The NZXT H400i is an impressive case offering premium features and a sleek look. A tempered glass panel allows you to showcase your setup, while RGB LED strips add color and bring the case to life.
With a variety of color combinations to choose from and support for 240mm radiators on the front or top, it’s no surprise that the H400i is a fan favorite and was rated the best micro ATX case overall in our guide. Let’s dive deeper to take a closer look at this case’s features, design, lighting and cooling.
NZXT H400i Specifications
- Weight: 16.76lbs
- Motherboard support: MicroATX, Mini ITX
- Filters: PSU intake, top and front
- Expansion slots: 4
- Fans: Front, top and rear
- I/O Ports: 2x USB 3.1 and 1 Audio/Mic
- Front radiator support (2 x 140mm or 2 x 120mm) with push/pull rear (1 x 120mm)
- 2 x RGB LED strips
- Warranty: 2 years
Sleek External Design
The H400i has a sleek, modern external design with tempered glass panels that give you a peek inside the case.
In addition, there are four color combinations top choose from: white/black, black/red, black/blue and black.
The case itself is made entirely of steel (aside from the tempered glass panel), so it’s highly durable. The bottom of the chassis features four rubber feet to minimize slippage on slick surfaces.
You shouldn’t have a problem fitting all of your components in this case, and you absolutely won’t mind looking at it. Furthermore, the built-in RGB LED strips allow for dynamic personalization.
Looking at the back of the case, you’ll notice that it has a bottom-mounted PSU slot, and there are also four expansion slots. The PSU features a removable dust filter for easy maintenance.
The slot for the rear 120mm exhaust fan is adjustable, so you’re free to slide the fans up or down if you need to make room for components. Also, there is plenty of space on the top of the case to mount two more 120mm fans.
Front panel connections (power button, USB ports, audio ports, etc.) are located on the top of the case. It should be noted that there is no reset button with this case.
Practical Internal Layout
The case’s interior features standard Mini-ITX and MicroATX motherboard trays. There’s also a removable 2.5” SSD mounting bracket on the visible side of the power supply shroud.
The H400i also features a convenient cable management system, which consists of a metal bar that runs from the top to the bottom of the chassis.
Pre-installed channels and straps make your life easier when installing or expanding components.
This cable management system will save you frustration and headaches. With just 0.82” of clearance behind the motherboard tray, it’s a tight squeeze.
The case supports 3 x Aer 120mm case fans, which are wired directly to the Smart Device. The chassis comes with standard fans, but you have the option of adding RGB Aer fans in the future. These can be controlled via the CAM software.
On the front of the case there is support for a single 280mm or 240mm radiator, and there’s push/pull support for a 240mm option as well.
You’ll find one chamber-mounted SSD tray with this case. The single clip-on drive tray sits on the chamber side of the case, and storage options are situated at the back of the case.
Lighting Options
The H400i’s lighting options are part of what makes this case so popular.
NZXT includes an RGB strip along the top of the case near the tempered glass panel for maximum visibility. But this case also comes with an additional adhesive-backed LED strip as well as an extension cable for a customized look.
The built-in RGB LED strip comes with a connector that allows you to add up to four other strips.
The Smart Device hookup offers features from NZXT’s HUE+ digital controllers, which allows for:
- Special lighting modes
- Virtually unlimited customization options
- Support for up to 40 LEDs per channel
- Smart Lighting, which adjusts to changing PC conditions
In addition, NZXT’s CAM software allows you to control the lighting and adjust the strip’s settings. Different lighting presets are available, including:
- Pulse
- Fixed
- Breathing
- Fading
- Alternating
- Marquee
- Spectrum wave
- Candle light
If you’re big into PC lighting and want to customize colors, the H400i will not disappoint.
Cooling
The case’s Smart Device also controls its fans via the CAM software.
This fan control functionality is a bit more complex than the LED controls. For starters, it offers Adaptive Noise Reduction which learns your system’s thermal settings and adjusts your fan settings accordingly.
By balancing acoustics with thermal performance, noise is reduced dramatically during operation.
CAM will run a three-step test that will record idle and load data. The final step provides a comparison chart of the data and the option to choose either an Adaptive or Preset profile.
The Smart Device includes three fan channels with up to 10W output per channel.
NZXT includes three standard 120mm fans (2 in the front and one in the rear), but the chassis supports up to five fans.
If you’re interested in DIY liquid cooling, the H400i can also support a 160mm tall tube reservoir. NZXT says this case is water-cooling ready, with simplified installation for both AIO and custom loop setups.
Pros and Cons
Although this case is compact in size, the components fit nicely and neatly together. Dedicated routing holes minimize exposed cabling, and cable management is smartly placed to encourage use and maximize space.
Of course, the H400i isn’t perfect. There are no USB-C ports on the front panel, and the top fan placement may conflict with some internal configurations. Also, even with the Adaptive Noise Reduction feature, fans are still slightly noisy when running at full speed.
With a tempered glass panel, multiple RGB lighting customization options and a variety of case color options, the H400i will appeal to users who prioritize aesthetics over functionality.
That’s not to say that the H400i doesn’t excel in the functionality department – it does – but the case was designed to maximize beauty while creating a smart internal layout.
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