During its existence the Fractal Design Company has already created quite a large number of externally similar cases. Unprepared in technical matters, the buyer will clearly find it difficult to understand which one will suit him. After all, the internal structure differs quite much, and it is reflected just by a pair of letters in each model name.


Today’s review is dedicated to the Define Mini C case. The basic concept of its design is minimalism. It got rid of the extra 5.25" compartments, bulky racks of 3.5" hard drives (as, in fact, few people use more than two such drives). The manufacturer tried to reduce external dimensions as much as possible without compromising compatibility with standard components. And, following modern concepts, they covered the power supply with a casing, thus dividing the internal space into two parts.


Features

Case type: Mini-Tower

Dimensions, mm: 412 (H) x 210 (W) x 413 (D)

Material: ABS plastic, steel

Weight, kg: …

Zalman is considered to be a key player in PC hardware field mainly due to a perfect combination of quality, functionality and price tags. CPU coolers are not an exception, since they ensure efficient and low-noise cooling of hard-hitting processors. The company’s latest CNPS8X Optima cooler is all about innovation that turns it around. Improved framework makes the model compatible with practically all platforms from Intel and AMD, save for Intel Socket LGA 2011/2011-v3/1366.



Zalman CNPS8x Optima employs a large heatsink, three copper heatpipes, and a single 92 mm fan. The latter is based on long-life bearing and features 4-contact connector. It is able to rotate at about 1200 RPM, producing not more than 30 dB noise.


The list of innovative technologies integrated into the cooler includes:


— Direct Touch Heatpipe (DTH) technology wherein all three heatpipes are in direct touch with a heatspreader. This accelerates heat dissipation process, enhancing overall …

Nowadays one can hardly trace the launch of chassis targeting different audiences. Products for gamers appear with enviable regularity, making thousands of potential buyers thrill from impatience to acquire a new creation. Unfortunately, the attribute 'gaming', defining the chassis, implies higher costs due to the integrated advanced design and technological options. Corsair perfectly understands that not all gamers can afford buying high-cost products and released gaming chassis, Corsair Carbide 300R, for middle-class customer audience. Despite the reduced cost, R300 demonstrates appropriate layout and framework facilities necessary for creation of an efficient gaming system.



Design and Layout


Corsair Carbide 300R goes with totally back casing and a single color version. The casing is made of steel, while the clipboard is made of dull plastic; this panel is fixed to the main framework by six latches with metallic inclusions. Overall design is characterized by strictness …