The latest Antec NX416 case model has just arrived in the studio, and it`s also available for purchase through the links down below. This case manages its given space very well, as it will allow the future owner several different approaches to assembling a PC, bringing a mild dose of modularity along with it, and of course, a few more aces that we will check in detail in the continuation of the review.
As you can see, the design is excellent, and this has become the standard for this, so to say, new and refreshed Antec over the past few years. It is clear that a lot is invested in this aspect of all their newer products, and the NX416 is no exception. A huge mesh surface dominates the front part of the case, further utilized by installing massive 160mm ARGB fans, which should bring in a large amount of cold air. Of course, 160mm fans are not standard, but you will still be able to use them for some additional purposes because they have 140mm mounting brackets, which is a very good move. In addition to them, the back of the case is adorned with another 120mm ARGB model, ensuring adequate expulsion of warm air out of the case.
The top of the case immediately shows how generous Antec has been regarding space with this model, as it is very clear that installing 360mm AIO solutions will be a very easy task for this case. And all this is just one of those aces mentioned in the introduction of this review. Of course, to keep the interior completely free from various conflicting situations with component clearances, the central HUB is placed sideways, and its cables are routed behind the panel, where they won’t interfere. If you happen to switch the ARGB control to the motherboard, the LED button can be used as Reset, which is very rare in newer cases today.
The side glass opens like a door, it’s hinged and of course removable, and when you do remove it, you gain access to this massive space inside which is very well designed with strategically placed openings around the motherboard, a significantly raised ceiling for AIO solutions and cabling, and a lot of perforated sections for ventilation, one of which is even hidden here on the right. We’ve seen this before, though more with front-closed cases, and here it is presented as a modular option. You could potentially install a 240mm radiator on this section or simply block it with this decorative panel.
The tunnel is extremely spacious, offering plenty of space for cables, but also a modular cage for drives that won’t interfere at all in this low-profile version, even if you don’t dismantle it. I say this because, with this rear 2.5” SSD bracket, the cage could provide two additional positions for 2.5” drives or one 2.5" and one 3.5”, for an HDD.
A lighting and fan controller is also built-in, SATA-powered of course with PWM Share and ARGB Share function so you can leave the control to the motherboard, which is excellent in this case, as the fans are 3-pin and you will be able to and have to adjust the speed only through the BIOS. So it’s good that there’s at least some kind of control.
What impresses me the most about this model is how much Antec has actually opened up this case with this mesh panel of the tunnel itself, which then continues inside to this also very open top of the same tunnel. The hardware in this model thus receives air from all sides and there’s no doubt that the results of thermal tests will be outstanding. In this way, you can even further cool the graphics card by installing some additional fans on this section.
Here are a few things I noticed while assembling a PC in this ANTEC NX416 model - I went for a 240mm ALL in ONE cooling variant on top of the case, which should be one of the most common PC building variants in this class. For example, there is plenty of space for adequate positioning of the radiator at the top, because in the 240mm form, this Arctic Freezer III radiator can be slid however it suits you, which is important because of the already mentioned extremely rigid tubes that require the radiator to be placed as much towards the front panel of the case.
Now, I also noticed that compared to the relatively small and low VRM cooler of the B650 Tomahawk board, there is only 2-3mm of space left, which means that Antec’s claim that you can install 280mm radiators on top is a bit exaggerated. The case definitely does not have enough width for that.
As for the graphics card, I used the RTX 4070 Super model, which in it`s Gaming X MSI edition is almost twice as long as the card’s PCB itself, and there is still so much additional space left for even bigger cards. Related to the graphics, I really like this opening on the tunnel which is ideal for owners of RTX 40 cards, precisely because you won’t have to bend those adapters and native 16pin connectors too much by routing them from the back of the case. This way, they will come at a much more natural angle.
And another thing I also liked is how the RGB here is somehow mild and subtle, nothing too aggressive, Antec has chosen a slightly more elegant approach that looks very refined. Of course, in addition to that goes praise for the built-in controller, which if I counted correctly offers over 50 different ARGB effects. Recently tested Aqirys and BeQuiet cases have a maximum of 5-6 effects.
The temperatures are completely on par with the previously tested BeQuiet 500DX case; even these two cases are in the same price and general market class, so there are no surprises in that field. However, with Antec, there is potential for installing a much larger number of additional fans later, which could make a significant difference in favor of this NX416 model during much higher summer temperatures. Of course, I always test in the original configuration with closed panels, as that is the only realistic approach.
So I can conclude that this is a really well-thought-out and nicely designed case, which already offers a lot in its base form, without any additional investments, but precisely because of its huge additional potential for later upgrades, it represents the ideal of every PC builder that each component follows the evolution of the entire system. And that is very good when there is some headroom in the product itself, and not just as an idea that will potentially evolve with some next version. That is what I personally really like here.
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