HAVN HS 420 & HS 420 VGPU assessment: premium PC instances from the brand new youngsters on the block
Made by business veterans and with a number of distinctive options, are these the brand new benchmark for the highest finish of case design? Up to date: Oct 17, 2024 3:51 pm WePC is reader-supported. If you purchase by hyperlinks on our website, we could earn an affiliate fee. Costs topic to vary. Be taught extra Desk of Contents Desk of Contents The HAVN HS 420 PC case and its vertical GPU variant are the primary merchandise made by challenger model HAVN (a part of the Professional Players Group), that look to tackle the likes of HYTE within the panoramic PC area. They each include a singular curved tempered glass panel masking the entrance and aspect that comes off in a single piece, together with different distinctive design options to profit each airflow efficiency and aesthetics. It’s not an exaggeration to say some among the main specialists in PC case design have labored on these two instances, as the corporate has employees that used to work at Fractal, NZXT, Cooler Grasp, Sapphire Wistron, and Corning, plus the instances have had design enter from the likes of Caseking, Overclockers UK, PC Case Gear, and 8Pack. We had been despatched each instances by HAVN: the bottom mannequin in black and the VGPU variant in white. As each instances are equivalent apart from in just a few key areas we can be treating this as a joint assessment, and discussing the factors of distinction after they come up. Let’s see how they bought on! Specs Kind: Hybrid (Mid-tower/dual-chamber) Motherboard help: E-ATX / ATX / M-ATX / Mini-ITX Included followers: n/a Fan help: 11x (120mm or 140mm, max 30mm thickness) or 9x if storage maximised Radiator compatibility: 240mm, 280mm, 360mm, 420mm Case drive bays: 1 in rear, 4 in ‘customizable area’ (helps as much as 5x 3.5” / 10x 2.5”) CPU cooler clearance: as much as 185mm GPU clearance: as much as 480mm Enlargement slots: 6 PSU help: as much as ATX (290mm clearance) Dimensions: 541 x 259.5 x 547mm Weight: 17.84kg Supplies: SGCC sheet steel, tempered glass, ABS, Nylon, zinc alloy, NdFeB magnets Entrance I/O: 2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, 1x 3.5mm audio jack, energy & reset button Present extra What We Assume Two top-notch instances with wonderful airflow, cable administration, and a few nice distinctive design selections. We might have preferred the look of the outside to match the chic inside, and for the worth to be a bit decrease (or at the very least followers included with it), however moreover these quibbles, this is among the greatest PC instances we’ve seen. Specs Kind: Hybrid (Mid-tower/dual-chamber) Motherboard help: E-ATX / ATX / M-ATX / Mini-ITX Included followers: n/a Fan help: 11x (120mm or 140mm, max 30mm thickness) or 9x if storage maximised Radiator compatibility: 240mm, 280mm, 360mm, 420mm Case drive bays: 1 in rear, 4 in ‘customizable area’ (helps as much as 5x 3.5” / 10x 2.5”) CPU cooler clearance: as much as 185mm GPU clearance: as much as 470mm Enlargement slots: 4 vertical / 6 horizontal PSU help: as much as ATX (290mm clearance) Dimensions: 541 x 259.5 x 547mm Weight: 19kg Supplies: SGCC sheet steel, tempered glass, ABS, Nylon, zinc alloy, NdFeB magnets Entrance I/O: 2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, 1x 3.5mm audio jack, energy & reset button Present extra Execs Wonderful airflow efficiency Wonderful cable administration Improbable wanting case inside Nice construct high quality Ingenious tilted fan & airflow information for the VGPU variant Modular ‘Customizable area’ for storage/followers/VESA mounted display screen Cons VGPU variant is a bit expensive No followers included HAVN HS 420 VGPU: Video overview & airflow take a look at Pricing The bottom variant HAVN HS 420, while not precisely low-cost, is competitively priced at $199 (USD) / £199.99 / 229,90€, coming in barely lower than the HYTE Y70, one other panoramic glass, dual-chamber case (additionally with out back-connect help) with a give attention to airflow. Nevertheless, the HYTE Y70 does include a vertical mount and riser cable, providing you with the choice for a VGPU setup must you want. The HAVN HS 420 VGPU with the vertical mount, riser cable, angled backside followers and airflow information prices a good bit extra at $269 (USD) / £269.99 / 289,90€. Essential Options & Specs Instantly under are the important thing promoting factors of those HAVN instances if you wish to get a fast understanding of whether or not they’re what you’re in search of. Under this, we’ve listed the detailed specs, and additional down the web page is an in-depth breakdown of the principle options. ‘Hybrid’ design sits between dual-chamber and mid-tower (although not back-connect appropriate) Helps E-ATX, ATX, M-ATX, and Mini-ITX motherboards Single curved tempered glass panel covers entrance and aspect of the case SimpliCable routing system with user-friendly labelling & handy fan-hub placement Double-layer rear panel with spherical fan holes for a cleaner look Angled air