A Closer Look - Outside

Taking a first look at the Graphite 230T, the Case looks pretty sweet. Corsair has a great track record when it comes to design and features in cases, and the 230T is no exception. Though geared toward a differently priced market and not as elaborate as its bigger brother, the 600T, the 230T does suit the family well—the side panels and the top extending beyond the front panel definitely make for an edgy, unique design. Corsair has also folded all edges, so you won't have to worry about cutting yourself.


Taking a look at the front, the entire panel is made of plastic. While this is quite alright, other manufacturers tend to use metal mesh instead. I would have liked metal air vents, but the plastic is quite solid and of very good quality. Turning the Graphite 230T around, we find an all-black rear panel, which means that the interior is of that color as well. Everything else is quite standard, with no extra features to be found here. Both side panels are shaped identically, featuring an arrow pointing toward the front of the case. Corsair has also placed a stylish but compact window on the main panel to give you a good view of what makes the system tick once filled.


The bottom of the front is one giant air vent. Look closely and you can see the two pre-installed 120 mm fans there. Above those are three 5.25" bays. The bay covers are made of plastic and are completely solid. To go with the overall design of the rest, Corsair added dimples in the same size and shape as those in the air vent below. You will also find two USB 3.0 connectors and the usual audio I/O here, while the top-right corner holds the reset and power buttons. Separating the two buttons from the rest would have been a better move as you may end up hitting the reset button by mistake when going for something else.


The bottom part in the rear holds the PSU bay. There are two sets of mounting holes for a power supply, so you can pick to have its fan facing up or down. Above that are the seven motherboard expansion slots and a 120 mm exhaust fan blowing air out the back of the chassis. Corsair has kept things quite simple as the Graphite 230T lacks openings for liquid-cooling, additional expansion slots, or fan controllers. Considering its bigger brother, the 600T, does offer a fan controller, a basic high/mid/low switch for a few fans would have been nice.


The Graphite 230T is constructed to allow for the installation of a 240/280 mm liquid-cooling setup to the ceiling of the chassis. Rubber rings there also kill all vibrations on the spot. It may seem like several rubber rings are missing, but Corsair decided to ship those rings as extras to avoid having rings pop out during shipping. A dust filter on the underside of the chassis protects the power supply from dust and grime. The filter can easily be removed by pulling it out the back of the chassis, yet the bottom fan mount lacks any protection. In case you did not notice: Even the underside is the same color as the side and top, which is quite the nice design element to add.