Corsair Graphite Series 760T Review

Corsair Graphite Series 760T Review

Manufacturer: Corsair
UK price (as reviewed): £144.99 (inc VAT)
US price (as reviewed): $179.99 (ex Tax)

It was only a couple of days ago that we looked at Corsair's sub-£100 Obsidian 450D. We found that it was a solid all rounder but there's no denying that its aesthetics are rather plain. Combating this is the Graphite series of chassis, for which Corsair reserves bolder and racier designs, with the bright orange 230T being the most recent example. Today marks the launch of the 760T and 730T, two new additions to the Graphite range. We're looking at the bigger of the two, the 760T. Our white edition will set you back a hefty £145, with the black one currently a little less at £138. Samples are expected in the channel in early April.


Naturally, assessing a case's looks is a subjective process, but even so it would be difficult to describe the 760T as plain. In fact, we'd say it looks rather stunning. The protruding front section is neat, but the side panels are the stars of the show. The left one in particular really stands out, as it's made almost entirely from high gloss polycarbonate, which is translucent and thus essentially acts as a giant window, giving you a clear view of whatever tasty hardware you happen to stash inside.

Both panels are devoid of fan mounts but are wonderfully easy to use. Each one features a sizeable handle near the front, and pulling this allows you to swing the panels wide open as they are hinged at the back. You can also easily lift them off their hinges should you need. The one downside to this design is that the panels are very unsteady and wobbly when they're open. That said, this simply isn't an issue when you close them up again, as the handles keep them securely in place and flush with the rest of the chassis.


The case is certainly a large one. Round the back you'll find nine expansion slots, as it's actually large enough to accommodate both E-ATX and XL-ATX motherboards. The large, wide feet (which come with rubber pads for additional grip), boost the case's height even more, and also give it plenty of clearance, which is useful both for the PSU (guarded by a slide out dust filter), and for the bottom 120mm fan mount, should you choose to use it.

While the base fan mount is empty, the 760T does ship with three 140mm fans. You'll find two white LED models behind the front mesh and dust filter section and a third one in the rear exhaust position. There is also a trio of 120mm fan mounts, complete with rubberised mounting holes, in the roof, though can install a pair of 140mm fans instead too. These roof mounts are shielded by a magnetic plastic cover so as to protect your system against dust and spills. However, even if you choose to only use one roof mount, you'll need to expose the entire section of fan mounts, which will leave your hardware open to the elements since no dust filter for this area is provided. Also, the cover itself is a little flimsy and prone to picking up marks, at least on our white version.


The final things of note on the outside are the three optical drive bays, the top one of which has a stealth cover to preserve the case's aesthetic, and the I/O panel, which is found along the top. It's well connected, featuring two USB 2 and two USB 3 ports as well as the usual audio jacks, power and reset switches and a dual speed fan control button too.

Specifications

• Dimensions (mm) 246 x 564 x 568 (W x D x H)
  
• Material Steel, plastic
  
• Available colours Black, white
  
• Front panel Power, reset, 2 x USB 3, 2 x USB 2, stereo, microphone
  
• Drive bays 3 x external 5.25in, 6 x internal 3.5in/2.5in, 4 x internal 2.5in
  
• Form factor(s) XL-ATX, E-ATX, ATX, micro-ATX
  
• Cooling 2 x 140/120mm front fan mounts (2 x 140mm fans included), 1 x 140/120mm rear fan mount (140mm fan included), 3 x 120mm or 2 x 140mm roof fan mounts, 1 x 120mm bottom fan mount (fans not included)
  
• CPU cooler clearance 180mm
  
• Maximum graphics card length 460mm
  
• Extras Removable dust filters, dual speed fan control