Zalman z9 plus mid-tower gaming case

Rear stock fan. Outside the case in open air, both fan types had similar acoustics. However, once mounted, only the rear fan retained its positive characteristics. The top and front fans interacted negatively with the chassis, resulting in a slight humming noise.

The side fan was the worst of all, sounding absolutely atrocious, producing a deplorable buzzing like that of a cheap toy car motor. The mesh on the side panel turned out to be far too restrictive to be used as an intake. Noise difference between the side fan mounted on the interior stock at 5V, and mounted on the exterior at 7V. With the side fan on the outside of the case blowing in, it was much quieter, generating 14 dBA 1m at 7V, while in the stock configuration, it emitted 16 dBA 1m at just 5V.

The quality of the noise was also much better when mounted on the exterior, with fewer tonal peaks. Only by cutting the grill away could the side fan remain quiet enough to be used. These voltages can be reached with the included fan controller which supports two 3-pin fans. HD test system. Thankfully our reference Radeon HD stock cooler does not make much noise. The quality of noise was fairly good, mostly broadband in nature. Raising the exhaust fans to 9V did not provide better cooling.

The noise level was comparable to the same setup in the Fractal Define R2 , but the Z9 Plus managed to do a better job of cooling the CPU and hard drive.

The R2, with its side fan boasted a better Southbridge temperature. As budget gaming cases go, the InWin Maelstrom seems to have the best strategy with its massive yet quiet side fan blowing over the case innards.

Adding a second HD produced an extra 2 dB when idle, along with hotter temperatures. We noticed that the GPU fans were drowning out the system fans, so we cranked the exhaust fans up to 9V with no net change in acoustics; the GPU fans slowed down slightly which may have lessened the noise impact.

With the help of a side-blowing intake, the Z9 Plus might have drawn closer to the InWin Maelstrom but as we explained earlier, the noise it produced was horrific.

They represent a quick snapshot of what we heard during the review. Each recording starts with ambient noise, then 10 second segments of product at various states. The Z9 Plus is a foray by Zalman into the budget gaming case market and from that perspective we consider it to be a success. It is definitely middle-of-the-road for thermal performance and build quality, but for its asking price no one expects any miracles. Fortunately, it has a few nifty features that make it standout amongst the rabble.

The hard drive cage is well-constructed and the soft mounting system is actually more than just show. The rubber grommets used are thick and when locked into the place the drives are a little loose — as they should be for good mechanical decoupling. Cable management is hassle free thanks to the myriad of holes on the motherboard tray.

The case is fairly deep with ample graphics card clearance. The temperature sensor is a nice bonus, but it would have been nice to include some thermal tape to adhere it to the base of a heatsink or what have you. Zalman provides a generous four mm fans for the Z9 Plus, with the option for three more. In addition, four of the placements can use mm or mm fans. The stock fans themselves are quiet, at least in open air.

Of the included fans, only the one at the rear interacted with the chassis without creating a negative acoustic result. The fan grill at the back is punched outward to give it clearance, while the top and front fans sit flush against metal surfaces, generating low pitched hums that are audible at close proximity.

We reserve special mention for the intake fan mount on the side panel — it sounds horrid, even with a low speed fan. Our other complaints are less damning. The power supply vent on the case floor is too restrictive, basically a small series of slits. It is baffling why they did this and then put a massive wide open mm fan vent right next to it. On a more personal note, we took issue with the hair-trigger. We leaned on it a few times during testing, shutting the system off by accident. Our thanks to Zalman for the Z9 Plus case sample.

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Silent PC Review has been providing expert advice and detailed reviews of PCs and peripherals since March 3, by Lawrence Lee Product. The Z9 Plus box. The Z9 Plus. Specifications: Zalman Z9 Plus from the product web page. The front panel features a temperature readout, fan control slider, front USB and audio ports.

That portion along with the drive bay covers are all ventilated. My Cooler Master Hyper Plus fits with no problem. It has great cable management options. The air flow inside the case lowered my CPU temp 4 degrees from when the system was in open air sitting on my bench I added a second fan at the top. I can't say enough good things about this case. Pros: The room , the installation book is easy to use , plenty of accessories , Looks awesome.

My xfx fit with no problems. No door in the way on the front lol. I like it so much i got another one to replace wifes case. Cons: well its not bad but i used a card reader and it mounts were the ssd was meant to be , so only 2 screws will work to hold the card reader. My ssd came with an adapter to use it in a normal hard drive area.

Overall Review: This case is unbeatable for the money. My build is using amd till sandy bridge comes back out. Pros: - Lots of room for cable management - Nicely designed temp gauge on the front of the panel - Beautiful zalman design, sleek looks and hotness for the price - Great interior airflow build, case comes with a bunch of fans and extra slots - Very rich, solid, and gaming exterior - very easy drive installation - lightweight. Overall Review: I used to use the cooler master elite cases for low end- med build budget builds.

Now they are all build on the z9 cases. And gives me enough room to customize anything. Pros: Price, I have several cases and for the price this one leads its price range. I like the Hdd mounting system my ssd drives went right in no problems. Cons: The windows in the front panel could be fasten better to the frame.

Mine were a bit loose but I was able to snug them up. Pci slots in the back are break away and non re-usable but again in this price rang most cases are the same I did find my "Silverstone Vented PCI Slot Covers" fit the case just fine so no points were deducted. Sold by: Newegg Shipped by Newegg. This item is currently out of stock and it may or may not be restocked. Out of Stock. Add To Wish List. Are you an E-Blast Insider? Get Educated.

Its meshed front panel, black interior coating and side panel window add overall quality and sense of elegance. Four mm fan delivers outstanding system cooling plus 2-channel fan with temperature display controller enables balance between noise level and thermal performance. It also comes with a good list of features including bottom-placed PSU design for better ventilation and easier installation, tool free HDD installation with anti-vibration rubber, front and bottom dust filters for keeping dirt away and easy cleaning, separate apertures for convenient CPU cooler installation and liquid cooling tube aperture for an extra cooling, making the Z9 Plus a perfect choice for your power house, whether you upgrade your system or build it from scratch.

Side Panel Window The side panel is fabricated with meshed air ventilation hole and acrylic window for direct viewing of the inner system and better heat dissipation. Liquid Cooling System Support Tube apertures are provided at the rear of the case for convenient water cooling set-up and maintenance.

Learn more about the Zalman Tech Co. Sidney M. Eggxpert Review. Did you find this review helpful? Yes No. Warren P. Verified Owner. Did you? Rod M. Peggy W. Cons: None. Overall Review: None. Darrin R. Best Case I Have Used! Anthony F. Maksim R. Pros: - Lots of room for cable management - Nicely designed temp gauge on the front of the panel - Beautiful zalman design, sleek looks and hotness for the price - Great interior airflow build, case comes with a bunch of fans and extra slots - Very rich, solid, and gaming exterior - very easy drive installation - lightweight Cons: none Overall Review: I used to use the cooler master elite cases for low end- med build budget builds.

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