The company behind the mid-range Phantom 530 and the innovative H440 -- one of our favorite cases -- has now announced an entry-level case at $70. NZXT's Phantom 240 mid-tower gaming enclosure will soon be available in white, shipping with a side window and admittedly odd curvature.
Let's take a look at NZXT's Phantom 240 specs, MSRP, included fans, and cable management options.
NZXT Phantom 240 Specs
| Size | Mid-Tower |
| Drive Bays | 3x5.25" 6x2.5" 6x3.5" |
| Cooling | 2x120mm front (1 incl.) 2x120mm top or 140mm 1x120mm rear (1 incl.) 1x120mm bottom |
| Clearance | CPU Cooler: 158mm VGA: 400mm w/o cage; 290mm w/ cage. 17mm cable management |
| Dimensions | 195 x 530 x 529 mm |
| Form Factor | ATX, mATX, mITX |
| MSRP | $70 |
In terms of hard specs, things are pretty average: 1x120mm front intake and 1x120mm rear exhaust are included, which is enough for a budget build like this, and there's also room for a couple of other 120mm fans. CPU cooler clearance spans up to 158mm, VGA clearance basically fits everything (400mm without HDD cage, 290mm with), and cable management depth is 17mm -- enough to fit cabling with some work. Modular cages are also present, as with all NZXT cases released recently.
Front I/O is also standard: 2xUSB3.0 w/ header, 2x3.5mm jacks, power, and reset on the top side.
The case itself, if I'm to inject my own opinion, is pretty ugly. That doesn't mean you can't like it, but it reminds me too much of a bloated whale (or Smart Pure Coupe) to want in my room. The specs aren't all that bad, but when you're buying an enclosure - especially on a budget - you've got to at least get an aesthetic that agrees with a certain style. The bloat is probably to accommodate radiators with more ease, but it just doesn't come off as natural. Again, that's my opinion.
The case will be available shortly through retail channels.
- Steve "Lelldorianx" Burke.