NZXT H510 Flow Review: ‘Finally putting airflow first’

NZXT H510 FLOW REVIEW.

Having reviewed a bunch of NZXT cases at this point, and used even more for personal rigs and for friends, I’ve grown tired of mentioning how the H series of cases put style first and cooling second. That isn’t to say cooling is bad, it just isn’t the priority. Well, it seems that NZXT is also tired of hearing that criticism, having now worked to flip that stereotype on its head with the H510 Flow. As the name implies, this case implements a full-front mesh panel for increased cooling potential. The results? Better cooling, of course. And I still think it looks good!

Style maintained

If you’re familiar with the H510 or variants of it, you’ll know that it’s awesome to build in with plenty of room for parts and places to stuff cables. It’s my go-to case to build in for a reason as, despite the (previously) compromised cooling, it just looks so damn good.

Well, the H510 Flow still looks good, even though it trades the tempered glass front panel for a stealthy steel mesh. This combines with the reorientated fans, which are now found at the front bottom and rear, to enhance airflow.

The Flow is best thought of as the H510 with the front panel swapped out for a high-quality steel mesh alternative. That is a fantastic upgrade and I know a lot of people will be ecstatic to see it.

Aside from that, there isn’t much more to say. All that’s left is to test it and then talk about pricing.

 Cooler, Better, Faster, Stronger

As expected, the H510 Flow allows PC components to run significantly cooler than other H510 variants. It is on a similar level to competitors like Fractal Design and Phanteks, who are both known for their adoption of mesh for their well-cooled cases.

It’s great to have both the style and cooling combined in an NZXT case! There’s no longer the caveat of potentially louder fan noise or throttling for the sake of an aesthetically pleasing case. Now users can have every advantage without worry.

It should be noted that the right side panel and bottom front ventilation seen in the H500 and H510 cases has been removed. However, these slots were already doing very little to aid airflow, so their removal isn’t an issue.

NZXT H510 Flow Review: The final verdict

The price tag of $109.99 is unfortunately due to the current climate. As NZXT made clear back in April of this year, costs for PC components had risen. We’re still seeing the effects of that today.

In my scoring, I’ve considered the pricing of this case versus the standard H510 and H510 Elite. This sits in the middle of the lineup, but it’s my favorite of all three. Competing products provide a tough contest, however, and those who aren’t already enamored by NZXT’s design can look to Phanteks or Fractal Design for some well-priced, airflow-heavy alternatives.

Seeing NZXT finally put airflow first is a huge win and I’m excited to see the company implement more mesh into the rest of its products. I’ll take an official NZXT H1 mesh front panel next, please!

NZXT H510 Flow review unit was provided by NZXT.