vent panelling on the correct/again aspect, the rear, and high of the case Lower-outs within the base to maximise airflow Base mannequin comes with a graphics card help bracket VGPU mannequin comes with vertical mount, riser cable, angled backside fan bracket & tempered glass airflow information Modular ‘Customizable area’ within the again panel may be fitted with storage/followers/radiator/transportable show Comes with a 3 yr guarantee Accessible in white or black Apart from the variations listed above, the 2 instances have barely completely different GPU clearance (the bottom mannequin having as much as 480mm, the VGPU solely 470mm) and weight (the bottom mannequin being lighter at 17.84kg, the VGPU variant coming in at 19kg), although each instances are very heavy. If utilizing growth slots vertically, the VGPU mannequin additionally solely has 4 of them, in comparison with six horizontally. For reference the Hyte 70 comes with seven horizontal growth slots, and 4 vertical. Specs and dimensions SpecificationHAVN HS 420 (base mannequin)HAVN HS 420 VGPUTypeHybrid (Mid-tower/dual-chamber)Hybrid (Mid-tower/dual-chamber)Motherboard supportE-ATX / ATX / M-ATX / Mini-ITXE-ATX / ATX / M-ATX / Mini-ITXIncluded fansn/an/aFan support11x (120mm or 140mm, max 30mm thickness) or 9x if storage maximised11x (120mm or 140mm, max 30mm thickness) or 9x if storage maximisedRadiator compatibility240mm, 280mm, 360mm, 420mm240mm, 280mm, 360mm, 420mmCase drive bays1 in rear, 4 in ‘customizable area’ (helps as much as 5x 3.5” / 10x 2.5”)1 in rear, 4 in ‘customizable area’ (helps as much as 5x 3.5” / 10x 2.5”)CPU cooler clearanceup to 185mmup to 185mmGPU clearanceup to 480mmup to 470mmExpansion slots64 vertical / 6 horizontalPSU supportup to ATX (290mm clearance)as much as ATX (290mm clearance)Dimensions541 x 259.5 x 547mm541 x 259.5 x 547mmWeight17.84kg19kgMaterialsSGCC sheet steel, tempered glass, ABS, Nylon, zinc alloy, NdFeB magnetsSGCC sheet steel, tempered glass, ABS, Nylon, zinc alloy, NdFeB magnetsFront I/O2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, 1x 3.5mm audio jack, energy & reset button2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, 1x 3.5mm audio jack, energy & reset button The Exterior Whichever model of the HS 420 you go for, in whichever colour, you’ll get a premium wanting case with good rounded edges and a good looking curved glass panel. We strongly suggest getting inner elements that match the colour of your case to take greatest benefit of this, like we did in our all-white construct (with a few black accents) within the HS 420 VGPU which you’ll be able to see under. Earlier Subsequent The entrance & sides Earlier Subsequent Many of the entrance and left aspect are coated with the curved tempered glass panel, which is held in by Phillipshead ‘security screws’ once you first open the field, however these may be eliminated when you elevate off the lid and you’ll as a substitute depend on the magnetic connection plus hooked grooves on the highest to carry it in place: it’s good to have the choice to go screwless or be safer. The precise motion wanted to take off the panel (in the direction of the entrance of the case and upwards at a forty five° angle) takes a little bit of getting used to, significantly once you’re making an attempt to interchange it, however when you’ve bought the knack it’s okay. The glass panel itself is one thing that HAVN have put a major quantity of analysis and improvement into: it’s a ‘heat-formed UniSheet’ design the place they’ve tried to ‘engineer the smallest potential curve radius and decrease visible distortion’. Distortion does nonetheless exist and the picture warps once you go searching a centimetre both aspect of the nook, however it’s nonetheless fairly snazzy. Whether or not you take into account this to be far more of an precise enchancment to your enjoyment of the case in comparison with simply having two joined glass panels is finally all the way down to subjective style, however as a bunch of laptop geeks, we discovered it fairly spectacular. The again panel of the case is taken up by a grid of steel slats, composed of the identical SGCC sheet steel as nearly all of the chassis, with ample gaps between them for air flow – significantly helpful if you wish to set up a vertical radiator within the ‘customizable area’ on this aspect. Much like the glass panel this may be initially eliminated by taking off the lid and unscrewing it from the highest, however then afterwards you’ll be able to rely fully on the latches and magnetic fastenings must you want. The highest & backside Earlier Subsequent The highest panel consists of the identical slanted grill because the again panel, and may be simply eliminated utilizing the material pull tab, and stuck again in place utilizing the magnetic fastenings. On the highest is the place you’ll discover the security screws that preserve the aspect panels in place, in addition to the highest bracket that you should utilize to put as much as three followers, be they 120mm or 140mm in measurement, or your AIO radiator for the