How to Package your BLD PC for RMA Service

Updated October 27, 2023 19:16

This article will cover how to properly package your NZXT BLD system for shipping to our warehouse. If you received approval for a Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) from our Customer Support team, you are required to follow these guidelines to ensure safe delivery of your PC to our warehouse.

Failure to properly package your system may result in damage to the system or internal components, which may result in your system warranty being marked as void. NZXT is not responsible for damage or loss caused due to improper packaging.

If you have added any additional components to your PC, such as additional storage (i.e. HDD, SSD, M.2, etc.), fans, memory (i.e. RAM), or case accessories (display figures, capture cards, etc.), please remove these items before sending in your PC. NZXT is not responsible for any lost or damaged third party components or accessories during the RMA process.

How do I package my BLD PC for RMA service?

Depending on the model of the PC you have, your instructions will vary. Please select a guide from the list below for instructions for your system:

NZXT H5 and H7 Series PCs - How to Package your BLD PC for RMA Service (H5 and H7 Series)
NZXT H1 Series - How to Package your BLD PC for RMA Service (H1 Series)
NZXT H9 Series - Coming Soon, please see the section below (link)

If the case for your system is not listed above, please see the section below. If you are unsure which guide to select, please reach out to our Customer Support team.

What do I need to package my PC?

All NZXT BLD systems will ship with dedicated packing materials to ensure that the system is safely handled in transit. We recommend holding onto these packing materials for the full term of your PC's warranty. These materials will include the following:

One (1) large, double corrugated ("double-wall") cardboard outer shipping box.
Two (2) 2-inch thick "egg crate" gray foam pads
One (1) inner NZXT Case Box (specific to your case model)
Two (2) NZXT Case Styrofoam blocks
- These blocks will have a Top and Bottom version with the Bottom version featuring cutouts for the feet.
Internal Packing Materials
- For older NZXT PCs, this will be 1-2 Instapak® Quick RT expanded foam packets.
- For newer NZXT PCs, this will be 1-2 specially cut foam braces as well as cardboard wraps

Note: If you are missing any of your original packing materials, please reach out to our Customer Support team to request a replacement packing material kit. Our team will provide you with a link or invoice where you can purchase a packing material kit specific to your PC's case model.

In addition to the above listed packing materials, you will also need heavy-duty 3" thick packing tape rated for 60+ lbs.

I don't want to order a packing kit, can I just source packing materials locally?

If you would prefer to source your own packing materials locally, we would recommend the following:

A large, double corrugated ("double-wall") cardboard box
- This box should have a minimum of 3" of space on all sides of the computer
- The box should be rated for a weight of 40+ lbs.
2-inch thickness or greater "egg crate" foam pads
- These will be used to fill the void space between the PC and the shipping box.
- The number of necessary pads will vary based on the size of your PC and shipping box.
1-2 Instapak® Quick RT Expanding Foam Packets
- For systems built in the H5, H7, H510, and H710 cases we recommend both a Size 10 and Size 20 packet depending on your PC's components.
Heavy-duty 3" thick packing tape rated for 60+ lbs.

We do not recommend using the following materials, as they can result in shifting of the package in transit which can result in severe damage to the system:

Shipping Blankets
Bubble Wrap
Packing Peanuts
Folded Cardboard
Newspaper

I purchased a Packing Material Kit, but the materials are different than what I originally received, what do I do?

If you purchased a Packing Material Kit from our website, you may have only received a single shipping box with additional foam pads and the expanding foam packets. The included foam pads will be cut specifically to match your case model. We will cover how to use this set later in the guide.

Safely packaging your NZXT BLD PC

If your PC shipped in an older NZXT case such as the H210, H510, or H710 series or if you ordered a packing material kit from our website, your packing materials may not match the instructions linked above. For this section, we will cover how to safely package your PC for repair service with our team.

This section will apply to all systems built in the following cases:

H210 Series
- H210 & H210i
H510 Series
- H510, H510i, H510 Flow, & H510 Elite
- These systems include the Foundation, Starter, & Streaming series prebuilt PCs as well as legacy Creator series PCs (built before 2023).
H710 Series
- H710 & H710i
H5 Series
- H5 Flow & H5 Elite
H7 Series
- H7, H7 Flow, & H7 Elite

Preparing your BLD System - Internal Packaging

For this step, we'll need the Internal Packing Materials for your PC.

For older NZXT PCs:

1-2 Instapak® Quick RT Expanding Foam Packets

For newer NZXT PCs

Pre-cut foam GPU brace(s)
Cardboard wrap(s) for the GPU
Cardboard wrap for the top-mounted fan (if applicable)

To start, it is recommended to place the PC on its side and remove the side glass panel from the system for easier access while packaging the PC. If you have the original Instapak® Quick RT Expanding Foam Packets from when your PC was shipped, gently re-insert them into the case to cushion the GPU and re-attach the side glass panel to the system before moving on to the next section of the guide (link)

How to use Instapak® Quick RT Expanding Foam Packets

If you purchased a packing material kit or sourced your own Instapak® Quick RT Packets, you will need to activate the packets in order to properly fill the void space within the case and protect the components during transit. To do this, please do the the following:

Completely unfold the Instapak® Size 10 bag and place it on a firm, flat surface. Take note of the activation areas at the bottom of the bag marked A and B.
Press firmly on the Component A "Press Here" on the bag until you hear a small "pop sound to let you know the seal has been broken. Do not grip, squeeze, or twist the bag to activate, as this can cause the solution to rupture.
Mix Component A with Component B by quickly pressing the A and B sections firmly back and forth 10-20 times each. After a moment, you will hear another "pop" indicating that the foam is activated and the bag will begin to expand.
Quickly place the Instapak® bag over the Graphics Card with the activation sections between the Graphics Card and Power Supply shroud, then close the case using the glass side panel to allow the bag to expand and fill the area.
Please note: During this step, the Instapak® will become very warm and release steam. Please to not block or touch the area at the top of the bag labeled VENT.
Please do not attempt to "stuff" the Instapak® into the area below the GPU, as forcefully pressing the bag can cause it to rupture and damage components.
Allow the system to sit for at least 5-10 minutes before removing the glass. If properly done, the Instapak® should have filled the area beneath the Graphics Card and wrapped around to the top of the card to provide a protective cushion.
Repeat the above steps for the Instapak® Size 20 bag, placing the bag in the area above the GPU. If your system shipped with an air cooler and not an AIO Liquid Cooler, the packet should be placed to the right of the air cooler tower.

