I am a fan of products made by Corsair, but I want to start this 330R review by saying I am fairly mixed on how I feel about this case. On this case overview, I will go over some important aspects of the case and some of the reasons I am thrown off by it. Here we go.

Design

The 330R case is very, very simplistic in its design. On the front side, we have a beautifully done brushed aluminum exterior. There are two versions of the Carbide Series 330R: the regular version (also called the Blackout Edition) and the Titanium Edition. The differences are essentially the front side and fan speed switching. With the regular Blackout Edition, you get a basic blacked aluminum and no option to change the fan speed. The Titanium Edition gives you that option and also a more elegant gunmetal color as brushed aluminum on the front. I went with the Titatnium Edition because of the look and was surprised to see that it only cost a few bucks more (as of this writing, both editions of the 330R case retail for approximately the same price).

The sides are both black on the two editions, so if you are wanting an all-black chasis with an emphasis on simplicity, I’d say go for the 330R Blackout. For me, though, the design was already as basic as it gets, so I opted for the more flavorful Titanium finish. They both have an ATX form factor to fit your full-sized ATX motherboards. I used this one to house a full-size ASUS Z97a motherboard when doing one of the builds for a buddy of mine.

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The full build, for those interested:

  • Intel i5 4690k processor
  • GTX 970 Ti
  • ASUS Z97a motherboard
  • Kingston HyperX Fury RAM 8GB (2 x 4GB)
  • EVGA 600 Bronze-certified 60+ PSU

Overall, the build quality of the case itself is good for me. Even the headphone jack was made of metal. Corsair is also known to manufacture some spacey cases, and even for a mid-tower case, the 330R definitely felt big for me. Building my buddy’s computer through this case felt easier than other cases, so I definitely would recommend it to those starting out. As far as the aesthetics of the case go, it seems annoyingly bare to me, but I will say others may prefer it. Definitely browse through the pictures to see if that is what you want your computer to look like.

Emphasis on sound dampening

This case was designed to have sound dampening qualities. Along the interior of each panel, from the back, the sides, and the front, have noise reduction material attached. For the affordable tier its in, I would say the noise removing design is spot on. Other cases on this price range don’t often include material to stop sound from the inside. The front door is also advertised to cleverly reduce noise from the front fan, though on my build, I was still able to hear it.

Still, for anything around this price range, the material does a damn good job of silencing the components. Air building up inside since the material tends to trap it was a concern to me, but Corsair gave a nice guide on where air should flow when building the case, and I am happy to say that internal temperatures are in check so far. The emphasis on dampening sound is probably this case’s best asset.

Where it went wrong

I really do like this case as it serves its purpose well with the sound dampening, optimum air flow, included fans, well-designed materials, and relatively easy-going price. But I must say that I am not a big fan of its aesthetics, as mentioned before. It really is a basic computer case that adds nothing in terms of style for your setup. The brushed aluminum on the front side, along with the gunmetal finish if you get the Titanium Edition, are as much style as you’re going to get. Everything else is basically a non-factor and really drabs up a computer desk. Still, many people can prefer that. While $90 retail is not a lot for a computer case, I have found many under $60 or $70 with much more style than this one.

There is also no anti-vibration mechanic in place for the power supply. My EVGA 600 was not brand new when I got it. Many cases have at least some rubber platforms for the power supply to go on, but the 330R had none. That kind of goes against the anti-sound focus the case was going for, as now the power supply, while not too loud to be disturbing, is still audible.

  • 9/10
    Features - 9/10
  • 8/10
    Functionality - 8/10
  • 6/10
    Design - 6/10
  • 8/10
    Value - 8/10
7.8/10

Summary

I like the 330R mid-tower case for those that want a professional-looking case that also has much less noise coming from its internal parts than other cases. There are enough bays and ports for me, as well as good materials for the case itself. The air flow is good and the price isn’t a lot. Still, it looks very drab and lifeless for a $90 case. Purchase for its features and usefulness and you’ll be happy with it.

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