NZXT H5 Flow (2024) review

The H5 Flow (2024) is a compact mid-tower measuring 465 x 225 x 430 mm, with a 45-litre volume. NZXT released it in August 2024. It takes E-ATX boards up to 277 mm wide, plus ATX, Micro-ATX and Mini-ITX. Back-connect motherboards are not supported, so check your board first.

The front and side panels are ultra-fine mesh, and the PSU shroud is mesh too. That gives air several routes in. The case ships with one F120Q fan at the front and one at the rear. Mounts exist for three 120 mm or two 140 mm fans at the front, two 120 mm or 140 mm fans on top, and two 120 mm fans at the bottom. The bottom fans are sold separately.

Reviewer figures back the design up. Tom's Hardware reported the CPU staying below 64C with a 95 W CPU load alongside roughly 200 W of GPU load. KitGuru found the default fans adequate for both CPU and GPU. It also found that adding two fans on the PSU shroud improved GPU temperatures by only 2°C. With two stock fans doing that job, the extra fans look optional rather than necessary. Owners also list good thermals as a recurring point.

The front radiator mount takes up to 360 mm with 120 mm fans or 280 mm with 140 mm fans. The top takes up to 240 mm, or 280 mm if you use low-profile memory only. Top radiator plus fan thickness is limited to 55 mm.

NZXT lists the F120Q Case Version fan at 24.1 dBA at 1,350 ± 150 RPM. The two included 120 mm fans are Quiet Airflow (CV) models. Tom's Hardware says they run silently and were quieter than its measurable floor of 36.4 dBA. Owners also mention quiet stock fans. The open mesh panels mean the case is built for airflow rather than sound dampening, so the quiet result rests on the fans themselves.

NZXT describes extra-wide channels, hooks and straps, and tool-free panel removal. KitGuru lists cable management as excellent, and owners repeat that point. Cable clearance behind the motherboard tray is up to 28.7 mm.

There are complaints. Some owners report tight routing near the PSU shroud and missing grommets. PSU length is limited to 200 mm.

Graphics cards can be up to 410 mm long. A front radiator can reduce that by up to 60 mm, so a 360 mm radiator and a very long card need a careful check. CPU coolers can be up to 170 mm tall. There are seven expansion slots and no vertical slots, so a vertical GPU mount is not an option.

Storage is modest. The case holds two 2.5-inch drives and one 3.5-inch drive. With a single 3.5-inch bay, it suits an SSD-led build more than a bulk-storage one.

The front panel has one USB 3.2 Type-A port, one USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 Type-C port and a headset jack. Owners flag the limited front USB ports as a downside. If you plug in a headset dongle, a flash drive and a phone at the same time, you may need a hub.

The H5 Flow (2024) is a good fit for a gaming or workstation build that needs cooling headroom and quiet stock fans. The 410 mm GPU clearance and 360 mm front radiator mount suit a large graphics card and an all-in-one cooler. The two-year manufacturer warranty adds some reassurance. The weak points are the two front USB ports, the single 3.5-inch bay and the tight routing by the PSU shroud. If those do not affect your build, it covers the essentials well.