For a new case USB2 only ports are starting to feel dated. An IMO better option for supporting cheaper boards with only a single 3.x header would be to bundle an adapter for the internal cable to connect it to a 2.0 header.
I don't really agree with Mr. Neely either. The problem is that during my perusing of motherboards, most of them don't have more than one USB 3.0 header. That means that having two sets of USB 3.0 ports on the front would go to waste on most boards without an expansion card. However, most boards have at least one USB 2.0 header in addition to the 3.0 header.
I do strongly believe that a case should have four USB ports on the front. I find two to be far too limiting. Although, that's partly because there are some wires that I prefer to leave plugged in most of the time and don't want them in the back.
As many as possible. 4x front panel USB3 was a major driver in my last desktop build ~16 months ago. I've been around long enough to have "enjoyed" the USB1 to USB2 transition; having to worry about which port I'm using to avoid being bombarded by "this device could work better if plugged into a faster port" notices isn't something I ever want to deal with again. Looking to the future, I have a case with a front panel IO in a standard size 3.5" module so that I'll be able to move to C ports without a major investment when the time comes.
I use 4xUSB3.0 on the chassis myself and would spend up for a USB3.0 expansion card to support it if my motherboard did not. However, I don't think 4xUSB3.0 on the front of a chassis is a universally good solution.
@DanNeely: "I've been around long enough to have "enjoyed" the USB1 to USB2 transition; having to worry about which port I'm using to avoid being bombarded by "this device could work better if plugged into a faster port" notices isn't something I ever want to deal with again."
I was there. I feel your pain. However, I think the solution you proposed will actually subject more people to this issue than save them from it:
@@DanNeely: "An IMO better option for supporting cheaper boards with only a single 3.x header would be to bundle an adapter for the internal cable to connect it to a 2.0 header."
USB3.0 ports are now usually color coded. USB2.0 and earlier are typically black. Blue for USB3.0. Cyan for USB3.1, but that's not relevant here. Granted not every motherboard manufacturer subscribes to this, but it is pretty easy to make sure your chassis does before you buy. Consider a chassis that has 4xUSB3.0 up front and an adapter for a USB2.0 port on a motherboard that doesn't have 2 USB3.0 headers. You now have 4 blue USB ports. They all look like USB3.0 ports. Only half of them are. Just like in the USB1 to USB2 transition, you plug in your device into what you think is the correct port only to get the "this device could work better if plugged into a faster port" notice. Only this time it is twice as frustrating, because there is a reasonable expectation that the port should be correct due to color code. The fact that there are still far more motherboards with one USB3.0 header than two of them means that you'll be subjecting many more people to this issue than if you left two of the ports as USB2.0 only with the corresponding color (black) to guide them.
I'd rather see them bundle both sets of ports so that I can simply trade them out if I want, but that adds a little to cost and many people aren't up for swapping out ports on the front facial of their chassis.
Are there motherboards with more than one internal connector for USB 3.0, if not what is the point of going all USB 3.0 front ports if you are just going to connect them to USB 2.0? In fact, that would just lead to confusion with different speeds on physically identical ports.
@HomeworldFound: "Having had experiences with cheap NZXT cases in the same price range, I would ignore this."
I don't necessarily disagree with this. Furthermore, recycling old cases is not a bad thing when the original left little to be desired, but most cases (particularly in the lower to mid price brackets) can be notably improved upon, so recycling is out.
@HomeworldFound: "The fact Razer is involved just makes it worse."
Razer wasn't involved. Per the article, NZXT made the original H440 themselves and they later partnered with Razer for a black and green version of the H440. The partner for this black, white, and blue version is Team EnVyUs.
Yes, but strangely lots of manufacturers charge extra for it. I think windows are dumb myself, its just a way for them to save money vs steel, plus charge the same more more.
Uhh, no they are not saving any money because they still have to buy the same amount of steel in a sheet. In a case with a window they just cut the extra metal out...
Yes. All my builds have no window. I want quiet and I keep my computer under my desk. I never open it up for company. I'm not 13 years old. And yes, it is pretty inside. To me. Nobody else gives a crap.
