Installation
The first piece of hardware to install in the Zero 2 is the power supply because it is located at the top of the case instead of at the bottom like most modern cases. This step is as easy as screwing in four screws to secure the PSU to the chassis.
The second item I installed was the optical drive. The drive rails snapped into place very easy and then I aligned them into the front of the case and pushed it gently into place.
After hearing a nice click sound, I knew the optical drive was secured. You can see in this photo how the drive rails are still visible a little bit through a small notch on each side of the optical drive bay. This notch allows users to quickly move the optical drive out at their convenience without unscrewing anything or opening the case itself.
The hard drives use the same drive rail system that securely snap into place like the optical drives did previously.
After hearing that wonderful clicking sound that ensured the drive was secure, I took this photo to show our readers how the drive rails stick out so the device can be easily removed whenever they need to be swapped out or used at a different location in the hard drive cage.
Next, I installed our motherboard, heatsink, and RAM. This was easier than usual because the Zero 2 is quite spacious and has room on the top and right sides of the motherboard. This makes aligning the motherboard with the standoffs painless and simple.
Lastly, I installed the graphics card with two screws. Notice how I needed a longer screwdriver than usual and had to go through some pre-cut holes that are aligned directly over the PCI slots. This is a minor issue if you have a long screwdriver, but could be quite a pain for those with normal tools. If anything, just use a couple thumb screws to secure the video card and you should be good to go.
After about 20 minutes we were able to install all our hardware into the Zero 2 case. The photo above shows the final result. With a little more time and effort, we would have definitely done a better job with cable management, but for our review we just wanted to show you how to install your hardware as well as give you a detailed look at the real estate available inside this massive case. There’s tons of room between the power supply and motherboard and over an inch of space on the right side of the motherboard. I like all the room for multiple hard drives and optical drives too. The quick-release drive rails have always been a favorite of mine since their inception several years ago.
