INTRODUCTION

   During the last two years PC Case manufacturers seem to have but a single goal in mind and that's to release towers of unprecedented quality, size and features aimed almost entirely towards hardcore gamers, enthusiasts and professionals. Certainly that's a very good thing for consumers especially since never before have we seen the release of overwhelming towers like the massive Corsair Obsidian 0900D, the breathtaking Cooler Master Cosmos II, the elegant Lian Li PC-X2000FN and the modern NZXT Phantom 820 inside such a short period of time. The only downside such dreadnaughts have is their hefty price tags making them extremely hard for the majority of people to own something which every manufacturer out there is well aware. So to cover all consumer segments NZXT has several models in the Phantom line including the Phantom 630 Ultra Tower which they released as the next best thing for people who can't or don't want to spend way over USD200 for the top of the line Phantom 820 Ultra+ Tower. Thus prior to checking out the Phantom 820 Ultra+ Tower we decided to see just what the Phantom 630 Ultra Tower has to offer and then in turn compare it with its larger brother.

   Our People: React, adapt and be fearless: we’re a group of young people who aspire to be better tomorrow than we are today. We are driven by the yearning to explore, create, change, and push boundaries. Our culture revolves around having a passion to walk off the well-beaten path, and turn away from the status quo. Our company: Avant-garde and unconventional: NZXT as created because we aspire to make a positive difference for people. We believe that there are companies that ship product, and then there are companies that ship innovation. We routinely re-invest in ourselves, and hope that we can drive a positive influence in the industry. Our products: Think like a beginner: because we grew up in the generation of the 25-cent arcade, the 16-bit home gaming console, and Star Wars Lego collections, the experience is what concerns us. Nothing excites us more than the blank canvas waiting for inspiration. We’re always pushing to learn and reinvent ourselves. This is NZXT.

   My first "official" encounter with NZXT was when they released their very first Phantom tower back in 2010. The Phantom was a full tower which offered plenty of interior space, a nice set of features and a rather futuristic/sporty exterior design. However i can't say that i was very impressed with its overall build quality since NZXT used too much plastic on the exterior, at least for my taste. Of course the same material was responsible for the great design since aluminum would be extremely hard to use to in order to get the same results (and would also increase the cost of the unit significantly) but still it didn't really feel as sturdy as some aluminum towers. Unfortunately the same pretty much applies for the Phantom 630 Ultra+ Tower but this time over NZXT has outfitted it with more features including more interior space, modular internal drive cages, mounting spots for up to three 120mm radiators or two 240mm ones, two SSD mounts behind the mainboard tray, an 30W single channel 3-speed fan controller and an SD card reader. Are these however enough for us to put aside the similarities with its predecessor?