Darksaber
01-02-2008, 12:08 PM
[page=Introduction & Specifications]
Introduction
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Alpha/images/logo.jpg
I would like to thank CaseKing.de (http://www.CaseKing.de) for supplying the review sample.
CaseKing is one of the few companies out there, which will not just sell anything. They only offer hardware that performs well and is of high quality. The shop carries quite a few exclusive parts and devices from all around the world and it is also the official distributor for a long list of well known manufacturers. Their assortment has grown substantially in recent years, while great service and support is still a very important part of the shop philosophy. The website may be in German, but due to great demand, an English version is in the works.
We have the pleasure of taking a look at the NZXT Rogue today. It is a very unique mATX based gaming case, which can hold high end coolers and large graphic cards. Even a large PSU should be able to fit inside the compact case. We have the silver variant with blue LEDs on our testbench today, but NZXT also offers the Rogue in Black with the choice of blue or red lighting. Oddly enough, there is no silver one with red LEDs available.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/blue.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/red.jpg
Specifications
<table border="1" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" class="ramtable" width="500">
<tr>
<th scope="row">Model:</th>
<td scope="row">NZXT Rogue</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">Case Type:</th>
<td scope="row">mATX Cube</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">Materials:</th>
<td scope="row">Aluminum</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">Chassis Weight:</th>
<td scope="row">9.2 kg</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">Dimensions (W*D*H):</th>
<td scope="row">36.8 x 42.1 x 27.8 cm</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">Color:</th>
<td scope="row">Silver with blue lighting <br />(Also available in black with either red or blue lighting)</td>
<tr>
<th scope="row">Cooling System:</th>
<td scope="row">Side (intake) :<br />2x 120 x 120 x 25mm fan (one installed) <br />Side (exaust) :<br />2x 120 x 120 x 25mm fan (one installed) <br />Rear (exhaust) :<br />120 x 120 x 25mm LED fan<br>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">Motherboards:</th>
<td scope="row">Micro ATX</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">Drive Bays:</th>
<td scope="row">5.25" External Drive Bay - 2<br />3.5" External Drive Bay - 1<br />3.5" Internal Drive Bay - 4</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">Front I/O:</th>
<td scope="row">USB2.0 x 2,<br />Audio x 2,<br />eSATA x 1</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">Expansion Slots:</th>
<td scope="row">4</td>
</tr>
</tr>
</table>
[page=Packaging & Contents]
Packaging & Contents
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/packfront_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/packfront.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/packotherside_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/packotherside.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/packside_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/packside.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/packspecs_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/packspecs.jpg)
NZXT ships the case in a sturdy black cardboard box. It features the black case with red and blue lighting on either side. Oddly enough, no image of the silver version can be found. The smaller sides of the box hold the phrase "Enormous Power Within" on one and a full listing of the Rogue's specifications on the other. This is also the only place, where you can determine what color case and variant of lighting you will get. The package also comes with a plastic handle, but no holes on either side. While a handle usually improves transportation, this is not the case with the packaging of the Rogue. It is simply too wide to carry comfortably. Holes on either side would have been the better choice in this case.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/casenew_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/casenew.jpg)
The chassis itself is well protected. NZXT opted for solid foam spacers on top and bottom of the case. The enclosure itself is further protected by a thick plastic bag.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/carrystrap_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/carrystrap.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/manual_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/manual.jpg)
The Rogue is meant to be the ultimate gaming case. Small, compact but still portable, while being able to hold high-end graphic cards and CPU coolers. To ease transportation to and from a LAN party, a carrying strap has been included in the package. While this is certainly a great feature, the entire case, filled to the rim, will weigh down around 20kg, which is certainly not very healthy for your shoulder. The contents are packed inside a compact, white cardboard box. There are two manuals which each hold different languages, but the same general content.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/contents_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/contents.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/psuextender_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/psuextender.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/psuextenderinst_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/psuextenderinst.jpg)
You will find the usual set of screws and a extending frame for the PSU. NZXT solves the problem of large power supplies by allowing them to extrude the back of the case about an inch with the use of the adapter. It can be secured on the rear of the case, facing outward. This would add about another inch to the maximum possible length of the installed power supply. To illustrate, I placed the standard sized 500W PSU in the frame, but it is not required for this review, as the power supply is of normal length.
