Introduction

Fractal Design is a Swedish manufacturer, and their products are easy to find in the US. The Core 3000 is a mid-tower case that costs USD 65. Let’s see if it is a good pick.

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Figure 1: Fractal Design Core 3000 case

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Figure 2: Fractal Design Core 3000 case

The left-side panel has a mesh where you can install a 120 mm or 140 mm fan, which doesn’t come with the product. There isn’t an air filter for this mesh.

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Figure 3: Left-side panel

The Front Panel

The front panel of the Fractal Design Core 3000 has a very sober look, with only two external 5.25” bays, which allowed more space for internal bays. The external bays use meshed covers with air filters, and the bottom one comes with an adapter for you to install an external 3.5” device.

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Figure 4: Front panel

Internally, the case has two hard drive cages, and it comes with a 140 mm fan on its front panel cooling the top hard drive cage. You can install a second 140 mm fan to cool down the bottom cage or you can move the fan to the bottom, if you prefer to cool down the bottom cage instead of the top one. This fan spins at 1,000 rpm and comes with a three-pin connector, and it can be installed on the fan controller that comes with the product. There is an air filter for these fans.

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Figure 5: Front panel

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Figure 6: Front fan

The Top, Bottom, and Rear Panels

The top panel supports two 120 mm or 140 mm fans, and the Core 3000 comes with a 140 mm fan installed. This fan is identical to the front one, spinning at 1,000 rpm and using a three-pin connector. It also can be installed on the fan controller that comes with the product.

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Figure 7: Top panel

The case comes with four USB 2.0 ports but no USB 3.0 ports. They are located on the front part of the top panel.

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Figure 8: Buttons and connectors

The bottom panel allows the installation of one 120 mm fan, but the case doesn’t come with an air filter for it. The second mesh you see in Figure 9 is for the power supply fan, and at least this one comes with an air filter.

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Figure 9: Bottom panel

The rear panel and the interior of the Fractal Design Core 3000 are painted black.

The power supply is installed on the bottom part of the case.

The Fractal Design Core 3000 comes with a 120 mm fan installed on its rear panel, which has a maximum speed of 1,200 rpm and can also be installed on the fan controller that comes with the product.

There are seven expansion slots, all with white, vented covers.

This case has two holes using rubber covers for hoses of liquid cooling solutions.

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Figure 10: Rear panel

Let’s now take a look inside the Fractal Design Core 3000.

Inside the Fractal Design Core 3000

Both panels are attached to the chassis using black thumbscrews. The motherboard tray has a huge hole for you to access the backplate of the CPU cooler without having to remove the motherboard from the case, several holes for you to route cables behind it, and several metallic clips for you to fasten cables using cable ties.

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Figure 11: Overall look

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Figure 12: A view behind the motherboard tray

In Figure 11, you have another overall look inside the case. Expansion cards are fastened using black thumbscrews. The Fractal Design Core 3000 supports video cards up to 10.6” (270 mm) long, but if you remove the top hard drive cage, this clearance is increased to 16.5” (420 mm). The case supports CPU coolers up to 6.3” (160 mm) tall.

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Figure 13: Overall look

The power supply is installed at the bottom of the case. Note that it can be installed with either its bottom fan facing up or facing down, so you can decide if you want the fan of your power supply pulling air from inside the case or from outside of it.

If you install a power supply up to 6.3” (160 mm) deep, you can install a 120 mm fan on the bottom panel. As already discussed, the case doesn’t come with an air filter for this fan, but it comes with an air filter for the power supply fan.

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Figure 14: Power supply compartment

The fan controller, shown in Figure 15, must be installed on an expansion slot. It is a single-channel, analog controller supporting three fans, which means that all fans are controlled through a single potentiometer.

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Figure 15: Fan controller

The Disk Drive Bays

The Fractal Design Core 3000 has two external 5.25” bays and six internal 3.5”/2.5” bays, and you can convert one of the external 5.25” bays into an external 3.5” bay. They don’t have tool-less installation mechanisms, but the case comes with several black thumbscrews for you to install the disk drives, which is terrific.

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Figure 16: Disk drive bays

The six 3.5”/2.5” bays are available inside two hard drive cages. You can remove the top cage in case you need to install longer video cards, or in the event that you want to increase air flow inside the case.

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Figure 17: Top hard drive cage removed

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Figure 18: Hard drive cage

Each 3.5”/2.5” bay is actually a small drawer, each one featuring rubber rings to absorb vibrations from 3.5” devices.

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Figure 19: One of the 3.5”/2.5” bays

Main Specifications

The main specifications for the Fractal Design Core 3000 include:

• Style: Mid-tower
• Application: ATX and smaller form factors derived from this one
• Material: Zinc-coated steel (SECC) body
• Power supply: Doesn’t come with the product
• Available colors: Black
• Side panel: Meshed
• Dimensions: 16.9 x 7.9 x 18.9 inches (430 x 200 x 480 mm) (H x W x D)
• Net weight: 17.5 lbs (8 kg)
• Gross weight: 20 lbs (9 kg)
• Bays: Two external 5.25” bays, one external 3.5” bay converted from one 5.25” bay, six internal 3.5”/2.5” bays
• Expansion slots: Seven
• Maximum video card length: 10.6” (270 mm) or 16.5” (420 mm), if the top hard drive cage is removed
• Maximum CPU cooler height: 6.3” (160 mm)
• Fans: One 140 mm fan on the front panel (1,000 rpm), one 140 mm fan on the top panel (1,000 rpm), and one 120 mm fan on the rear panel (1,200 rpm)
• Optional fans: One 120 mm or 140 mm fan on the left panel, one 140 mm fan on the front panel, one 120 mm or 140 mm on the top panel, and one 120 mm fan on the bottom panel
• Extra Features: Single-channel, analog fan controller
• More Information: http://www.fractal-design.com
• Average Price in the US*: USD 65.00

* Researched at Newegg.com on the day we published this review.

Conclusions

The Fractal Design Core 3000 provides a terrific cost/benefit ratio for users who are looking for a mid-tower case with nice features at an affordable price.

Strong Points

• The 5.25” bay covers are meshed with air filters
• Air filter for the power supply fan
• Air filter for the front fan
• Support for seven fans, comes with three
• Analog fan controller for the three fans that come with the product
• Vented slot covers
• Support for six 3.5”/2.5” storage devices
• Thumbscrews for fastening the expansion cards
• Thumbscrews for fastening disk drives
• A huge hole in the motherboard tray for accessing the backplate of the CPU cooler
• Holes for routing cables behind the motherboard tray
• Metallic clips for fastening cables using cable ties

Weak Points

• No air filter for the optional left and bottom fans
• No USB 3.0 ports