A Closer Look - Outside

Right out of the box, the Carbide 200R makes an understated impression. Clean, straight lines and a completely flat front underline that design. Overall, this design is not a bad one and should be quite appealing to system integrators and end users alike.


The entire front panel is made of plastic. It is of good quality, but does flex a tad when pressure is applied. Turning the case around, the back is all black, which also means that the interior of the chassis is black. Interestingly enough, the paint job of the chassis is really rough. This does not mean that it is a bad or fragile surface, only that it feels like sandpaper when moving your hands across the surface. Unless you have the paws of a baby, you are bound to leave skin cells on the surface. A large dual fan vent for both 120 or 140 mm cooling units can be found on the main side panel. There is no dust filter, which means that dirt can enter the case freely through this vent.


Taking a closer look at the front, the bottom half is completely solid. This is where Corsair has placed their logo. There are air vents on the sides, and they do give enough access to the front fans since they are placed inside the case frame and into the front. Above that are the three 5.25" bays. They are almost invisible as the covers line up perfectly and without any gaps with the rest of the front panel. Two USB 3.0 ports, a traditional pair of audio connectivity, and the power and reset buttons are embedded into the top edge.


Turning the Carbide 200R, we find the PSU bay with two sets of mounting holes on the bottom. This means that you may install the power supply with the fan facing down or up. Above that are the seven motherboard expansion slots with individual covers held in place by thumb screws. You will find a 120 mm exhaust fan in the very top. The 200R does not feature any water cooling holes, which goes against the norm, but that is no real loss to the vast majority of users.


In the top of the case is another large air vent for a pair of 120 or 140 mm fans. This opening unfortunately does not feature a dust filter either, but the 120 mm mounts have been placed in such a way that installing a Corsair H100 should not be a problem. A dust filter has been placed on the underside of the case to protect the power supply from dirt and grime during operation.