Tom's Hardware Verdict
NZXT takes things in a good direction with a mesh front intake on its new H510 Flow case, but its $110 price puts it in tough case company.
Pros
- +
+ Tidy looks
- +
+ Mesh intake
- +
+ Easy to build in
- +
+ Lots of PSU space
Cons
- -
Some build quality issues
- -
Needs an extra USB 3.0 port
- -
No large top radiator support or recessed mounting holes
- -
Large panel gaps on the right side
- -
Priced out of the market
Why you can trust Tom's Hardware Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
When NZXT came out with its H510 and H510 Elite chassis in 2019, the cases quickly became popular options for builders. The simplistic looks appealed to buyers, and the base variant was affordable at just $80. But the intake was never impressive with either steel or glass panels, so we’re delighted to see the updated H510 Flow. It’s basically the same case, but with a front mesh intake.
And indeed, the H510 Flow fixes the biggest issue the earlier H510s had. But its price is up, too. At first, it was set to MSRP at $75, but according to NZXT, the new tariffs on imported goods and added shipping costs with the pandemic have made the company push the price up to a mighty $110.
Let’s dig in and find out whether the H510 flow is worthy of our Best PC Cases list.
Specifications
Swipe to scroll horizontally
| Type | Mid-Tower ATX |
| Motherboard Support | Mini-ITX, Micro-ATX, ATX |
| Dimensions (HxWxD) | 18.1 x 8.3 x 16.9 inches (460 x 210 x 428 mm) |
| Max GPU Length | 14.2 inches (360 mm) |
| CPU Cooler Height | 6.5 inches (165 mm) |
| External Bays | ✗ |
| Internal Bays | 2x 3.5-inch |
| 2x 2.5-inch | |
| Expansion Slots | 7x |
| Front I/O | 1x USB 3.0, Optional USB-C, 3.5 mm Audio/Mic Combo |
| Other | 1x Tempered Glass Panel |
| Front Fans | 1x 120 mm (Up to 2x 140mm, 2x 120mm) |
| Rear Fans | 1x 120mm (Up to 1x 120mm) |
| Top Fans | None (Up to 1x 140mm) |
| Bottom Fans | ✗ |
| Side Fans | ✗ |
| RGB | No |
| Damping | No |
| Warranty | 3 Years |
Features
Taking a quick look around the H510 Flow, you’ll find it’s style is simple -- very rectangular, with nothing but clean lines and a neat, tinted-glass panel.
The case’s IO lives up top and consists of a headphone/mic combo jack, a USB Type-C port, and a USB 3.0 Type-A port. At the original price of $80, this is great connectivity, but at the new price point of $110 I would at least have expected a second USB 3.0 Type-A port.
The front intake mesh offers lavishly big perforation, but behind it resides a filter to ensure your system doesn’t get too grimy. And the PSU has its own filter that pulls out from behind the case.
Image
1
of
2
The case is made from painted steel, and although that isn’t unexpected for a case of this caliber, I’m not impressed with the finish. There are multiple defects in the paint finish at the edges of some panels, and the side panel on the cable management side is built quite rough, leaving panel gaps that would make Tesla owners feel good about their cars.
Internal Layout
Peeking inside the case, it’s also among the simplest ATX cases, featuring a large upper compartment to fit up to an ATX motherboard, GPUs up to 14.5 inches (360mm) long, and CPU coolers up to 6.5 inches (165 mm) tall.
At the front of the case, you’ll be able to fit up to two 140mm fans or a 280mm radiator, and the bracket is removable for easy installation. The rear exhaust supports a 120mm fan, and the top can support a 140mm spinner. Two 120mm Aer F fans are included, installed at the intake and exhaust locations.
But this isn’t complete, and I have an issue with the top exhaust. Not only is there not room for at least a 240mm AIO, the mount isn’t recessed – so installing a fan there will lead to the heads of screws protruding out the top of the case. That’s not a pretty look. And if you don’t have a fan installed there as exhaust, the lack of a filter can lead to dust accumulation.
Flip around to the back and you’ll find the PSU chamber and cable management area. Back here, there is room for the largest of ATX power supplies, two 3.5-inch drives in the HDD caddy, and two 2.5-inch drives in SSD sleds. The cable management bar NZXT is famous for is also present.
With the tour all out of the way, let’s move on to assembling a system in the H510 Flow.
- 1
- 2
- 3
Current page:Specifications and Features
Next Page Hardware Installation
Niels Broekhuijsen
Niels Broekhuijsen is a Contributing Writer for Tom's Hardware US. He reviews cases, water cooling and pc builds.
Latest
4 CommentsComment from the forums
NightHawkRMX NZXT must be off their rocker if they think they can charge nearly double just for drilling some holes in the front.
Absurd.
Reply
Phaaze88 So they fixed 1/2 of the problem with the original(restricted intake and exhaust)... that price can go fly a kite though.
Reply
Bubu93 To be fair but price seems quite decent (at least here in Italy) if it stays at the 109€ MSRP, it's actually the same MSRP as the normal H510...
Pretty much all reputable brand cases with mesh intake (CM NR600, Corsair 4000D, Meshify 2, Phanteks P360A, Lian Li O11 Air mini etc ) hover around that value, they don't look as good imho (and probably not just for me considering the success of the 510 despite the horrible cooling performance) and many lack features like the USB-C port.
If you want something cheaper the only alternative here are poorly refined offbrand chassis which can cool just as well but lack QC and features.Reply
NightHawkRMX Normal h510 is $75 usd currently. 109 is a big increase
Reply