CPU (as much as a max measurement of 420mm). This works in addition to you’d like and we had no issues when securing the radiator in our construct. The highest of the case can be the place we see the primary occasion of the SimpliCable routing system, with a labelled groove that claims ‘Beneficial for fan cables’ on a inexperienced arrow. Higher cable administration means a extra stress-free construct/improve course of and a cleaner wanting case with higher airflow, so we’re very a lot in favour of this. The highest/entrance I/O consists of two USB-A, one USB-C, a headphone jack and an influence/reset button, which is considerably restricted for such a premium case (we might have preferred to have seen a devoted mic jack at the very least), however nonetheless cheap. The airflow cutouts on the backside of the case, which run beneath the glass panel, are one thing we haven’t seen earlier than, and are a smart inclusion that makes you surprise why different instances don’t do it. There’s additionally the standard detachable mesh masking for the fan intakes. The rear Earlier Subsequent Earlier Subsequent The rear of the case is one other space that’s pretty pioneering, definitely impressing our PC constructing veteran Shaun who’s dealt with extra instances than you’ve had scorching dinners. It has a dual-layer design that successfully hides the wiring from the followers in addition to most of their body, on the within and the surface, making them look a seamless a part of the case. From an aesthetic perspective, it definitely appears lots higher than the standard messy design you’d sometimes discover on most instances. There are six horizontal growth slots to accommodate even the most important graphics playing cards, or one or two different add-in playing cards. In the event you’re utilizing the vertical mount for the VGPU mannequin, then you definitely get 4 growth slots. The within The primary chamber Earlier Subsequent The HAVN HS 420 isn’t a full dual-chamber case, given the again chamber the place all of the cable administration takes place is comparatively small and because it isn’t appropriate with back-connect motherboards, nevertheless the airflow area continues to be maximised by having the PSU shroud tucked out the way in which beneath the motherboard, permitting the ground of the principle chamber to be taken up by cooling followers as a substitute. The hybrid design does imply it’s narrower and takes up much less flooring/desktop area in comparison with a correct dual-chamber case, extra akin to a regular mid-tower, which is the important thing purpose HAVN appears to have gone for it, so if this can be a precedence for you then it’s a particular plus level. It’s nonetheless a really massive case although. The dearth of compatibility with back-connect motherboards is a little bit of a disgrace actually, given the give attention to aesthetics and airflow this might have appeared an apparent alternative, nevertheless there are plentiful nicely positioned rubberised grommets to cover away your cables. These grommets resemble grills which run the vertical size and horizontal breadth (throughout the highest of the PSU shroud) of the motherboard, with plastic separators serving to you to bunch the cabling collectively. The plus level of this design is the elevated airflow you get for warm air to flee by the again panel, the draw back is that once you run cables by them they do tend to bend in a means that appears fairly ugly for those who’re not cautious, barely throwing off the in any other case good aesthetics. The dedication to airflow extends to all of the steel surfaces of the inside, which have been constructed with a slight curve to them to reduce turbulence and likewise subsequently cut back noise. All of the fan brackets even have rubber shocks to soak up vibrations and cut back noise. On the correct, on the motherboard/again panel aspect of the case, is the customizable block, which may home as much as a whopping 4 3.5-inch drives, or eight 2.5-inch ones (two in every of the 4 pod/bracket sections). You may exchange all the storage brackets with a full-size 420mm radiator utilizing the identical primary bracket must you want, or alternatively take away every of the brackets individually and blend and match, with some being devoted to storage, others to followers/radiators, or certainly a VESA mounted mini display screen (as much as 14-inches in measurement). Though we didn’t take a look at it, you might most likely slot in a 240mm radiator with one of many storage sections remaining. We’ve seen related storage blocks like these ones in Phantek instances, although it’s nonetheless a reasonably unusual function and one we’d wish to see extra of, although from an aesthetic perspective we’re unsure having ‘STORAGE’ written on them was actually essential. The underside of the usual mannequin has a mount for 3 140mm or 120mm followers must you want, designed to consumption cool air from the underside of the case, expel it upward into the intakes of the graphics card, after which onward to exit by way of