NZXT CA-MANTW-M1 NZXT Manta Mini-ITX Case - Black Side Window

NZXT CA-MANTW-M1 NZXT Manta Mini-ITX Case - Black Side Window
 
New king of ITX cases?...read on to find out!,

First thing first, no sooner did i take delivery of this case that i already started to build a system with it, learning the good, bad and the ugly. I build computers in my spare time for people and i was asked to build a system specifically with this case. Before i talk about the space inside, what will fit and my overall opinion i want to tell you about the components i used:

Intel i5 6600K @ Stock Speed (3.5GHZ)
NZXT Kraken X61 closed loop water cooler
Asus Z170I Pro Gaming
Kingston HyperX Fury 16GB 2133MHz
Samsung Evo 850 250GB (Boot Drive)
Western Digital Blue (storage drive)
MSI 4GB GTX 970 Gaming Edition
EVGA 650 S/M GOLD Supernova PSU
Windows 10 64-bit

Ok, here is what you need to know about this case. Firstly i want to point out the restrictions so you know what you can or cannot use. It will ONLY fit "Mini ITX" motherboards. It will take full sized ATX power supplies and full length graphics cards although be aware that anything more than 2 slots wide and it won't fit!!! There are only 2x pci slots meaning there is no room for expandability, this in turn means choosing the correct motherboard is even more important so do your research, I highly recommend the Asus Z170I Pro Gaming i used especially as it has built in WiFi. CPU cooler wise most air coolers should fit including the Coolermaster 212 Evo but anything higher than that will be a TIGHT FIT, i measured the total cooler clearance at just under 16cm. I used a Kraken x61 by NZXT and the radiator fitted perfectly in the roof. It will also fit in the front but i decided to leave the 2x 120mm intake fans alone, don't forget in smaller cases cooling plays an even bigger role!! There is a 120mm exhaust fan in the rear which i also kept, note that all the included fans are in matching black (on the all black case).

To my amazement i found 2x3.5" internal drive locations and 3x2.5" drive locations. Just so you know that only 2x 2.5" drives can be displayed in the case. The rest are out of sight at the back of the motherboard!!! The side panels and chassis are made from steel and then powder coated. The Front and top panels are made from ABS plastic but feel sturdy and clip on securely. On the Top you have 2x3.0USB ports, an audio and headphone jack as well as the standard power button. There is an LED strip which doubles as power and HDD activity. There is also a built in fan controller although as i was using the X61 CPU cooler (which has 4 spare power connectors) i didn't use the built in controller and therefore can't comment further! There is a built in lighting system too which is operated via a switch on the back of the case. One light illuminated the back panel I/O and the other illuminates the NZXT logo found in the window area. You can choose to have both off or on... or one on and the other off, it's a great inclusion!

VERDICT: I LOVE this case, small and compact yet incredibly well made using steel which has been riveted together. It all feels like a premium case and i can't complain, i'm only saddened that this build is going to a customer. I will say that it is big for a Mini ITX case but the extra room makes building so much easier, I also like the fact that they have included dust filters on all intake areas and full support for 280mm water cooling solutions! There is also lots of cable management space at the back.

If i had to be really critical then i would say the window itself could be made from better quality plastic as this type of plastic just like on the NZXT S340 is easy to scratch...so be warned!!!!

Overall though this was a joy to work in and the shape and quality of this case is top notch. If you want a small and compact PC then i fully recommend this to you. My only advise (if you pick a windowed version) is to stick with the all black version and it will allow you to change your colour theme of your components later down the road. I will simply finish by giving you the dimensions: Height: 42.5cm, Width: 24.5cm and Depth: 45cm.

Great ITX case and well worth the money.



http://www.marketingfornewbusiness.com