2015: Year in Review

December

Corsair Carbide Series 600C

This case was a strong launch by Corsair, and one that it really needed after a number of pretty uninspiring efforts. The 600C, also available as a low-noise edition as the 600Q, uses an inverted ATX design for optimal airflow, a PSU and drive bay shield to hide less attractive components and cabling from view and a hinged side panel to make access to the core components easy. The build quality is good, and it's pretty easy to work with as well. The highlight, however, is definitely the performance at lower fan speeds, which is hardly any worse than it is at full speed – the airflow to noise ratio is strong with this one.

Fractal Design Core 500

Fractal Design is another company that didn't have a particularly exciting 2015, but we managed to get a look at its Core 500 chassis in December and were definitely impressed. Despite having a very small volume, you can cram some serious hardware inside it without much difficulty, including CPU coolers up to 170mm tall and 280mm radiators. If you're looking to keep both the size and cost of your case down, the Core 500 is a great choice.

That's it for our 2015 Year in Review. Do let us know in the comments what you make of our picks, as well as what your own personal best buys and favourite launches of the year have been.