We bought two of these for work and were very pleasantly surprised low level noise, given that there are five of our own fans, and we still shoved huge wind turbines there for a percent and vidyuhu. There was no need to put a separate airflow on the screws, they are well blown out there.
There were no problems with the assembly, with the operation too. Definitely worth the money.
Advantages:
Quiet
-stylish
-excellent blown
Disadvantages:
the front panel is very inconvenient to remove, but this is a disease for many
Period of use:
several months
33 0Alexander Svyatov
- December 7, 2013I am very pleased with the body. Someone says that it is noisy, I don’t know, probably I have not seen quiet buildings. There were 4 computers, this is the fifth one. The ones that were before, they are louder, and then there were a maximum of 3 fans. In this there are 4 of them + CPU cooler + bp, and really quiet :)
The most important thing is to drive off the wife during assembly, so as not to tear off him protective films, I myself want to :)
Some people write that the top tray is scratched quickly. I have a universal film for phones and tablets, I just cut it out and glued it inside, the main thing is matte :) Looks mm.
Overall, I am very happy with it. I watched the reviews for a long time, and I thought about taking or choosing another. I'm glad I made the right decision :)
Advantages:
1) Price. For such a price, I couldn't find it better :)
2) Appearance. Not for an amateur, but everyone who saw him liked it. Even my grandmother praised :) My wife also said, ugly, like Darth Vader. I bought it, turned it on, she fell in love with him :)
3) Backlight front and top. Not too bright, not too dim, moderate :)
4) Inside, everything is easy to put, like two fingers. The cutout in the back, under the processor, is convenient to install and remove the cooler, now you won't have to remove it together with the motherboard :) All the wiring can be carried out behind the mother, so all the wires are hidden :) It is spacious in itself.
Does not vibrate from hard disk, put on elastic bands and a latch, it is convenient :)
5) Not a bad kit :)
6) There are filters everywhere, while there is no hint of dust inside :)
Disadvantages:
1) My body seems to be newer. Usb 3.0, not like before, had to be connected to the back of the mother, but are already sharpened for the connector on her inside. But it was not done very well and qualitatively, for the first time I bent the contact on my mother, straightened it. Enters it tightly. These wires are oak, I thought I would tear off the connector at all, but no, it turned out fine :) The kit comes with a plug, just for those yusb that to mom, with cutouts, ugh, it would be better to put a simple plug and ok, there would be 2 pieces :)
But this is rather not a drawback, since you can still connect, the main thing is more careful :)
2) Bulky, not everyone will fit into the table, it is better to compare the dimensions with the table in advance. :) And again, one can countless disadvantages.
3) Gloss quickly collects dust, but again, not such a terrible drawback :)
Period of use:
less than a month
47 1vivaldiv
- October 19, 2012Recommend. Effective in terms of cooling, the air from the bottom and front flows up and back. Thick 2TB & 3TB hard drives do not rise above 26C. The processor heatsink is always cold. Air is quickly blown up from the graphics card by two 120mm fans.
The front cover is easy to remove. Use the pliers to squeeze out the clips, squeezing them lightly. At first he himself did not know how to remove the lid - it sits very tightly. And then I thought of it.
Advantages:
(subjectively, what was important to me)
1. Roomy and large
2. Excellent cooling of the inside, a lot of fans
3.the presence of usb 3.0
4. An interesting place for mounting the SSD - behind the mat board and anti-vibration mounts for the HDD
Disadvantages:
1. USB 3.0 - "guessed" to make it in the form of an extension cable
2. The noise level of the built-in fans is disappointing
3. Turned off incomprehensible fans for the HDD in the "cheeks" of the case
Period of use:
several months
19 0jujubee
- April 8, 2013an excellent case for the average gaming computer. the OCZ550FTY block looks great.
for office work, such a garland is unnecessary, serious gamers will find a better thread, but this option is very even.
Advantages:
beautiful! glows - even with a luminous power supply - the light is muffled and does not hit the eyes. the built-in fans work perfectly well - put another one so that it does not disappear + video + percent noise at the level of the DVD drive in idle mode. in short, I expected it to be much louder, does not interfere at all
large, convenient, practical - if not a super gaming computer (not all vidyahi open in length) everything is easy to assemble. detailed instructions included bolts screws for all occasions and with a large margin. yusb3 connections on the panel
and for all this happiness the price - just a gift - took for 2.3
screws with cs rubber bands for hdd - do not make noise and are easy to assemble
Disadvantages:
considering the pros and the price - they are not. except that the flaws of the case could be made more authentic - for large videos. considering that he is not small anyway, 5 cm would not play a role. DVD-rum in the upper compartment - hidden under the visor - it is not visible - to the touch. it is not very clear why to make yusb3 connections in this way - through the inside out and connect them to the back wall of the uterus, and the plugs themselves are large ... well ... glossy plastic on the facade and a pocket on top attract dust, a high-quality matte finish would look better ... bp from below, you can position it with the nozzle down (there are slots there, but there are not many) - if the nozzle is up, like mine, there is a risk of dropping something there. well, these are all minimal disadvantages.
the case is designed for standing on the floor, the wires stick out from above with horns) and the case itself is not small
Period of use:
less than a month
16 0Zmeyara96
- February 6, 2013Depressing is the lack of reobass as on the 9th model at least, but these are already toys :)
the body is beautiful, the material is 0.8 steel for that kind of money is now a rarity, massive, it will not vibrate, of course, putting it on the table is too much, but that's why the choice fell on it, I wanted a steel one and with exits from above on not on the face, and now it is an ideal option.
although I had to tinker with the assembly 1 time
Bottom line: for 2800 I got a good and convenient case both in assembly and in operation.
Advantages:
Material steel
Price
Spacious
Beautiful
Convenient HDD installation
HDD with anti vibration bolts pleased
Disadvantages:
I collected 3 computers in Z11, including myself, no shortcomings were identified
Period of use:
several months
14 0Merinov Oleg
- May 21, 2013This is my first system unit where the start button and the main inputs USB microphone headphones are displayed on top. I’ll tell you this is very convenient.
Works quietly. I did not overclock anything, the iron is powerful; there is no need for this. Therefore, I cannot fully assess how the cooling system works. The only thing I can say about ventilation is that it works quietly.
Advantages:
Stylish. Comfortable. Quiet. Chill.
Disadvantages:
Except that USB connection 3.0 through the back.
Period of use:
more than a year
13 0Daedric89
- November 4, 2012I was assembling a new computer, I did not think that the asus hd 7950 would be so long, as a result I changed Zalman z9 to this one, as I did not notice it before, I don’t know, it is much nicer IMHO.
Vidyuha climbed up close, rested against the basket, but did not have to bend anything. The Scythe Mugen 3 cooler fit in without any problems, although due to the memory heatsinks we managed to put only one cooler on it, for blowing out. I am very pleased with the case, it is almost inaudible, beautiful blue backlighting, usb connectors are conveniently placed!
Advantages:
Quiet
Spacious
Beautiful
Stylish
Inexpensive
Disadvantages:
the HDD cage could be removable, although this is not such a big drawback for the money.
Period of use:
less than a month
18 1Anonymously
- February 24, 2012At full load, the gtx570 does not heat up above 70 degrees. In the previous case (inwin), under many hours of load, it warmed up to 88.
The rear and side coolers have a 4-pin connector (Molex).
I won't say that the case is quiet, but considering that the coolers work at all speeds, it is quiet.
Advantages:
Well thought out case with good cooling and cable management.
There are 5 fans in the case. 1 at the back, 1 at the front, 1 at the top, and 2 at the sides. Above and in front, they glow in blue.
Disadvantages:
A bit thin metal, but now almost all new cases are like this.