[page=A Closer Look - Outside]
A Closer Look - Outside
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/caseunpacked_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/caseunpacked.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/casefront_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/casefront.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/casedooropen_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/casedooropen.jpg)
The Rogue has very clean edges, which real corners within the design of the case. This makes the design very elaborate than other cube cases. After you have gotten over the straight lines and interesting door, you will realize that the case is actually not small at all. It may be not as tall as a mid tower or even mATX tower, but it is certainly very wide. The thick Aluminum makes the case extrodinarily heavy, which is quite surprising, due to the intended use of the Rogue as a LAN party case. Mid towers based purely on the light alloy will weigh less than the Rogue by a large margin. The door opens in one direction to reveal a very simple front. Completely straight, no fan holes or air vents. This really contrasts the general look and feel of the case, and you may find yourself wanting to keep the door closed all the time. Even though the door has airvents, the front does not, so these cuts only serve an aesthetic purpose.
Due to the width of the Rogue, the door is also very wide. You may bumb into your neighbour at a LAN party every time you open the door. While it does make the case look incredible, it may have been more productive to put the effort into well designed front with no cover, much like the Thermaltake Lanbox.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/caserear_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/caserear.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/side_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/side.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/otherside_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/otherside.jpg)
The rear of the case holds another surprise. Even though the material is listed as being Aluminum, the rear plate and the mainboard tray, along with the bottom of the case, seem to be made of steel. On top of that the steel is black. Either NZXT never planned to offer a silver variant at first, or is trying to cut costs, by using the same black parts for the silver Rogue. Nonetheless, some may like the contrast of the colors, while others may be dissapointed by this fact. The sides are identical, with the only difference being the two dust filters for the 120 mm fans on the intake side of the case. This difference can be seen in the above pictures as the fans are not spinning and the case is empty.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/drivebays_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/drivebays.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/ioconnections_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/ioconnections.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/buttons_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/buttons.jpg)
Taking a closer look at the front, there are two 5.25 inch drive bays and a seperate 3.5 inch bay. This should be sufficient for a gaming case. The I/O connections - two USB 2.0, audio and a eSATA connector - are lined up on the left edge of the front. These can be accessed even when then door is closed. The power and reset button on the other hand, are hidden behind the wide door. Another downside is the similar feel of each of the buttons and no label, so you may be hard pressed to find the right one simply by feeling for it in the dark.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/lock_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/lock.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/locked_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/locked.jpg)
NZXT also added a lock, which is a great feature for a LAN Party case. This way no one can come along and take your game CD out of the drive or reboot/restart your PC for the fun of it. The downside of this is a large square hole in the front of the case. The hook on the door, which goes into that large hole is around 1 mm wide. NZXT could have reduced this hole to a mere 2 or 3 mm wide, vertical opening. There is simply no reason for a large hole like this.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/rearfan_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/rearfan.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/rearmbtray_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/rearmbtray.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/rearpsubay_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/rearpsubay.jpg)
The rear on the other hand holds no surprises. The rear fan is clear with LEDs in the same color as the case lighting. The mainboard tray is removable and secured by four thumb screws. A bracket for the PSU not only gives you the option of placing the power supply with the fan facing up or down, but can also be exchanged with the afore mentioned adapter, which gives you about one further inch of space, for longer PSUs.
