Top Computer Cases by Consumer Reviewers

Corsair 600T Graphite Series Special Edition White Mid-Tower (ATX, 10 Bays)

302 Reviews

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	Price: $161.00
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Pros: Great design, Excellent ventilation, Size is compatible with SLI/CrossFire setups
Cons: No eSATA capability, Priced a little higher than regular model

Review: The predominantly white color scheme is the first thing anyone would notice about the Corsair Graphite 600T Special Edition Mid-Tower ATX Case. As opposed to the regular Graphite 600T model which uses an overall darker color scheme, the Special Edition 600T only uses black sparingly, but the contrast in colors adds to the great appearance of this model. This mid-tower ATX case has the same thoughtful design which has been seen in other models from Corsair. Ventilation is still first class, with a 200mm fan up front and at the top, plus a 120mm fan at the back. Both of the 200mm fans have removable dust filters that can be easily cleaned. In addition to those, you can also mount up to four 120mm fans with the included mesh insert for the side panel. A fan controller knob near the top fan allows for fine-tuning of fan speeds. The efficient cable management system of this case also helps with keeping temperatures down. The input panel is located at the top, with four USB 2.0 and a single USB 3.0 port. A FireWire port is also present as well as headphone and microphone jacks. Four 5.25" drive bays make up the upper half of the front of the Special Edition 600T, with all the six reconfigurable 3.5" drive bays being internal ones. This case, unfortunately, does not have any provisions for eSATA drives, so hotswapping is not possible. Finally, it has expansion slots for up to 8 PCI-E devices, so gamers might want to consider this case when building a multi-GPU computer. The mesh insert's capability to hold additional fans is a great advantage in this regard. The only significant disadvantage one could possibly level at the Corsair Graphite 600T Special Edition is that it is priced a little more than the regular 600T, with the only difference being color. All things considered, though, a few more dollars for appearance is not that big of an issue.

Corsair Obsidian 650D Black Mid-Tower (ATX, 10 x Bays)

158 Reviews

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	Price: $160.95
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Pros: Solid construction, Roomy, Excellent cable management options, Superior ventilation
Cons: Expensive, Large, Loud fans, USB 3 cables must be route to the back of the case

Review: Although the Corsair Obsidian 650D is more expensive and slightly larger than most mid-tower cases, it is worth the serious look as it definitely lives up to its high price. It flaunts a steel construction that screams durability and a clean design and a brushed aluminum faceplate that make it a neat and stylish addition to your workstation. Cable management options are excellent and there are also dust filters for easy maintenance. In order to prevent your components from reaching soaring temperatures, a black 200mm front intake fan, a 120mm rear fan and a 200mm top fan, replaceable by two 120mm or 140mm fans are mounted on the case. The fans are noisier than expected but it has a 4-channel fan controller with three modes that enable you to adjust fan speed as well as noise levels. Liquid cooling is also made possible with the unit's dual radiator support. This well-designed chassis accepts ATX and mATX motherboards. The front I/O panel boasts a mic and headphone jack, one FireWire, one USB 3.0 and four USB 2.0 ports. Due to the fact that it doesn't include adapters, you must route the USB 3.0 cables to the back of the case and into the USB ports on the motherboard. Furthermore, it has 8 Expansion Slots and its drive bays include four 5.25” and six 3.5” or 2.5” with snap-in trays. The Quick-release side panels allow you to upgrade whenever you want and the tool-less installation makes everything all the more easier. Unlike flimsy and cheap-looking cases, the Corsair Obsidian 650D is built like a tank. Being smaller but designed almost exactly alike the 800D and 700D full-tower cases, it is sure to meet the demands of die-hard PC enthusiasts and experienced rig builders.

Corsair CC-9011011-WW Carbide Series 400R Black Mid Tower (ATX/mATX, 12 Bays)

129 Reviews

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	Price: $99.99
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Pros: Great case, Plenty of fans/fan mounts and dust filters, Good cable management, Top handle
Cons: Large, Loud, Flimsy drive trays