Period of use:
less than a month
67 8popaukropa
- January 28, 2013Who cares about airing the system unit is the very thing. You can also connect 2 fans, there will be a hurricane in general.
Advantages:
The main advantage is 5 built-in fans, which work quietly.
Then the price
Well, and an important detail - its size - the video Radeon HD 7950 climbed with a margin.
The 750 W unit also climbed into its own home.
Lots of bolts and rubber gaskets for hard drives, with which you can easily stick and pull out these most rigid ones, and do not steam with the retaining bolts.
Disadvantages:
Of the shortcomings - the location of the USB ports - are located on the top of the panel, because of this the wire at the gamepad bends. and Some strange USB3 connection - two cords are pulled out of the case through a special. holes and are crammed into the back panel - I understand that these are such adapters.
Period of use:
several months
10 0taxikoman
- June 18, 2012It is well ventilated, for 6 months of use, there is a minimum of dust inside, good equipment, standard coolers are not as noisy as I thought, I didn't even have to change. I was pleasantly pleased with the bulging side window, thank you for the V8 cooler
Advantages:
Price (took for 2600)
Quality
Pretty cool
Appearance
Disadvantages:
too small
USB 3.0 output is rather clumsy, did not like it
Period of use:
several months
21 2avari3v
- November 2, 2013Optimal choice buildings in the category up to 75 ye. Recommend
Advantages:
Hello everyone! Bought Z11 Plus after reading your reviews. Thanks!
The freshest information is this: (it looks like they have already fixed the jambs)
1) 5 fans are already installed !!!
2) USB 3.0 is plugged into the mother !!!
3) Power button - yes, it can be connected separately, - this is described in the instructions. Doesn't bother
4) Quiet
5) Cold, i5-3570k 25-30 degrees
6) Large
7) Comic appearance - but this is very good for fans
8) Screws for Plextora M5s fit (there are 3 types of screws in the same place)
9) Anti-vibration and noise pads for screws
10) The size is good - a little more than the standard Midic
10) Ridiculous money - for 2200 there is no one close (the closest for 4k)
Disadvantages:
The instructions do not correctly draw how to insert the HDD - I had to think for 15 minutes))
Period of use:
less than a month
14 1Noyt
- 23 August 2012I bought this case today and am not overjoyed with it, I assembled it for almost an hour, laid the wires (fortunately, there is a lot of space), most importantly, it has family, quiet coolers, which made me happy, I am 100% satisfied with the purchase, I recommend it.
Advantages:
Price
-view
-quality
-cooling
- note that the coolers in it are very quiet, --- pleasant sound of air flow
Disadvantages:
Period of use:
less than a month
27 3Soft Ali
- July 7, 2013I bought it a year ago and still only pleases with the purchase.
Very comfortable and well thought-out body. For a year of use, there is almost no dust inside. Everything lingers on the dust filters.
Not a body, just a pleasure. I recommend to everyone!
Advantages:
A beautiful, bright, ergonomic and inexpensive case that has everything you need.
Disadvantages:
Micro issue with USB 3.0, which is described in the recall below. It is treated with the purchase of "pigtails" for 200 rubles.
Period of use:
more than a year
8 0Anonymously
- June 9, 2012I bought it for 2400, came home immediately took up the assembly, threw everything from one system unit to a new one. It took about 30 minutes.
I was pleased with the purchase. Fits perfectly into the style of the monitor, speakers :)
Advantages:
Design
- Cooling system
- Brand :)
- Ability to hide wires in a compartment behind the motherboard.
- Availability of USB 3.0 on the front panel.
- Cool mounting of hard drives (first introduced to this principle of mounting)
Disadvantages:
I don’t know what flaws the iron box may have, perhaps the dimensions.
I have it in the compartment in the table, went into the butt :)
Period of use:
less than a month
26 4dambas7
- August 7, 2015I have been the owner for more than half a year. What prompted me to write a review: I decided to clean the insides, tk. in the previous building (Thermaltake Mambo), cleaning every six months was strictly mandatory - everything was in ashes, slag and rams. I opened the Z11, expecting the same, but no - everything is pristine, sparkling with copper and light bulbs. The first time such a miracle. I washed the filters (lower and front), that's the whole cleaning.
Advantages:
Volume, everything fits without problems. Cooler (I don't remember exactly which one, but not small, 2 times more in volume of the box) got up, space for all vidyuh, HDD (3 pcs) behind the eyes.
- separate mounts for the SSD - it turned out to be extremely convenient
- silent work of regular "propellers"
- convenient to remove wires
Disadvantages:
absent.
Period of use:
several months
9 0IBURZUMI
- April 10, 2012"Zalman Z11 Plus" This is a case that really deserves attention, for its price you cannot buy anything more adequate.
Advantages:
In this product, 5 most important advantages fit at once: ergonomic appearance, price, quiet operation, excellent ventilation of the system and ease of use, I was also pleased with its mounting system for 3.5 inch devices, namely, ease of installation.
Disadvantages:
I know only one drawback of this case is: I have not yet discovered the easily scratched glossy surface.
Period of use:
less than a month
52 11Petrov Alexander
- September 21, 2013Great box! I did not expect to find something worthwhile for such a price. The only jamb was that the power button did not work, to activate it, you had to remove the front part of the box and insert the contacts. An incomprehensible solution in my opinion ... At least it was possible to insert it right away, otherwise I killed my whole brain) Although, maybe this is written in the instructions)
In conclusion, I want to say that this is, if not the best, then one of the best options for its Price / Quality indicator! I advise everyone!
Advantages:
Quiet
-Beautiful (neon light)
-Excellent potential for improving your computer
Disadvantages:
For me personally, the bottom power supply became a disadvantage, because my block does not reach the motherboard: D
If we take modern power supplies, then everything is ok)
Period of use:
several months
13 2Shumkin Ivan
- May 5, 2014Judging from the reviews, many have a problem with removing the front of the case. After reading the instructions and doing everything as it is written there, everything is easy and simple to remove. We press a little from above, we take it from below, then a sharp jerk and everything is easily removed, nothing breaks.
Advantages:
Cable management
Excellent cooling
Convenient HDD installation
Nothing rumbles, nothing resonates
Disadvantages:
It is not possible to connect the connector to the motherboard power supply, with the motherboard already supplied
Period of use:
less than a month
5 0VandaXyi
- February 24, 2013It is beautiful and very roomy. Take it you will not regret it.
Advantages:
Beautiful. Spacious.
Disadvantages:
My vidyuha fit into the butt, but if you look at the size of the vidyuha, it's the other way around. My vidyuha powercolor radeon hd 7990 (for whom you can take a look at its dimensions)
Period of use:
less than a month
8 1Anonymously
- February 6, 2013HDD temperature does not rise above 28 degrees.
Advantages:
Big
Beautiful
Good cooling and quite quiet
Disadvantages:
Didn't notice
Period of use:
less than a month
7 1mel-u
- March 21, 2013In general, for its cost it is better to find it is simply not realistic (IMHO) and the front cover unfastened tightly, but it does not bother me, I am clearly not going to take it off every day. The Coler Master V6 fit right up to its height !! 165mm !! I will also refer this to PLUSES, though I had to file the leg of the window a little, but it took 3 minutes with a file =) In general, I advise you to take it, there is nothing to think about.
Advantages:
Price
-Quality
-Design
-3 standard propellers =)
-Fixed 165MM Coler Master V6
-Convenience cable channel
-Dust filter on the bottom
Disadvantages:
The standard bolts did not fit into the SSD adapter from OCZ, I had to finish it by hand.
-Front USB 3.0 plugs into the rear panel, not directly to the MP.
Period of use:
less than a month
4 0Kurashov Vladislav
- May 4, 2015In general, a good model for 3000r. Native coolers are immediately discarded.
