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The Corsair Carbide 200R is a compact ATX chassis which manages to fit a plethora of great features into a compact form.
The 200R features tool-free drive bays, a CPU back plate cutout and support for up to eight fans. This array of features certainly put it in league with some of the best mid-tower chassis' currently on the market.
Installing a system into this chassis was effortless. The sides of the chassis feature thumbscrews meaning you don't need a screwdriver to get inside. That said, the thumbscrews are a little small, making it a bit harder to loosen if they have been overtightened.
The 200R is spacious and has plenty of room for installation of components. Fitting three 5.25″ drives and four 3.5″ drives won't pose a problem and there are four dedicated 2.5″ bays, ideal for a range of performance oriented Solid State drives.
The thermal performance of this chassis is above average. Our testing highlighted a CPU temperature increase of only 17 degrees even when overclocked to 4.6 GHz. That said, the motherboard temperature did increase a little more than we would like. Fitting another inexpensive exhaust fan in the middle of the case should negate this issue.
Hard drive temperature didn't increase much which highlights a capable front to back intake airflow methodology. Extreme overclockers could add another six 120mm /140mm fans if desired.
Acoustic performance is excellent. With only the two included fans in operation the sound level output is just under 38 dB. Adding another couple of quality fans wouldn't increase this significantly.
In terms of design, we like the simplicity of this chassis.
The fact that you can just slide in 2.5″ drives, 3.5″ drives or 5.25″ drives without any screws or trays is very convenient. There is also logical routing holes around the motherboard which suited our cooler and cables perfectly.
With the included cable ties you can easily make this a tidy and clutter free system. The only thing we didn't like about the design is the I/O section at the top of the chassis. The buttons to turn on and reset your computer on our sample exhibited weak lighting.
The Corsair Carbide 200R Compact ATX Chassis can be purchased for just £49.98 from Ebuyer.com. This is a remarkable price for a case with so many commendable features. Highly recommended.
Pros
- Simple, tidy and easy to use.
- Well built.
- Decent thermal and acoustical performance.
- Can fit up to eight 120mm fans.
- USB 3.0 ports.
- Excellent value for money.
Cons
- Not the most dramatic of designs.
- Power and Reset Switch buttons could have been designed better.
Kitguru says: A quality case at a very reasonable price point. Ideal for gamers on a budget.
this is a great case for the money – love their products. A lot of system builders use this case.
Ive been waiting for a long time for an ultra high end aluminum case from Corsair, like a Lian Li case, around £300-£400. They have the resources to make that happen and would get all the design 100% right.
@ Dank D well its called the Corsair 900D yours for £290 in april, They did’nt use aluminium for that majority of the case due to the flex it would of had in a case that size
@ Leon T. Thanks, yeah I almost bought it, but I want them to make a proper high end aluminum case, like Lian Li. It wouldn’t flex if they built it with higher grade, thicker aluminum like Lian Li. Those are really quality products.
Only problem with Lian Li is their products look a bit stuffy now and they haven’t modernised them to keep up with the times. Thats why I want Corsair to make one. Id pay up to £500 for one of those. A good case can last a lifetime. I still have some Lian Li cases from a decade ago.