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Customer reviews of the Fractal Design Core 500

Fractal Design Core 500 94€94
Global rating
8/10
based on 9 reviews Editorial and moderation guide
  • 56%
    5 reviews
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    3 reviews
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      • by NilsP
        Posted on 31 Jul 2024
        Bought on 17 Aug 2020 from LDLC
        Number of reviews: 2 Average rating: 9

        Compact case for impressive component density

        I've used this camera for 4 years, and I was looking for a compact camera that would be easy to carry around, without making too many concessions. I think it will be easier to share my experience by listing the strengths and weaknesses.

        Strengths :
        - room for an ATX power supply (you have to be careful with the length though), the Seasonic FOCUS GX 850 Gold fits perfectly
        - enough space to accommodate long 2-slot graphics cards
        - the option of watercooling or a very large ventirad (NH-D15)
        - an impressive number of disk slots
        - filters included

        Weak points :
        - cannot accommodate a 2.5 slot graphics card
        - I found the LED indicating disk activity too bright; a piece of tape on it made it less aggressive
        - the PCI Express slots (for the graphics card) didn't allow certain thick cables to be connected (oculus link usb-c cable on an EVGA RTX 2070 Super), I had to bend the metal a bit to let it through.
        - It's difficult to connect cables to the motherboard without removing certain components such as the power supply
        - the 'cover' (top and sides) of the case is a bit complicated to put back in place

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      • by JoeBAR85
        Posted on 17 Oct 2019
        Bought on 9 Oct 2019 from LDLC
        Number of reviews: 4 Average rating: 8

        Almost flawless, formidable ...

        ... but you have to like to spend a bit more time than an ATX on installation.
        Especially for HDDs. I mounted 4 of them on the side slots, the war to connect all this little world. Almost impossible with the connectors facing each other.
        I oriented the connections of the 2 SSDs to the outside and it went like that, it's still a handkerchief.

        But what a nice result!

        I'm taking off one star because there could be a fan on the front panel. At least to inject some coolness. According to your configuration, it would be the only one lol
        I personally put everything in extraction
        I'm not worried about the temperature but I can't judge in summer O:)

        I remember : Super compact, super sturdy, hyper optimized to the mm
        I'm not sure what to do with it, but I'm sure it's a good idea to use it.

        It's really compatible with a 240mm watercooling rad at the top.

        Beware of your standard power supply (like 150*160) which can strongly hinder the installation of even medium-sized graphics cards.
        Ideally, the whole bundle should start on the right side with the fan at the bottom.
        I had to mount an old PSU upside down because of this. So it takes the air in the case, not cool at all but not anticipated costs so it will wait ^^
        I'm going to mount a 2060 mini to save some space and to be able to put the power supply in the right way. I'll keep you posted.

        PS: forget the optical drive unless you don't need to take advantage of the 2nd fan slot on top.

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      • by Fabrice V
        Posted on 11 Mar 2018
        Bought on 21 Dec 2017 from LDLC
        Number of reviews: 4 Average rating: 9

        Good box, spacious with some limitations

        The negative
        It is an open case that does not provide any soundproofing.
        It is a spacious case (everything is relative), which in the case of a DD + BR configuration does not leave enough space to slide the sata cables between the elements (by forcing it to go through).
        The structure on the opposite side of the card (not visible on the LDLC photos) could have allowed the sata layers to pass through in a way that would have been more adaptable to the orientation of the connectors.
        I highly recommend a modular power supply, a graphics card that is not of maximum length... And method to get everything in... then put it under the desk to limit the noise of operation.

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      • by Christian B
        Posted on 14 Sep 2017
        Bought on 15 Aug 2017 from LDLC
        Number of reviews: 3 Average rating: 6

        Quality of finish to be improved

        For a brand that claims to be Premium, the quality of the finish leaves something to be desired.
        2 of the 4 screws that tighten the cover to the body were so tight that I had to use pliers to loosen them. These screws were forced in because the holes on the cover are not opposite those on the body (or vice versa).
        I contacted LDLC customer service who were not really helpful. It was confirmed that I could keep only 2 screws to hold the cover, checking that there is no vibration that appears.

        As for the rest, the case is pretty much well designed. There is an intermediate power cable to connect the power output to a remote socket on the case. The shape of the plug forces a loop which puts this cable under strain; reversing the angle of the cable socket would have avoided bending it forcibly.

        Don't expect cable management to clear the area between the motherboard and the fan (especially the top one if you add one) perfectly. On the other hand, given the small size of the case, you have to accept the compromise.

