Obsidian Architecture: Corsair 700D/800D Reviewed

Name: Obsidian Architecture: Corsair 700D/800D Reviewed
Brand: Obsidian

by Joel Hruska — Monday, June 14, 2010, 10:00 AM EDT

Introduction and Specifications

When we sat down to review Corsair's acclaimed 700D and 800D chassis, we couldn't help reflecting on how much the PC case market has evolved over the last decade. Ten years ago, when we were cutting our teeth on CPUs with code names like Coppermine and Thunderbird, enthusiast enclosures were few and far between. With the exception of Lian-Li, which was building $200+ all-aluminum nerd artwork even back then, the majority of the companies providing cases to the DIY market were busy churning out beige boxes with features that included:

Complimentary Band-Aids
1x 80mm 6000 RPM rear fan with an acoustic profile carefully modeled after a Boeing 727
The option to install a front-mounted case fan (fan not included)
Pre-installed CPU fan shrouds, painstakingly placed to guarantee incompatibility with the motherboard of your choice
Face plates that could be removed by hand rather than by specialized screwdriver, and finally,
Drive rails

You can still buy these sorts of cases—there are plenty of mainland Chinese bottom-suckers who prefer to glue their chassis together with the shattered dreams of inland migrant workers rather than those expensive pop rivets—but the price range between cheap junk and luxury hotness has exploded with a variety of chassis in the past ten years. In a market that's literally teeming with options from a variety of established manufacturers, how do Corsair's brushed-metal beauties measure up?

Corsair Obsidian 700D & 800D Enclosures

Specifications and Features

Model	700D/800D
Type	ATX Full Tower
Color	Black
Material	Aluminum (Faceplate) Steel (Tower)
Expansion	5 x External 5.25" Drive Bays (Both) 800D: 4 x Hot-swappable Drive Bays 2 x Internal 3.5" Drive Bays 700D: 6 x Internal 3.5" Drive Bays
Front I/O Ports	4 x USB 1 x Audio 1 x eSATA
Cooling	3 x 140mm Fans 4 x 120mm Fans (not included)
Physical Dimensions	24" x 9" x 24" (Length x Width x Height)
Weight	44 lbs
Warranty	3 Years Limited (parts / labor)
Price	700D: $219 800D: $269

Above, we have the 700D and 800D side-by-side. The differences between the two models are minimal; the 800D is ~$50 more and offers four hot-swap hard drive bays and a case window. We've included photos of both cases in our review but unless it involves one of the stated features above, any photo of the 700D is also representative of the 800D.