PC Case Survey

Hey Technobeard,

 

I'd love to see a contest (not necessarily a competition type) where Corsair gave away a few cases from each of their high-end series. My next case is definitely going to be a Corsair, and it would be super cool to win one. :D:

 

P.S. I took the survey too.

Built my first computer less than a year ago after watching nearly 600 videos and reviews. From what was available in the shops, I choose Corsair D800 for its solidness and possibilities. Problem I found was the with the On Off button looks the part but was so miserly built. Also the front panel is a bitch to yank off,

 

• DON’T skimp on ANY thing if its to be your best (Obsidian Range) as with the spring mechanism for the power switch. Seriously it is a joke.
  
• Hot Swaps a Must
  
• RGB LEDs never single color so there is no compromises
  
• Pre-wired casing or cable ladders/routing channels. This would also give rigidity.
  
• Full windowed side panel. I wont touch anything else. “For arts sake” you don’t buy a picture then cover it up do you?
  
• Magnetic panels are magic, I even have my fans attached this way.
  
• U.V. reactive IO panels so when a U.V. LED service light is turned on so you can quickly insert an USB (that didn’t sound right) or cable, there is maximum illumination to do the job.
  
• Try to have 2 possibilities with every function, as with the previous suggestion.
  
• With the front panel yank-off technique, try the 2 magnet locking system. Rotate 1 and it will drop off (you know, similar poles theory.) Engineers use these with incredible force.
  
• Accessories for venting, ie cowlings/ducting/vent louvers etc so we can purchase and customize the top panels. This ensures heat is moved far away from the case. I have seen smoke demos and there is seriously bad turbulence exiting the back of the mount. Seems modders and builders are hell bent in reducing CPU GPU and ram temps but very little if nothing is done about external/internal air flow. Just air in air out, done and dusted, or un-dusted.
  
• The D800 side panel secure system (press button release) is magic. All cases should have it. The front panel should be the Push Button Magnet release, as it cant be slid just moved forwards.
  

 

That just for starters

I think your 330R is nearly perfect! It looks fantastic, it could use less 5.25" bays and more smaller drive bays - but for what I have now it's ok in that department. The drive trays are too weak/cheap - but once everything is mounted and the sides are on - who cares ?

 

BUT - I get a LOT of dust inside the case coming from the front fan area. I only have the fans it came with - and yes the filter in front of the fan catches a lot of dust but there is a TON of dust getting past the filter and inside the case from that area. I have some pictures if you want to see what I mean.

I think the 250D is nearly perfect. The only problems I had with it are outlined here. It would be great if in the future if you took more time for quality assurance / control. It really bothers me that it took nearly a whole month for one of the two issues to be resolved - more so that we still have no word on the shoddy mesh filter issue.

 

And now for my wish list. I say wish because I do not know if any of these are even possible.

 

 

 

[X] Clickable front audio jacks. Use the same mechanism the 250D's 200mm front door uses, but within the audio jacks. What I mean is; have the audio jack "hold" the plug when you first push it in. Push it in again to have it pop out.

 

[X] RGB front LEDs that are controllable with a LINK device, but modular so that if you do not have one you can remove it so as to cut down on cable clutter.

 

[X] A more expensive SKU for "high end" cases. It would be a choice for those that would prefer all brushed aluminum to plastic or steel. This would be more or less like how you currently offer a side window variant of a few cases (350D I am looking at you).

 

[X] How about making 5.25 bay devices like your competitors do? I can not begin to tell you how annoying it is to buy another brand's product to show off on the front of my Corsair case and not have it match the brushed aluminum. You make great case fans, why no controller? You are in the audio market and you just acquired Simple Audio. Why not make an external AMP+DAC... but one that can be used INSIDE the 5.25 bay?

 

WHOA! Hold on. I know what you are about to say but let me explain.

 

Some of use have ITX boards and therefore have to make due with crappy on-board sound. I understand that AMP/DACs are meant to be used externally but what if you could make something like the ASUS ROG OC PANEL that can be used externally -and- on a front bay? Have it come with a standard USB cable and another USB cable that can be used on the internal USB2 or USB3 header? That way you could have your audio device inside without cables showing. Hell, you could even have it route the audio to the case's audio jacks by having it also include a AC97/HD plug.

 

 

 

I better stop now. I am going way off course. :bigeyes:

- I'm proud of my SSDs, so I'd like them to be more visible. I use a lot of them, so it would nice if multiple SSDs could be visible

 

- I don't use huge GPUs, so that's space that could be used for other things (like an SSDs rack of some sort)

 

- a basic LCD showing memory usage, CPU count, disk I/O's, etc. would be nice. Yes, I can see those from my monitor, but it would be nice to see such stats while inspecting the computer itself

I just got your new Obsidian 450D and it's definitely my most favorite and best looking case, especially to show off your top of the line hardware, sleeving, lighting etc... And it looks awesome and clean, and has amazing airflow compared to any other case out there

 

 

I've been using the awesome 600t Graphite case for about 2 years, and even though the build quality and material of the 600t is extremely good and better than the 450D, I still absolutely love the 450D mainly for it's appearance, size, and versatility.

