Corsair Graphite 380T Review
Category : Cases
Published by Marc Büchel on 05.09.14
With the Graphite 380T Corsair is going it's very own ways regarding case design. If we take a closer look we see that this cube is hiding quite a bunch of great features and it turns out this could be quite an interesting case.
On the next few pages we're
going to have a closer look at all the details and features the new Corsair
Graphite 380T case offers. At first glance it's obvious that this case has been
optimized towards great airfolow and miniITX gaming rigs in general.
[pagebreak]
Preview
Specifications
| Model |
Graphite 380T |
| Case Type |
Mini-tower |
| Dimensions |
393 x 292 x 356 mm |
| Material |
Steel, plastic |
| Color |
Yellow and black |
| 5.25'' drive
bay |
0 |
| 3.5'' drive bay |
2 |
| Expansion
slots |
2 |
| Form factors |
Mini-ITX |
| Cooling |
Front: 1x 200mm, 1x 140mm, 2x 120mm
Side: 2x 120mm
Rear: 1x 120mm
|
[pagebreak]
Bundle
Overview |
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The
Corsair Graphite 380T box is pretty simple and straight forward. It is made out of cardboard and features a scheme that shows the most important features of the case. Inside the box,
there is the case itself, protected by a plastic cover. To ensure that nothing is going to
be damaged during shipment, Corsair used two big pieces of plastic-sponge which is more than enough to protect the 380T.
The bundle is simple but complete
as you get a user manual, a great number of screws and zip-ties.
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[pagebreak]
Product overview
Overview |
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After
a first glance we can say that the Graphite 380T is a cube-ITX case with
a rather unconventional design, which you either like or dislike. While
it shares a classic interior layout, which is similar to many other ITX
cases, the outside features two large side covers and a convenient
handle for easy transportation. The entire front and the two side panels
are made of mesh, covered by a dust filter and they are very easy to
remove. The Graphite 380T is a case created to achieve high air-flow,
and in the front there is space for a single 140/200mm fan (140mm fan
included) or two 120mm fans, while on the rear there is also a
pre-installed 120mm fan. A closer look at the fans reveals that Corsair
is using their AFxxxL models, which are optimized towards a low noise
level. At the top there is the I/O panel, which features two USB3.0
ports and two audio jacks. Since the case has numerous slots for the
installation of fans but no 5.25" slot, it would be reasonable to assume
that customers might want a fan controller, which is exactly what
Corsair included with the Graphite. In the top there is a small unit
capable of adjusting fan speeds in three steps. The case rests on two
large feet made of plastic and covered with anti-slip material. Corsair
is offering the Graphite 380T in three different colors and therefore
you can get it in white, yellow and black. |
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[pagebreak]
Installation
Overview |
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The
Corsair Graphite 380T is only compatible with mini-ITX motherboards,
whereas the boards get placed horizontally in the enclosure and the case
itself allows for the installation of large heatsinks. As we already
mentioned, the 380T features a rather typical layout which means, there
are essentially two layers. In the bottom you install PSU as well as
SSD/HDD and what’s practical is that no tools are necessary to do so. Up
to two 2.5-inch drives can be placed in the small housing right next to
the power supply and another two 3.5-inch drives go into carriages
behind the front of the case. Overall you can install quite a few
drives, but we would not go that far to say, that you could build a
small storage system based on this case. In the case of the power
supply, there is enough space for units, that don’t measure more than
160 millimeter in length. Like always with smaller cases the
installation process is a little more circumstantial and we would
recommend to remove the hard drive cage before starting with the
process, since this can make your life a little bit easier.
Above the PSU or basically in the first floor you place the motherboard.
There is a huge cut-out in the motherboard tray which, under certain
circumstances, can make the installation of hardware more comfortable.
For our system we chose to use an ASUS Maximus VII Impact with graphics
cards of various lengths. After having placed the motherboard in the
special seat we did not find any compatibility issues and there is
enough size to install 240 millimeter all-in-one cooling solutions as
well as average sized tower coolers.
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[pagebreak]
Ventilation options
Overview |
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| Having
a closer look at the different cooling options we find a pre-installed 140
millimeter fan in the front and another pre-installed 120 millimeter fan
in the back of the Graphite 380T. A closer look at the front shows you
can alternatively install a 200 millimeter fan or up to two 120
millimeter fans. Since there is mesh basically everywhere on this case,
there is going to be good airflow. What also practical are the retention
bars to which you can either attach two 120 millimeter fans or a dual
radiator. Therefore it’s possible to build custom watercooled systems or
install a all-in-one watercooler with 240 millimeter radiator. If you
want to equip this case with a custom watercooling loop you might want
to remove the hard drive cage in order to find enough space to install
the hardware. |
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[pagebreak]
Conclusion
| General |
|
+ |
- |
| The
Graphite 380T is the latest ITX solution from Corsair and the case was
first shown at Computex 2014. It features a rather unconventional design with unexpected features such as
two very easy to remove side panels. Other than that there is a top
handle, a fan controller and great versatility when it comes to cooling.
Apart from that this case is available in three different
colors, which are black, white and yellow. |
|
-Bundle
- Fan controller
- Internal space
- Easy access
- Handling
- Available colors
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| Manufacturing quality / Ergonomics |
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+ |
- |
| The build quality is on very good level
and Corsair has certainly not been saving money on materials, therefore
there are for example no sharp edges and corners at all. Installing components inside the 380T is a rather simple and straightforward since there
is a little bit more space than what you get with other ITX cases. The
painting, internally and externally is very well done and quit hard to
scratch. As usual we appreciate the presence of the huge cut-out for the backplate
for easy installation of heatsinks and the many dust filters placed on the mesh. For our setup we used an
all-in-one liquid cooling solution with a 240mm radiator that perfectly
fits on the side of the case. Regarding the storage unit we would like to find more sleds, especially for 3.5"
drives. The power supply placement is easy accessible but unfortunately it is only compatible with PSU with a maximum length of 160mm. |
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- High quality materials
- Painting
- Internal space
- Watercooling options
|
- PSU space
- Only two 3.5" HDD |
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| Design / Layout |
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+ |
- |
| Of course, design is always a matter of taste
and you either love the Corsair Graphite 380T and find it sexy or you
simply like the looks. The Corsair Graphite 380T comes with a praticle handle,
that has been integrated into the top the case and this feature makes it
paractical for LAN parties. Another addition are the LED backlit fans as
well as the additional LED to show off the internals in general. |
|
- Bundle
- LEDs
- Fan controller |
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| Recommendation |
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+ |
- |
| On Geizhals, the Corsair Graphite 380T can be
found for 130€ plus shipping costs. It is available in three different colors, black, yellow or white. Despite
the fact, that the price tag is quite steep, we believe that the cooling solution, the high-quality materials and all the other features justify the price
tag of this small cube case from Corsair. |
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Gamers
- High-end system
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| Rating |
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The Corsair Graphite 380T gets good
4 out of 5 stars. |
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