Advantages:
1. Wires behind the motherboard
2. Huge 29cm video card climbed
3. Easy access to 3.5 "helicopters
4. Darth Vader
5. Bottom arrangement of the power supply unit
6. SSD fits perfectly in one side at 5.25 "
7. Mesh
8. And of course the price
Disadvantages:
1. Disgusting coolers included, it would be better not to put it and the price was lower.
2. Visor. you can't put anything in the top 5.25 "slot, the visor will interfere.
3. The 170mm radiator did not fit. And if the window was 1cm higher, then everything would be perfect.
Period of use:
less than a month
4 0kdcorp
- March 2, 2014In general, I liked the case. I took it for 2500. The price-quality ratio is excellent. True, recently it has risen in price by almost a thousand rubles. There are no major flaws, there are minor flaws.
Many have a problem with removing the front panel, they also suffered at the beginning, it must be pressed down and pulled towards you, then it can be easily removed. The processor power cable must be laid before installing the motherboard, then it will be problematic. The company found the rear cooler in the trash heap, and it was sent there, the side fans are generally not clear why they are needed.
The DVD drive fits perfectly into the top compartment, the visor does not interfere.
Advantages:
Price.
Design.
Spacious.
Dust filters.
Lower power supply.
USB 3.0-2.0 ports on the top cover.
HDD mounting through rubber pads.
Possibility of installing up to 7 fans and water cooling.
Convex transparent side wall allows you to install a large CPU cooler.
Tray on top for external HDD.
Soft blue lighting from two silent fans.
Disadvantages:
USB 3.0 connects with two thick cords to the back of the motherboard! Well, you have to come up with something like that in a modern building. But judging by the reviews, it seems that cases with a normal connection appeared. Noisy rear fan.
Period of use:
several months
7 1Chukhrov Zhenyok
- August 26, 2014Very nice body, beautiful, comfortable!
Advantages:
Very beautiful lighting, 2 usb 2.0 and 2 usb 3.0 on the front panel, glass on the side wall, 5 coolers included (very quiet)
Disadvantages:
Period of use:
less than a month
4 0Anonymously
- November 12, 2014My version, hf1, with red backlighting gives the case an even more aggressive and formidable look, thanks to which (and powerful filling) it was nicknamed by friends the Devil (demon, etc.).
Calmly (3-4 cm reserve) I placed the 970th gtx from msi in myself. The glowing msi emblem is clearly visible through the window).
It turned out to be impossible to remove the basket for hards and other things, because of this it was a little inconvenient to lay the wires, but this is not at all critical.
About the top panel - in my case, all the connectors on it are connected directly to the motherboard. And the space between the ports is great for putting a USB flash drive or phone there.
Advantages:
Spacious.
- Beautiful, very formidable design.
- Convenient top panel.
- 5 fans.
- Window.
- Backlight.
- Rich equipment (a bunch of bolts, rubber bands, clamps).
- There is a lot of space for hard drives and other things (it turned out to be superfluous for me).
Disadvantages:
Fixed basket for hard drives, disks, etc.
- Slightly problematic removal of the front panel.
- A bit heavy.
Period of use:
less than a month
5 0Gabdrakhimov Marat
- June 25, 2014I bought the case due to the inability of the old one to cope with cooling. I wanted to build a medium-powerful computer for video editing. And at the same time small in size. After buying a video card, without which I simply could not cope with my nerves during installation, it turned out that my small case was not able to provide cooling for either the processor, let alone the video card. Production capacity and small dimensions did not stick together for me and I had to buy a Zalman Z11.
In general, I am satisfied with the body. He copes with his task perfectly. I will give only one number. My processor temperature dropped by 5-7 !!! degrees. Everything is perfectly blown.
In short, a good case.
Advantages:
1) Large.
2) Cold.
3) Looks very formidable and stylish.
4) Well thought out air circulation.
5) Many slots for hard drives.
6) The fact that the power supply unit from the bottom is certainly more convenient than from the top.
7) The price is very good relative to others.
Disadvantages:
1) The only thing that pops is the rear fan. I'm thinking of changing it.
2) Front fan with 3-pin connector. The rest of the fans are Molex connectors, invented before Christ.
3) I suffered with the front panel. It was scary to break. Down and towards yourself ... :)
4) The side fans look so cheap I didn't want to plug them in. But they don't seem to make any noise.
5) In the kit, according to the instructions, "sprocket" large bolts for fastening the hards were declared. I never found them. He fixed it with what was at hand.
6) The body itself is rather big. Check if it fits in the right place.
7) After the first opening, I found some debris inside the case. Definitely not from the body - I examined everything carefully. Why weren't they removed? However, this did not affect the assembly in any way.
Period of use:
less than a month
9 2caermorhen90
- March 10, 2013Wow ... Wow ... and yet what a handsome man ... There were my words when I put it together. He has no equal in price category up to 3.5 thousand rubles.
Advantages:
Cheap, high quality, COLD.
Disadvantages:
I would not find any drawbacks, even if it cost 2 times more, they simply do not exist!
Period of use:
several months
5 1Anonymously
- November 12, 2012Quiet, roomy, cooling at a height (fx4170 by 4.6 works with a standard (!) Cooler), its design is beautiful. It does not look like a bloated toy, but such a solid skin under the table))
It's hard to remove the front panel. More scary. I get the impression that I’ll break it now, but no, I shot it twice and put it on — no problem.
IMHO the best for the price.
Advantages:
Quiet, roomy, cooling at a height, design, price.
Disadvantages:
The absence of a speaker (although, maybe he should be on the mother ...
Period of use:
less than a month
7 2Semiletov Alexander
- December 16, 2013I took this case so as not to have problems with very bad cases from a number of "creepy" firms, the names of which I will not list, so that there would be no anti-advertising under this case, I also took the power supply unit from the zalman, so that all the equipment was of the same company
Advantages:
large enough and roomy, equipped with a lot of coolers, well ventilated appearance I don't care, but I want to note the funny design and lighting, several options for attaching the Power Supply, if you assemble a home PC without much sophistication, then everything you need will fit into this monster and you will not need any additional purifiers, because it already has 5 pieces of twists ( 80 and 120 mm) the ATX motherboard got there like a toy, lost in space
Disadvantages:
as such, I can not note that inveterate hardcore fans will swear at supporting only those graphics cards that do not exceed 290mm in length
Period of use:
less than a month
6 2Anonymously
- April 5, 2013very happy with the purchase.
Advantages:
excellent build quality
beautiful stock coolers that also work great
Convenient cable routing behind the side panel
Disadvantages:
I didn’t find it, except that if I installed the motherboard, and then wanted to connect the 8-pin connector, I would have to remove it again, because the head will fit between the motherboard and the case. in one of the reviews it is written about it.
Period of use:
less than a month
2 0Prochkailo Alexey
- 8 February 2015I have wanted this body for a long time. And then came the moment when I bought it myself. It was a pleasure to assemble the system for me personally. Everything is intuitive, the front panel can be removed easily enough. In one fairly serious review I read that the rubber bands for the HDD are not of the right size and do not fit into the sled, they say you have to bend the HDD cage. Nonsense. Reviewers screwed the rubber bands on the wrong side (the wide side of the rubber band needs to be on the HDD)
I immediately upgraded and bought myself three 140mm backlit coolermaster turntables, and sold the standard noisy valves. It's quiet and cold now. The size of the case is quite large, it may not fit into any baskets in the tables. Consider it when choosing. I put my modem on the upper scales, now the outgoing air blows it too. By the way, my system is not hot, so the air does not reach extreme temperatures.
Advantages:
Price, appearance, cable management system, anthers
Disadvantages:
Well, if only complete fans (those with backlight) and size (but not for me). Maybe small holes for air intake by the power supply.