 

There's a few things that could be added or changed on the 450D to make it even better than it already is. It's a small mid tower case, and is one of the main reasons why I got it. It's almost like a 350D. The 450D, being a mid tower case, is very small and compact for it's class. Another one of the main reasons I got the case is because of the lack of unneeded drive bays and cages etc... That takes up space and those don't look very appealing to me (which definitely doesn't apply to everyone's needs, but was perfect for my specific build). It has many features to make it simple for easy custom water loops and 3 radiator mounting locations etc...

 

Although the case looks awesome and is the perfect size and an interior with lots of space but without all the unneeded drive bays, cages, mounts etc... It does have plenty of room for improvement. Specefically with the build quality. The case is extremely well made and nice, but the side panels aren't that solid and aren't convenient to take on/off, especially the backside panel is a pain to get on when you have a bunch of tidy cables tied down. The 450D can really benefit from other features like the Graphite 600t's build quality. Like the well made side panels with nice easy latches. If the 450D had a better cable management system in the back and solid side panels with latches like the 600t, it'd be much much better and would make the perfect case to me.

 

Tldr: my ideal perfect case is the Obsidian 450D but with a little better build quality like the Graphite 600t for example with the solid latching side panels and better cable management in the back etc...

The reason I love corsair cases is the well-thought out design. Modularity, ease of maintenance, ease of debugging hardware issues. They're cases built by people who obviously assembled more than their share of PCs.

 

I don't care about visuals. A pure black case with no markings, no logos, no emblems, no fancy LEDs is exactly what I want. The stuff I'm interested in is happening between the registers and the monitor. If I'm looking at the innards of my box, it's because something broke, like my corsair H100 cooler. At that point no amount of soothing disco LEDs will calm me.

 

Speaking of LEDs, I bloody hate 'em. I have enough illumination in my case to comfortably read a book by and probably light up a small room, but when I actually NEED them on, eg. I'm swapping out components, they're of no use. And when I need to plug my arduino to the mobo usb backplate port, there ain't no illumination either. I have 99 LEDs but none of them improve usability.

 

I do care very much about proper industrial design and structural integrity. I hate wobbly parts, I hate cheap cases with botched metalwork that could take your finger off, I hate those cheap plasticky front panels that creak under stress and cannot handle the abuse of transportation.

 

Thumb screws? Absolutely essential. Modular drive bay? Love it. HDD trays? Awesome. Dust filters? A great convenience. Thick non-conductive and preferably anti-static paint that protects me from my own idiocy? Oh yes. Cable management? Definitely. Proper airflow design? Corsair's specialty.

 

In summary, I value Corsair's attention to usability. I know, usability doesn't sell as well as shiny visuals - unless you're talking about returning customers. My next case will be a corsair and that's what I recommend to people.

Long gone are the days where I find a full tower is desirable. I used to want the biggest case I could get my hands on to have lots of breathing and working room for the biggest graphics cards and a set of hard drives.

 

Small is the new sexy for desktop PCs. I want my next case to be as small as possible but also have room for a full size graphics card. I would say a line of micro-ATX and mini-ITX sized cases would be the way to go with 2 hard drive bays and one slim external 5.25 bay.

I would love to see Corsair make an Obsidian Series NAS enclosure.

I would like the Obsidian line to mean something again , no creaky plastic and good build quality , latest Obsidians are more like Graphite series of old . They cost more but you got what you expected whereas now its just a name .

My Vengeance C70 is pretty darn close to the perfect case already, actually, with all the bullet points I require: solidly built metal construction, with well-designed features, particularly the use of the spring latches that complete the jerrycan aesthetic, and fantastic cable routing. The only thing I would adjust would be easier access to remove the front panel for cleaning the dust filters, and additional dust filters provided with the case for top, side and rear.

My next case will definitely be Corsair, and I'm actually considering the C70 again.

Long gone are the days where I find a full tower is desirable. I used to want the biggest case I could get my hands on to have lots of breathing and working room for the biggest graphics cards and a set of hard drives.

 

Small is the new sexy for desktop PCs. I want my next case to be as small as possible but also have room for a full size graphics card. I would say a line of micro-ATX and mini-ITX sized cases would be the way to go with 2 hard drive bays and one slim external 5.25 bay.

 

This. At the moment the choice is between the 250D and the 350D if you want something small from Corsair, and the 350D isn't that small. Being in the Obsidian range, they can be out of range for budget buyers. People on a tight budget are also likely to end up buying cheaper m-ATX boards, so it'd make sense to have a nice entry level mini tower. Corsair has a great variety of mid and full towers, it'd be great to see them complete the set up with some mini towers and perhaps another cube case like the Air 540, but set up for ITX or m-ATX.

1. don't limit us to you questions!

 

2. allow us to work within our imaginations which I'm sure will take Corsair on an amazing journey let the juices flow but guys be reasonable as all company's these e day are restricted by budgets so be reasonable!

