NZXT H440 Special Edition Review

Performance Analysis

There's a pretty big varation in the CPU delta T across our current test results and despite ample airflow in the case, the H440 Special Edition sat firmly in the middle of the graph. That said, the majority of the cases that performed noticably better did so usually with greater noise and mesh-covered exteriors. The fact that the H440 Special Edition performed this well with so little by way of ventillation at the front end or base is actually reassuring; we've seen plenty of cases with similar sealed-looking front ends that have performed much worse.


It performed similarly to the Fractal Design Define R5, NZXT Source 530 and Cooler Master CM 690 III and even the Phanteks Enthoo Pro and Enthoo Primo were just a couple of degrees cooler. However, SilverStone's FT05 shows that a sleek exterior doesn't have to mean poor cooling, knocking a further 13°C of the CPU delta T, although the H440 Special Edition's fans were quieter, being drowned out by the other fans in the case.


With three 120mm fans in the front end, the GPU delta T performed much more competetively; at 46°C, it was only 3°C warmer than the FT05 and sits seventh overall near the top of the graph. Again, this is a good result for what is one of the quieter cases in the graph, and one that features very few external vents.

Conclusion

We were honestly surprised by the GPU cooling of the H440 Special Edition. Yes, it does have three 120mm fans up front but the lack of vents lead us to believe we'd see poor temperatures across the board. The CPU delta T is a little more lacklustre but given the ample support for all-in-one liquid coolers and full-on water cooling, this is far from a deal breaker.

The extra premium you pay for bolstered aesthetics we'd argue are worth it. The case looks fantastic although you obviously need to own a Razer peripheral or two for it not to look out of place. You can of course save yourself £35 or so and opt for the standard case, which offers a very similar set of features, then add your own lighting but the premium paint finish, tinted window and illuminated PSU cover especially do look good.

Perhaps the H440 Special Edition's main competitor is the SilverStone FT05. It retails for about the same price but has extraordinary cooling and a not unattratcive exterior either. The H440 chassis is far better-suited to water-cooling though, plus the case is much quieter compared to the FT05 with its powerful Air Penetrator fans.