Corsair Obsidian 750D Case: Well Built For Water Cooling
Test Results, Conclusion
Our testbed hardware for the Corsair Obsidian 750D was a Core i7-2600K on an Intel DP67BG2 motherboard with 8GB of RAM and an AMD Radeon HD 6870. Systems were benchmarked by waiting 15 minutes after boot to record idle temps and after 30 minutes of running Prime 95 in stress test mode. All of the cases were tested using their default fan configurations.
The 750D cools more effectively than any of the mid-towers we examined under identical conditions. The differences, using a stock Intel cooler, isn't very high, but this chassis isn't really designed for stock cooling -- Corsair's documentation puts repeated emphasis on the radiator. Fan noise is excellent, but below the measurable level of our decibel meter, unfortunately.
The Corsair 750D is a great case for hardcore enthusiasts that love the look of the 900D and want something that replicates it without breaking bank accounts or backs. The AF140 fans included with the case are top notch. And we've got no complaints about the cooling performance or the general build quality, though the front mounted fan cover is a bit loose for our liking.
But for all that, the Corsair 750D is probably not the ideal case to choose unless you want to custom design a water-cooling setup. For practical, day-to-day use, we think fan controllers, built-in external drive bays, and sound proofing are more useful than 360mm radiator options. The truth is, increasing the size of the radiator block without increasing the size of the CPU or improving the thermal transfer material is only going to get you so far, and over half of the total heat resistance that builds up between a CPU and its cooling solution happens before the heat even migrates out to the external heat spreader. There's a diminishing marginal return to ramping up radiator size, in other words. The chassis may support up to four radiators, but practically mounting them into the case would be a nightmare of tubing.
But if you're in the mood for a crazy cooling project, and you want a positive-pressure chassis that allows for this sort of insanity, give the 750D a solid look. If you want something with more practical features, other manufacturers, or Corsair's own 650D, may be better bets.
The 750D cools more effectively than any of the mid-towers we examined under identical conditions. The differences, using a stock Intel cooler, isn't very high, but this chassis isn't really designed for stock cooling -- Corsair's documentation puts repeated emphasis on the radiator. Fan noise is excellent, but below the measurable level of our decibel meter, unfortunately.
The Corsair 750D is a great case for hardcore enthusiasts that love the look of the 900D and want something that replicates it without breaking bank accounts or backs. The AF140 fans included with the case are top notch. And we've got no complaints about the cooling performance or the general build quality, though the front mounted fan cover is a bit loose for our liking. But for all that, the Corsair 750D is probably not the ideal case to choose unless you want to custom design a water-cooling setup. For practical, day-to-day use, we think fan controllers, built-in external drive bays, and sound proofing are more useful than 360mm radiator options. The truth is, increasing the size of the radiator block without increasing the size of the CPU or improving the thermal transfer material is only going to get you so far, and over half of the total heat resistance that builds up between a CPU and its cooling solution happens before the heat even migrates out to the external heat spreader. There's a diminishing marginal return to ramping up radiator size, in other words. The chassis may support up to four radiators, but practically mounting them into the case would be a nightmare of tubing.
But if you're in the mood for a crazy cooling project, and you want a positive-pressure chassis that allows for this sort of insanity, give the 750D a solid look. If you want something with more practical features, other manufacturers, or Corsair's own 650D, may be better bets.
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