Sounds like a race to the bottom to me. Seems like they want to have good enough players and equipment that people will envy them. Though a team name like that suggests that rather than just get the equipment and train the players to be good enough to give people something to envy them for, they'd rather everyone else just do it. If you can't get good enough, I suppose you could wish for everyone else to get bad enough.
You can be the richest person either by acquiring enough wealth, or by reducing the wealth of everyone else to below yours. Kind of a similar mindset.
this case has been around since forever. hence the no USB 3.0 its obvious they made far too many so they had to rebrand it to something, and hopefully the CSgo community teenies will go crazy
It has 2 USB3.0 ports per the article. (It really isn't that hard to update the USB ports given they take the same physical space on the chassis as the old ones.)
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26 Comments
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DanNeely - Friday, June 10, 2016 - link
For a new case USB2 only ports are starting to feel dated. An IMO better option for supporting cheaper boards with only a single 3.x header would be to bundle an adapter for the internal cable to connect it to a 2.0 header.tomchak - Friday, June 10, 2016 - link
Totally agree with the USB comment. That seems like a huge miss.RussianSensation - Friday, June 10, 2016 - link
How many USB 3.0 case ports do you need? A lot of Z170 boards already have 6-10 USB 3.0/3.1 ports. This case has 2x USB 3.0:2 × USB 3.0, 2 × USB 2.0, 1 × Headphone, 1 × Mic
Flunk - Friday, June 10, 2016 - link
All of them, all of the ports IN THE WORLD.Aikouka - Friday, June 10, 2016 - link
I don't really agree with Mr. Neely either. The problem is that during my perusing of motherboards, most of them don't have more than one USB 3.0 header. That means that having two sets of USB 3.0 ports on the front would go to waste on most boards without an expansion card. However, most boards have at least one USB 2.0 header in addition to the 3.0 header.I do strongly believe that a case should have four USB ports on the front. I find two to be far too limiting. Although, that's partly because there are some wires that I prefer to leave plugged in most of the time and don't want them in the back.
DanNeely - Friday, June 10, 2016 - link
As many as possible. 4x front panel USB3 was a major driver in my last desktop build ~16 months ago. I've been around long enough to have "enjoyed" the USB1 to USB2 transition; having to worry about which port I'm using to avoid being bombarded by "this device could work better if plugged into a faster port" notices isn't something I ever want to deal with again. Looking to the future, I have a case with a front panel IO in a standard size 3.5" module so that I'll be able to move to C ports without a major investment when the time comes.BurntMyBacon - Tuesday, June 14, 2016 - link
I use 4xUSB3.0 on the chassis myself and would spend up for a USB3.0 expansion card to support it if my motherboard did not. However, I don't think 4xUSB3.0 on the front of a chassis is a universally good solution.@DanNeely: "I've been around long enough to have "enjoyed" the USB1 to USB2 transition; having to worry about which port I'm using to avoid being bombarded by "this device could work better if plugged into a faster port" notices isn't something I ever want to deal with again."
I was there. I feel your pain. However, I think the solution you proposed will actually subject more people to this issue than save them from it:
@@DanNeely: "An IMO better option for supporting cheaper boards with only a single 3.x header would be to bundle an adapter for the internal cable to connect it to a 2.0 header."
USB3.0 ports are now usually color coded. USB2.0 and earlier are typically black. Blue for USB3.0. Cyan for USB3.1, but that's not relevant here. Granted not every motherboard manufacturer subscribes to this, but it is pretty easy to make sure your chassis does before you buy. Consider a chassis that has 4xUSB3.0 up front and an adapter for a USB2.0 port on a motherboard that doesn't have 2 USB3.0 headers. You now have 4 blue USB ports. They all look like USB3.0 ports. Only half of them are. Just like in the USB1 to USB2 transition, you plug in your device into what you think is the correct port only to get the "this device could work better if plugged into a faster port" notice. Only this time it is twice as frustrating, because there is a reasonable expectation that the port should be correct due to color code. The fact that there are still far more motherboards with one USB3.0 header than two of them means that you'll be subjecting many more people to this issue than if you left two of the ports as USB2.0 only with the corresponding color (black) to guide them.