[page=A Closer Look - Inside]
A Closer Look - Inside
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/rearthumblock_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/rearthumblock.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/toplifted_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/toplifted.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/traypulled_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/traypulled.jpg)
To gain access to the inside of the case, you need to remove a single thumb screw, which holds the top cover. It would have been great to see two screws a bit further apart, as that would not allow any play of the cover. The top comes off quite easily after you have removed the screw. This is also where I noticed that all the screws on the review sample where pulled incredibly tight, so I had to use the screw driver to get it loose. The same goes for the ones holding the mainboard tray in place. After those were removed, the tray comes out perfectly fine.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/strippedscrew_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/strippedscrew.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/innerdrivebays_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/innerdrivebays.jpg)
You are also meant to remove the sides of the case, but two smaller screws hold each panel in place. Fitting a correct bit and then trying to remove the screw yielded an immidiate stripping of the screw. This made removal of the panels impossible. Three of the four screws were screwed in so tight that they did not come out. While this made installation harder, it did not become impossible. In contrast the screws holding the drive bays of the Thermaltake Lanbox in place, are smaller, but widthstood repeated removal and replacement without any problems. This is definitely an area where NZXT needs to improve the case. The drive bays of the silver Rogue are kept in black to give it some uniform look within the enclosure itself. There are four hard drive bays on either side of the external ones. This is by far the most of any large production cube case. I only know of one other cube case which can handle as many hard drives.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/frontscrews_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/frontscrews.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/frontoff_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/frontoff.jpg)
To install the external drives, you will need to remove the alumium drive bay covers. These are secured by small screws, which means that you need to take off the entire front first, to gain access to these screws. While this is not a large drawback, it adds a further step to installation. NZXT should simply keep the top drive bay open, and include the cover and screws seperately. That way you are good to go when installing just a single drive - a configuration which should suffice for most scenarios.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/sidefanin_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/sidefanin.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/sidefanout_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/sidefanout.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/innerrearfan_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/innerrearfan.jpg)
Another great feature of the Rogue is its airflow. It can hold up to five 120 mm fans. NZXT chose to include three. One on each side (intake and exaust, to move air sideways across the mainboard) and one in the back. The addition of dust filters for the intake fans is a great feature, one we would like to see on more cases. All fans come with Molex connectors, it would have been nice to see mainboard headers with adapters to Molex. This would give the user the greatest possible choice when considering powering the fans while attaining the lowest possible noise level.
[page=Assembly & Finished Looks]
Assembly
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/mbtrayfilled_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/mbtrayfilled.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/iocables_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/iocables.jpg)
Installing the parts on the mainboard tray is nothing out of the ordinary. Simply secure the board and parts with the supplied screws. The I/O cables within the Rogue are standard as well, which should give you the needed compatibility to any modern mainboard.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/graphiccardhight_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/graphiccardhight.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/scrape_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/scrape.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/gtxinstalled_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/gtxinstalled.jpg)
NZXT advertises the Rogue as being able to fit large graphic cards, like the GeForce 8800 GTX, but upon closer inspection I noticed that the EVGA cooler, which is a bit larger than the card PCB made it impossible to install the graphic card outside the case. So, to test general compatibilty, a Gainward 7300GT was installed. That card is just as tall as any normal GTX with a reference cooler. Installing the GPU and pushing the tray back into the case, became a nerve racking task, as the top of the opening scraped along the card, the SLI connector and further. I am not sure, if you want to do this to a high-end card, as the pressure is so large, that a bit of the PCB is shaven off in the process. The only way to install a high-end GPU was to place the tray back into the case and insert it traditionally. The same would be the case for a high end CPU cooler. So you may ask yourself, what is the use of a mainboard tray if you are forced to install the GPU and CPU heatsink within the case itself anyways?
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/driveinstalled_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/driveinstalled.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/psuinst_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/psuinst.jpg)
Installing the optical drive is an easy task, simply slide it into place and screw it in with the supplied screws. If you did not manage to remove the side panels, find yourself a tiny screw driver or one with a 90 degree angle. Installing the hard drives is possible as well, but you will only be able to secure them with two screws. While this may not be optimal, two will hold the drive in place quite well. Installing the PSU is straight forward as well and you even have a bit of room around the unit. So even though there is no air vent in the top cover, there should still be enough airflow for any large PSU fan to function properly.
