Corsair Crystal Series 680X RGB Case Review: Bigger and Better

Features and Specifications

If this chassis looks and sounds familiar to you, it's because it's essentially a mid-tower version of the Crystal Series 280X. The good news is that Corsair seems to have taken our criticisms of the 280X to heart and addressed many of them with the release of the Crystal Series 680X RGB. A hinged glass panel and USB-C make the case feel more modern and convenient.

Specifications

Exterior

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The Corsair Crystal Series 680X RGB measures 16.65 x 13.54 x 19.88 inches (423 x 344 x 505mm) and weighs in at 25.53lbs (11.58kg). Painted white inside and out (also available in black if white isn't your thing), this chassis features steel and plastic construction with tempered glass panels on three of the six sides.

Featuring a true dual-compartment design, two thirds of this chassis is covered by tempered glass panels and the final third with steel. The tinted tempered-glass panels are elevated to allow airflow, using additional spacers and longer screws between the glass panel and the top of the case.

Directly below the top tempered glass panel are mounts for three 120 / 140mm fans. A magnetic filter is included with the accessory bundle for this location. Along the edge of the steel portion closest to the tempered-glass panel, you'll find a pair of USB 3.0 ports, USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C, a headphone / microphone jack, and power and reset buttons.

The smaller Crystal Series 280X lacked rubber-coated locating pins for the full-coverage tinted tempered glass side panel to protect against accidental drops. But Corsair has remedied that situation by adding hinges to the tempered glass side panel of the bigger 680X.

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The chassis also employs the use of strong magnetic latches at the front, giving you quick access to the inside of the case. The glass side panel can be removed from the chassis by lifting it up and away from the hinges.

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The plain steel panel on the opposite side has a large filtered hole for added ventilation, and is secured with captive thumbscrews.

Around back you'll find ten expansion slots (8 standard, 2 vertical), an opening for a bottom-mounted PSU in the secondary compartment, and an exhaust-fan mounting location fitted with a 120mm fan.

A large plastic mesh filter covers the two main mounting locations on the bottom of the case. This filter is removable from the side, so you won’t have to move your entire system for maintenance and cleaning. The four large, round, rubber-coated feet elevate the case approximately two thirds of an inch from the desk surface to allow for air intake.

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Washable filters covering every intake fan mounting location prevent most dirt and dust particles from entering your system. Top, front and side filters attach via magnetic seals at the edges, while the large filter in the bottom is a plastic slide-out filter.

Note that unlike the 280X, the front panel doesn't pop off easily to give you access to the intake filter on the 680X. Instead, you have to remove two thumb screws on the radiator mounting bracket inside the case, and the filter can then be popped out. This is more complicated in general than just being able to remove the filter from the outside, although it does lead to cleaner lines on the front. Whether you value slightly improved aesthetics over convenience is down to personal preference. But if you live in a dusty environment that necessitates cleaning the intake filter regularly, having to pop open the case and remove screws will become tedious.

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