Corsair Carbide 678C Review: Old-School Cool

Features and Specifications

Featuring sophisticated design with concealed external bay for front-panel devices (or an optical drive), the Carbide 678C may be just the case for those who value old-school RGB-free style and whisper-quiet operation.

Its higher-than-average $200 (£179) price might be off-putting to mainstream buyers, but Corsair is betting this chassis' features and performance will justify its cost in high-end builds. Spoiler: After testing (which you’ll find in detail on page 3), we can say with certainty that this chassis pulls its weight--and then some--when it comes to acoustic and thermal performance. But you’ll most likely want to move one of the three included fans.

Specifications

Exterior

Available in either black or white, the Carbide Series 678C measures 549mm x 239mm x 497mm and weighs almost 29lbs. This $200 (£179) mid-tower chassis comes with a two-year limited warranty.

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Almost the entire top of this chassis is covered by mounting locations for three 120mm or two 140mm fans. Corsair includes both a  sound-damping vent cover and a magnetic mesh filter. The cover can be easily replaced by the fan filter to allow air to flow into or out of the case when fans or all-in-one coolers are installed in this area.

The front-right edge of the top panel has a USB 3.1 Type C port, two USB 3.0 ports, headphone and microphone jacks, a HDD LED, and power and reset buttons.

The front of the case is a large plastic door with a thin brushed-aluminum insert. The inside of the door is lined with a thick layer of sound-damping material. Behind the door you will find a single 5.25-inch drive bay (a rarity these days) and a large removable plastic mesh filter covering mounting locations for three more 120mm or two 140mm fans. Although the front panel is solid, there is a small gap at its bottom that allows cool air to be drawn into the chassis.

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The tempered-glass side panel is hinged in the rear, employs a magnetic latching system at the front that grants easy access to the inside of the chassis, and can be removed from the chassis by lifting it up and away from the hinges. The dark tint is still transparent enough for you to see your system hardware, especially with some interior lighting, which you’ll find on most components these days. The plain steel panel on the opposite side is internally damped with high-density EVA foam, and secured with captive thumbscrews.

The rear of the chassis has nine expansion slots (7 standard + 2 vertical), an opening for a bottom-mounted PSU, and an exhaust-fan mount fitted with a 140mm fan. Adjustable screw holes let you position the fan higher or lower to fine-tune airflow or make room for system components.

A 20-inch plastic mesh filter covers the entire bottom of the case. Thankfully this filter is removable from the front for quick and easy cleaning. The four large, round, rubber-coated feet elevate the case approximately two thirds of an inch to allow for air intake.

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It is apparent that Corsair put a great deal of thought into the design of this chassis’ filtration system. The 678C has filters covering every intake fan mounting location preventing most dirt and dust particles from entering your system. As mentioned earlier, the included mesh filter on the top of the case is attached by magnetic seals at the edge of the filter. The large filter in the front of the chassis also attaches to the frame via magnets, complimenting the slide-out filter on the bottom.

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