Finished Looks
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/caseon_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/caseon.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/fronton_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/fronton.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/rearon_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/rearon.jpg)
Once the unit is put back together, I plugged it in and was greeted by very bright blue LED strips on either side of the case. Taking a look at the Rogue at that moment, made me forget some of the ceavats we found during inspection and assembly. It looks beautiful and the fans are surprisingly quiet, even though they are powered directly by the PSU and are running at full speed right away. The rear does actually look much nicer turned on as well. The blue LED fan and black rear complement each other nicely.
[page=Value & Conclusion]
Value and Conclusion
<table width="100%" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" id="result">
<tr><th>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/dollar.gif</th>
<td>
TheNZXT Rogue can be had in black with blue (http://www.caseking.de/shop/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=7135) or red (http://www.caseking.de/shop/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=7131) lighting or in silver with blue lighting (http://www.caseking.de/shop/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=7124) for just under 150€ at Caseking or 149 US Dollars in the US.</td>
</tr><tr>
<th>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/thumbup.gif</th>
<td>
Brushed aluminum finish
Modern, clean & elaborate design
Thick and sturdy Aluminum
Can hold four hard drives
Fits large graphic cards like 8800 GTX
Large CPU coolers fit as well
Roomy for its size
Carrying strap & PSU adapter for larger power supplies
eSATA connectivity
Available in black or silver
Door can be locked
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/thumbdown.gif</th>
<td>
Large, unnecessary hole for lock
Screws are simply way to tight
Side panels screws strip way to easily
Removable mainboard tray useless when large CPU cooler and graphic card are used
Heavy to start with, heavier when filled - not very healthy for your shoulder
Front under door very simple - almost boring
Wide body equals wide door
Fans use Molex connectors
</td></tr>
<tr><th>7.9</th>
<td>
The NZXT Rogue is a massive cube case. It is larger than the Apevia X-Qpack series and the Thermaltake Lanbox line. The additional space can be used for large graphic cards, CPU fans and large power supplies. This means that the Rogue can offer the space needed when you want a top of the line gaming rig, with the added portabilty of a cube. It does seem that certain attributes should never be combined in a case, simply when a positive aspect adds a negative one. NZXT has designed the Rogue to be a portable case which holds your high-end gaming rig. This resulted in a cube case, which is way too large and way too heavy to be carried to and back from a LAN party comfortably - even with the carrying strap. You may be better off buying an all aluminum mid tower case instead for the same amount of money. The other shortcomings like the easily stripped screws and complicated installation of external drives, CPU cooler and graphic cards are only partially offset by the great, modern look and perfectly placed lighting of the Rogue. If you want to build yourself a really portable gaming rig, you may want to consider using not the highest-end components in favor of a more compact cube case out there, or simply grab yourself a light, all aluminum mid tower chassis. NZXT's attempt to create the ultimate gaming case are commendable and also show the company's interest to define the crowded case market in new ways, but it seems they tried too hard with the Rogue chassis.
</td></tr>
<tr><th></th><td></td></tr>
</table>
Introduction
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Alpha/images/logo.jpg
I would like to thank CaseKing.de (http://www.CaseKing.de) for supplying the review sample.
CaseKing is one of the few companies out there, which will not just sell anything. They only offer hardware that performs well and is of high quality. The shop carries quite a few exclusive parts and devices from all around the world and it is also the official distributor for a long list of well known manufacturers. Their assortment has grown substantially in recent years, while great service and support is still a very important part of the shop philosophy. The website may be in German, but due to great demand, an English version is in the works.
