Early Verdict
The budget-priced CMT510 is a feature-rich mid-tower ATX chassis with something for just about everyone. The RGB-lit fans and tempered-glass side panels will appeal to gamers, and the chassis’ overall performance will keep performance enthusiasts happy.
Pros
- +
Very quiet
- +
Good thermal performance
- +
Triple tempered-glass side panels
- +
Includes four 120mm LED fans
- +
Aggressive price
Cons
- -
Front glass is easy to drop
- -
Cheap filters
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Fingerprint magnet
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Features & Specifications
Announced back in November, the FSP CMT510 mid-tower ATX chassis features RGB-lit fans, tempered-glass side panels on three of its six sides, and an asking price of just $90. What’s not to like? Let’s find out.
RGB lighting and tempered glass are all the rage these days, so it seems only fitting that FSP’s latest mid-tower case has an abundance of both. It’s obvious that the company designed this chassis to showcase your system build, but the sheer amount of factory-installed RGB fans suggests a focus on cooling performance, as well. But before we get ahead of ourselves, let’s take a look at the exterior of the CMT510.
The first thing you will notice about the FSP CMT510 is its sleek, stylish design. This mid-tower ATX chassis is constructed of steel and tempered glass and is painted black inside and out. The case measures 448x208x491mm (HWD), and it weighed in right at 16 lbs.
The top of the chassis features a fan-mounting location in the rear portion of the panel that can accommodate 120mm or 140mm fans, but the 1.1” of space above the motherboard is too narrow for most all-in-one coolers and radiators. At the leading edge of the top panel, you will find two USB 3.0 ports, microphone and headphone jacks, power and reset buttons, and an RGB controller switch.
The left, right, and front panels on the CMT510 are all 4mm-thick tempered glass. The left and right side panels are held in place by rubber-coated locating pins and thumbscrews. The plastic feet on this chassis have a simple yet effective outcropping on the top that acts as a support for the glass side panel and prevents the panel from being accidentally dropped. The front glass panel is held in place by four thumbscrews that thread through the frame from the inside into brackets that hold the panel about 10mm away from the frame. We find it odd that, unlike the side panels, there is nothing keeping this panel from falling once the last screw is removed. Extra care is warranted when removing the front panel.
The bottom of the case has two filter-covered holes, one for the power supply, one for hard drive ventilation, as well as four large, rubber-coated plastic feet. The rear of the chassis is home to seven card slots, a motherboard I/O area, and an opening for a bottom-mounted PSU.
The fan filtration system on the CMT510 is basic, but, for the most part, it serves its purpose. The included filters will keep pet hair and larger debris out of your computer but do little to prevent finer dust particles from entering your system. Also, cleaning and maintenance require turning the entire chassis on its side to remove the filters on the bottom.
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