Zalman Z9 Neo Mid-Tower ATX Case Review

BUILD

Our Z9 Neo build consists of:

Today’s build went fairly well and the Z9 is a fairly easy case to work with. We removed the OD Bay slots in hopes of raising the position of our 240m radiator. Unfortunately there is no mounts for this and if you aren’t using the OD bays taking them out proves to have no added benefit.

The LED 120’s up top added a nice glow especially with the white exhaust fan bouncing some of that light as well. The SSD slid nicely in the mounts provided and locked in easy. We used 90 degree angled cables and they worked perfectly with the grommets. For VGA the Z9 will support up to 420mm which is pretty great.

With our 240 radiator mounted on the front we were not able to use the provided fan dust cover due to the screws for the rad which is a little perturbing and definitely over time would make for a dusty interior. Over to the backside we definitely felt a little cramped for space. Cable management was a bit of a nightmare especially due to the fact that you can’t remove the bottom drive rack. The velcro straps are awesome for cable management as we saw with Phanteks Eclipse P400S, the lowest strap on the Z9 is too small for a larger amount of cables and we couldn’t secure it which left a bit of a explosion for keeping neat and tidy.As you can see it is a little cramped up around the bottom of the case. We used a PSU/Molex cable we had to connect the 2 LED top fans but think that the cable should be included as not everyone may have it laying around and won’t be able to utilize those two as well as the two front fans included. Overall The build was good and there were not major issues that would keep us from giving the Z9 a positive review on the build. This chassis is quiet as well, which is always a bonus and the less fan-noise the better. If you wish to crank the fans up and increase airflow the top panel has a removable plastic which will allow extra flow in or out depending how you have your rig setup. The I/O panel lights up a bright blue whether the computer is on or off which leaves a nice glow.

FINAL THOUGHTS & ANALYSIS

The Z9 Neo is a great looking case and has good functionality. Some small adjustments such as a more secure front dust cover as well as one that will work with a broad spectrum of cooling units would benefit the case. Also making the drive rack in the bottom removable would make for better cable management if people chose not to utilize it. Modular cases are the way of the future and we don’t feel Zalman has quite hit the nail on the head as far as the drive rack and the OD bay area are concerned. The amount of fans that the Z9 comes with is awesome but we would prefer to have them not be Molex as it isn’t necessary and connecting them to the motherboard just makes it easier. $80USD is what the Z9 came in at on amazon at the time of this review, which makes for a decent price and a overall good case for your spending. Zalman takes home the bronze seal with the Z9 Neo!

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