Period of use:
several months
2 1Anonymously
- June 11, 2015The best case, very high quality materials, good fans, good air circulation, very roomy, full-fledged ATX.
On the front side there is a YUSB 3.0 interface
For a long time I chose the case, and in the end I found this one and fell in love!
The video card 680 gtx, radeon r9 280x breaks in, there is also a big tower on the process, no problems !!!
When laying wires, go online and see how to do it right! After that, the picture inside the power supply unit and the temperature change) In general, it is worth its money, more advanced users may find jambs, but personally it suited me all. During overclocking, the case fans turn out to be quite noisy.
The system is very quiet! The on / off difference in a quiet room cannot be distinguished (if you do not turn on the frontal blade ..)
The following equipment was assembled:
Percent I7-6700k
+ Noctua NH-U tower (very quiet!)
+ PSU Corsair RM550 (fan works only under load)
+ MSI GTX970 100ME video (fans do not work without load)
Advantages:
Nice design (did not disappoint)
+ Air circulation
+ Possibility to install additional fans
+ USB 3.0 ports on the front panel (connect to the motherboard !!! And not to the rear inputs, as some users write!)
+ The window gives an additional margin for installing a cooler (Noctua NH-U14s 165mm included !!!)
+ Additional quiet side air discharge fans (for drives)
+ Potential for CBO (but not for any model!)
+ Filter for air intake from dust
+ Quiet system
Disadvantages:
With their size, they could add +5 mm so that 165mm coolers would fit with even more confidence!
- "frontal" fan is noisy enough. Suitable motherboards ATX, mATX;
Period of use:
several months
0 0Odyakov Alex
- March 3, 2018I'm here for those who are wondering, "but ...
Disadvantages:
The body is too bulky in width. These bulges in the front are superfluous for the fans. As well as the valves themselves. But the taste and color. Due to its width, it may not fit into your computer desk. If you have one.
A lot of manufacturers in the world of the IT industry have sunk into oblivion, most of them simply could not stand the competition. They were taken over by other larger and stronger firms or simply went bankrupt. Old-timers recall names that many may have never even heard of, such as Epox and Abit. Eh, there were times then, but I think it's time to end with the memory of the fallen and move on to the current names, those that are still alive. One such firm that has outlived many is Zalman. Despite numerous bankruptcy rumors, the company is alive and well, based on the latest news and because it launches new products. And today we will get acquainted with one of these new products - it will be a body Zalman Z11 Neo.
Packaging and equipment
The body is delivered in a large cardboard box with a black image of the body itself and red inserts. The front and back sides are identical, there is a description on them and the sidewalls technical characteristics Zalman Z11 Neo.
The case is protected from damage by foam blocks and packed in a bag.
The package contains everything you need to assemble a system in a Z11 Neo case: screws, clamps and a 4 + 4Pin processor power extension cable.
Appearance
The case has a striking look and is arguably one of the few Zalman products that the designers really tried to create. Although, in fact, the Zalman Z11 Neo is one of the modifications of the Zalman Z11.
Unusual to the case is given by the front panel with extensions in the form of air intakes. It is made of plastic with a metal surface. Above is a compartment for an external 5.25 "device.
On the reverse side, everything is pretty familiar: the power supply is located at the bottom, a 120mm fan is responsible for blowing out hot air, there are two slots for LSS hoses, seven expansion slots for PCI-e devices and a slot for the rear panel of the motherboard.
Extensions of the case from the front panel go to the side walls in the form of plastic inserts. On the left side there is also a convex large darkened window through which the interior of the case is visible. I also want to note that the front panel is made at a slight slope, betraying the aggressiveness of the design.
Thanks to the top and bezels, the case really stands out. The top cover is made of plastic. It contains power and reset buttons, audio outputs, a pair of USB 2.0 and a pair of USB 3.0 in two lines between which there is a recess with a glossy surface.
The top cover has a very interesting "blown" design; there are special ventilation slots made of translucent dark plastic on it.
There are four rubber-coated feet on the bottom of the case, and there are also removable dust filters.
On the side covers in the extensions on both sides there is an 80x80x15mm fan, which is connected via a standard MOLEX. These fans are quiet and cool the hard drive cage.
Removing the covers, we are presented with the internal space of the case, which is not much different from the usual modern ATX cases.
The panels are made of good plastic, there are no complaints about its quality. It's quite easy to film them, special efforts not required, they are fastened with latches.
Removing the plastic panels in front of us is a completely ordinary case, although by ordinary, I mean a well-thought-out cooling system, cable management and removable baskets.
On the reverse side there is space for power supply cables, tabs for cable ties to lay everything neatly and there is a slot for a 2.5 ”drive.
A removable plastic dust filter is installed on the front panel.
Below, under the power supply, there are rubber feet, and in the base under the motherboard, in the lower part, there is a hole into which the wires from the power supply are removed.
Removable storage baskets. Each can accommodate three 3.5 ”/2.5” drives, but in a special plastic slide.
Behind the storage cages, there is room for two 120mm fans. One of them is already preinstalled, it is marked ZA1226CSL and blue backlighting, power is connected to it via the MOLEX connector.
A pair of 120 / 140mm fans can be installed on the top wall, the mount for the fans itself is raised a little upward, this is done to install an LSS radiator. From the factory, one 120mm backlit fan is preinstalled on the top wall, which is connected via a 3-pin connector, its marking is ZA1226CSL SL.
On the back panel there is another ZA1226CSL fan, but already devoid of backlighting.
If you look closely, you will find a pleasant surprise in the form of additional places for installing 3.5 "/2.5" drives, they are hidden in two internal 5.25 "bays.
The wires for connecting the front panel are long, they can easily reach the connection point.
System assembly
It is difficult to find any special differences from the assembly in other ATX cases, we can say that the location of the holes in the motherboard pallet is made conveniently, the wires are easily threaded. Building in the Zalman Z11 Neo is pretty enjoyable. You can install a long power supply up to 220mm. The length of the video card taking into account the installed basket is 285mm, without it up to 400mm. The CPU cooler can be installed up to 175mm high. All edges of the metal structure are well finished. The plastic slide is easy to slide in and out.
On the reverse side, you can carefully thread all the wires, securing them with the clamps included in the kit for accuracy.
Testing
Test stand:
- CPU: Intel Core i7 4960X @ 4.0 1.2v;
- CPU cooling: NoctuaNH-C14S;
- Motherboard: ASUS Rampage IV Gene, LGA 2011, X79;
- Video card: GTX 66 0;
- RAM: 4Gb Kingston HiperX Predator 2666Mhz;
- Hard Drive: Western Digital WD3200YS
- Power supply: Corsair AX760i 760W.
Testing technique
We will heat the system for 10 minutes using LiNX 0.6.5. and Furmark's windowed mode at a resolution of 1920x1080p. The ambient temperature is 27 degrees.
Monitoring was carried out using the following programs: RealTemp 3.70, GPU-Z, HWMonitor.
The noise level was measured using a digital sound level meter with a measurement range of 30-130 dB from a distance of 10 cm. The noise level in the room is 30-31.5 dB.
The fan installed on the processor cooler was running at 700 rpm. The fans of the video card did not spin more than 2400 rpm. The cooling systems for the processor and video cards themselves were very quiet.
The fans installed in the case operated at 1200 rpm (120mm) and 1600 rpm (80mm). Two of the 120mm could be adjusted using the motherboard, but the front fan was connected via MOLEX, and its adjustment was not possible. Therefore, it was decided to carry out testing in the mode of maximum performance of the cooling system.
Conclusion
The Zalman Z11 Neo turned out to be beautiful, quite high quality and with good expandability of the cooling system. In this case, you can install 8 pieces of 3.5 / 2.5 "drives, there is also a separate place for one 2.5" drive. It is possible to install a long video card.
