February 23rd, 2011

NZXT Johnny Hue Interview

Interview

XSR: For those that don’t know, could you please describe your position at NZXT?

Johnny: I’m the Product Manager and the Co-founder of NZXT.

XSR: How did you end up designing cases the firm?

Johnny: I was one of the founding members of the company and my job at the time was to design unique and unforgettable designs.

XSR: What does the case design process involve, and how long does it take?

Johnny: Depending on the complexity and target market for a chassis, it can take sometimes up to half a year to finalize all design elements. For example, the process of designing a case targeted at the 30-40 dollar range is much simpler than a case that’s targeted for a larger budget, say $150.

XSR: What’s a day in the life of a case designer like?

Johnny: Nowadays, I spend more time on business strategy for NZXT but I’m still very much involved in all the products. A typical day for me doesn’t really end, I sometimes go to sleep thinking about NZXT products.

XSR: Do designs ever not make it to full production because of material cost or other reasons?

Johnny: We’ve had so many designs scrapped because of cost, unclear direction, among many other reasons. I think this is pretty normal for any business, when you know it’s not going to work, you just need to cut it.

XSR: What do you use for inspiration on your case designs?

Johnny: We draw inspiration from everything we encounter, it could be games, designs from other markets, or cars.

XSR: Do you see cases continuing in their current fashion, or moving into something more compartmental like Thermaltake’s "Level 10" case?

Johnny: Like fashion, case design can change season to season, I don’t think there’s a definitive direction for which the designs should go. There’s a big amount of market out there so everyone can create a niche for themselves.

XSR: Are you working on anything big at the moment?

Johnny: Computex is right around the corner, expect us to take the wraps of a case we’ve been working on for more than a year.

XSR: What is the future for NZXT?

Johnny: To make amazing and kickass products for gamers and enthusiasts for as long as we’re around.

XSR: Any closing comments?

Thank you for the opportunity and the community for the support.

Thanks go to Johnny for answering out questions today

This review was syndicated on tech seed.