the highest of the case. For the VGPU mannequin that is changed by a (140mm solely) angled fan mount that blasts the air at 45° into the center of the glass panel of the case, aided by the curved glass airflow information that you just screw in behind it (which additionally serves to redirect any scorching air away from this cool stream in the direction of the again panel). The vertically positioned graphics card then sucks on this cool air by its intakes and out in the direction of the again panel of the case. As you’ll be able to see within the video of our smoke testing at the beginning of this assessment, this mix does an awesome job of redirecting the airflow as wanted and conserving your elements good and funky – so fairly spectacular! The actual fact the airflow information is fabricated from glass additionally means it doesn’t obscure the view of your construct, which is good. Behind the again panel Earlier Subsequent Around the again of the case is actually the place you see the SimpliCable routing system shine. Though there’s much less area within the again compartment in comparison with a correct dual-chamber construct, it’s been used very intelligently right here, with ample grooves for cabling, loads of velcro fasteners, and the identical colourful guides that will help you work out what to place the place. The useful placement of the 2 fan hubs (one on the highest proper, on on the underside left) can be a lot appreciated. As with many dual-chamber setups, the PSU is inserted vertically to maximise area. Above the PSU is the place you’ll be able to affix the ultimate storage mount (or just one for those who’re utilizing the customizable area for a full-size radiator). The again part is the place you’ll be able to take off the mount for the customizable area by eradicating three screws and lifting it out. Every storage mount/pod part can then be faraway from this individually by taking off one screw for every. Different options to notice On the entire the case was pretty simple to assemble. Though it’s not a screwless design, the superb cable administration and choice simply to depend on magnetized panel fastenings means upgrading it’s fairly simple. Construct high quality general is excellent, although we had been barely dissatisfied from an aesthetic perspective by among the particulars across the joins of the panels and the seams of the case. For example, at a number of factors the place the entrance and aspect panels be part of the lid there are cross formed notches that interrupt the ‘move’ of the rounded edges, and among the joins don’t look significantly flush. Given how good the inside appears it we might have preferred the surface to be a bit extra refined in these areas and a bit much less utilitarian, and this extends to the air flow slits on the panelling, which look ‘tremendous’ however not precisely ‘good’. Are the HAVN HS 420 and HS 420 VGPU price a purchase? The HAVN HS 420 and HS 420 VGPU are no doubt among the greatest instances we’ve ever reviewed: the airflow administration system, significantly on the VGPU mannequin with the glass curve and angled backside followers, is outstanding; the cable administration system for each is superb, and so they’re a reasonably simple construct to place collectively general. The distinctive dual-layer again panel design does an awesome job of incorporating the followers seamlessly, and mixed with the one curved glass panel this makes a nicely designed inside to your case look unbelievable. Boh instances fall simply in need of a perfection due to how they’re priced. Neither choice offers you any followers included with the case and the entrance I/O is a bit restricted, which isn’t very best contemplating how a lot you’re spending, although that is additionally the case for the massive competing instances from the HYTE vary. The bottom mannequin is priced barely cheaper than the competing HYTE 70, however doesn’t include the flexibleness to permit for a vertical mount, nor an accompanying riser cable just like the ‘70’ does, or the ‘60’ earlier than it. The VGPU mannequin clearly does include this feature, together with the extra angled fan bracket and glass airflow information, which the HYTE 70 doesn’t have, nevertheless you pay £50/$50 extra for the privilege; finally although it’s a superior case attributable to all the extra design parts talked about above. Being significantly nitpicky, there are additionally some components of the construct, significantly the joints and seams and likewise the again, which don’t look fairly as good as we’d have hoped. Contemplating the trouble that went into producing the wraparound glass panel, a extra seamless, flush design would have elevated it to the following stage (doubtlessly additionally some nicer wanting ribs/slats on the air flow grills). All issues thought of although, these quibbles aren’t sufficient to justify not giving it a 5/5: we expect that is the perfect high-performance case presently in the marketplace for those who’re seeking to construct a machine with an aesthetically pleasing inside.
