The Alpha falls neatly into their Classic lineup, among such previously-reviewed cases as the Hush, Lexa and Adamas. The styling is more reserved, for those of us who aren't looking for a lot of bling from their computer, but still want something attractive and well-made. To that end, the high gloss finish and stealthed drives lend the Alpha an air of sophistication with the blue LED's offering just enough pizazz to set this case apart. The smoothness of the side panel window integration is one of those finishing touches that speak volumes about the quality of NZXT's work.
Inside, the solid steel construction and tool-less drive mounting system continues to impress. The included fans provide adequate cooling and run nearly silent, although it would be nice if NZXT went ahead and threw in another 120mm intake fan to complete the package. This would undoubtedly help in keeping things running cool, especially hard drives, and if all five slots get filled up there's going to be some significant heat generated in this area.
Although our case was a little banged up around the 5¼" bays, this area is hidden completely from view and doesn't affect the operation of the case whatsoever. I made a mistake in connecting the power LED and thought it wasn't working, although even after figuring out I had the connector backwards it seems strange to have separate connections for either side.
Other than those few minor things I was extremely happy with the Alpha and if I were in the market for a mid-tower case I'd certainly be happy with the price too. I spotted this case at several online retailers in the $50-$60 range with the optional side window version running on average only $5 more. When you consider the fine design and excellent build quality that price seems dirt cheap in comparison.
