With plenty of space and great airflow, the Z7 is an excellent entry-level case that holds its own against more expensive models.
Written By
Published on 6 March 2011
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recommended
1 / 2
Our rating
Reviewed price £55 inc VAT
The Z7 plus is one of Zalman’s cheaper cases, but it looks just as good as the more expensive models. Its modular design provides plenty of flexibility when building a PC.
Unlike other budget cases, the 3.5in drive cage can be easily repositioned to a higher point in the case to make it easier to fit full-length expansion cards. Rubber dampers help minimise vibration from any installed disks. Only one of the six 3.5in bays is external, but it too can be moved to any empty bay. The entire front panel, including the four external 5.25in drive bays, is covered in mesh for improved airflow. Dust filters are fitted to help keep the case interior clean.Three 120mm fans provide good airflow through the case. There’s an empty mount on the side panel for adding a fourth 120mm fan, plus a small fan controller that lets you adjust the speed of two fans simultaneously. The dial is inconveniently placed at the side of the case, so would have been better placed on the roof-mounted I/O panel.
A spacious interior made it easy to assemble a PC inside the case. All the metal edges have been rolled to save your fingers and tool-free mounting brackets made installing optical drives a breeze. Cable management is limited to the large gap above the motherboard tray, which hides unused power supply cables.
Aside from the limited cable management options, the Z7 Plus has great standard cooling and plenty of room for assembly, which makes it an ideal case for anyone on a budget.
Written by
Tom Morgan
Tom started writing about technology right after graduating from University, but has been a games and gadget fan for as long as he can remember. Beyond photography, music and home entertainment, he's also the first port of call for all reviews content on Expert Reviews.
