Hardware Review
NZXT Rogue SFF Case
The market for computer chasis has grown dramatically for the past year or so. This is why many manufacturers spend a lot of time in the design phases of their products so the final product would stand out. A lot of manufacturers these days try to cater to a variety of PC users, one of them is NZXT. NZXT has always pushed new designs to the PC case market. Of all the case manufacturers out there, NZXT cases have always stood out. The NZXT team has recently released a new PC chassis named "Rogue". NZXT calls the unit "the ultimate gaming SFF chassis. ” , SFF meaning Small Form Factor. We would like to thank the NZXT team for making this review possible. Let's take a further look at the case.
Below are the Rogue’s features and specifications:
| MODEL | ROGUE SERIES |
| CASE TYPE | SMALL FORM FACTOR |
| FRONT PANEL MATERIAL | ALUMINUM |
| DIMENSIONS (W x H x D) | 368 x 278.2 x 421.2 mm |
| Power Supply | 500 WATT PS2 ATX 12V 2.0 ( OPTIONAL ) |
| COOLING SYSTEM | FRONT, No Fans REAR, 1 X 120 mm RED LED Fan (included) SIDE PANEL, 4 X 120mm Fans ( two optional) |
| DRIVE BAYS |
2 EXTERNAL 5.25" DRIVE BAYS 1 EXTERNAL 3.5 " DRIVE BAYS 4 INTERNAL 3.5" DRIVE BAYS |
| MATERIAL(S) | Aluminum/Steel Construction |
| EXPANSION SLOTS | 4 |
| I/O Interface | USB x2, E-SATA, Audio input & output |
| WEIGHT | 9.2 KGS (W/O Power) |
| MOTHERBOARD SUPPORT | MICRO-ATX |
Click the image to see it full view...
At first glance, the Rogue isn't your normal PC case box. The cube like design makes the case fit on a desktop setting or even a media center box as well. The Rogue's aluminum exterior is all painted in black. The case is built fairly solid; lifting the case out of the box took a bit of effort because of its weight. The front door panel is also made of Aluminum and is held by a small magnet. NZXT has provided a lot of accessories with the Rogue from screws, drive rail locks and the carrying strap. NZXT also was kind enough to separate all the screws for you and are also labeled. For the front panel connection, the Rogue is also equipped with two USB, audio ports as well as and e-Sata connection.
Looking inside, the Rogue is very roomy for a micro-ATX case. NZXT has provided three 120mm fan; one of them is an LED fan. As an added option, you can install two more fans in side the Rogue. The Rogue sports a removable motherboard tray, this is the first time I've seen an NZXT case with a removable motherboard tray. NZXT also tailored the Rogue to support standard ATX PSUs as well as PSUs larger than 700w with the help a PSU bracket. The Rogue allows expansion for two 5.25" drives and four 3.5" drives. A very neat feature I found inside the case is its detachable front port connectors. One thing we didn't like however is a couple of visible welding marks just on top of the 5.25" drive bay.
Let's take a look at hardware installation. With the help of the removable mother tray, the motherboard installation was very manageable for a micro-ATX case. Optical drives were also very easy to install, the drive clips provided by NZXT help keeps drives nice and secure. To more easily access the interior, NZXT has designed the Rogue's side panel easily removable. The area for the video card fits an 8800 GTS easily. We do recommend using a modular cable for use with the Rogue; it's just easier to organize the interiors. The hard drive bays are just located by the 5.25" drives side and are positioned vertically. The installation of the interior parts was very easily completed. The inside, besides the visible welding marks, was very clean with no sharp edges.
Click the image to see it full view...
NZXT designed the Rogue with LAN parties in mind. However, the weight of the case is somewhat of a drawback. With everything installed, the case is no longer very transport friendly. Even with the travel harness, the Rogue isn't the most convenient case to carry around a LAN party.
We really liked the Rogue's clean SFF design, aesthetically pleasing Aluminum exteriors, interior cooling, removable motherboard tray, detachable PSU mount and roomy interiors. The price was a bit too high for our liking, however for what you're getting; it does justify the $150 price tag for a quality case. NZXT has always designed cases that would stand out, the Rogue does just that. With its unique looks and design, we give the NZXT Rouge a score of 9 out of 10 and our recommendation.
Pros:
Aluminum Construction
Roomy Interiors
Very good aesthetic design
Removable motherboard tray!
Cons:
Visible welding spots inside the case
Manufacturer Link:
