A Closer Look - Outside

Fractal Design has done away with the all-mesh front we saw on the Core 3000, opting for a plastic panel that has been made to look and feel like brushed aluminum.


The front panel is out of fairly sturdy plastic, but the drive-bay covers are not completely flat due to some manufacturing process, so there is a small visual blemish, though it is nothing to fret about. In the rear, the case looks very much like an Arc Midi R2 without the additional vertical expansion slot, which also makes the Core 3300 a bit wider than most mid-tower enclosures in its price range.


Both sides of the Core 3300 are completely straight, but Fractal placed an opening for a 120 mm or 140 mm fan there should you require any additional cooling for an expansion card. This should work well because the chassis is wider than most. The location is also low enough for the fan not to get in the way of a tall CPU cooler.


Taking a closer look at the front, those who know the company's approach to branding in the past will be surprised to see nothing but a simple logo on the bottom, instead of a large embossed logo toward the top. Just like the Arc Midi R2, the Core 3300 comes with two 5.25" bays.


The PSU bay in the back has been placed on the very bottom. Above it are the seven expansion slots, while the top houses the 140 mm exhaust fan and two small openings for water-cooling tubes one would route out the back of the chassis. While these are fairly compact, I do not know any of tubing that would not fit through these holes.


The entire underside of the chassis is protected by a dust filter, which may be pulled out the back for easy cleaning, even while the system is standing upright.


You will find the I/O on top, toward the front. It consists of two USB 3.0 and the usual pair of audio plugs. To the left are also the Power and Reset buttons. You will even find two openings for 120 mm or 140 mm fans here. They are spaced to also hold a radiator of up to 280 mm in size.