I've been eyeing Corsair's build quality for quite some time. It definitely looks top notch. The only thing that ever holds me back is that it's too focused on the Gamers/Extreme segment. Spacious ATX cases these days just are too big for me. I'd love for them to build more towards the average user, while focusing on some silencing features, and would simply love them bringing their quality down to mATX/ITX sector.

Thanks for the review - I've been looking forward to the case comparisons (with GPU card). You'd probably knock the SB temps down with side mount fans...at some cost for noise..

very nice review and very nice case. Looks like the top choice for spacious quiet cases is between the P280 and 550D now

Even with the flaws and compromises it looks like a really nice case for a low noise PC. I like the little touches, like screw holes on the drive cages for mounting fans internally (I imagine one attached to the top cage would work well for GPU cooling), and the neat magnetic fan filters.

I'm torn between either the 550D or the smaller and cheaper Fractal Design Mini. I guess it'll come down to whether I really need a full size ATX motherboard...

Right, who needs 4 5.25" bays and 6 3.5" bays? I too would love to see a smaller version of this case.

I'm told the front door isn't magnetic and from many forum posts, I've read the doors are hard to open and the clips that hold the door in place is fragile and break easily. Did you experience this with your sample?

Also, did you sample have loose side panels? Are the 550d side panels better than the P280 side panels?

I'm also not a fan of that front IO cutout. If I'm charging my phone and I want to use my optical drive, I'd have to either feed the phone through the front panel hole, or unplug my phone, open the front panel, then plug in my phone again.

I've been looking forward to SPCR's coverage on this potentially excellent case. I'm not disappointed. It performs well.

However I'm VERY dismayed that Corsair didn't include any screw holes on the rear of the case at all. Sure the push-open mechanism is easy, but there is absolutely no way to secure and lock the contents of the case. So that makes it unsuitable for me.

What about Fractal Design Define XL. Would love to have silentpcreview it!

So see that the article lists a Firewire connector. I saw it mentioned on the Corsair website, but just got the case and don't see one anywhere. Definitely not on the front panel: just 2 USB 3.0 and audio and power switch.
Or does that mean that it comes with a bracket that connects to onboard firewire that screws into the back? Didn't see that either.
Just a typo that got copied by the review?

Kevin

Other than that, it looks good. Will post more when I check it out more.

Got this case. It doesn't have firewire. There is a cutout in the top I/O connector plate for firewire so it might have been in the specs at some point in time. What do you still need a front panel firewire for?

There are those of us paranoid with data, and keep 8 versions of weekly backups on top of a quarterly Amazon S3 load...

Thanks for this review of an interesting case!

On page 3, cable management uses a very special technique: cables are typed down

With respect to the side panels, does the fact that they are thin affect performance to a measurable degree [noise-wise and/or structurally]?

One of the dumber things in this design are the front ports in the little peek-a-boo window on the front door. I carry around a very well-used USB flash drive on my key chain. I could just see plugging it in, as I do every day, then needing to access the optical drive behind the door.

By the looks of it, you might be able to open the door to the right, without bumping into a plugged in USB drive.

Probably could if my house keys, car key and remote fob weren't on my keychain along with the USB key. In fact, one of the things I like about cases like the Fractal Design Define R3 or Define Mini is that the USB ports are more conveniently located on the top of the case, aren't behind the front door, and don't interfere with the door opening and closing.

Weekly? What happened to daily / hourly? :p

A slight correction:While the hinge clips can be removed (and a couple of replacements are provided with the case) this is not necessary in order to change the direction in which the door swings. The hinge clips on either side are identical, so it can open either way right out of the box.