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Fractal Design Core 3000 review

Our Rating :
Price when reviewed : £48
inc VAT

Very well made, but it's cramped inside and there are no USB3 ports

The Fractal Design Core 3000 is a small and attractive looking case. Its entire front is dominated by black mesh, keeping it slick and unobtrusive. The USB, headphone and microphone ports are on top of the case, which makes sense as you can place the case on the floor and still reach everything easily. The one disappointment is that there are no USB3 ports.

Fractal Design Core 3000

Inside, the case is a little on the cramped side. In its default configuration, the six 3.5in drive bays, mounted in two cages, mean that there’s only enough room for a graphics card of up to 270mm in length. Fortunately, you can remove the top cage, leaving a gap so you can fit in a graphics card of up to 420mm in length.

This has the secondary advantage that it makes it easier to reach the pre-cut holes in the motherboard tray. You can use these to route cables out-of-sight and keep the inside of your PC clutter free.

Fractal Design Core 3000

Sat perpendicular to the motherboard, the 3.5in drive bays mean you can install your hard disks or SSDs with the cables out of the way of expansion cards and the motherboards. It’s a little frustrating that the bays all require screws, rather than the tool-less designs we’re used to seeing, even on budget cases.

There’s just two 5.25in drive bays at the top of the case, although that’s still plenty for any PC. Again, the bays require screws and we would have preferred tool-free bays.

Fractal Design Core 3000

Fractal Design fits the Core 3000 with one 140mm fan and two 120mm fans, which should be enough cooling for most systems. If you want more, then you can add up to four more 140mm fans, as well.

If you’re after a small, well-built and attractive case for your PC, then the Fractal Design Core 3000 certainly fits the bill. However, the lack of USB3 support is a bit disappointing. The Corsair Carbide 200R is around the same price, is easier to build and has USB3 support – it’s the best choice at this price.

Details

Price £48
Rating ***
Case tower

Ports

USB ports 4
Total Firewire ports 0
Total eSATA ports 0
Headphone port yes
Microphone port yes

Physical

Size 200x430x480mm
Weight 7.1kg
Internal Drive bays 3 1/2in 6
5.25in drive bays 2
Fan mounts 3x 120mm, 4x 140mm
Fans supplied 2x 120mm, 1x 140mm

PSU

Supplied PSU no
Standard N/A
Fans N/A
Power supply wattage N/A
Motherboard connector N/A

Buying Information

Warranty one year RTB
Price £48
Supplier http://www.amazon.co.uk
Details www.fractal-design.com

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