Although I began this review by pointing out how often a remake is not necessarily as good as the original, in the case of the Tempest EVO it's safe to say that NZXT has definitely improved upon their design. The EVO now features a fully painted interior, motherboard tray rear socket access and an intake opening for the power supply. Other differences that may not be as noticeable include a tinted side panel window, twice as many liquid tubing grommets, vented riser slot blanks and newly designed fans that NZXT claims operate more quietly without sacrificing airflow. The only negative difference that I found was in the use of grommets for cable routing through the motherboard tray. These seemed to pop out of place too easily just by pulling wires through, which in turn left sharp edges exposed, and were a bit of a pain to get slipped back into place. I think the original openings with simple rounded edges would have looked just as well and functioned more easily.

Other than the differences noted above, I would concur with Frank's original assessment of the Tempest and agree that the Tempest EVO is a great example of NZXT's ability to produce quality cases. It flows an extraordinary amount of air without much noise at all, is aesthetically pleasing and a pleasure to work with. With the extended top panel and nine 5¼" drive bays it is a tad on the tall side for a mid-tower case. I had to raise the top shelf in my desk cabinet by two peg holes in order to fit the Tempest EVO inside. Also having the I/O ports and switches mounted a third of the way back on the top panel means reaching my hand under there without quite being able to see what I'm doing. A mounting location closer to the front would be better suited in my situation.

The MSRP on the Tempest EVO is $119.99 which is actually the same as the original Tempest. However since the Tempest has been out for awhile it can generally be found for $10 to $20 less through discount retailers. The EVO on the other hand is still relatively new and may likely run full price unless you can catch it with a rebate or other special deal. Even so, the updates to the original make the EVO easily worth the few dollars difference. OCIA.net awards the NZXT Tempest EVO our Gold Seal of Approval.