If you want to show off your hardware with an uncompromised view through seamless front and side glass panels, the NZXT H6 Flow RGB does this and more with a neat diagonal fan layout, flush lower fan mounts, a dual chamber layout with plenty of space for cable tidying, and tool-free panels. There’s some stiff competition out there in the dual-chamber cube case space, but with three RGB fans as standard, excellent air and water-cooling support, plus a reasonable price tag, the H6 ticks a lot of boxes.
In many ways a smaller version of the NZXT H9 case, which earns a rightful place on our best PC case list, the NZXT H6 Flow RGB is more limited for space inside but is a slicker-looking option for those who don’t need an extra-large case.
NZXT H6 Flow RGB design and build quality
The NZXT H6 Flow has the motherboard and graphics card reside in its large main front chamber where the front and side glass panels provide clear views of your most precious components. Thanks to the panels needing no supports where they meet, your view is completely unbroken for this half of the case. Meanwhile, the unsightly PSU and storage drives reside in a hidden chamber behind the motherboard. It’s not a brand new case design idea – the likes of the Lian Li O11D have done it for quite a while – but it’s a superbly executed version.
All the non-glass panels are vented, with the case relying on small vent holes to guard against dust rather than using actual filters. The steel panels pop on and off the case too, removing the need for tools, although the roof section isn’t removable like some of its competitors, which would aid radiator installation.
This NZXT chassis sits at 415mm deep and 435mm tall so while its width of 287mm is much wider than your average ATX case, it’s still compact and very solid feeling, although you’ll want it on your desk rather than the floor as the front ports and switches are located on the base of the front panel. While a little limiting, this ultimately ties into why you’d want to buy a case like this anyway – all those glass panels are there to show off your case.
There are two versions of the H6 Flow, with the cheaper H6 Flow retailing for $100 and including three black 120mm fans compared to the $120 H6 Flow RGB that offers RGB fans. These three fans are located in a diagonal front section and point air towards the graphics card. As well as making the c This is undoubtedly a better design than side fans, which simply blow air into a case rather than at specific components.
NZXT H6 Flow RGB features
As well as the included three 120mm fans, there are two 140mm base fan mounts that sit recessed and level with a raised plate, so they sit flush with the case. These are designed to direct airflow at your graphics card, with another 120mm fan mount in the rear of the case to aid CPU cooling. The roof section has three 120mm or two 140mm fan mounts and is the ideal location for a 360mm AIO liquid cooler too. However, the lower fan mounts could also play host to a 280mm radiator, and we also found a 240mm radiator could fit in the diagonal front fan mounts too, albeit without using all its screw points.
Despite the size of the case, there’s only one 3.5in hard disk mount, which is a little disappointing. This is in addition to two 2.5in SSD mounts, but housing tens of terabytes of storage isn’t the H6’s forte – though with modern motherboards having upwards of four M.2 SSD slots, there are other large storage solutions available. It’s also not able to house E-ATX motherboards, limited to ATX, while CPU coolers 163mm tall or less will fit, which includes the vast majority out there. The GPU length limit is 365mm, which again means only the very largest models will feel cramped – that means all the choices on our best graphics card guide should fit.
The front panel has the usual mix of ports, with two USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports and one USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port, along with a headphone jack and power button. Cable tidying is excellent with the large second chamber providing the perfect place to hide cables with large Velcro ties included to anchor cables.
NZXT H6 Flow RGB cooling performance
The CPU temperature was one of the lowest we’ve seen out of the box, with our Core i5-12600K sitting at 72°C under full load, undercutting cases such as the Cooler Master MasterBox TD500 Mesh V2 by 4°C. It’s chilly times ahead for your CPU, then, even if the case lacks a rear fan out of the box. Adding one only dropped the CPU temperature by a further 2°C, so isn’t really worth it.
The GPU temperature was also cooler than the Cooler Master MasterBox TD500 Mesh V2 at 67°C versus 70°C, but adding fans into the lower fan mounts saw the GPU temperature actually rise, perhaps causing turbulence or interfering with the airflow from the front fans. We’d suggest keeping base fans at lower RPMs to get around this and for better CPU temperatures, there’s always the option of a 360mm AIO liquid cooler in the roof.
NZXT H6 Flow RGB noise level
We recorded a noise level of 42dBA with the included fans at full speed from two feet away, which was not too unpleasant to sit next to while seeming to shift a decent amount of air. Knocking them back to 50 percent speed saw this cut to 38dBA and this was inaudible above the noise of the rest of the system. We’d suggest finding a happy medium with your own system, perhaps avoiding full speed, but allowing the fans to sit somewhere around the 80 percent mark at peak speed to maintain airflow with high heat loads.
NZXT H6 Flow RGB pros and cons
Pros
- Looks great
- Good default cooling
- Large cable stowing area
Cons
- No removable roof section
- Case is very wide
- Fan and RGB cables could be longer
NZXT H6 Flow RGB specs
The NZXT H6 Flow specs list is:
Dimensions (W x D x H) | 287 x 415 x 435 mm |
Material | Steel, Glass |
CPU cooler clearance | 163mm |
Max graphics card length | 365mm |
Weight | 9.4kg |
Front panel | 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C |
Drive bays | 1 x 3.5-inch, 2 x 2.5-inch |
Form factors | ATX, micro-ATX, mini-ITX |
Available colors | Black, white |
Cooling | 3 x 120mm front fan mounts (fans included), 3 x 120/2 x 140mm roof fan mounts (fans not included), 1 x rear 120mm fan mount (fan not included), 2 x 140mm base fan mounts (fans not included) |
NZXT H6 Flow RGB price
The NZXT H6 Flow price is just $100 for the non-RGB version, while the NZXT H6 Flow RGB is just $20 more for three included RGB fans, making both versions of this case excellent value.
Price: Expect to pay $120 / £120.
NZXT H6 Flow RGB review conclusion
If you’re looking for a head-turning case with plenty of room for air or liquid cooling, large graphics cards, and plenty of glass panels then the NZXT H6 Flow RGB is a great buy at just $120 including three RGB fans. If you prefer your system without lighting then the standard H6 Flow will save you $20, but either model looks fantastic whether air or water-cooled.
They’re also easy to work with and support vertical GPU mounting. This case is also quiet and its diagonally mounted front fans will get plenty of attention. We’d suggest limiting airflow from any base fans as these can hinder GPU cooling if set too fast and be prepared to buy PWM and 3-pin RGB extension cables too, but apart from these small inconveniences, NZXT is on to a winner.
So good is the H6 Flow that it immediately earns itself a sport on our best PC case list, alongside the H9 Flow.
Our Verdict
Great-looking, huge potential, and a very reasonable price tag means the NZXT H6 Flow RGB ATX PC case gets our vote.