For its money - 3500-5000r, Zalman Z11 Neo is quite a worthy candidate for a purchase. The only disappointing thing is the noisy fan that doesn't automatically adjust, but that's not a problem.
Pros:
- Affordable cost
- Good expandability of the cooling system
- The quality level is at a good mark
- Nice appearance
V this review we will focus on the case, which will be an interesting solution for both gamers and modders. The history of this device dates back to 2012, because it was then that its predecessors, ZALMAN Z11 and Z11 Plus, were born. They had an aggressive design that clearly set them apart from the rest of the gaming models. The novelties offered excellent opportunities for organizing effective cooling of the in-building space (including with the possibility of installing two-fan SVOs), and the presence of blue backlighting and an acrylic window on the side panel made it possible to enjoy the view of the components in the dark. The difference between them was the presence of two pairs of USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 ports on the interface panel of the ZALMAN Z11 Plus model instead of the four standard 2.0 connectors in the ZALMAN Z11.
Another soplatform model was the ZALMAN Z11 Plus HF1. In fact, it is a ZALMAN Z11 Plus solution, but instead of blue backlighting, the manufacturer used red LEDs here. So there is no need to talk about any really fundamental differences between the above three models.
But after a few years, ZALMAN reconsidered its vision of an aggressive case, presenting a model. It got rid of the ventilation grill at the bottom of the front panel, and its shapes became smoother. Nevertheless, this did not deprive the case of its attractiveness, but from the point of view of practicality for the user, it boasts a number of positive changes. For example, unlike its predecessors, which allow installing video cards up to 290 mm long, the new product can accommodate solutions over 400 mm long. At the same time, the body itself has become even somewhat more compact. What other changes have befallen the ZALMAN Z11 gaming line with the appearance of a model with the NEO prefix, we will definitely tell you in the current review.
Specification
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Manufacturer and model |
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Frame size |
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Supported motherboard form factors |
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1 x 5.25 ”(external) 8 x 3.5 "/ 2.5" (internal) 1 x 2.5 "(internal, behind a pallet) |
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Expansion card slots |
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Maximum video card length |
With baskets installed |
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Without baskets (according to our measurements) |
400 mm (430 mm) |
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Maximum CPU cooler height (according to our measurements, taking into account the bulge of the acrylic window) |
175 mm (185 mm) |
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Maximum length of the power supply |
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2 x audio outputs (headphones, microphone) |
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Pre-installed fans |
On the front |
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On the back panel |
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On the top panel |
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On the side panels |
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Possibility to install fans |
On the front |
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On the back panel |
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On the top panel |
2 x 140 mm / 2 x 120 mm |
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On the side panel |
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On the bottom panel |
1 х 140-mm / 1 х 120-mm |
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Power Supply |
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Materials (edit) |
Front and top panels, side trims |
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Steel 0.73 mm thick |
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Side panels |
Steel 0.65 mm thick |
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Case dimensions |
515 x 205 x 465 mm |
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Net weight) |
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Products webpage |
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Packaging and delivery set
The novelty comes in a cardboard box, which provides quite a lot of information about the device placed inside, despite the simplicity of design. So, the front side in black and white colors demonstrates the appearance of the case, listing its most important advantages in English. Already in eight languages (including Russian), this information is duplicated on one of the sidewalls, while the second provides a fairly detailed specification of the device.
Inside the box, the body is fixed with foam inserts, and a plastic bag protects the novelty from moisture. The kit also comes with a number of components that will come in handy during the assembly of the system. In total, the ZALMAN Z11 NEO package includes the following components:
- a set of screws and stands for installing the motherboard;
- a set of screws for fixing the power supply and drives;
- a plug in the expansion slot;
- extension cable for supplying additional power to the CPU;
- 5 cable ties;
- manual.
So many of the included screws should be enough to install all the necessary components, including many drives. Convenient cable ties will allow you to collect the cables used in groups for more accurate laying.
Appearance
ZALMAN Z11 NEO is an extraordinary solution featuring many interesting exterior elements, which we will introduce you in detail below. Gamers, who are the main target audience of the novelty, will definitely like this design.
In contrast to the ZALMAN Z11 Plus, where the bottom of the front panel was decorated with a ventilation grill, the novelty received a more austere appearance thanks to the use of plastic with a metal finish. Thus, practicality was sacrificed for design.
But the intake of cool air from the front is still carried out using nozzles, which also play a significant role in giving the body an aggressive look, while slightly increasing its width.
Responsible for air supply is a 120 mm ZALMAN ZA1225CSL fan with blue LED backlight. It is based on Sleeve Bearing. The turntable is powered by a 3-pin cable and has less than 2W of power (12V @ 0.16A). The rotation speed of the blades turned out to be at the level of 1130 rpm, which is quite a comfortable indicator from the point of view of the generated noise.
You can also install another 120-mm turntable here, and a removable dust filter is responsible for cleaning the blown air.
Despite the very large dimensions, the ZALMAN Z11 NEO case is equipped with only one external compartment for 5.25-inch devices, which effectively opens when the spring-loaded cover is slid down. There are no external bays for 3.5-inch devices at all.
The back of the novelty has a familiar layout. The bottom location of the power supply, seven expansion slots (with disposable plugs), two holes for the CBO hoses and a 120-mm turntable - everything is made in the good traditions of gaming cases. But here, too, the solution from ZALMAN can be recognized by the very specific shape of the top panel.
The fan on the rear panel is represented by the 120 mm ZALMAN ZA1225CSL model, the originality of which is ensured by the use of a white impeller. According to its characteristics, it is similar to the solution used on the front wall of the case, but it is made of opaque plastic and lacks LED backlighting. According to the measurement results, it rotated a little faster - at a speed of 1330 rpm.
The bottom of the ZALMAN Z11 NEO case is distinguished by the presence of two dust filters that can and should be removed for regular cleaning. One of them is designed to clean the air entering the power supply through a perforated area measuring 10 x 8 cm. The second is useful when installing an additional 140- or 120-mm turntable on the bottom.
If you use a long power supply (in our case, the model is 193 mm long), you won't be able to mount the turntable here. But the fact that the novelty can accommodate even the most bulky power supplies with a length of up to 250 mm is encouraging.
Along the edges of the bottom panel there are plastic legs 20 mm high with a rubber base 3 mm thick, which prevents the case from sliding and scratching the surface on which the system unit is placed.
One of the most interesting in the new product is the top panel. It is made of plastic and has an original shape inherited from its predecessors. Closer to the rear is the perforated grille and plastic ribs. The latter are placed at an angle. On the one hand, this allows them to collect dust falling on the case, and on the other hand, it does not prevent cool air from entering.
Also fixed under the ribs is a 120-mm ZALMAN ZA1225CSL turntable, which is completely similar to the model on the front panel. However, if you wish, you can install here another similar fan, two 140-mm solutions or an SVO radiator up to 280 mm long.
The top panel itself can be easily removed and disassembled, which greatly facilitates its cleaning.
Closer to the front panel of ZALMAN Z11 NEO, there is a glossy platform for placing a smartphone or portable storage. On both sides of it are located the controls and components of the interface panel, represented by a reset button, two pairs of USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 ports, as well as two 3.5 mm audio jacks.
In the center, directly above the front panel, is the power button. It has a nice blue glow, which you can appreciate a little further in the corresponding subsection.
For fans of modding, on the left side panel there is an acrylic window measuring 31 x 30.5 cm, through which it is convenient to observe the work of the components. Therefore, when choosing them, you can look for more interesting solutions that can create a proper ensemble that will not be ashamed to show to friends and family.
The sidewalls themselves are fastened using screws with figured heads, and for their convenient removal there are vertical protrusions in the back. The plastic top and front panels are fixed using standard latches.
