Conclusion
For those who can't fathom why the optical bay is being phased out while superfluous RGB lights are appearing everywhere, the 678C is a refreshing turnaround.The Corsair Carbide Series 678C is a large, understated ATX chassis that does a fine job of delivering both legacy and forward-looking features in a single box.
For those who can't fathom why the optical bay is being phased out while superfluous RGB lights are appearing everywhere, the 678C is a refreshing turnaround. There's nothing overly gaudy about the case, storage credentials are excellent with support for six 3.5in hard disks, three 2.5in SSDs and a 5.25in optical drive, plus you get modern goodies such as vertical PCIe slots and front-facing USB Type-C.
Cooling potential is bolstered by nine available fan mounts, a good amount of filtering and an integrated PWM hub, and if you're going to create something trendy, the vast hinged side window provides a wide view. We imagine the decision to retain an optical drive will be enough to convince some customers, however the case isn't perfect. The plastic front door, in particular, feels cheap compared to the rest of the enclosure, rear cable management could certainly be better, and given the £180 price point, we're not sure Corsair has done enough to make the 678C stand out from the crowd.
Bottom line: we'd like to see the price tag drop closer to the £150 mark, but Carbide Series 678C is ultimately a quiet and versatile case that's worthy of consideration if you can't bear to let go of the optical drive.
The Good The Bad Large hinged side window
Sound-dampening on top, front and side
Room for a 5.25in optical drive
Nine storage bays
USB Type-C as standard
Three bundled 140mm fans and PWM hub Front door feels cheap and plasticky
Rear cable management could be better
Seems pricey at £180
Corsair Carbide Series 678C
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