Review: For those who have space constraints, the Corsair Carbide Series 400R may pose a problem. It is admittedly large (20.5” x 8.1” x 19.8”) for a mid-tower so it may require a serious amount of space on your desk and may not be a good idea. Otherwise, it rivals more expensive computer cases and opens up a lot of possibilities for system builders. It can hold your ATX or mATX motherboard plus a graphics card of up to 316mm in length and still leave you with enough space so you can upgrade your system in the near future. Tool-less drive installation is a huge plus for first time builders and there are plenty of fans and fan mounts as well as dust filters. The 400R also offers a lot of options for cable routing, keeping your build neat and nice to look at. There's even a handle on top of the unit which can be handy at certain times. High airflow is delivered as promised. It includes 2 front-mounted 120mm fans and a rear 120mm fan and has six 120mm/140mm fan mounts and four 120mm fan mounts. A full 240mm radiator can easily fit in the case for compatibility with the Hydro Series H100 Liquid CPU Cooler and modular watercooling systems. However, the price to pay is clearly evident on the loudness of the fans. The white led intake fans add elegance to the case but it may also cause distraction, especially in a dark room. To help rectify the problem, a Fan LED on/off switch is provided. Another gripe is the hard drive trays. While tool-less is definitely the way to go these days, the drive trays seem a bit flimsy for our taste. Still, for under a hundred bucks, the Corsair Carbide Series 400R is a good buy. The Steel structure with molded ABS plastic accent pieces makes it rugged and durable and the Front I/O Panel, which has 2 USB 3.0 and 1 IEEE1394 port, a 3.5” headphone and microphone connector, Power and Reset buttons and a Lighting toggle switch, is placed at the topmost part of the unit for easy accessibility. Lastly, the 400R has Eight Expansion Slots, Four 5.25” drive bays and Six 3.5” hard drive bays with 2.5” compatibility.

Corsair Carbide 500R System Cabinet (Mid-tower - Arctic White, Black - Steel, Plastic - 10 x Bay - 4 x Fan)

116 Reviews

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	Price: $129.99
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Pros: Sturdy, Flexible cooling options, Excellent cable management, Has front panel USB 3.0 ports, Sharp-looking
Cons: No dust filter for the side fan, Front filter is hard to remove, Loud stock fans, Poor documentation

Review: The Corsair Carbide 500R, the higher-end brother of the 400R, features a design shift and more cooling options over the said model. It dissipates heat through its two front-mounted 120mm fans, one rear 120mm fan and one 200mm side fan. For demanding builders, a 240mm dual radiator can be accommodated and extra fans can be mounted. Although the dust filter on the bottom can easily be cleaned, the front filter is hard to remove, though. It is not impossible but you'll need to unscrew 6 screws before you can clean it. In order to add a 200 mm intake fan, the shape of the Carbide 500R was made less rounded. The top front panel, found in the 400R, remains, but they included a fan LED on/off switch and a top tray that can hold your keys or mobile phone. Adding to the Power and Reset switches, FireWire connector and 3.5” headphone and microphone connector on the I/O panel are two USB 3.0 ports which mean that you won't have to force cables in and out of your case. The 500R is very sharp-looking, making it seem like you're also upgrading your case, in terms of aesthetics. It is obtainable in all black or in a white and black combination. The white and black version has an all-white interior, a black top and front, and white side panels. Quality is evident in the case's construction and it has no paint chipping issues. The white LEDs can be turned on or off to suit nearly any preference. Excellent cable management is also well-presented, providing an intelligent way to hide and route cables throughout your case and minimize desk clutter. You can fit an ATX or a Micro ATX motherboard and graphic cards up to 452mm into the Corsair Carbide 500R. Space for Four 5.25” drive bays, Six 3.5” hard drive bays and Eight expansion slots is provided. However, we'd like to see the 500R iron out its issues, some of which points to its poor documentation while several are related to its fans. For example, the largest intake (side fan) has no dust filter. Also, the fans are quiet when on the lowest setting, but it gets from noticeable to annoyingly loud as the speed goes up.

Antec Titan 650 Mid Tower (Extended ATX, 10 Bays, 650W)

55 Reviews

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	Price: $199.99
	Price: $195.17
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Pros: Lots of room, Solid construction, Good layout, Comes with a power supply
Cons: Doesn't support hot swapping, Deeper and larger than most cases, No air filters, Smaller fan mounts, Only one fan is included

Review: No matter what type of system you are planning to build, the Antec Titan 650 gives you all the space you need to install your drives, cards and a great motherboard. While it has a few shortcomings and is not capable of hot swapping, it is integrated with plenty of features that make up for what it lacks. To begin with, it makes installing your system's components a cinch to do with its removable front bezel. There are convenient front I/O ports consist of two USB 2.0 ports, one IEEE 1394 port (FireWire, i.Link) and Audio ports. In addition to the case, you also get a TruePower Trio 650W power supply with an amazing 5 year warranty. With regards to its cooling abilities, only one TriCool rear fan is included. The 92mm front fan mounts are also smaller compared to the 120mm front fan mounts in other cases. The front air vent enables good airflow throughout the unit but it doesn't have air filters which prevent dust from entering your system. This particular case is compatible with a wide range of motherboards including Mini-ITX, microATX, Standard ATX and Extended ATX. It has a total of 7 Expansion Slots and 10 Drive Bays (four 5.25" External and six 3.5" Internal Drive Bays). Some may consider the price too high but when you think about all the room as well as the protection you get with the 1.0mm cold rolled steel construction of the Antec Titan 650, it makes it a tough deal to pass up. Truth is, if size and depth weren't a factor, you can never go wrong with this one.