Side nozzles, which are also of practical use, give a very effective look to the novelty. So, low-profile 80-mm ZALMAN ZA0815ASL fans (12 V; 0.08 A) 15 mm thick are hidden under the plastic covers. Unlike the other three current turntables that use a 3-pin connector, these solutions are powered by a 4-pin peripheral interface (Molex). Thus, three connectors on the motherboard and one PATA connector on the power supply should be enough to connect all the pre-installed elements of the ZALMAN Z11 NEO cooling system.
Internal organization
The chassis and all metal elements on it are covered with matte black paint, thanks to which they blend perfectly with the plastic parts. The interior space is visually divided into a left part for installation motherboard and the power supply unit, and the right one, which contains bays for drives and other devices.
There are two baskets for installing drives, each of which can accommodate three devices. Mounting of 3.5 "solutions in them is carried out using screwless fasteners, while 2.5" media will have to be fixed using the supplied screws. The baskets themselves cannot boast of good rigidity (when installing a drive, this feature becomes less noticeable), and when they are fastened, there is a slight backlash.
Therefore, if you are not going to create file storage inside ZALMAN Z11 NEO, then one or even both baskets can be removed. In this case, you can use the metal brackets located in the lower two 5.25 "bays, which are designed to accommodate 3.5" and 2.5 "media. However, here their fastening is provided exclusively with screws. And the absence of baskets will allow you to install video cards up to 430 mm long (in the original layout, this value is limited to 270 mm).
On the bottom, in the place where the power supply is installed, there are four elevations with gaskets fixed on top to reduce vibrations transmitted to the body.
The set of wires for connecting the front panel includes an HD Audio connector, connectors for connecting power / reset buttons and LED indicators, a 4-pin peripheral connector, as well as cables for connecting USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 ports.
You can see a small perforation on the pallet, which is located exactly where the 2.5-inch drive is attached. As you can see, in total, the novelty allows you to install three carriers without the use of baskets, however, already with the help of the supplied screws.
The assembly of the system inside ZALMAN Z11 NEO takes place without any particular difficulties and complications, which is facilitated by the availability of free space for laying wires behind the case pallet. And the cutout in the latter allows you to install and remove the overall cooling systems without dismantling the motherboard.
The design itself has sufficient rigidity, all parts fit well, and there are no gaps and backlash. The considerable dimensions of the case make it possible to install both oversized video cards up to 430 mm in length and large processor coolers up to 175 mm in height (185 mm taking into account the convexity of the acrylic window). So almost all the components on the market should fit inside the novelty without any problems.
LED backlight
In the dark, the test case pleases the eye with a pleasant blue glow emanating from two turntables (top and front). The luminous flux is sufficient to illuminate the components placed inside, so that the acrylic window may well fulfill its role in the evening. The blue rampage is diluted only by a small red indicator under the top of the front panel, informing about hard activity disk.
Testing
The test bench was used for testing the enclosures
Choose what you want to compare ZALMAN Z11 NEO
We tested the novelty with all pre-installed turntables. The operating speed of the top and front fans is 1130 rpm, the rear one is 1330 rpm, and the side fans are 1000 rpm.
The presence of five turntables, as we expected, had a good effect on the temperature of the components used. An interesting design of the top panel also played a role, as it does not impede the outlet of heated air at all. Therefore, in general, the novelty has demonstrated low temperature performance of components. First of all, we note a slight heating of the hard drive, which is explained by the close location of the front turntable. But the most interesting is the temperature indicator of the video card - even at full load, it did not heat up above 71 ° C, while inside many cases of the same standard size, this indicator is in the range from 72 to 80 ° C. Therefore, ZALMAN Z11 NEO is a good candidate even for installing a bundle of several video cards, not to mention a single adapter.
conclusions
The idea of creating a gaming case with an aggressive appearance a few years ago was embodied in the ZALMAN Z11 / Z11 Plus / Z11 Plus HF1 models, and now, with noticeable changes, it has found its application in the solution we tested. What has changed in the manufacturer's approach during this time? Let's see.
The first thing that catches your eye is a very noticeable difference in the appearance of the new item when compared with its predecessors. The body tested can still be called aggressive to a certain extent, but if previously these were cocky muscle cars, now we have something more like a Nissan GT-R. Yes, some features are recognizable, and by them you can determine the continuity. These are the side "nozzles", and the upper ribbed panel, and the side wall with a transparent window, and a pleasant blue LED glow. But there are also a lot of changes. From the front panel, the grille at the bottom has disappeared, as well as the vast majority of external compartments. The wall itself received a stylized metal look, although it remained plastic. And inside the structure, the stationary drive rack has been replaced by two removable baskets, so that video adapters with a length of more than 400 mm can be accommodated in the case.
The cooling system of the review hero consists of five pre-installed fans that provide good cooling of internal components. Therefore, even when installing powerful components, you are unlikely to have to shell out for additional turntables. Although there are enough places to install the latter. And the top panel allows, if desired, to install even a CBO with a radiator up to 280 mm long. So high performance game system it will feel quite comfortable here.
We did not find any obvious flaws in ZALMAN Z11 NEO. Its design is made with high quality, without unnecessary gaps and sharp edges, and also has good rigidity. As features worth paying attention to, we note only the insufficiently rigid storage baskets. But, as we already wrote, most users can easily do without them, since the case offers three more seats for carriers. Therefore, for the average gamer or modding enthusiast, the tested novelty will be a good solution for assembling a beautiful system that will delight the eye even in the dark.
Advantages:
- original design;
- good cooling of components;
- high-quality chassis assembly, panel edge processing and body painting;
- good body rigidity;
- the ability to install long video cards (up to 270 mm by default or up to 430 mm with the drive basket removed) and high processor COs (up to 175-185 mm);
- the presence of a transparent window on the side panel;
- the presence of blue LED-backlighting of two turntables;
- the presence of five pre-installed fans;
- the ability to install additional fans and an SVO radiator up to 280 mm long;
- the presence of dust filters on the front and bottom panels;
- the ability to install up to 9 drives;
- the ability to remove baskets for drives;
- the presence of screwless mounts in trays for 3.5-inch drives;
- presence of two USB connectors 3.0 and two USB 2.0 on the front panel; Sea sonic electronics for the equipment provided for the test stand.
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Manufactured by Zalman, and now we present another sample from this line - the case Zalman Z11 Plus... The chassis is the same for both models, and the differences are mainly related to the external design: the Z11 is clearly designed for those who prefer unusual shapes, and the Z9 looks modest against its background. Like the previous model, the Z11 comes in two versions, differing in equipment - the "top" version contains the word Plus in the designation. But there are also changes here: the Z11 Plus lost the fan controller (in the Z9 Plus it was, albeit a simple one) and a temperature sensor with a digital indicator, but acquired two USB port 3.0, which the Z9 did not have. The number of fans has also changed: 5 standard fans instead of 4.
The Z11 variant differs from the Z11 Plus in the absence of USB 3.0 ports - instead of them there is another pair of USB 2.0, and one of the fans (top) is also missing.
Like the Z9, the Z11 cases should be attributed to the budget, but this did not affect the equipment: we saw many more expensive models from other manufacturers, which were equipped with poorer equipment.
The body is delivered in a box made of ordinary cardboard with a three-color design. Although the gross weight is light, the hand-grip cutouts are not forgotten on the sides.
Layout
Frame Zalman Z11 Plus is a single-volume miditower with bottom PSU, sold separately. Only one color is offered - black.
There are five 5.25-inch device slots, all with front-panel access. In one of the slots, you can install a 3.5-inch device, also with an exit to the outside: there is both a corresponding adapter and a plug with a slot.
The hard drives are installed in a cross cage with five slots for 3.5-inch drives. One 2.5 "HDD or SSD can be installed in the included 5" bay adapter and on the right side of the motherboard substrate.