We have the pleasure of taking a look at the NZXT Rogue today. It is a very unique mATX based gaming case, which can hold high end coolers and large graphic cards. Even a large PSU should be able to fit inside the compact case. We have the silver variant with blue LEDs on our testbench today, but NZXT also offers the Rogue in Black with the choice of blue or red lighting. Oddly enough, there is no silver one with red LEDs available.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/blue.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/red.jpg
Specifications
<table border="1" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" class="ramtable" width="500">
<tr>
<th scope="row">Model:</th>
<td scope="row">NZXT Rogue</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">Case Type:</th>
<td scope="row">mATX Cube</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">Materials:</th>
<td scope="row">Aluminum</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">Chassis Weight:</th>
<td scope="row">9.2 kg</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">Dimensions (W*D*H):</th>
<td scope="row">36.8 x 42.1 x 27.8 cm</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">Color:</th>
<td scope="row">Silver with blue lighting <br />(Also available in black with either red or blue lighting)</td>
<tr>
<th scope="row">Cooling System:</th>
<td scope="row">Side (intake) :<br />2x 120 x 120 x 25mm fan (one installed) <br />Side (exaust) :<br />2x 120 x 120 x 25mm fan (one installed) <br />Rear (exhaust) :<br />120 x 120 x 25mm LED fan<br>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">Motherboards:</th>
<td scope="row">Micro ATX</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">Drive Bays:</th>
<td scope="row">5.25" External Drive Bay - 2<br />3.5" External Drive Bay - 1<br />3.5" Internal Drive Bay - 4</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">Front I/O:</th>
<td scope="row">USB2.0 x 2,<br />Audio x 2,<br />eSATA x 1</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">Expansion Slots:</th>
<td scope="row">4</td>
</tr>
</tr>
</table>
[page=Packaging & Contents]
Packaging & Contents
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/packfront_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/packfront.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/packotherside_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/packotherside.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/packside_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/packside.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/packspecs_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/packspecs.jpg)
NZXT ships the case in a sturdy black cardboard box. It features the black case with red and blue lighting on either side. Oddly enough, no image of the silver version can be found. The smaller sides of the box hold the phrase "Enormous Power Within" on one and a full listing of the Rogue's specifications on the other. This is also the only place, where you can determine what color case and variant of lighting you will get. The package also comes with a plastic handle, but no holes on either side. While a handle usually improves transportation, this is not the case with the packaging of the Rogue. It is simply too wide to carry comfortably. Holes on either side would have been the better choice in this case.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/casenew_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Rogue/images/casenew.jpg)
The chassis itself is well protected. NZXT opted for solid foam spacers on top and bottom of the case. The enclosure itself is further protected by a thick plastic bag.
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The Rogue is meant to be the ultimate gaming case. Small, compact but still portable, while being able to hold high-end graphic cards and CPU coolers. To ease transportation to and from a LAN party, a carrying strap has been included in the package. While this is certainly a great feature, the entire case, filled to the rim, will weigh down around 20kg, which is certainly not very healthy for your shoulder. The contents are packed inside a compact, white cardboard box. There are two manuals which each hold different languages, but the same general content.
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You will find the usual set of screws and a extending frame for the PSU. NZXT solves the problem of large power supplies by allowing them to extrude the back of the case about an inch with the use of the adapter. It can be secured on the rear of the case, facing outward. This would add about another inch to the maximum possible length of the installed power supply. To illustrate, I placed the standard sized 500W PSU in the frame, but it is not required for this review, as the power supply is of normal length.
[page=A Closer Look - Outside]
A Closer Look - Outside
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The Rogue has very clean edges, which real corners within the design of the case. This makes the design very elaborate than other cube cases. After you have gotten over the straight lines and interesting door, you will realize that the case is actually not small at all. It may be not as tall as a mid tower or even mATX tower, but it is certainly very wide. The thick Aluminum makes the case extrodinarily heavy, which is quite surprising, due to the intended use of the Rogue as a LAN party case. Mid towers based purely on the light alloy will weigh less than the Rogue by a large margin. The door opens in one direction to reveal a very simple front. Completely straight, no fan holes or air vents. This really contrasts the general look and feel of the case, and you may find yourself wanting to keep the door closed all the time. Even though the door has airvents, the front does not, so these cuts only serve an aesthetic purpose.
Due to the width of the Rogue, the door is also very wide. You may bumb into your neighbour at a LAN party every time you open the door. While it does make the case look incredible, it may have been more productive to put the effort into well designed front with no cover, much like the Thermaltake Lanbox.
