Hyte’s glass-happy Y60 case has been a shock hit with those that wish to exhibit their fairly PC elements, even when we dinged it for the truth that it’s decidedly not nice relating to temperatures. Clearly, the corporate is prepared for a follow-up. Earlier this yr, Hyte introduced a extra reasonably priced Y40 mannequin, which ditches one of many glass panels (you continue to get one on the entrance and the aspect) for a smaller footprint and a extra reasonably priced worth of $150.
Hyte despatched us the flashy crimson mannequin (it’s additionally out there in black or white), and after constructing a system within the Y40, I got here away largely impressed. There’s a surprising quantity of element right here, although a few of it appears aimed extra at type than performance. This case isn’t going to win over any new performance-focused followers, although. The issues about airflow and temperatures stay, on condition that the entrance and aspect are stable sheets of glass.
Regardless of its extra compact measurement in comparison with the Y60 (the Y40 is almost two inches narrower and about an inch shorter than the Y60), I had no issues becoming an RTX 4090 within the case, and the cardboard sits vertically entrance and heart, because of the included PCIe 4.0 riser cable – which is a pleasant included function, given the case’s worth. PCIe 4.0 riser cables usually promote for round $40 or extra on their very own. However in the event you’re going so as to add critical high-end {hardware}, you’ll undoubtedly need greater than the 2 120mm followers that the corporate contains with the case. And there’s no RGB lighting included both, which is considerably odd on condition that this case is all about displaying off your elements.
Specs of the Hyte Y40
| Kind | ATX Mid-Tower |
| Motherboard Help | Mini-ITX, Micro ATX, ATX |
| Dimensions (HxWxD) | 17.28 x 9.4 x 18.58-inches |
| Max GPU Size | 14-inches |
| CPU Cooler Top | 7.2-inches |
| Inner Bays | 1x 3.5-inch or 2x 2.5-inch |
| Enlargement Slots | 4, plus 6 half-height |
| Entrance I/O | 2x USB 3.0 Kind-A, 1x USB 3.2 Kind-C, 1x mic / headphone jack |
| Different | PCIe 4.0 x 16 riser cable |
| Entrance Followers | None |
| Rear Followers | 1x 120mm |
| High Followers | None |
| Backside Followers | 1x 120mm |
| Weight | 19 kilos |
| Guarantee | 3 years |
Hyte Y50 Motherboard and GPU Help
Similar to the Y60, Hyte’s Y40 helps ATX and smaller motherboards, and there’s room for the largest of massive GPUs. The case helps playing cards 4 slots thick and your card must be greater than 16 inches lengthy earlier than the tip of it might begin bumping up towards the glass on the entrance of the case.
I put in the Colourful RTX 4090 Vulcan OC within the backside of the case (by way of the pre-installed riser cable), and the cardboard was a a lot simpler match right here than the exact angling I needed to do to get the identical GPU into the Fractal North case.
Hyte Y40 Panels, Storage and Enlargement
The pop-off prime and rear aspect panels are lined with black plastic, which includes the mud filters into daring patterns and contains some Hyte branding. That is each enticing and a bit odd, given that you simply’re solely actually going to see these items when constructing or upgrading your system. And also you’ll must pop these panels off to scrub the mud filters. The mud filters on the underside of the case (there are two) are detachable, however they aren’t the simplest to drag off and reinstall, as a result of they’re made from versatile plastic and should be wedged into steel channels which might be a part of the underside of the chassis. At the least the mud filters are plentiful right here.
Storage goes to be a sticking level for some. Certain, M.2 slots are more and more plentiful. However for individuals who nonetheless wish to use SATA drives, there’s a detachable mounting plate behind the motherboard the place you possibly can connect both two 2.5-inch or one 3.5-inch drive. And that’s technically all of the case helps. This appears a bit odd, on condition that there’s clearly room underneath the vented PSU shroud that runs alongside the underside of the case. However as that is each the principle air consumption space and instantly beneath the place the graphics card sits, I may see drives right here being an extra hindrance to airflow. This case simply isn’t constructed for many storage – until all that storage installs instantly onto your motherboard by way of M.2 connectors. Given the scale of this case, I’d wish to see not less than a pair extra mounts for two.5-inch drives.
Different growth choices are much less restrictive, though there are issues. Except for the 4 vertically mounted growth slots in your GPU, there are seven horizontal slots on the again of the case. However one is occupied by the mounting of the card-like PCIe 4.0 riser cable. And all of those are half-height slots because the vertically mounted GPU sits in entrance of them.