 

 

My personal thoughts

 

1 massive airflow for reasons of affordability

 

2 super liquid cooling for those that can afford it or make it affordable for the entire market place

3 the ability to customize a case easily and inexpensively

 

4 easy enough to do where you don't need to call in ya IT buddy

 

Lastly aim for the layman so we don't have to rely on some one who knows what we don't we have just as much money as the rest of em we just spend it as easily!!

I'd like a new case crossed between a 750D and 900D. I currently run custom watercooling. Appearance and function are equally important to me, as I choose to hide my pump and related hardware while letting the tubing catch the attention.

 

I was planning on going to the 900D for my next build based on the Intel 8-Core, but I'd really like a 750D with bottom section covered by a midplate. My SSDs will be displayed, but my HDDs are usually hidden away behind panels or something. Example, my 3.5" HDD in my Air 540 is mounted to the inside top of the PSU section right above the optical drive bays.

I have the carbide 500... oh my... i must say i love this case, a friend of mine got it because her new graphics card was so beastly long it wouldnt fit the old case and i fell in love with this sweet case... i want it to have my children, seriously best case i have ever used, i mean really this thing is so close to perfect... man it has exactly what you need and nothing you dont, simple yet packed with great features and amazing airflow

Well after waiting for the new range to come and not liking the front I have finally found something to replace my 800d , its been a good case but time to move on so going down the Phantecs route , I would suggest Corsair take a look at them as they have some good ideas , bit like when the 800d was originally launched by Corsair at the time .

The perfect case for me would combine:

Full window of the Graphite 760T

Fully modable HDD bays (generally NZXT phantom 630 internals)

Agressive external ->CM Cosmos II, CM Storm stryker front IO (or super smooth-> 750d)

Fan dust filter EVERYWHERE (you ruined the 760T/750D with the air blockers top/front while not included a filter).

 

Also use some innovation. The phanteks ethoo primo was the most innovative case i've seen. Although it seems to me that the designers create a deal-breaker on purpose for most cases.

What i mean?

1) CM Cosmos SE would be perfect if it had modable HDD bays and not the absolutely stupid front mounting system (why didnt they move the fans a bit downwards?)

2) The Corsair 760T and 750D were designed with air blockers. Why the hell didnt you implement a filtered mesh or even sell it for 10$ separately?

3) The Nzxt phantom 630 is also an internals masterpiece but they decided to cut diagonally the vents making any LED fans seem stupid (Cosmos SE likewise). It also sells for a very high price as a midi tower

 

A case for custom watercooling system full support would be much appreciated.

A case with horizotal Mobo placement (like bench rigs) would be really innovative

perhaps another cube case like the Air 540, but set up for ITX or m-ATX.

 

Called it :D:

 

http://www.corsair.com/en-au/landing/air240

Called it :D:

 

http://www.corsair.com/en-au/landing/air240

 

wonder how/where the 5.25 bay is?

It may have a slim bay tucked away somewhere, but it may not even have one. There aren't that many people than still use one. I haven't touched mine in years. Removing that bay means they can make the case smaller or have more room for other things.

i agree,the flash drive will replace the 5.25 but were several years from that happnin'

i still use mine daily

too many software company's still use the disc...

i agree,the flash drive will replace the 5.25 but were several years from that happnin'

i still use mine daily

too many software company's still use the disc...

 

 

With how cheap External DVD drive are, why not just use that? I feel like 5.25 inch bays are a thing of the past. I know for some people this wouldn't be ideal because it would just add more clutter, but if you add a few dabs of hot glue to it, you can stick it under your desk. I did this my Ethernet switch and it definitely makes things a lot cleaner.

With how cheap External DVD drive are, why not just use that? I feel like 5.25 inch bays are a thing of the past. I know for some people this wouldn't be ideal because it would just add more clutter, but if you add a few dabs of hot glue to it, you can stick it under your desk. I did this my Ethernet switch and it definitely makes things a lot cleaner.

 

You may not use the 5.25" bays and ODDs but there are people who do. I use my ODD frequently, mostly for playing and ripping disks I buy (I get much better quality that way than from downloads), so using an external ODD would be a pain in the...ah...neck, not to mention external ODDs are much slower. Gluing an external ODD under a desk is just a bit too redneck for my tastes.

 

Other uses for 5.25" bays include coolant reservoirs that allow easier filling and/or seeing coolant levels (some even include the pumps), internal card readers (usually faster than external readers and more convenient if one takes a lot of photos, fan controllers for those who prefer to manually control their fans, temperature monitors, HDD and SSD hot swap bays, case lighting control panels, overclocking control panels, etc.

With how cheap External DVD drive are, why not just use that? I feel like 5.25 inch bays are a thing of the past. I know for some people this wouldn't be ideal because it would just add more clutter, but if you add a few dabs of hot glue to it, you can stick it under your desk. I did this my Ethernet switch and it definitely makes things a lot cleaner.

 

i would and have but it boils down to the speed factor for me,,i buy lots of dvds from yard sales,flea markets and add them to my computer so speed is essential...