BitFenix has managed to turn heads with the Colossus and the customizable Shinobi, so it is great to see the company steadily evolving and offering cases which cater to the masses without loosing the company DNA. The BitFenix Raider is such a chassis. While the Colossus called on a select few who wanted a massive chassis with unique lighting, the Raider goes the same direction of the Shinobi, but also offers a few unique features or refreshing approaches to existing ones. One of the new aspects are the four USB 3.0 connectors, while still allowing you to utilize USB 2.0 equipped boards as well. This flexibility makes the Raider surprisingly future proof. Another excellent choice are the three Spectre fans, which are already quiet when running at full speed, but become nearly dead silent with the use of the nicely embedded fan controller in the top of the chassis. While this is all great, the Raider seems a bit too simple or understated at times.
The lack of an external 3.5 inch bay or the choice of non-LED fans may shy some of the focus group - gamers - away from the chassis. With the ability to hold large CPU coolers and graphics cards with up to 38 cm length these users would certainly be able to fill the case with their favorite hardware - even though the mainboard tray is a bit more compact than other cases out there. This is positively offset by the excellent cable routing and hiding possibilities, resulting in an extremely clean interior look with very little to no additional effort. Overall, the BitFenix Raider, clocking in at around 80 Euros, is a great chassis, with a few very, very cool features and great build quality.