The chassis can accommodate ATX motherboards and increasingly compact options. The choice of video cards is limited to models up to 290 mm in length, including an additional power connector if it is located at the end of the board.
The set of accessories is quite rich: a lot of fasteners sorted into bags, replaceable plugs for expansion slots, five disposable cable ties and a power adapter for the processor. And, of course, the instruction - however, we got it without translation into Russian. All this is packed into a convenient case with a clasp.
Design
Case dimensions 498 x 260 x 530 mm (H x W x D) including protruding parts, i.e. slightly more than the Z9, but only at the expense of additional external elements clearance. The weight of the body itself is 7.4 kg, a set in a package is 9.0 kg.
According to our measurements, the chassis used steel with a thickness of 0.6 mm, the removable side walls are slightly thicker - 0.7 mm. In the left wall there is a window covered with a transparent but slightly tinted plastic cover, and this cover is not just a flat piece of plexiglass, but has a complex volumetric shape that can allow installing a larger cooler for the processor. Both the left and right side walls at the front at the bottom have plastic overlays that cover the places where the fans are installed; their shape is also quite complex.
The legs of the case are made in the form of plastic rectangles with rubber inserts, which should provide good shock-absorbing ability.
Talking about the plastic front and top panels of the case, for the third time we must use the words "complex shape": it is difficult to describe it, it is best to just look at the photo. The designers clearly gave free rein to imagination (of course, within the established budget), and this applies not only to the shape, but even to the color: the lattice parts of the panels covering the backlit fans are made translucent, and all others do not let light through. Most of the surfaces are matte, but, like in the Z9, there are glossy elements, and again exactly those that will often be touched by the hands.
5 "slot covers are made of fine mesh metal mesh.
The Power button is located “on the forehead” of the case (a slightly sloped upper part of the front panel), so it will be noticeable and easily accessible in any position of the case - even on a table or under a table. It also has a built-in blue indicator.
The rest of the controls and commutation are located in the front third of the upper plastic panel. Moreover, in the middle there is a shallow niche measuring 10 × 12.5 cm, in which you can put devices connected with USB cables. To the right of it, closer to the front panel, there are two USB 3.0 connectors (in the Z11 without Plus there are two USB 2.0 ports instead of them), then the Reset button and the red disk activity indicator. On the left, there are two USB 2.0 connectors and a pair of audio ports in the same row. The relatively low height of the case when placed on a desktop will allow you to use the USB ports without getting up. But the HDD indicator will not be visible at the same time, and it is doubtful that it will be visible if the computer is under the table.
Unfortunately, the presence of four USB ports in such an arrangement does not guarantee the possibility of connecting four devices with a noticeable width: the gap between the connectors in pairs is 13 mm.
Pressing the Reset button is unlikely to work by accident, but you can't say that about Power: it has practically no free wheel, and you can turn off the computer with a light touch.
Ventilation system
The Z11 Plus case contains as many as five Zalman proprietary fans.
The front and top ones with dimensions of 120 × 120 mm have a non-switchable blue backlight and are connected with 3-pin connectors to the motherboard (there is no built-in controller, as in the Z9 Plus). Instead, you can put 140mm fans.
The third fan, on the rear wall of the chassis, is also 120 mm, but without lighting and connected to the power supply via a Molex peripheral connector (double, male + female).
Two more small 80mm fans are installed on the side walls in the area of the disk cage. They work on the hood, and outside there are plastic covers that play not only a decorative role, but also are air ducts, directing the air flow from the side fans backwards, parallel to the side wall. Due to this, the body can be placed close to the wall (relatively close, of course: the overlays on the left and right are wide enough). These fans are also powered through the Molex male + female connectors.
The possibilities for upgrading the ventilation system are to install two more 120- or 140-mm fans: on the bottom of the chassis and the second one at the top.
There are standard filters on the front and bottom. To access the front filter, you will have to remove the front panel - this is not a very laborious operation, but this filter cannot be called a quick release. It is made of fine-mesh nylon mesh on a plastic frame, and exactly the same protects the place for the optional lower fan from dust. But the holes in the bottom of the chassis under the power supply are covered by a filter of a slightly different design: it is a sheet of thin plastic with small holes. Both lower filters can be easily removed from the outside without opening the case.
The top fans are devoid of filters. This is, though illogical, but, given the cost of the case, a forgivable decision. As for the rear and side fans, they work for the hood, and therefore the absence of filters is quite understandable.
Note also that the mesh covers of the 5-inch slots are equipped with foam inserts.
Of course, it is possible to install liquid cooling systems. Where can we go without it ...
Of the additional ventilation holes, in addition to the 5.25-inch slot blanks, there is a vertical perforated strip in the rear wall of the chassis and slots in the expansion slot blanks.
Assembling the system unit
The side covers are fastened with the usual system of grooves and combs, and are fixed with pairs of screws with plastic knurled heads. The back ends of the covers have stamped finger grip tabs, which helps a lot when removing them: the covers sit very tightly in place.
Some of the hexagonal racks for the motherboard are already installed, but for some reason only four, and five more are in the accessory kit. The slots for the expansion cards will have to be freed by breaking out the disposable plugs. There are also caps in 4 out of 5 5-inch slots, and two of them are fastened with screws, and two need to be broken out.
Mounting of optical drives is the most ingenious - with screws on both sides, but 3.5-inch HDD / SSDs are installed more tricky: first, you need to fix four rubber shock absorbers with a T-shaped section on the sides of the drive with long screws so that you can slide it into the slots available in the side walls of the basket. It is fixed with a plastic latch; additional fastening with screws is not provided, but this is hardly necessary: the drive is held tightly enough.
Of course, such shock absorbers will reduce vibrations from disk drives to a certain extent, but there is no heat dissipation from the drive cases on the chassis. However, with as many as three fans serving the disk cage, this is not so critical.
Disks, like in the Z9, are inserted from the left, but the interface connectors can only look to the right, where there is not much room left to the side wall, and you should use SATA cables with L-shaped connectors.
As already mentioned, 2.5-inch drives have not been forgotten either: one can be installed on the back side of the motherboard substrate by fixing four screws to the existing lugs with holes, for the second there is a place on the adapter of a five-inch slot, into which you can install either 2.5 -, or 3.5 "HDD / SSD, or 3.5" front-facing device.
There is a large window in the motherboard substrate that allows you to install or remove a processor cooler without dismantling the board itself. The convex shape of the decorative plastic cover covering the window in the left side wall will allow you to choose an oversized processor cooling system.
Cables from external USB 2.0 and HD Audio connectors are shielded; they are connected to the internal connectors of the motherboard with monolithic connectors. But the way of connecting USB 3.0 connectors was chosen a strange one: to the external ports of the motherboard. Such a decision could be welcomed a few years ago, when not all motherboards had internal 19-pin USB 3.0 connectors, and external USB 3.0 ports were not so common, and today this can be explained either by the desire to please the owners of motherboards of previous years. or the desire to give the opportunity to connect external connectors of the case to both USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 ports, but at the same time not to complete the case with the appropriate adapter.
As a consolation, the manufacturer included an expansion slot cover with a slot covered with a rubber seal, through which cables from the USB 3.0 connectors can be pulled out.
The front panel is secured with six plastic clips and can be easily removed. The wires leading to the button and indicator located on it are equipped with intermediate connectors, so they will not interfere with the removal of the panel.
The top panel is also fastened with snaps; it will have to be removed only for some manipulation of the fans, but at the same time it will be necessary to "overcome" a thick bundle of cables suitable for it.
Naturally, cables can be routed behind the motherboard backing, for which there are large openings. True, there are no rubber plugs for them, the developers decided to limit themselves to rolling the edges of the holes. Other edges are also rolled up, which may injure the collector.