Granted, many individuals (or particularly many gaming-focused builders) solely use growth slots for the graphics card. And if you wish to plug in one thing else, like a Wi-Fi 6E card or one thing so as to add extra USB ports, there are many half-height choices out there. Simply know getting into that past the GPU, any growth playing cards you put in should be low profile.
The entrance ports are not less than fairly customary. You get a pair of USB 3.0 Kind-A ports (flanked by a pleasant clickly, LED-ringed energy button), a headphone /mic combo jack and a USB-C port.
Let’s Discuss About Followers
Cooling efficiency isn’t going to be very best in a case with a glass entrance and a glass aspect. So those that prioritize airflow ought to look to one thing else on our greatest PC circumstances listing. These trying to set up mid-range {hardware} needs to be roughly fantastic with the pair of 120mm followers that Hyte contains with this case – not less than so far as temperatures go. Simply don’t put the case on thick carpeting, which might choke consumption from the underside of the case.
However these trying to set up a high-end graphics card and / or one of many greatest CPUs for gaming ought to undoubtedly set up extra followers right here. The 120 mm fan on the backside isn’t prone to preserve your highly effective heat-generating elements fortunately equipped with cool air. And neither the consumption nor the exhaust fan sport any sort of lighting – the case lacks lighting altogether, in reality, so that you’ll must convey your individual.
And in case you are constructing in a case like this particularly designed to point out off your graphics card and different elements, you in all probability will wish to add lighting. I’d accomplish that by way of RGB followers, because you’ll be including some enticing lighting whereas additionally bettering airflow within the course of.
Including Thermaltake’s Magnetic SWAFAN EX12 RGB
For the reason that motherboard I used to check the Hyte case had no RGB and the GPU didn’t have a lot both, I put in three of Thermaltake’s premium (and expensive at $110-$130 per three-pack) SWAFAN EX12 RGB followers.
These are fascinating and surprisingly simple to put in, as a result of they’re magnetic, and join to one another by way of pins moderately than fan cables. So putting in three of those followers within the prime of the Hyte Y40 was as simple as snapping the three collectively like magnetic legos, popping them onto the highest of the case the place they have been partially held in place by way of the magnets whereas I screwed them down, then I needed to route only one fan cable behind the motherboard and again to the closest handy fan header. My one criticism was the magnetically connected cable connector, which had an inclination to snap on in a barely improper alignment. This triggered me to must fiddle with the followers a bit after they didn’t energy on at first after I’d put in them. A nudge of the cable introduced every part to life.
These followers additionally ship with two units of blades, which might be swapped out to vary the route of the airflow with out flipping the followers. Even in the event you’re greater than able to telling which solution to orient your followers when putting in them, it is a good function in some cases, since you’ll by no means must orient the “rear” aspect of the fan in a method that you simply’ll see it.
I mounted the three followers on the prime of this case, purely for aesthetic causes. But when I have been going so as to add extra followers to the Y40 particularly for higher airflow, I’d in all probability prioritize mounting an even bigger, higher fan on the backside for consumption. However these followers wouldn’t should be RGB, since they’d be hidden beneath the PSU shroud.
Thermaltake’s SWAFAN EX12 RGB followers are enticing and distinctive, however they’re additionally fairly costly. In actual fact, at their present $128 worth on Amazon (they’re additionally $20 much less elsewhere), a three-pack prices nearly as a lot because the $149 Hyte case.
Conclusion
For those who preferred the seems of the Y60, however felt it was a bit too cumbersome and costly, the Y40 is simple to suggest. It delivers many of the visible wow issue for simply $150, which isn’t so much given a PCIe 4.0 riser cable is included. However in the event you shied away from the Y60 because of the airflow limitations that include wrapping your highly effective elements in glass, the Y40 isn’t going to vary your thoughts – even when there may be nonetheless sufficient cooling right here that mainstream avid gamers shouldn’t fear that their system goes to overheat.
For those who do wish to set up high-end elements within the Y40, I’d counsel including a superb non-RGB 140mm fan within the backside of the case (maybe Noctua’s NF-P14s, which is $17) for the absolute best consumption, then contemplate including some RGB followers (and / or a radiator) up prime to help in exhaust, which may even some lighting to the inside and spotlight the vertical GPU.
You can even mount a pair of 120 or 240 mm followers (or a radiator) on the aspect, in entrance of the motherboard. The case helps seven complete followers, however given the in any other case constrained airflow, I’d like to see multiple fan supported within the backside for consumption. It seems like there’s almost room for 2 spinners down there, and a case designed round two glass panels and no entrance consumption may actually use all of the cool air it could get.
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