I'd rather see them bundle both sets of ports so that I can simply trade them out if I want, but that adds a little to cost and many people aren't up for swapping out ports on the front facial of their chassis.
britjh22 - Friday, June 10, 2016 - link
Are there motherboards with more than one internal connector for USB 3.0, if not what is the point of going all USB 3.0 front ports if you are just going to connect them to USB 2.0? In fact, that would just lead to confusion with different speeds on physically identical ports.TheinsanegamerN - Monday, June 13, 2016 - link
My asus p8z77 v pro from 2013 has 2 headers. High end boards have them, you just need to look for the right models.d0pp3lg4ng3r - Friday, June 10, 2016 - link
In all fairness, this seems to be a new paint job on an existing case. I doubt that there was any actual redesign of the internals.imaheadcase - Saturday, June 11, 2016 - link
I don't know why people complain all the time about USB ports. Its seriously not a issue.Not very many USB device that use it, even those that are "USB 3" are just marketing because they won't saturate it anyways.
Very few devices on market matter for USB 3, its mostly storage devices. Even then, you should not be using USB 3 for storage devices.
If you want more USB ports, just get a cheap USB hub. problem solved.
HomeworldFound - Friday, June 10, 2016 - link
Having had experiences with cheap NZXT cases in the same price range, I would ignore this. The fact Razer is involved just makes it worse.BurntMyBacon - Tuesday, June 14, 2016 - link
@HomeworldFound: "Having had experiences with cheap NZXT cases in the same price range, I would ignore this."I don't necessarily disagree with this. Furthermore, recycling old cases is not a bad thing when the original left little to be desired, but most cases (particularly in the lower to mid price brackets) can be notably improved upon, so recycling is out.
@HomeworldFound: "The fact Razer is involved just makes it worse."
Razer wasn't involved. Per the article, NZXT made the original H440 themselves and they later partnered with Razer for a black and green version of the H440. The partner for this black, white, and blue version is Team EnVyUs.
ahtoh - Friday, June 10, 2016 - link
Do they still make cases without windows?DanNeely - Friday, June 10, 2016 - link
Newegg claims to have 802 desktop cases without a Window.http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Sub...
IVANZXT - Saturday, June 11, 2016 - link
Yes, including the H440:https://www.nzxt.com/products/h440-black-windowles...
imaheadcase - Saturday, June 11, 2016 - link
Yes, but strangely lots of manufacturers charge extra for it. I think windows are dumb myself, its just a way for them to save money vs steel, plus charge the same more more.extide - Monday, June 13, 2016 - link
Uhh, no they are not saving any money because they still have to buy the same amount of steel in a sheet. In a case with a window they just cut the extra metal out...bigboxes - Saturday, June 11, 2016 - link
Yes. All my builds have no window. I want quiet and I keep my computer under my desk. I never open it up for company. I'm not 13 years old. And yes, it is pretty inside. To me. Nobody else gives a crap.MrSpadge - Friday, June 10, 2016 - link
"EnVyUs" - since when is envy something good, that you want to cause in others?BurntMyBacon - Tuesday, June 14, 2016 - link
Sounds like a race to the bottom to me. Seems like they want to have good enough players and equipment that people will envy them. Though a team name like that suggests that rather than just get the equipment and train the players to be good enough to give people something to envy them for, they'd rather everyone else just do it. If you can't get good enough, I suppose you could wish for everyone else to get bad enough.You can be the richest person either by acquiring enough wealth, or by reducing the wealth of everyone else to below yours. Kind of a similar mindset.
bery - Saturday, June 11, 2016 - link
According to the spec table the side panel is glass? I thought H440 had a acrylic panel.Laststop311 - Sunday, June 12, 2016 - link
Don't get me started. Where are all the dual usb 3.1 gen 2 type c 100 watt ports on the front of cases.Laststop311 - Sunday, June 12, 2016 - link
I'll accept 2 usb3.0 ports as the other 2 ports to give me 4.nunya112 - Sunday, June 12, 2016 - link
this case has been around since forever. hence the no USB 3.0its obvious they made far too many so they had to rebrand it to something, and hopefully the CSgo community teenies will go crazy
BurntMyBacon - Tuesday, June 14, 2016 - link
It has 2 USB3.0 ports per the article. (It really isn't that hard to update the USB ports given they take the same physical space on the chassis as the old ones.)