Obsidian Series for under $100
We spend a little time with the new Corsair Obsidian 350D Micro-ATX case.
If you need a case for your next PC build, the chances are good that Corsair has a model that you'll like. Ranging from the obscenely large Obsidian 900D to the $69 Carbide 200R and just about everything in between, Corsair has a ton of options Today we are reviewing the brand new entrant to the Obsidian series, the 350D, that brings Corsair to the Micro-ATX form factor.
The Obsidian series is the flagship chassis line from Corsair and typically means you are getting the best of the best from the expanding components company. With an MSRP of just $99 you are definitely making some sacrifices on features and on size, limiting us to Micro-ATX or Mini-ITX motherboards and systems.
The front panel has an attractive brushed finish to it with removable front panel (and fan filter).
Connections up top include headphones, microphone as well as a pair of USB 3.0 ports. There power button is right in the center with dual LEDs on each side. The reset button is just to the right of the mic port and is recessed enough to prevent accidental presses.
Up top is ventilation that supports both 240mm and 280mm water coolers though you are going to be intruding on the space of the top 5.25-in bay wen you install a cooler that size.
The 350D is short but I love the window on the side panel – it is as big as it could be while maintaining the structure of the door.
The back of the case shows the bottom mounted power supply opening, five expansion slots, removable water cooling punch outs (though without rubber grommets) and a 120mm fan.
Opening her up shows us the 350D has a lot of space for such a small design though you are indeed still limited to Micro-ATX or Mini-ITX form factors. You can support two dual-slot graphics cards, two 3.5-in HDDs and three 2.5-in drives.
The SSD bays are innovative, completely tool less and can be removed 1-by-1 if you happen to have long graphics cards that need the space. The drives simply push in from the back.
Opening the door on the other side reveals the same kind of cable routing options that we have seen in many other Corsair cases over the years. The CPU bracket opening is HUGE and you shouldn't have any problems with post-installation change down the road.
Up front, behind the removable door and filter you'll find the included 140mm fan from Corsair that can be replaced with a pair of 120mm fans. In total, counting the top mounting area, the 350D supports five fans.
We built a system in the case for our review (see the video above) using a Micro-ATX motherboard, the Corsair Hydro Series H100i 240mm water cooler, dual EVGA GeForce GTX 680 graphics cards and a 1050 watt power supply. Obviously the small size of the Obsidian 350D is not going to hold you back from many system design options…
Finally, for those of you familiar with the rest of the Corsair lineup, we have placed the Obsidian 350D next to the 650D so you can get a good size comparison. It is shorter, narrower and less deep and will definitely appeal to users that want a powerful PC but don't want the bulk of larger cases around the office.
For $99, the new Corsair Obsidian 350D might be my favorite Micro-ATX chassis yet! I personally like the flexibility of the full size ATX case designs and I know that many people will decide to scale all the way down to a Mini-ITX chassis (if they are concerned about space). But the 350D presents a great middle ground that enables advanced configurations using 240/280mm water coolers and SLI/CrossFire graphics configurations. Solid construction, great cooling capability and standard fare Corsair features like cable routing, intake filters and tool less accessories make for a great entry level product!
Want to see a side by side
Want to see a side by side comparison of 350D and 200R. I personally feel 200R would be a better choice. With the money you would save over 350D, you could get some really good fans to fit in 200R. Or a nice air cooler.
200R is now $59 on newegg, and often below $49 with coupon or MIR.
The 200R is the better case
The 200R is the better case but the 350D looks great with the brushed front/less plastic look. It does matter to some people.
I am an industrial designer,
I am an industrial designer, and I have to criticize one thing about 350D and 900D series.
Brushed metal is one of my best favorite material/finish, if not THE best, but it is not right on 350D or 900D. Bay covers are not from the same piece used as front panel, meaning the brushed marks are not continuous, and that makes it look bad considering they are the top tier in Corsair product line.
You said it. I love my 800D
You said it. I love my 800D that I’ve had quite some time now. The first PC I had that really encouraged and rewarded a clean build.
Yet it’s always let down by it’s front panel and yes, the mismatched brushing of metal, uneven shut-lines and shut-gaps.
I had a TJ07 before this and I always thought a cross between the two (800D interior, TJ07 exterior) would be THE chassis.
Except 200R is full-ATX and
Except 200R is full-ATX and some folks are in market for smaller cases.
350D looks like pretty much a perfect case for me. I’d love to see it compared with HAF XB.
That’s why I was asking for a
That’s why I was asking for a side-by-side comparison of the two cases. Fact is, 350D is not much smaller than 200R.
200R 16.9″ x 8.3″ x 19.6″ 2750 cubic inches
350D 17.7″ x 8.3″ x 17.3″ 2542 cubic inches
Volume numbers are rounded up to eliminate decimals. 200R is only 8.2% lager in volume than 350D.
200R 3×5.25in 4×3.5in 4×2.5in and 7 PCI slots $59(often goes for $29 to $39 on newegg with MIR)
350D 2×5.25in 2×3.5in 3×2.5in and 4 PCI slots $99 w/ window, probably $89 w/o window
Top 240 mount on 200R is offset, on 350D is not offset, meaning top radiator support should be about the same.
They both can fit 240 rad in the front with minimal mod. Or even this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgTMIlzmwQ8
$40 retail price difference can get you a set of good fans to fit in 200R.
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I wish you would have done a
I wish you would have done a cleaner build
Looks pretty clean to me for
Looks pretty clean to me for a demonstration!
Yeah, that’s as clean as I
Yeah, that's as clean as I can usually build them! lol
LOL ok
LOL ok
Are you fairly certain that
Are you fairly certain that there is room on the back to install the water cooler the other way around?
This review sucks because the
This review sucks because the product is not even a mass market product. It’s not even three weeks after the review was posted, and you can’t buy it anywhere. You can’t add it to your cart on corsair.com. At New Egg, it’s discontinued. At Amazon the wait is 1 to 3 months (meaning it will never be in stock again), and on eBay it is going for ridiculous prices.
Why do you review something that people can’t even buy?
Update. I was able to find it
Update. I was able to find it at one of the retailers listed at corsair.com. Actually, it is not on eBay. I was too harsh in my assessment earlier, but I do think it’s strange that it is gone from eBay and other stores online.
Man! I love the case, it
Man! I love the case, it looks awesome, but where can I buy it. Is it coming soon, or is it so old that I won’t find it anywhere? Bummer!!!
Certainly a +1 from me –
Certainly a +1 from me – it’ll be a good replacement for my clunky Z77 ATX rig, heading into Haswell in the coming months. Only thing I believe they could’ve improved on is the top vent area, doesn’t bother me too much .. they’ve regained my liking by styling the front in a professional manner and that gorgeous windowed side panel!
I’ll be on the lookout for this case, it’ll sit perfectly with a glance through the panel at a Maximus VI Gene Z87 board ^^.
I’m trying to find a decent
I’m trying to find a decent AM3+ mATX motherboard, which one did you use?
Ok wtf is going on with that
Ok wtf is going on with that mobo? I cant find any boards from AMD that suport Sli in micro I cant find that board at all!