        2 stars only because the price/performance ratio is not there.

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      • by gambol
        Posted on 29 Aug 2017
        Bought on 8 Jul 2017 from LDLC
        Number of reviews: 4 Average rating: 7

        Very good case for a compact gamer setup

        Let's start with the negative points before moving on to the positive ones :-)
        - Soundproofing: I searched for a long time which hard drive I could put inside, and I chose a WD Red 1Tb (WD10EFRX) which is quite discreet for this enclosure. I also tested the WD Green 1Tb (WD10EZRX) and it was unbearable (warning: I am a big noise freak).
        - The fan is quite noisy but I think it was defective (thanks LDLC for exchanging it for a voucher!)
        - The case does not have an ATX/SFX adapter: I had to cut an aluminium plate to do it myself

        The case does not have an ATX/SFX adapter: I had to cut an aluminium plate to make it myself. I have to know that this case requires a compromise between the length of the graphics card and the length of the power supply: I put a Corsair SF450 modular power supply (SFX format) which is 10 cm deep, and I have 3 cm of margin between the power supply cables and the back of my graphics card.

        That being said, let's move on to the (crazy) advantages of this Core 500 :-)
        - a crazy space to put the CPU fan you want: personally I put the Zalman FX70 which is a kind of passive monster... and it fits!
        - A 140mm fan that is located 1cm behind the FX70 and acts as a case fan and CPU fan
        - A crazy length and height to fit any dual slot graphics card!
        - a really neat finish, with silentblocks to fix the hard drives, a very complete set of screws and dust filters

        As you can see, this case is a very good choice for a semi-passive configuration where only the big 140mm fan would be running permanently (get a PWM so that it runs even slower!). For the rest the Zalman FX70 keeps my Core i3-6320 at 25°C idle and 38°C under load. With a semi-passive graphics card and a semi-passive power supply, it is the hard drive that makes the most noise in my configuration!

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      • by Olivier F
        Posted on 29 Jul 2017
        Bought on 11 Jul 2017 from LDLC
        Number of reviews: 5 Average rating: 8

        Good box

        This box was bought in promotion at a price defying all competition. It is still excellent and good value for money even without the promotion. It is of good quality, the sheet metal is thick, the shock absorbers for the hard drives are quite efficient. The volume is perfect and it is capable of carrying a good confiq. The volume is perfect and it is capable of carrying a good amount of power. I use it in a modest and fanless configuration, it is perfect for this role.

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      • by Anthony B
        Posted on 23 Jan 2017
        Bought on 14 Jan 2017 from LDLC
        Number of reviews: 13 Average rating: 9

        Good box, well organised

        Case used for the following gamer configuration:
        Z270i gaming pro AC carbon I5 7500 2x8GB ram 550w GTX 1060 6GB CPU fan Noctua NH-U12S plus 2 x 120cm fans.

        There's plenty of room to work despite the limited space.
        I also put in 3HDD 3.5" and 2 SSD 2.5".

        The air circulation in the case is well thought out.
        I recommend it for those who want a good configuration and a small footprint.

        The only negative point is that the power cable plug can be a pain to connect depending on the direction of the connector on the power supply, which is why I remove a 1/2 star.

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      • by Thomas
        Posted on 31 Oct 2016
        Bought on 15 Oct 2016 from LDLC
        Number of reviews: 2 Average rating: 9

        Very good box

        Optimised enclosure. Assembly is smooth (provided you follow the assembly order given in the manual). Plenty of space for disks.

        Be careful with the cables, they are difficult to fit in this small case

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      • by Antoine V
        Posted on 21 Mar 2016
        Bought on 15 Mar 2016 from LDLC
        Number of reviews: 5 Average rating: 9

        Good but be careful!

        The box is beautiful and simple, it doesn't look bad at all in my living room. It fits perfectly in an "Expedit" cabinet from IKEA :)

        As far as assembly is concerned, I don't have a modular power supply, so you have to go step by step, take your time and don't get nervous, don't forget that it's a mini ITX, so there's not much space! That said, Fractal Design has done a really good job, the screws are very accessible and the cable management is quite good for this type of case.

        WARNING: I had trouble integrating a Sapphire 7970 GHz Edition which is rather thick (45 mm), the fans were rubbing on the wall of the case. So I had to put a small wedge to move the card away from the wall, and I put the dust filter on the outside (very clever to make them magnetic!!!).

        In short, it's a case that I recommend, with a point of attention on the thickness of the graphics card (to be specified in the product description?)

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