The power supply can also be installed after the motherboard, with the fan facing up or down. The power supply unit is attached directly to the rear panel, without any additional frames, and on the bottom of the case there are projections for it with rubber shock-absorbing pads.
Measurement of noise level
The measurement of the noise level is carried out in accordance with our methodology using an Oktava 110A-Eco sound level meter in a soundproof room with a typical noise level of 20 dBA. During the measurement, all electrical appliances in the room are turned off.
An autonomous controlled converter was used to regulate the supply voltage of the fans.
When all fans are powered from 5 volts, the noise is at a low level and barely audible in a typical living room during the day. If the case is placed on the floor or on a pedestal under the table, the noise level will decrease a little more, and in this case, the case cooling system can be considered conditionally silent.
When the fans are powered from 7 volts, the noise of the case cooling system can be estimated as reduced relative to the typical noise level for a living room during the daytime, provided that the case is placed on a tabletop and the user is placed in the near field from it. If the case is placed on the floor or on a pedestal under the table, the noise level will slightly decrease, and in this case, the case cooling system can be considered quite quiet.
When the fans are powered from 8.5-10 volts, the noise of the case cooling system can be estimated as average for a living space during the daytime. A source with a similar noise level will not particularly stand out in a residential, let alone office space. Likewise, when placed on the floor, this noise can be considered reduced.
With a further increase in the supply voltage of the fans, the noise comes close to the ergonomic border of 40 dBA. Noise of this level is already well noticeable in a residential area at a distance of 2-3 meters from the source and is estimated as quite noticeable for a residential area during the daytime, although for an office space such a level may turn out to be quite typical when several computers, air conditioning, lighting and other things are operating. equipment. When positioning the measurement microphone according to the typical placement of the user's head in relation to system unit when the latter is placed on the floor, the noise is noticeably reduced. Accordingly, when the case is located on the floor, the noise can be considered average for a dwelling in the daytime, which is confirmed by the measurement results. The recorded noise value under such conditions was 34 dBA for the housing positioned on both sides of the microphone (and the user).
Due to the fact that of the four connectors for powering the fans, only two can be standardly connected to the motherboard in order to control the fan rotation speed, and the other two connectors are connected directly to the power supply without the possibility of any adjustment, the user of this case certain inconveniences may arise if you want to reduce the noise level of the standard cooling system relative to the nominal.
The case has side walls with small openings, but there are large ventilation openings at the top and in the front. In this regard, from the front there is no attenuation of the noise arising in the internal volume of the case. But in the case of emulation of floor placement with a shift from the central axis, a slight attenuation of the noise level is recorded, and on the right side of the case, the attenuation is slightly stronger. Nevertheless, one should not count on a significant noise insulation effect.
The acoustic ergonomics of this model are average. For lovers of silence, the case will not work because of the relatively noisy standard cooling system in the nominal value and the lack of the possibility of regular adjustment of all fans. On the other hand, against the background of powerful components with a stock cooling system, the case will not be a solo element, in terms of noise level, that needs to be optimized or replaced as soon as possible.
Positioning and conclusions
The conclusions for the Zalman Z11 cases will be approximately the same as for the Z9: the price / equipment ratio is quite interesting, and the appearance of USB 3.0 ports in the Z11 Plus model makes it even more interesting. True, the appearance of the case has become more "amateur", and if the modest Z9 is quite suitable for the role of a case for an office or multipurpose home computer (provided that the owner puts up with blue backlighting or is ready to turn it off along with the fans), then the Z11 clearly pretends to more. How reasonable it is - it is difficult to say without reasoning about the subjectivity of the perception of the design, so let's just estimate the balance of changes in comparison with the Z9 in price terms.
The number of fans can again be called excessive: the efficiency of the side fans is questionable, and you have to pay for them in both the Z11 and Z11 Plus versions. It is unlikely that anyone will regret the absence of a controller, to which only two fans could be connected in the Z9 Plus, and a thermometer that performs a more decorative function, but the increase in price compared to the Z9 Plus is regrettable: minus the controller and thermometer, minus one large fan and two small ones, replacing two USB 2.0 ports with 3.0 and changing the design resulted in an extra $ 12-14 retail price, which is a lot for a budget case. There is, of course, a version of the Z11 without Plus, which saves $ 8-10, but at the cost of eliminating the USB 3.0 ports - one of the most useful differences from the Z9 model. In addition, at the time of writing the review, the Z11 was on average, though slightly, but more expensive than not only the Z9, but also the Z9 Plus. Of course, all these arguments are correct only at the time of writing the review: it is possible that in the future the distribution of prices will change somewhat.
Zalman Z11 Plus case provided for testing by the manufacturer
The South Korean company Zalman is a well-known manufacturer of computer components in the world market. But lately his name has been appearing in the news columns largely thanks to the cases he produces, the assortment of which was modest until recently.
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Not so long ago, the Zalman Z9 Plus case was tested in the laboratory, which left a lot of positive impressions. Despite its age, it still enjoys success among users, as it has a very good price / performance ratio.In February 2012, the company announced the Zalman Z11 Plus model, designed to replace the "nine". The expected continuation of the line has received a number of changes in comparison with its predecessor, while retaining its best features. Whether this is so, it will become clear in the upcoming testing, which became possible thanks to close cooperation with our partner - the Regard company.
As usual, first of all, let's start our review by examining the packaging of the case and the accessories supplied with it.
Packaging and equipment
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The box in which the Zalman Z11 Plus is packed has average dimensions: 540 x 305 x 590 mm (L x W x H). The weight is approximately 8.5 kg. The packaging is designed in a "cardboard" style: unpainted cardboard with a black-and-white picture of the case on the front side is not impressive, to put it mildly. However, the predecessor Z9 was packed in a similar box. What else to expect from a budget product?
On both sides of the box, different technical information is indicated, as well as descriptions of the various “features” of the product. In eight languages, including Russian. In addition, the sidewalls are equipped with traditional carry handles. Not too large a weight of the product will allow you to transport the box in your hands.
Inside the box, the body is packed in transparent polyethylene and sandwiched between two foam dampers-retainers that protect the body from mechanical damage. The location of the case in the box is with the front panel facing up.
All scratched parts of the case are initially sealed with a protective film. This applies to the side acrylic clear window, the glossy recess at the top and the front ventilation grill, also partially glossy.
Accessories are placed in a transparent plastic bag. It is located inside the case, fastened to the hard drive cage. The bag is made of rather thick polyethylene and opens with a sliding latch like a zipper.
Inside, you can find a few more nested bags containing various fasteners, rubber anti-vibration pads for hard drives, a processor power cable extension, two slot plugs, as well as a user manual written in English and Korean. Unfortunately, there is no Russian language in the manual, but the instructions are illustrated in great detail and it will not be difficult to figure out "what and how".
Below you can find a detailed list of accessories supplied with the case. The kit includes:
- Screws for fastening drives;
- Silicone gaskets for drives;
- Hexagonal racks for mounting the motherboard;
- Screws for fixing the system board;
- Screws for fixing the power supply;
- Thumb screws for securing 5.25-inch devices;
- Extension cable for ATX12V processor power supply (30 cm);
- Two plugs for expansion slots;
- Plastic cable ties;
- User guide.
As you can see, the package bundle is not very rich, but everything you need to build a computer is present. Separately, I would like to draw your attention to the eight-pin extension cable for the 12-volt processor power cable (ATX12V). Its length is 300 mm, the wire is enclosed in a black plastic sheath. In some cases, it is an irreplaceable thing. A problem may arise when the insufficient length of the cable from the power supply does not allow to route the "cord" behind the tray of the motherboard (cable management). In this case, a similar adapter will help out.
