Overview

Overview

Once unboxed, you will instantly realize that the Core 2500 is a refined case, kept in pure Fractal Design's style. As far as aesthetics are concerned, it does not have any particular features and the only interesting thing is the front panel, which is made out of plastic material but looks like it is actually black brushed aluminum. The front panel features two 5.25” openings, and it is refined by a narrow vertical mesh on both sides which should supply enough fresh air to the front fans. At the top, you can find the I/O panel, which features two USB 3.0 ports, audio jacks, an HDD LED, as well as Power and Reset buttons. The top panel also has room for two 140mm fans, which are optional. Both side panels are secured with thumb-screws for fast removal, and they are both plain black. The right panel does not have any kind of openings, while the left one features a 140mm opening for an optional fan that would supply fresh air directly to the graphics card. The back panel features a big mesh too, and a 140mm pre-installed Silent Series R2 fan. Besides that, there is an opening for the motherboard I/O panel, and right below, there are seven PCI expansion slots covered by white brackets, which are also secured with thumb-screws. The back panel also features a little switch with three different levels, that can be used to regulate the speed of up to three fans. Last but not the least, is the standard ATX PSU opening.

Overview

Building a system inside the Fractal Core 2500 is very simple and easy. The internal space is well designed and the case features a few technical solutions that will make your life easier, even if you are not a skilled system builder. The motherboard tray, thanks to the brass standoffs is compatible with ATX, Micro ATX and Mini ITX form factor motherboards. Behind the CPU socket, Fractal Design included a big opening which allows you to install aftermarket coolers, that need a backplate, without taking out the motherboard. As far as the storage is concerned, the Core 2500 features four 2.5”/3.5” slots, all with rubber groomets to ensure that there is no transfer of HDD vibration to the case. The slides are arranged in order to leave a good margin for the cooling of the graphics card. In other words, two slides are placed close to the 5.25" slots and the other two in the lower part of the case. Behind the motherboard tray, you can install one more 2.5” drive. The PSU area features four rubber feet, so vibrations will not be a problem here either. If you want to build a tidy system, the Core 2500 is a great choice as it features 15mm of space between the motherboard tray and the right panel. The overall quality is good especially because we are talking about a 50€-range PC case but the side panels, the motherboard tray and the HDD slides are made out of some kind of metal that feels a bit cheap and is easily bendable. We would rather see that Fractal Design saved money somewhere else and use stiffer materials.

Overview

- Interior concept - Design

- Cable Managment - Rheobus

- Design