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  • vanilla_gorilla - Friday, April 29, 2016 - link

    " It is the balance between them that matters and we feel that Corsair did a fine job balancing their design to the best possible extend."

    Extend? You mean extent? Even that seems poorly worded. Editors asleep over there?
  • vanilla_gorilla - Friday, April 29, 2016 - link

    " It is next to impossible to bent or twist the chassis, even if a lot of force is applied. "

    You mean bend?
  • retrospooty - Sunday, May 1, 2016 - link

    Seriously, the world doesn't need another grammar Nazi. This is the internet not an official textbook
  • random2 - Wednesday, May 11, 2016 - link

    This is a journalistic article, by a paid contributor or editor, available for the world to view and is at least a semi permanent record so there is a certain level of professionalism expected. Proofing these articles before posting is not difficult or even that time consuming. Not proofing is just asking to be entered in a race to the bottom...speaking from a journalistic point of view.
  • economymatthew - Friday, April 29, 2016 - link

    A pretty b itchy response to a free product review
  • jardows2 - Friday, April 29, 2016 - link

    Apparently you haven't been reading the comments section of AnandTech articles for long. Always someone quick to point out typos and grammatical errors!
  • Samus - Friday, April 29, 2016 - link

    Ignore the trolls. Odds are this site is older than they are.
  • Valantar - Saturday, April 30, 2016 - link

    Age is a poor differentiator when it comes to whether or not to ignore trolls. Fully grown trolls are just as undeserving of our attention as those still in their larval stages.

    More to the point: sure, pointing out typos and other error in a long article can be helpful (there's a reason why proof reading used to be a profession!), but as with everyone else on the internet, we could do with an extra dose of humility and politeness.
  • random2 - Tuesday, May 10, 2016 - link

    Younger trolls care not about grammar.
  • boozed - Friday, April 29, 2016 - link

    Occasionally the pedantic nonsense is necessary, such as when an error stems from a fundamental misunderstanding of the meaning of words.

    Pointing out typos is tedious however. How hard can it be to implement a "send correction" form? Plenty of sites have them and it gives people somewhere to put their pedantic nonsense without drowning out the main comments.
  • close - Saturday, April 30, 2016 - link

    Well, "bent" and "extend" are correct, just not in that sentence. So only a proof reader would spot it, not a spell checker. And the author's name suggests he may not be a native speaker so you can expect some mistakes. As long as the technical details are correct I can get over spelling errors, photos that weren't shot RAW, and other BS like this coming from people that have nothing better to do.
  • jdavenport608 - Friday, April 29, 2016 - link

    I come here for the expert and professional reviews. I would expect the expert to be able to sound the part. Basic spelling and grammar mistakes make me wonder about other parts of the review. Plus it breaks up the smooth flow of the article to stumble across these types of mistakes.

    I have been wondering about the editorial staff of some sites I read for awhile now. Sadly, Anandtech is not the only site with this problem.

    As for being free. I have no ad blockers running. Plenty of ads here.
  • The_Assimilator - Friday, April 29, 2016 - link

    ^ This guy gets it. Simple spelling and grammar mistakes reveal a lack of professionalism.
  • MatthewsWal - Friday, April 29, 2016 - link

    <irony>Yeah because two simple spelling mistakes that a spellchecker cannot catch is what makes a review unprofessional.</irony> Have you ever bothered checking the background of the writer? Other than that he is not even American and he still writes better than most I've seen, I still prefer reading a piece written by someone with a phd than "reviews" written by people of questionable education and expertise.
  • The_Assimilator - Saturday, April 30, 2016 - link

    Allow me to introduce you to the concept of "an editor".
  • JoeyJoJo123 - Friday, April 29, 2016 - link

    You mean a b itchy response to Corsair advertising, right? Tech journalists who run a website with paid employees don't review stuff for free, you know. They make articles so that they can continue to have a job.
  • svan1971 - Saturday, April 30, 2016 - link

    economymatthew - Amen.
  • Black Obsidian - Friday, April 29, 2016 - link

    I picked up this case's sibling, the 400C (full-frame side window, no acoustic dampening, dust filter replacing top panel) and then stuffed a 5820K, Corsair H110i GT, and MSI 980Ti into it. With Corsair AF120/140 Quiet fans in the top and rear running at 100% it's still virtually silent at idle, and normal gaming load conditions. Airflow is a bit weak, but this isn't a case for extreme overclockers anyway.