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The rear of the case holds another surprise. Even though the material is listed as being Aluminum, the rear plate and the mainboard tray, along with the bottom of the case, seem to be made of steel. On top of that the steel is black. Either NZXT never planned to offer a silver variant at first, or is trying to cut costs, by using the same black parts for the silver Rogue. Nonetheless, some may like the contrast of the colors, while others may be dissapointed by this fact. The sides are identical, with the only difference being the two dust filters for the 120 mm fans on the intake side of the case. This difference can be seen in the above pictures as the fans are not spinning and the case is empty.
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Taking a closer look at the front, there are two 5.25 inch drive bays and a seperate 3.5 inch bay. This should be sufficient for a gaming case. The I/O connections - two USB 2.0, audio and a eSATA connector - are lined up on the left edge of the front. These can be accessed even when then door is closed. The power and reset button on the other hand, are hidden behind the wide door. Another downside is the similar feel of each of the buttons and no label, so you may be hard pressed to find the right one simply by feeling for it in the dark.
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NZXT also added a lock, which is a great feature for a LAN Party case. This way no one can come along and take your game CD out of the drive or reboot/restart your PC for the fun of it. The downside of this is a large square hole in the front of the case. The hook on the door, which goes into that large hole is around 1 mm wide. NZXT could have reduced this hole to a mere 2 or 3 mm wide, vertical opening. There is simply no reason for a large hole like this.
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The rear on the other hand holds no surprises. The rear fan is clear with LEDs in the same color as the case lighting. The mainboard tray is removable and secured by four thumb screws. A bracket for the PSU not only gives you the option of placing the power supply with the fan facing up or down, but can also be exchanged with the afore mentioned adapter, which gives you about one further inch of space, for longer PSUs.
[page=A Closer Look - Inside]
A Closer Look - Inside
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To gain access to the inside of the case, you need to remove a single thumb screw, which holds the top cover. It would have been great to see two screws a bit further apart, as that would not allow any play of the cover. The top comes off quite easily after you have removed the screw. This is also where I noticed that all the screws on the review sample where pulled incredibly tight, so I had to use the screw driver to get it loose. The same goes for the ones holding the mainboard tray in place. After those were removed, the tray comes out perfectly fine.
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You are also meant to remove the sides of the case, but two smaller screws hold each panel in place. Fitting a correct bit and then trying to remove the screw yielded an immidiate stripping of the screw. This made removal of the panels impossible. Three of the four screws were screwed in so tight that they did not come out. While this made installation harder, it did not become impossible. In contrast the screws holding the drive bays of the Thermaltake Lanbox in place, are smaller, but widthstood repeated removal and replacement without any problems. This is definitely an area where NZXT needs to improve the case. The drive bays of the silver Rogue are kept in black to give it some uniform look within the enclosure itself. There are four hard drive bays on either side of the external ones. This is by far the most of any large production cube case. I only know of one other cube case which can handle as many hard drives.
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To install the external drives, you will need to remove the alumium drive bay covers. These are secured by small screws, which means that you need to take off the entire front first, to gain access to these screws. While this is not a large drawback, it adds a further step to installation. NZXT should simply keep the top drive bay open, and include the cover and screws seperately. That way you are good to go when installing just a single drive - a configuration which should suffice for most scenarios.
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Another great feature of the Rogue is its airflow. It can hold up to five 120 mm fans. NZXT chose to include three. One on each side (intake and exaust, to move air sideways across the mainboard) and one in the back. The addition of dust filters for the intake fans is a great feature, one we would like to see on more cases. All fans come with Molex connectors, it would have been nice to see mainboard headers with adapters to Molex. This would give the user the greatest possible choice when considering powering the fans while attaining the lowest possible noise level.
[page=Assembly & Finished Looks]
Assembly
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Installing the parts on the mainboard tray is nothing out of the ordinary. Simply secure the board and parts with the supplied screws. The I/O cables within the Rogue are standard as well, which should give you the needed compatibility to any modern mainboard.
