The PC cabinet (or casing) is all-important for those who still believe in desktop computers and choosing the hardware components that go into it.
Understandably the enthusiasts look for that extra bit of functionality in their PC case, since that is the foundation, enabling flexibility and high-performance, at a value-for-money ratio not usually matched by branded computers.
Corsair and the trust placed in its power supply units (abbreviated to SMPS or PSU) for higher-end desktop computing purposes such as gaming, Home-Theatre PC and SOHO servers is already legendary in India (this is not an exaggeration).
While Corsair’s memory products (RAM, SSD, USB flash drives) are also well-known, not everybody knows that they make cabinets as well.
Currently offering two full-ATX and one mid-ATX tower cabinets, we received the mid-ATX Corsair Graphite 600T cabinet for review.
The first thing that struck us about it was its lightness as compared to other such cases, and the horizontal width as seen from the front.
The entire case was colored jet black, from the steel (solid for the most part but with grills at the top and sides for air flow) to the plastic used for the hard drive cage.
A fair number of facilities usually associated with full-ATX towers were present in the 600T, we are mentioning only such outstanding elements below.
The left and right side panels have a “lock into place” mechanism for both, installation and removal. This is a nice touch, compared to the usual sliding design used for panel in most cabinets, which ends up requiring extra space at the rear to be able to remove the side panels when required. Besides being easy to use in less space, the Corsair 600T is wide internally.
This is useful for high-end air-cooling systems (active fans or passive metal fins) that require more width and were traditionally meant only for full-ATX cabinets.
The increased width that departs from the usual expectations from a mid-ATX, is also good for using larger system cooling fans, graphics cards with “front side power input sockets”, besides other possible benefits.
A volume-like analog dial at the top-front of the cabinet allows for adjusting the speed of upto four system fans.
Since the sound of fans can be annoying when run at full blast, this allows you to pick your poison, fast fans or whisper-quiet system. It works provided your fans are connected correctly and have 4-pin power input for varying speed.
This functionality is not part of the standard features of other PC cases, even when it is possible with those. Placed beside the dial, are the usual audio in/out jacks, FireWire and USB 2.0 ports.
But the one extra USB port, colored blue, could be something for the others to learn from – it is a USB 3.0 port offering faster data speeds, which you can use with newer motherboards.
The same extra width allows for more space between the motherboard back-plate and the panel on the right side, harnessed by the 600T to improve cable management.
A lot of rubber-like slot-lids are present on the back-panel. You can pass cables (data and power cables) in and out of the back of the motherboard.
The end result is cleaner cabinet internals, which is both, easy on the eyes and good for airflow.
While on the topic of cooling, note the 200mm fan on top, the 120mm fan at the rear of the cabinet and another at the front for air intake.
All three came in the standard package, which is quite a value addition, and a pleasant surprise for a mid-ATX form factor cabinet.
Air filters are provided at fan air intake points, to prevent dust from entering the PC cabinet, which is important (and good) in Indian conditions.
However, grills exist at the sides and top, so the owner of this cabinet still cannot relax on the weekly dust cleaning front.
Facility for liquid cooling, notice the rear with holes covered by rubber
You can install a liquid cooling system instead. Once your processor, motherboard and graphics card are liquid cooled, you get an entirely silent yet well-cooled PC.
The radiator can be placed within the cabinet itself, or outside.
There are sufficient number of holes (with rubberised covering lids) provided for passing the cooling pipes into and within the cabinet, and even this can use the space behind the motherboard to organize it all in a good way.
Specifications
The rest of the cabinet is quite normal, and in line with competing products from other brands.
Tool-free drive bays, 5.25-inch bays for DVD drives that face front and side-facing 3.5-inch bays for 6 HDDs. Using all 6 HDD bays though, may not be good for cooling according to us – allowing spacing or using an SSD is recommended.
There are 8 expansion slots at the back for additional cards (like graphics), provided your motherboard has as many slots.
As is the current trend, the power supply takes a seat at the bottom and not the top. The Power on and Reset buttons are at the top, so you could place the cabinet below your table surface and still not have to bend or search to press the Power buttons.
The 600T is firmly seated on the ground, with rubber contacts at the base (to prevent floor/desk scratches).
It does not have an option for wheels, nor does it have a pull-out motherboard tray. Yet when compared to competing products, the 600T does not come out looking bad at all.
The prime competition in India for Corsair among PC cabinets is Antec, CoolerMaster and ThermalTake. While the other brands do have more presence, and products on offer, what we have seen of the Corsair 600T is encouraging.
Juxtaposed beside a monitor, to offer an idea of the size of the cabinet
Just how large (or compact) it actually is, can be seen in this image where we have juxtaposed the 600T cabinet near a 15-inch CRT monitor, to convey a sense of scale.
More product specification details can be viewed in the “Specifications” tab of this review, or on the manufacturer’s webpage for the product.
The size of the package is monstrous indeed. Besides the cabinet itself, also included is a small manual, screws and cable ties. Corsair offers a two-year warranty on this product.
Bottom Line
The Corsair Graphite 600T is a mid-ATX PC case that is worth your money if you are looking for a high-end computer casing which is high on functionality and yet does not demand too much space for itself.
You can definitely get a branded mid-ATX PC case that is priced lower.
However, adding all of the functionality provided by the 600T would still bring you to the same price point even with other brands.
Not to mention, the easy manner in which everything is integrated together with the Corsair, is still more convenient than the others.
If it does not fall in your budget, get a lower-priced cabinet, and if space occupied is not a problem, buy a full-ATX cabinet instead, which is not very much costlier than the 600T itself.
Buy the 600T cabinet if you can afford it and want the features it provides within a space limitation.
Source:http://www.pcworld.in/product/review/corsair-graphite-600t-37252010
