Corsair Obsidian 450D Review
Category : Cases
Published by Luca Rocchi on 28.03.14
Corsair Obsidian 450D is the successor of the famous micro-ATX model of the same series, called 350D. The case is similar to the old model and shares the same clean and elegant design. Corsair 450D, unlike the 350D, is able to accommodate ATX motherboards. If you love simple design but with a good ventilation, then this model is very recommended for you.
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Corsair has recently announced its newest memeber of the Obsidian PC case series, the Obsidian 450D and today we will check out if this mid-tower PC case lines up with our expectations and if it is indeed a worthy member of the Obisidan lineup. On the following pages we will show you the strengths and weaknesses of the Corsair Obsidian Series 450D case. With this model Corsair completes the range Obsidian, ensuring full compatibility with all the form factor: from mini-ITX (Obsidian 250D) to HPTX (Obsidian 900D).
| Page 1 - Introduction | Page 5 - Left side |
| Page 2 - Preview | Page 6 - Top / Bottom |
| Page 3 - Front / Back | Page 7 - Conclusion |
| Page 4 - Right side |
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Preview
Specifications
| Model | Obsidian 450D |
| Case Type | Mid tower |
| Dimensions | 210 x 496 x 494 mm(W x H x D) |
| Material | Steel, Plastic |
| Color | Black |
| 5.25'' drive bay | 3 |
| 3.5'' drive bayBaie 3,5" | 3 |
| 2.5'' drive bayBaie 2,5" | 2 |
| Expansion slots | 7 |
| Form factors | ATX, mATX |
| Cooling | 2 x 120mm or 2 x 140 mm Front (included) 1 x 120 mm Rear (included) 1 x 120 or 140 mm Bottom 2 x 120 mm Top or 2 x 140 mm or 240/280 mm radiator |
| I/O ports | 2 x USB 3.0 Audio in / out |
| Page 1 - Introduction | Page 5 - Left side |
| Page 2 - Preview | Page 6 - Top / Bottom |
| Page 3 - Front / Back | Page 7 - Conclusion |
| Page 4 - Right side |
[pagebreak]
Front
Overview |
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| Taking a closer look at the front of this standard ATX case shows that Corsair is using high quality materials. The front features a hairline brushed aluminium finish with a big mesh panel. Unlike the 350D, the bottom part features a mesh behind which you can place a maximum of two 140/120 millimeter fans. The front I/O panel is locate at the top. On the left side of it you can see an audio out/in connectrors. Right next to the audio connectors is the reset button and while in the center you can find the power button with with white power and HDD activity LEDs. On the right part of the front I/O paneel there are two USB 3.0 connectors. Right below the I/O panel you can find two 5.25-inch slots, which are covered by bezels featuring the same aluminium imitation finish. |
Back
Overview |
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| Next to the usual slot bezels, of which there are seven in this case, there is another pre-installed 120 millimeter fan, which has been placed right behind the CPU cooler. Right below the last slot bezel there is space for an ATX power supply. Other than that, Corsair provides their cases with very decent screw threads, which make the thumbscrews fit perfectly. |
| Page 1 - Introduction | Page 5 - Left side |
| Page 2 - Preview | Page 6 - Top / Bottom |
| Page 3 - Front / Back | Page 7 - Conclusion |
| Page 4 - Right side |
[pagebreak]
Right Side
Overview |
|
| The right side panel looks really unspectacular and does not even have vent holes. As soon as we remove the panel things start to look a bit more interesting. The first thing we have noticed is the huge cut-out behind the motherboard. This allows you to easily install a CPU cooler with backplate even after you have mounted the motherboard into the case. Furthermore, there are numerous cable tie loops which help to arrange cables in a neat way. Looking for cable routing holes reveals that these have also been covered by rubber grommets. Overall the space behind the motherboard tray is good, but we would like to see at least few millimeters more, since some space is used for 2.5" slots. |
| Page 1 - Introduction | Page 5 - Left side |
| Page 2 - Preview | Page 6 - Top / Bottom |
| Page 3 - Front / Back | Page 7 - Conclusion |
| Page 4 - Right side |
[pagebreak]
Left Side
Overview |
|
| The left side panel features a huge window made in plexyglass. In the bottom right corner there is space for three 3.5 inch drives, which have to be mounted on carriages
which need to be slided in place afterwards. Right above the drive bays,
you can find some free space as well as a 120 millimeter fan, which makes sure, that you can install even oversized graphics cards and that they also get plenty of fresh air. Again, a bit closer to the top there are two 5.25 inch bays
which are totally tool-less. A closer look at the bottom left corner reveals the location
for the ATX power supply. The bottom of this case has a dust filter, which makes sure, the PSU and the lower fan stay dust-free. Above the power supply you can find another 120 millimeter fan as well as space for an ATX motherboard. On the top you can mount a 240 or a 280 millimeter radiator or two 120 or 140 millimeter fans.