    I had the same difficulty with the front panel, solved by bending the plastic tabs inward a bit so the force required to remove the panel is now only "quite a lot" rather than "Hulk Smash!". Also, as much as I like the aesthetics of the PSU/HDD/wiring shroud at the bottom, it was quite a pain to put back into place after the motherboard was installed.

    Overall a very reasonable case for $110CAD, but I don't expect it to have the kind of longevity my Corsair 650D and Antec P180 enjoyed.
  • nagi603 - Friday, April 29, 2016 - link

    Good to hear of an owner... and speak of the devil, I still have a P180 in active service. :)
  • Black Obsidian - Friday, April 29, 2016 - link

    My original P180 lasted a long time, but my back still hurts just thinking about it.
  • niva - Friday, April 29, 2016 - link

    My Antec TITAN 650 is still in use, I don't think I'll ever need/want another case for a workstation... but yeah, it does make my back hurt thinking about it :)
  • kmmatney - Friday, April 29, 2016 - link

    I am still using my P182 from 2007. I'm been wanting to replace it for the last 4 years, but always spend the money on cpu or video card upgrades instead. I clean and oil the fans 3 years or so, and still have the originals. About the only thing that wears out on a case (besides the fans) are the front USB ports, and mine barely work. There are no 2.5" drive mounts, so my 2 SSDs are mounted with tie straps. It's big and heavy, but virtually silent, and keeps everything cool. I hate the stupid divider between the motherboard and PSU compartments, but other than that it's still a nice case. I've always felt monitors and cases are worth spending a little extra on, as they can last so long.
  • Valantar - Sunday, May 1, 2016 - link

    What happened to Antec, really? Ten years ago, they were the bee's knees when it came to stylish, quiet, high-performing cases. These days, they're hardly relevant at all. I remember when the Fractal Define R3(?) first came to market, and everyone was raving that "it's a P180 for half the price!" Did Antec's R&D department die of shock? The P280 looks half decent, but it's huge and unwieldy, and has some odd solutions. The P183 looks like it was designed in 2005, and is hideous compared to the P180. Don't even mention the P193. And their other cases? Blergh.
  • Jeff7181 - Friday, April 29, 2016 - link

    No external 5.25 inch bays? Really? Optical media is not THAT dead...
  • jardows2 - Friday, April 29, 2016 - link

    I would think without the 5.25 bays, it could have been designed a bit smaller. Wouldn't fit EATX that way, but not sure there is a big market for enthusiast EATX motherboards and compact cases like this.
  • Black Obsidian - Friday, April 29, 2016 - link

    There isn't really much space to be saved without sacrificing other use cases. Making the case less tall or less wide isn't really possible, as there's already no slack room to speak of. Reducing depth by more than 1" means sacrificing front-mounted radiators, long video cards, or both.

    Compared to, say, the Corsair 450D, the 400Q already trims 2.8" of height and 1.3" of depth. It's 0.2" wider, but that's just as well, given that the 450D was a bit tight on space for cables behind the motherboard tray.

    Realistically, if you want a smaller case, you'll have to accept the mATX form-factor, with the trade-offs that entails.
  • jardows2 - Friday, April 29, 2016 - link

    Even with mATX, it seems that any case forgoing the 5.25 drives do not make use of that deletion to save space. The cases either have the 5.25 drive bays, or might as well due to the size. It isn't until you get to mITX sized cases that the space savings gets fully realized, and even then, there are some rather large mITX cases.
  • Black Obsidian - Friday, April 29, 2016 - link

    You *are* saving space by forgoing the 5.25" drives, though. Look at my comparison above; the 450D has 2x 5.25" bays, which together are 3.2" tall. The 400Q omits those, and is 2.8" shorter. There's literally no more space to be saved, because the interior height is the sum of ATX PSU + ATX motherboard + 25mm top fan.

    To get any smaller while still supporting the same basic component set would require Time Lord science.
  • jardows2 - Friday, April 29, 2016 - link

    I compare this to my NZXT Source 210 case, which, I know, is a budget case. This Corsair is taller and wider than my case by about an inch each way (height difference may be simply the large feet of the 400Q). It is about 3" less in depth. For that mere 3" of depth, I lose 3 5.25" external bays, and 3 internal 3.5" bays. I would think that it would be possible to make an even more compact ATX case than the 400Q with the elimination of the 5.25" bays.
  • Ninhalem - Friday, April 29, 2016 - link

    Grab an external optical drive if you need one that badly, or go for some of the higher end carbide or obsidian series for the 5.25" bay. Media consumption is almost exclusively streaming now.
  • LordanSS - Friday, April 29, 2016 - link

    To be honest, I'd like to have space to install a BluRay burner for use as a backup solution for important things.

