Watt
power supply easily out weigh them. Packed with features like near
tool-less setup and an integrated temperature monitor, this case could
look like any high-end case and still get a recommend. But, at a
retail price of $179, you will need to find the unique look appealing
because a lot of high-end cases will be in the same budget. The fact
that it looks so unlike a typical case makes the Lexa a true head
turner. NZXT sure knows how to bring on the bling.
MSRP: $129
($179.00 with the 500 Watt PSU) at NewEgg
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Club
Overclocker Rating |
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Innovation: |
9.5
out of 10 |
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Performance: |
10 out of 10 |
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Quality: |
9.0
out of 10 |
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Stability: |
N/A |
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Overclocking: |
N/A |
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Software/Drivers Pack: |
N/A |
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Value: |
8.5 out of 10 |
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Overall Rating
9.5 |
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Skill Level |
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Project Skill Level
(10 being hardest) |
4
out of 10 |
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