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Before we discuss the aesthetics of the Corsair Obsidian 800D, let’s just go over a few specifications. Being a full size ATX case we expected the Obsidian 800D to be big. That said, we never expected it to be quite this big. Measuring 60.9cm tall, 60.9cm long, and 22.9cm wide, the Obsidian 800D is much bigger than all full towers that we have reviewed in the past.  Unfortunately, due to its massive size and the fact that Corsair manufactured the Obsidian 800D largely from steel, it weighs a hefty 15.8kg, making it heavier than many other full tower cases as well. Even though 15.8kg is not an outrageous weight for a full size ATX case, it still makes the Obsidian 800D a little too heavy for a gaming computer that is going to get moved around a lot.  The Obsidian 800D is available exclusively in black with a case window. Although the design does appear very simple, it is far from boring, and the matte black paint job gives it a very stealthy look that will appeal to those after a more subtle design. The front bezel looks very slick, as you will see in the various pictures provided, and there are no visible I/O connections featured on the front of the case.  There is no real defining characteristic on the front panel of the Obsidian 800D case. There is a large built-in aluminum door that measures 15cm wide x 16.5cm tall. Pressing the door opens it and doing so exposes four unusual looking trays. Each tray has its own release mechanism that allows the tray to slide out.  These four trays are for hot-swappable SATA hard drives that provide users with a very quick and easy way to install hard drives. Our only gripe here is that there are just four of them, at least six would have been ideal.  Above the hot-swappable SATA hard drives are five 5.25” external drive bays. The front bezel itself is not easily removed though removal is required to access the last two 3.5” drive bays. The bezel is removed using physical force by pulling it off and this was a little difficult at first. The only other noticeable detail on the front of the case is a power button in the top left hand corner, which is accompanied by a small white activity light.   However there is one last hidden door on the front of the Obsidian 800D which hides the I/O panel. Behind this door we have a total of four USB 2.0 ports, a Firewire port and two audio jacks, along with the reset button. The only thing missing from the lineup is an eSATA port, which is both surprising and disappointing. At the top of the Obsidian 800D we have three 120mm fan grills which do not come loaded with fans. Rather, as standard the honeycomb grills simply act as ventilation, while providing the user with the ability to install more fans if they choose. The right hand side door is completely featureless and measuring 59cm x 57cm it is just a huge matte black panel.  The bottom of the Obsidian 800D is a little different, as it features a huge dust filter that measures 38cm long x 18cm wide. This filter is designed to stop the power supply from collecting dust from the floor, while also preventing any dust from working its way into the case. Again there is a great deal of honeycomb ventilation in the bottom of the case. Around the back the Obsidian 800D looks much like any other full tower case, though we should point out that the matte black paint job is also continued around to the rear. At the very top we have another large honeycomb grill which has two large buttons either side of it. Pressing these buttons will allow the user to quickly and easily remove the case doors, which is quite an impressive design element. Below the honeycomb grill is a pair of circular 20mm rubber grommets designed to allow users to externally mount water cooling radiators. Further down we have the standard I/O panel slot, along with a 14cm grill which is paired with a fan. There are seven motherboard expansion brackets and at the very bottom of the case a power supply bracket. |
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