    Not talking about using normal BR media, but the M-Discs instead for more permanent backup. But I guess this would be an edge case, and an absolute minority of consumers for desktop cases.
  • Black Obsidian - Friday, April 29, 2016 - link

    For occasional use, a USB3 Blu-Ray burner seems like the natural solution. Pull it out the odd time you need it, leave it stored when you don't.
  • Murloc - Saturday, April 30, 2016 - link

    who back-ups on optical disks anymore?

    Not even OSes are sold on disks anymore.
  • LordanSS - Saturday, April 30, 2016 - link

    I reckon you either did not read, did not understand or just don't know what I was talking about.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M-DISC
  • Valantar - Sunday, May 1, 2016 - link

    Sorry, but they are. My household (two people) has five PCs in regular use. None have optical drives. We do have an external DVD drive for whenever the need might arise, but it hasn't been used for years. It just sits atop the HTPC like a tombstone to optical media. We do play blu-rays from time to time, but the PS3 does that job better than the PC. I can't remember needing an optical drive for drivers or anything else since before Windows 7.

    The space needed for 5,25" bays is better utilized for more modern use cases, like radiators, drive mounts or space savings (or all three, like in this case). I _really_ regret getting my Fractal Define R4 half a year before the launch of the Define S - I'd much rather have an additional 140mm fan in the front than two unused 5,25" bays.
  • twtech - Saturday, May 28, 2016 - link

    I still use optical media for some things, including OS installs. I don't use the drive a lot, but if I'm going to have a huge metal box for my PC enclosure anyway, it might as well have an internal optical drive for those times when I would like to use one.
  • HOOfan 1 - Friday, April 29, 2016 - link

    With the lack of 5.25 inch drive bays and the covered basement, I would say it is more of a competitor to the NZXT S340 and less a successor of the 300R
  • venkatsrin - Friday, April 29, 2016 - link

    Why do you keep reviewing big ugly cases, who needs such monstrosities??
    There is hardly any coverage on matx or mitx cases... boo hoo...
  • BrokenCrayons - Friday, April 29, 2016 - link

    I don't think computer case products really are changed that often by manufacturers. Just doing a quick search on Amazon, I was able to find mATX case designs that are essentially identical to the ones I was purchasing 5-10 years ago. It's probably just that there's not that many out there to review. Let's admit it, a case usually lasts a very long time. I've got one that was originally purchased in 2006 and really have no intention of replacing it as long as there are ATX motherboards around.

    Though I admit I could probably make a certain person very happy if I bought a Corsair Carbide 400Q for him and stuffed a new gaming computer into it. But I don't want company in my MMOs so I'd rather keep him on a console where gaming is simpler and easier for him. Plus there's sports titles on consoles and he's sort of a sports game guy. PC games...well those that aren't directly ported from consoles anyway...those are more for thoughtful or social types.
  • CaedenV - Friday, April 29, 2016 - link

    Any article with a coke can for scale is instantly a great article lol
  • BrokenCrayons - Friday, April 29, 2016 - link

    Agreed! I love the can for size comparison too. It makes me laugh a little when I see it.
  • jardows2 - Friday, April 29, 2016 - link

    I would have been better with a Dr Pepper can!
  • Holliday75 - Friday, April 29, 2016 - link

    I'd prefer to see a beer can and some surly language in the view. In vino veritas.
  • just4U - Friday, April 29, 2016 - link

    Hey E,

    You guys getting a review sample of Carbide Series 88R mATX?

    In my opinion the 350D is probably the best matx case on the market.. it's climbed in price (at least here in canada) since launch but still very popular... and my go to case. The 88R looks very similar to it.. kinda curious to see what Anantech thinks of it.
  • lehtv - Friday, April 29, 2016 - link

    "If it could have been a little lower it would be more competitive in a crowded market."
    This is not the correct way to use the second conditional. The conditional clause needs to be past tense: "If it had been...". It is sad to see a basic mistake like this in the concluding paragraph which pretty much everyone will read.a
  • lehtv - Friday, April 29, 2016 - link

    Oh, and it's either "had been" -> "would have been", or "was" -> "would be".
  • Murloc - Saturday, April 30, 2016 - link

    what about "Had it been a little lower, it would be more competitive in a crowded market"?

