This past week we’ve been focussed on two cases from Corsair’s new Crystal Series which aren’t within every system builders budget. Along with the 460X and 570X, Corsair released a new model to join their existing Carbide Series which is much more budget friendly. Enter, the 270R…

When building a new system, the final sum can come as quite a surprise once high-value components such as the CPU and graphics card are factored in, and therefore some enthusiasts prefer to choose an enclosure which is in the sub £100/$100 zone. The 270R appears to deliver the ideal balance between value and features.

Adopting a clean and tidy aesthetic is the name of the game here. Corsair has adorned this mid-tower with a subtle design on the exterior so that the visual impact is easy on the eye – the aesthetics are such that 270R will blend into the office space easily. Inside, we can install a range of different components; even reaching into the high-end department, with enough space for big CPU coolers and large graphics cards. The omission of the HDD/optical cages in the main chamber completely frees up space and encourages better airflow over the system. For a case with this price-tag, we’re impressed by how much space there is, and how much allocation there is – various areas can host different sized radiators, though we did have difficulty installing a 280mm radiator with its fans at the top of the chassis due to poor clearance from the motherboard to the top of the chassis.


Another aspect we were very pleased about was the cable management. The cut-outs and PSU cover allow you to route cables around the back of the case easily and this translates to a cable-free region over on the prominent side where the system is on full display with the Perspex side panel.

The two included cooling fans inside 270R present adequate results and emit very little noise, thanks to the models used and the closed off design from the front fascia. Why Corsair decided to use an LED fan for the front cooling remains a mystery – the front panel conceals the glow and the side panel reveals very little light from this fan.

The 270R arrives on the market with a price-tag of £65 GBP / $69 USD which isn’t exactly entry level, nor is it high-end. We’d classify this as a tier up from budget – a fairly basic chassis, offering some good features for a reasonable cost.

The Carbide Series 270R represents great value for money. This mid-tower supplies some nifty features which will come in handy for system builders who are on a tighter budget.


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