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NZXT advertises the Rogue as being able to fit large graphic cards, like the GeForce 8800 GTX, but upon closer inspection I noticed that the EVGA cooler, which is a bit larger than the card PCB made it impossible to install the graphic card outside the case. So, to test general compatibilty, a Gainward 7300GT was installed. That card is just as tall as any normal GTX with a reference cooler. Installing the GPU and pushing the tray back into the case, became a nerve racking task, as the top of the opening scraped along the card, the SLI connector and further. I am not sure, if you want to do this to a high-end card, as the pressure is so large, that a bit of the PCB is shaven off in the process. The only way to install a high-end GPU was to place the tray back into the case and insert it traditionally. The same would be the case for a high end CPU cooler. So you may ask yourself, what is the use of a mainboard tray if you are forced to install the GPU and CPU heatsink within the case itself anyways?
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Installing the optical drive is an easy task, simply slide it into place and screw it in with the supplied screws. If you did not manage to remove the side panels, find yourself a tiny screw driver or one with a 90 degree angle. Installing the hard drives is possible as well, but you will only be able to secure them with two screws. While this may not be optimal, two will hold the drive in place quite well. Installing the PSU is straight forward as well and you even have a bit of room around the unit. So even though there is no air vent in the top cover, there should still be enough airflow for any large PSU fan to function properly.
Finished Looks
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Once the unit is put back together, I plugged it in and was greeted by very bright blue LED strips on either side of the case. Taking a look at the Rogue at that moment, made me forget some of the ceavats we found during inspection and assembly. It looks beautiful and the fans are surprisingly quiet, even though they are powered directly by the PSU and are running at full speed right away. The rear does actually look much nicer turned on as well. The blue LED fan and black rear complement each other nicely.
[page=Value & Conclusion]
Value and Conclusion
<table width="100%" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" id="result">
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<td>
TheNZXT Rogue can be had in black with blue (http://www.caseking.de/shop/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=7135) or red (http://www.caseking.de/shop/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=7131) lighting or in silver with blue lighting (http://www.caseking.de/shop/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=7124) for just under 150€ at Caseking or 149 US Dollars in the US.</td>
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Brushed aluminum finish
Modern, clean & elaborate design
Thick and sturdy Aluminum
Can hold four hard drives
Fits large graphic cards like 8800 GTX
Large CPU coolers fit as well
Roomy for its size
Carrying strap & PSU adapter for larger power supplies
eSATA connectivity
Available in black or silver
Door can be locked
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Large, unnecessary hole for lock
Screws are simply way to tight
Side panels screws strip way to easily
Removable mainboard tray useless when large CPU cooler and graphic card are used
Heavy to start with, heavier when filled - not very healthy for your shoulder
Front under door very simple - almost boring
Wide body equals wide door
Fans use Molex connectors
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<tr><th>7.9</th>
<td>
The NZXT Rogue is a massive cube case. It is larger than the Apevia X-Qpack series and the Thermaltake Lanbox line. The additional space can be used for large graphic cards, CPU fans and large power supplies. This means that the Rogue can offer the space needed when you want a top of the line gaming rig, with the added portabilty of a cube. It does seem that certain attributes should never be combined in a case, simply when a positive aspect adds a negative one. NZXT has designed the Rogue to be a portable case which holds your high-end gaming rig. This resulted in a cube case, which is way too large and way too heavy to be carried to and back from a LAN party comfortably - even with the carrying strap. You may be better off buying an all aluminum mid tower case instead for the same amount of money. The other shortcomings like the easily stripped screws and complicated installation of external drives, CPU cooler and graphic cards are only partially offset by the great, modern look and perfectly placed lighting of the Rogue. If you want to build yourself a really portable gaming rig, you may want to consider using not the highest-end components in favor of a more compact cube case out there, or simply grab yourself a light, all aluminum mid tower chassis. NZXT's attempt to create the ultimate gaming case are commendable and also show the company's interest to define the crowded case market in new ways, but it seems they tried too hard with the Rogue chassis.
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