Assembly

The V3 Black can hold a full ATX or a micro ATX board. While either will fit fine, there is no room above the board, so CPU coolers which reach over the edge of the board will not fit. The same goes for 120 mm tower coolers, which tend to be larger than what the V3 Black can hold. If you happen to install two 120 mm fans in the ceiling, things may become a bit more crowded around the CPU area, forcing you to go with even smaller coolers. I would suggest not installing any fans in this area and going with a proper cooler instead.


The expansion bay lock works very well, Even though I am using a small graphic card, it does not budge at all. You still have the option of using traditional screws to secure each expansion card if you wish. It is good to see, that Thermaltake has not opted for a cheap plastic solution but has managed to find a good middle ground for an affordable case like this.


Installing the drives within the case is done in the traditional manner. Simply slide the hard drive or optical drive into the bay of your choice and place the plastic lock in the appropriate location. As I feared before, neither the ODD or the HDD are held in place well by these. If you want peace of mind, I urge you to use normal screws. Luckily, Thermaltake has supplied an ample amount for this purpose.


When trying to install the power supply, I was not able to place the unit in its bay. Turns out that Thermaltake has put a little corner piece unto the flooring of the V3 Black. My guess is, that this piece should help in holding the PSU in place, reducing strain on the case structure. I had to tip over the filled case, remove two screws in the underside of the case to take this small piece of metal out, after which the power supply fit perfectly fine. I do not see a reason for including such an additional safety, as there is no need in a case like this.


Once everything is installed, it become becomes apparent that it is possible to hide cables, but harder to route the visible ones nicely. While this may be a small annoyance, those whom this case is aimed at, will most likely not care much in the first place. Turning it around, you can clearly see where I have hidden a bulk of the unused PSU cables. The underside of the CPU socket is clearly exposed, but the top holes for the fan mount are very close to the edge. This means that you may have a hard time removing some back plates. It is simply not possible to make the opening larger, as there is no room above the upper edge of the mainboard - the V3 Black is a very compact case, maybe a bit too compact for some.

Finished Looks

Turning the filled V3 Black on, the first thing one will notice is the strong light coming from the rear exhaust fan. The case makes an excellent impression for the given price point.


Looking at the front, the power LED is a blue one as well, lighting up the actual power button. Turning the case over, you can clearly see the rear, LED equipped fan and everything is easily accessible.


The window on the side gives you a clear view of what is beneath, thanks to the bright LEDs of the rear fan. The top openings also allow a good view of the insides, but also allow the noise to escape the case while letting dust inside.