Review System

Assembly

Before adding any components, we went ahead and opted for the 7+2 expansion-slot layout and removed the cover plate from the side-mounting position. The motherboard is installed using traditional means by securing it to the pre-installed spacers with classic screws. Naturally, there is loads of space all around, with plenty of cable-management opportunities on the three major edges of the board.


As we have full-sized horizontal slots available, you could simply install your GPU traditionally. There is enough room to accommodate a 320 mm long graphics card without worrying about any side-radiator setup getting in the way of things. Alternatively, once you install the nice and long PCIe cable, you may install your pixel pusher horizontally to really show it off. The ribbon cable being plenty long, you should still be able to use the remaining slots underneath of it as well.


As you can see, we opted for a large 360 mm AIO, but there is enough space to even go for a six-fan, push and pull configuration. However, doing so would get in the way of the front intake fans a bit as well.


With the radiator on the side, the rear of the board was the most sensible place to install hard drives. The tray holds both 3.5 or 2.5-inch drives with special screws. The drives sit on rubber rings to keep vibrations at bay as well. Once filled, simply line the four holes up and use the thick thumb screws to hold the filled tray in place.


Lastly, adding the PSU is very easy even with all the components already installed and essentially no different than with any classic ATX chassis as four screws hold it in place as well. Thanks to the row of grommets, you can make those cables disappear from view nicely as well.


With everything installed, the main interior of the Sharkoon Elite Shark CA700 looks nice and clean. That said, things add up quickly with eight fans, five of which have secondary ARGB cables, power supply leads, and long I/O wiring, so it took a bit of work to keep the area around the side-mounted radiator free for a clean result.


Before the assembly can be considered complete, one has to add the two shell parts and side panels. To do so, remove numerous large screws with the hex tool. That piece of equipment also slides into the special holes to prop up the top and front securely, so you won't have to worry about bodily harm when working in these areas of the chassis.

Finished Looks

Once complete and turned on, the Sharkoon Elite Shark CA700 is one beast of a chassis. The five fans light up nicely in the top and front, and you can clearly see all your major hardware within. Naturally those who employ even more ARGB bling will see it all, and if you happen to go with a custom liquid cooling loop, the Sharkoon Elite Shark CA700 will certainly shine, too. Also noteworthy is that the fans are extremely quiet in idle, which is an excellent result.


As you can see, all the parts within are clearly seen through the window even though it is slightly tinted. This is due to the open-air frame letting in surrounding ambient light as well. Propping the case up just three holes further than its original position also really changes the general look as all the parts are now tilted upward towards the front, making it somewhat less menacing in the process.


Looking at the front, you can clearly see the bottom ARGB ring of the fan, while the top fan is hidden behind the white shell. This is also where you have the Sharkoon branding. On the solid metal side are a few openings you could see some cables peeking through, but as it is all black on black, you won't really notice. Lastly, why the Sharkoon Elite Shark CA700 is called an open-air frame becomes apparent in the rear. Gigabyte has permanently installed their I/O bracket cover to their board, but if your motherboard comes with it separately, you will not need it with this case.

The built-in controller gives you several single and multi-colored animations to cycle through, but also offers the usual selection of solid colors, which are shown below.