For a demonstration of the using the Instapak® product, please check out the video linked below:

The above video also demonstrates how to pack your system if you only received a single Instapak® bag with your packing kit.

Once the Instapak® are inserted and cured, they should look like the PC in the example below.

Please note: Some systems may not include two Instapak® bags and will instead include a single bag formed to wrap around the GPU.

I only received 1 Instapak® Quick RT instead of 2, what do I do?

The overall steps will be the same as the above guide, however instead of placing the packet strictly to the bottom of the card we'll want to wrap it over the GPU so that the vented section is above the graphics card so the foam wraps around the card safely.

My PC came with a Foam Brace(s) instead of the Instapak® Quick RT packets, what do I do?

If your system shipped with a Foam Brace instead of an Instapak® Quick RT set, this brace should already be pre-cut to match your system. If your system shipped with a top mounted radiator or fans, you should have also received a cardboard wrap to place at the top of the case. To install this, align the brace with the top fans and install the brace so that it securely wraps around the GPU. This brace should be aligned at the furthest right edge of the graphics card to minimize vibrations in transit as shown below:

If properly inserted, the foam brace will cover the right side of the graphics card and help eliminate vibrations.

Packaging your BLD System

With your system prepared and the internal packaging properly in place, we'll need to make sure that the PC is properly packaged. For this step, we will need the following materials:

One (1) large, double corrugated ("double-wall") cardboard outer shipping box.
Two (2) 2-inch thick "egg crate" gray foam pads
One (1) inner NZXT Case Box (specific to your case model)
Two (2) NZXT Case Styrofoam blocks

If you received a replacement packing material kit, you may not have the inner NZXT Case Box or NZXT Case Styrofoam blocks. For these kits, you'll instead receive additional 2-inch thick "egg crate" gray foam pads depending on the model of your case.

Additionally, if your PC is being returned for a refund, please include the accessory box and any accessories included with your PC as well. For systems being sent in for repair, please do not send the accessory box as this can be easily lost or misplaced during the repair process. NZXT is not responsible for any lost or damaged accessories or third-party components sent with the system.

If you have printed your NZXT BLD RMA Agreement, please tape this to the front of the PC or the tempered glass side panel. If you have the original inner box and Styrofoam blocks, place the included blocks at the top and bottom of the PC. One of the two blocks will have cutouts specifically for the feet on the bottom of the case. Place the PC in the Case Box, making sure that the front of the case faces the top opening of the box so that the box will properly close. If your are returning the PC for a refund, place the accessory box/bags in top of the case or on the metal side panel side of the box. Do not place accessory bags inside the case or against the glass side panel. Close the flaps and tape the box shut using your heavy-duty packing tape. It is recommended to double-tape the flaps lengthwise along the seam, taping an additional 3-6 inches along the side of the box from the top to ensure that the box is securely closed. Additionally, taping along the top and side edge steam can help further seal the box.

To package the system, place a single sheet of egg crate foam into the outer shipping box, making sure that the raised side is facing the outside of the shipping box. Carefully lay the sealed case box into the outer box. If there is any air gaps between the case box and the outer shipping box walls, please fill this with additional egg crate foam.

If you received a packing kit without an inner shipping box, please make sure to fill any air gaps in the case with the additional packing foam that was sent with your packing kit. The PC not be in direct contact with any of the outer shipping box walls.

If done properly, your system should fit together as shown below.

Place the remaining large egg crate foam sheet on top of the Case Box (or system if you do not have the case box), then close the flaps and seal the outer shipping box using your heavy-duty packing tape. Like with the case box, it is recommended to double-tape the flaps lengthwise along the seam, taping an additional 3-6 inches along the side of the box from the top to ensure that the box is securely closed. Additionally, taping along the top and side edge steam can help further seal the box.

Packaging an H9 Series PC

Packaging an H9 series system is a bit more involved than with our other systems, so we highly recommend watching the video below to safely package your PC. Unlike other BLD systems, H9 systems may only be packed in a single box.

Important Note: Systems built using the H9 Elite case will include an additional foam pad that goes under the top glass. This pad must be inserted prior to shipping the PC or it can result in severe damage to the top radiator mounting plate.

Shipping your NZXT PC for RMA Service

Once your system has been packaged, you will need to drop it off with the courier locally. If you were provided with a pre-paid shipping label, please locate the nearest location for the specified courier and directly drop off the package with an attendant. Please do not ship the PC using an unmanned drop box, it is highly recommended to have the package scanned at the time of drop off and obtain a receipt confirming that the PC has been handed to the courier.

I don't have a printer, how can I get my shipping label?

If you received a prepaid shipping label and do not have access to a printer, you can take the digital label on your phone to the courier location where they will print it on your behalf. The process will vary from location to location, but will involve either the courier scanning the digital label or asking you to forward it to an in-house email address so they can print it.

Do you have any questions not covered by this guide or need further assistance? Please feel free to reach out to our Customer Support team and one of our friendly support agents will be there to assist you.

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