First off: The Corsair Obsidian 450D looks and feels like a high quality case on the outside, and it is, considering the use of good materials, solidly constructed and includes three retail quality fans to justify its price right off the bat. Even the interior is easy to handle as everything that is present works. But while the 450D scores brownie points with its two SSD brackets, it looses some because it lacks additional 3.5" hard-drive installation possibilities. It is not as though having more than three is a necessity, but I cannot think of another case on the market at this price point that does not offer at least twice as many slots. There is also its excellent liquid-cooling compatibility, although the cooler is limited to 165 mm in height, and while the package of extras is small, there are well implemented dust filter add-ons on the top and bottom of the chassis. You see, one should love the enclosure for its quality and look, as its looks perfectly resonate with the Obsidian line; and let it be known that the chassis will not give you any headaches as it only takes a bit of nipping and tugging to fit all the cables in nicely as you assemble your system.

So, what is keeping a cool chassis like this from the Editors Choice award? While the price is alright and it is a good Obsidian addition, I would have liked to see that little bit of extra "umpf" here and there – like a second HDD cage, a proper manual, and all the screws one could need. In conclusion, if you do not need any more expansion possibilities than the 450D has and really crave a chassis with such compact dimensions, we can by all means highly recommend this beautiful, high quality case.