    I'm no native speaker but this sounds less convoluted to me than if "If it had been".
  • SpetsnazAntiVIP - Friday, April 29, 2016 - link

    @Anandtech - There are plenty of companies that will professionally edit your articles for spelling and grammar. I have a friend that does it for edanz. He could probably work something out with your site, if you are interested.
  • zeeBomb - Friday, April 29, 2016 - link

    Best cases that are reasonably cheap?
  • Magda Merz - Saturday, April 30, 2016 - link

    Thoughtful writing . I learned a lot from the insight . Does anyone know if my company could possibly find a sample IRS 5329 example to edit ?
  • mostlyharmless - Saturday, April 30, 2016 - link

    I've never seen a case with a modular (on/off, mike/headphone, USB) section that could be relocated to various areas of the case (top, upper front, lower front). Though it'll be a non-issue when all ports are wireless.
  • Murloc - Sunday, May 1, 2016 - link

    meh it would look ugly, plus there are so many cases that all use cases are covered.
  • mostlyharmless - Sunday, May 1, 2016 - link

    ... until you moved your PC to a new location & something different would be more convenient.
  • egmccann - Wednesday, May 4, 2016 - link

    True. It was one of the irritations I had with my old Sonata (and my current coolermaster case, actually.)

    As far as this case... no external drive access means it's not for me. Which is to bad, as I kind of like the straightforward aesthetic. (I don't want or need case windows, lights, etc.)
  • Valantar - Monday, May 2, 2016 - link

    Considering the amount of wiring coming out of front I/O panel, they aren't exactly easy to move around. It would probably be doable, but I'd bet not worth ruining the aesthetic of the case for 99% of designers.
  • tromedo - Monday, May 2, 2016 - link

    Any idea when motherboards will have internal USB Type-C Headers and the case manufacturers will adopt it for the front panel?
  • colonelclaw - Tuesday, May 3, 2016 - link

    I was wondering that myself. Should we be expecting a $99 case to have USB-C or is it too soon to be thinking that way?
  • Haravikk - Monday, May 2, 2016 - link

    Looks like a good case; I'm very much a fan of the muted looks and the sensible internal layout. Bit disappointed that the sides require thumbscrews and the front is friction fit when the top is magnetic, as I wouldn't mind paying a bit extra for some decent strength magnets for super-easy access.

    I know it's pretty typical to only review the bundled fans, but it would have been nice to see what kind of differences could be expected with different fan arrangements. I'm particularly interested in what the case might be like with liquid cooled graphics and the biggest passive CPU cooler that money can buy, leaving the top open. At modest fan speeds I imagine it should still be pretty quiet for modest gaming demands (not high end pushing it to the limit sort of stuff, which has never really interested me anyway, I prefer quiet).
  • pikunsia - Monday, May 2, 2016 - link

    Since I can't put my ASUS DVD-RW and my PIONEER BD-RE, this case is not for me. My Corsair 450D is eminently superior to this case.
  • AnnonymousCoward - Thursday, May 5, 2016 - link

    It looks like Corsair copied the Fractal Design R5, but insanely dropped support for optical drives (in a desktop tower!), and supports only a 120mm rear fan instead of all 140mm.
  • ononhk - Monday, May 9, 2016 - link

    VERY POOR CASE !!!!! (400Q)

    <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/b50845482435809"... target="_blank"><img src="http://thumbnails116.imagebam.com/48244/b508454824... alt="imagebam.com"></a>
  • skew88 - Wednesday, May 11, 2016 - link

    That's very worrying. When did this problem start? Do you have an idea what might have caused it?

    I would also like to chime in with a piece of criticism: The latches of the front panel are just extremely prone to breaking off. In fact, I saw a Corsair employee manage to do it at a Corsair booth the day after I did it myself! How did this make it through quality control!?
  • Earl-J - Saturday, August 6, 2016 - link

    * * *
    Okay, for those of us non-techies who very rarely get inside their own computers, let alone pry and snap things inside to get a better view, the direction. . .

    "To remove the two plastic covers that separate the PSU and HDD area from the rest of the case, the HDD cover has to come off first, then the PSU cover."

    means absolutely nothing.
    I can see the one piece (HDD) on the desk and the second piece (PSU)
    still attached to the inside of the main box... I know which one comes out
    first just by looking at the picture.
    I see the snap-latches that need to be pushed in order to get the covers out.
    The HDD latch has a cover of some sort on it that cannot be pushed, slid, or lifted...
    I can feel the pins under the chassis... once I get them to a position where I can pull the front up from the bottom, do I yank it up... push something else... or slide it...?

    LOL

    I've considered myself a logical person for many, many years...
    but this box has me stumped...

    (sigh)

    LOL

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