A Closer Look - Outside

Straightaway we see that Corsair has gone with a whole window out of tempered glass, which doesn't come as much of a surprise as it seems most case manufacturers have decided that 2016 is the year of glass, and I love it! Tempered glass cases were previously reserved for people who sought to spend $500 or more, but is now widely available at a reasonable price. Glass is very reflective, but is still a great material to use; it is strong, scratch resistant, and oozes quality.


The opposite side of the case has a standard steel panel so that you can hide your unsightly cables. From this angle, you can see that the front has a very large gap to allow for plenty of airflow.


The front of the case again has been clad in tempered glass, which gives it a rather nice premium look. As always with single glass panels like this, you do lose the ability to use an optical drive, but few use them now so the lack of one isn't a huge issue for most of us.


Looking at the top of the case, we can see the IO panel. Here, we have the usual power on/off and reset buttons, two USB 3 ports, and a headphone and microphone cable. What we don't usually see are the lighting-control options to control the three RGB fans in front. If you want RGB everywhere, you can purchase three more fans and use them on the same controller. Some people don't like to have the IO ports at the top; they worry about dust, crumbs, dirt, and other small items falling into the ports, rendering them useless, but in the 15+ years I have used computers, I have had ports everywhere and never noticed such a problem.


Speaking of dust, the top also has a magnetic dust filter; it is very easy to remove and just pulls off. When transporting this case to LAN events or even moving house, you might want to ensure it is either removed or taped down to make sure it doesn't fall off. Under the dust filter is a removable plate. You need a screwdriver to 'break' it out. As a liquid-cooling enthusiast, I was very happy to see this. With the right fittings, this is instantly one of the best fill ports I have seen for a case in a long time!


The rear of the case is pretty standard, with room for a 120 mm fan at the top. Notice that there are elongated screw holes, though. This allows you to change the position of the fan or radiator, which makes using the fan options at the top possible.


There are seven expansion slots, which is a good amount for an ATX case. You shouldn't have any problems with PCI-E slots here. The PSU mount has been made to accommodate a standard PSU with the fan facing either up or down. There is, however, a mesh opening with a dust filter and large feet to allow for plenty of room for better airflow; with that in mind, I would install the PSU with the fan pointing down.


There is about 30 mm of ground clearance due to the four large feet on the bottom of the case. Those who put their cases on the floor should rejoice because such clearance will lead to less dust inside.