The NZXT S340 Case Review
by E. Fylladitakis on July 13, 2015 8:00 AM EST- Posted in
- Cases/Cooling/PSUs
- NZXT
- Case
- ODD-Free
The Exterior of the NZXT S340
In terms of design, the S340 is just about as minimalistic as it gets. It literally is just a rectangular metallic box, with an entirely flat faceplate and side panels. Even the company logo that is embossed near the bottom of the faceplate is difficult to discern. We received the white version of the S340, which has a glossy exterior with matte black accents and a black interior. The left side panel of our sample is partially windowed, revealing the entire system compartment but leaving out the area where the PSU and the 3.5” drives are.
As we anticipated, the metallic faceplate is just a sheet of metal attached on a thick plastic frame. This is natural for both practical reasons and considering the price of the case. The flexibility of plastic allows for panels that can be easily attached to and removed from the metallic frame of the case, whereas a metallic construct would be heavy and it would definitely require some sort of locking mechanism or screws to stay in place. A very large nylon air filter covers the entire front of the case behind the front panel. As we mentioned in the introduction, there is not a single 5.25” device bay.
One of NZXT's primary marketing points regarding the S340 is its compact size. True enough, the S340 is very small for a tower case, with a volume of just 0.0384 cubic meters. This makes it even smaller than the Corsair Obsidian 350D (0.0416m3, 8% greater volume), a case that is limited up to micro ATX motherboards. It also is much smaller than the SilverStone Fortress FT05 (0.0456m3, 17.15% greater volume), which also is an "ODD-Free" design. The extensive use of steel makes the S340 a relatively slightly heavy case for its size, tipping the scales at 7 kg while completely empty.
Even though the interior of the case is black, the rear and bottom of the frame are sprayed with the same glossy white color as the faceplate and side panels. The PSU compartment is at the bottom of the case, where four thumbscrews are holding a cover in place. As we will see later, the PSU can only be installed by taking off this cover and inserting a PSU from the back of the case. A very basic metallic mesh filter can be found at the bottom of the case, covering the opening of the PSU intake. It also is noteworthy that the S340 has slightly tall feet for a case of this design and size.
The top of the S340 is matte black with all versions of the case, including the white version that we received for this review. The power on button, two USB 3.0 ports and the two headphone jacks can be found at the right front edge of the top panel. A LED ring surrounds the power on button, serving as the power on indicator.
The matte black color of the top and the interior of the case is very smooth and has an excellent feel to the touch. However, it also is very easy to scratch. This will be particularly obvious on the front frame, where the latches of the side panels lock. The matte paint at the sides of the front frame was already scratched when we removed them for the first time. One should be very, very careful when working with the S340, especially around its interior.
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freeskier93 - Monday, July 13, 2015 - link
I've had this case for a while now and I really like it. I agree the 3.5" drive bays probably aren't the best, but I personally don't use them. Two 2.5" drives are all I need (1 SSD 1 7200 RPM). If you want a big gaudy case that can fit a dozen 3.5" drives there are plenty out there. This case is clearly marketed for someone with minimalistic needs, something that looks great but blends in well to just about any home style, and something that can still pack a serious punch performance wise.Cable management/hiding is also fantastic with this case. I love NZXT's use of the PSU shroud to cover that whole mess, makes for a great place to just stuff all your wires. First thing people ask me when they see it and look through the window; "Where are all the cables?".
For me buying this case wasn't about the money. I could have easily afforded the H440, but I just like the looks and minimalistic design of the S340 better.
Dorek - Wednesday, July 29, 2015 - link
The S340 is flat-out a better case than the H440, I think.n13L5 - Wednesday, July 15, 2015 - link
Silverstone's cases are crap quality, but their layouts and compact case sizing with good airflow consistently make me overlook their shoddy material and finish. I wish Lian Li got with it on that same level of efficient layout.HQQKrWithAPC - Wednesday, July 15, 2015 - link
Sounds like a bunch of kids, upset with their lollipops. I found this case ( as well as the 440 ) to be very nice cases - well thought out. very easy digital build in the 230 - I went with a MSI Krait ( b/w ) 4 sticks of hyper ( 2 black - 2 white), and a Devils Canyon i7, 2 - GTX SSC 960's (black) 2 Intel 730 'skulls' in the window - with a black Sam Pro 512 850 in it's tray ( it will hold total of 6 SSD's ) Kraken wet one up front. LQQQks nice.....Runs nice.HQQKrWithAPC - Wednesday, July 15, 2015 - link
I mean...gawwd that mobo is uuugly...lol, blue n blue n beige...I would of hid that rig behind a "windowless" case.. yup one fugly board thar doood. Why would you spend the time and/or bucks putting in that wiring on that thang. What a waste....of time. lol orange wires/cards lmao.initialised - Saturday, July 18, 2015 - link
I recently upgraded a system to this case.I had a slight clearance issue with over long screws on an AMD board with an (old but excellent) ASUS Silent Square http://www.anandtech.com/show/2210. More modern boards will have the holes lower down so less of an issue.
The fans were louder than I expected, I've always rated NZXT fans in the past but these seemed a bit too much.
The lack of ODD trays means that there's room for a thick 2x140mm radiator in push pull.
Seems a quality case for the money.
Dorek - Wednesday, July 29, 2015 - link
"It remains strange why NZXT installed a 120 mm fan at the top of the S340, where a 140 mm can fit."Cost. Duh. Come on.
"On the other hand, the S340 is far too plain and the flat surfaces are cold and uninspiring, so it may look out of place in a modern environment or in a youth's room."
Uh, looks like it fits just fine in a "modern environment" to me.
Dorek - Wednesday, July 29, 2015 - link
Oh, also, you mention that 2.5" drives can't go in the 3.5" area. Sure they can, just zip-tie them, tape them, etc. SSDs can go ANYWHERE in a case.