When compared to the older model which we previously reviewed, the
Obsidian 350D, there are a few differences: first of all, the space for HDD / SSD is placed in different area
while the dust filters are larger in size. We decided to equip this case with a Corsair H100i all-in-on cooler, which fits perfectly. Once we have assembled all the hardware in place, you can see that this case offers a good internal space, even for high-end components. Installing a dual radiator in the top as well as huge graphics card was not a problem at all. |
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| Page 1 - Introduction | Page 5 - Left side |
| Page 2 - Preview | Page 6 - Top / Bottom |
| Page 3 - Front / Back | Page 7 - Conclusion |
| Page 4 - Right side |
[pagebreak]
Top
Overview |
|
| As we have already mentioned you find space to install either up to two 120 or 140 millimeter fans. Obviously if you like water cooling systems, you can install either a 240 radiator or a 280mm radiator at the top. Corsair has decided to use a large dust filter with magnetic frame. On the second picture you can see the rubber grommets which help to reduce vibrations. |
Bottom
Overview |
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| The bottom side of this case is quite simple. There is a removable dust filter, magnetic again, which can be cleaned easily as well as four solid feet with rubber coating. | |
| Page 1 - Introduction | Page 5 - Left side |
| Page 2 - Preview | Page 6 - Top / Bottom |
| Page 3 - Front / Back | Page 7 - Conclusion |
| Page 4 - Right side |
[pagebreak]
Conclusion
| General | + | - | |
| The Corsair Obsidian 450D is a great addition to the well known Obsidian Series from Corsair. The build quality reflects the Corsair standard and the product is very good in almost all aspects. However, the Obsidian 450D is not perfect, as we would have liked to see more space behind the motherboard for a better cable management. We particularly enjoyed the presence of large magnetic dust filters and a very good bundle. Inside the Obsidian 450D we found two 140mm fans and one 120mm fan which are pre-installed at the front and the back of the case. | - Design
- Bundle |
||
| Manufacturing quality / Ergonomics | + | - | |
| The build quality with this case is on a really good level. For example, Corsair
did not hopelessly save weight on the side panels. Furthermore, putting all the components in place is very comfortable, since there is plenty of space everywhere. We liked the rubber grommets and the
use of large dust filters. For our configuration we used an all-in-one water cooling system from Corsair which fits perfectly at the top part of the 450D. |
- Build quality - Dust filters | - Space behind mobo tray | |
| Design | + | - | |
| The Obsidian 450D is a mid-tower case for ATX motherboard. The finish of the front is well done. Overall, the design is timeless and the case would look decent on, as well as underneath, any desk. We would even go to the point to say that installing a 5.25 inch drive would ruin the looks of the front. Even on the inside, Corsair has used a cool solution for 2.5" drives, in order to keep the clean design. | - Design | ||
| Recommendation | + | - | |
| Should you be looking for a mid-tower case with a cool design, with a good bundle, manufacturing quality and a very reasonable price tag of US $119.99, then you will not make a mistake by choosing the Corsair Obsidian 450D. | -
Gaming-PC - Enthusiast build |
- Price | |
| Rating | |||
| The Corsair Obsidian 450D gets good four out of five stars. | |||
| Page 1 - Introduction | Page 5 - Left side |
| Page 2 - Preview | Page 6 - Top / Bottom |
| Page 3 - Front / Back | Page 7 - Conclusion |
| Page 4 - Right side |