REVIEW OVERVIEW
DESIGN
100 %
FEATURES
70 %
PERFORMANCE
70 %
BUILD QUALITY
100 %

Z-Cases P50From $199


Most Mini-ITX cases focus purely on performance. The Z-Cases P50 looks to offer PC builders style and performance.

At first glance it’s immediately apparent that this case is different. Unique elements like its fire engine red color, full glass side panel and unique component layout set it apart from the pack.

Build & Features

p50 power button ioThe P50 is built like a tank. The thick aluminum casing forms a weighty and sturdy shell. The glass front panel also feels sturdy. While I definitely wouldn’t want to drop this case, it should be able to handle bumps with no issue.

Z-Case was able to shrink the profile of the P50 by only allowing support for Flex ATX power supplies. They have also cleverly hidden the PSU behind a 2.5″ hard drive bracket. This bracket allows you to tuck the power supply cables away as well, giving the case a super clean look.

On the front of the case you will find a nice power button and dual USB 3.0 ports. Around back there is 3 prong power port, and IO cutouts for your motherboard and GPU.

p50 top ventilationThe case is designed to have air come in through the large side opening, and exit through top. The top panel has a really nice vent pattern that roles right into the curved top edge. Everything about this case was well thought out and well executed.

Z-Case P50 Specifications

DIMENSIONSBase: 292mm x 73mm x 378mm
VOLUME7.9L
COOLER SUPPORTBase: Up to 47mm
w/ Riser: Up to 70mm
PSU SUPPORTFlex ATX
DRIVE SUPPORT2 x 2.5″ HDD
GPU SUPPORTDual Slot up to 290mm
MOTHERBOARDMini-ITX
MATERIALAluminum
COLOR OPTIONSRed, Silver, Black

Test System

p50 build partsTo test the P50 I decided that a mid range set of gaming components would make the most sense. With limited airflow, running super high end parts could potentially produce too much heat.

CPUIntel Core i5-9600K
GPUGigabyte RTX 2060
MOBOAsrock Z390-I
SSDIntel 545s
COOLERNoctua NH-L9i
RAMCrucial Ballistic Sport
SSDPNY 240GB

Build Process

p50 build no glassBuilding in the P50 is very simple. The flat layout and full removable front and rear panels make installation easy. I would recommend connecting the GPU to the power supply before installation as making the connection once installed is extremely difficult. To see the full build process, check out the video above.

Performance

p50 performance testI ran temperature and noise level tests. Below you will find results for the case in its stand configuration, and also with the optional glass panel risers. The spacers allow more airflow to enter the case from all angles and did result in better cooling.

Temperatures

In the base configuration I saw my dual fan RTX 2060 GPU hit 85C. This is high even for a compact case. At this temperature the graphics card began to throttle a bit. As you see in the temps below, adding the front panel spacers reduced temps considerably and eliminated the throttling issue.

(BASE)CPUGPUSSD
IDLE36C48C34C
GAMING73C85C48C
(RISER)CPUGPUSSD
IDLE33C48C34C
GAMING68C76C44C

Noise Levels

While the thick glass front panel may not be great for thermals, it does a great job dampening sound. I found the case to be very quiet even at full load.

P50P50 + Riser
IDLE40.9db40.5db
GAMING46.5db44.5db

Conclusion

p50 mini-itx caseThe Z-Case P50 is a fantastic case. It combines incredible looks, with solid performance for mid level gaming rigs. As long as you aren’t looking to build a system with ice cold temps you should be fine. I would definitely suggest picking up the optional front panel spacers, as they greatly improve thermals.

10 COMMENTS

    • It is designed to be used with Flex ATX power supplies. The model you can purchase with the case is one of the best on the market.

  1. Im wanting to do a very similar build however with a 5700xt GPU once the aftermarket coolers come out, Do you think this card will thermal throttle during gaming?

    • Matt, I’ll let you know in a few weeks. Probably go with 3700X also, though my gpu will be a blower style.

  2. Hi Jay, I have this case on order and bought the following, MSI B450I GAMING PLUS AC Socket AM4 Mini-ITX Motherboard for AMD Ryzen Processors, AMD Ryzen 7 3700X Processor, Noctua NH-L9A-AM4, 37mm Premium Low-profile CPU Cooler for AMD AM4 (Brown), SAPPHIRE RADEON RX5700 XT 8GB 21293-01-40G, Corsair 163301 Vengeance LPX 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4 3200 MHz C16 XMP 2.0 High Performance Desktop Memory Kit, Black, Crucial CT1000P1SSD8 P1 1 TB (3D, NAND, NVMe, PCIe, M.2, Solid State Drive) and 2 Samsung 860 EVO 1 TB SATA 2.5″ Internal SSD. My concern is you mentioned something about mini SATA cables 6″ Guys. Have you gotta link where I can purchase one, it’s my first build and don’t want surprises on the day.
    Top man, cheers bud
    James

  3. Hi Jay,
    I’m wondering if I could use a M2 SSD and then mount an optical drive in the space where the SDDs would normally go. It looks like there would be clearance, especially with the spacers holding the glass up farther. Do you think this could work?

  4. this thing came real close to checking all my wickets. the only negative checkbox was the layout of the graphics card. I have had graphics cards refuse to boot with long jumpers like the one in this kit. I would rather have seen air flow holes on the back side with a much shorter right 90 double riser card flipping the orientation of the graphics card. but judging by the glass top i am tempted to say that aesthetics was the major design factor here and not compact layout. still, i love seeing attempts at efficient use of compact space being attempted.

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