Corsair Graphite 780T White Full-Tower Chassis Review

[section label=”Introduction”]

Corsair’s Graphite 600T was THE case a few years back. It featured a smooth, curvy look and a really elegant feel to it that had a lot of people wanting the case. Fast-forward a few years now and Corsair hasn’t really created anything to be called a successor to the product but this year has seen the release of the new Graphite series from Corsair and one of those is the Corsair Graphite 780T chassis.

Corsair is best known for their memory but that has since shifted and the company now creates a full line of solutions for a broad facet of PC needs. Cases are one of the company’s primary markets and it is with their Graphite 600T that they have captured the hearts of many enthusiasts during the later parts of the last decade and now the company is back once again with a new product to re-instill that sense of class long sought after with the new Graphite 780T.

[section label=”Specifications”]

Specifications

[one_half] [table style=”table-striped”]

Warranty	Two years
Weight	11.3kg
Color	White
Case Form Factor	Full-Tower
Dimensions	689mm x 332mm x 670mm
Case Motherboard Support	Mini-ITX, MicroATX, ATX, E-ATX, XL-ATX
Maximum GPU Length	355mm
Maximum CPU Cooler Height	200mm
Maximum PSU Length	260mm
Case Expansion Slots	9
Case Drive Bays	(x2) 5.25in
	(x3) 2.5in
	(x6) Combo 3.5in/2.5in

[/table] [/one_half] [one_half_last] [table style=”table-striped”]

Warranty	Two years
Color	White
Weight	11.3kg
Case Material	Steel
Case Power Supply	ATX (not included)
External Connections	(x2) USB 2.0
	(x2) USB 3.0
	(x1) Fan Controller
	(x1) Headphone Port
	(x1) Microphone Port
Fan Mount Locations	Front: (x3) 120mm or (x2) 140mm
	Top: (x3) 120mm or (x2) 140mm
	Rear: (x1) 120/140mm
	Bottom: (x2) 120mm
Fans Included	Front: (x2) 140mm
	Rear: (x1) 140mm
Radiator Mount Locations	Front: 240/280/360mm
	Top: 240/280/360mm
	Rear: 120/140mm
	Bottom: 240mm
Compatible Corsair Liquid Coolers	H55, H60, H75, H80i, H90, H100i, H105, H110

[/table] [/one_half_last]

Official product page

[section label=”Packaging”]

Packaging

The Corsair Graphite 780T is packaged in a non-colored box bearing the 780T tag in the front. The sides bear specifications on both narrow sides and the rear has a detailed, breakdown of the inclusions of the case and its laundry list of features.

The case is protected by styrofoam inserts and a black, ecoweave cloth wraps the chassis inside to avoid scratches.

Included in the package are a variety of screws for mounting fans inside the chassis. Stand-off screws are cutdown to a single one because the motherboard tray already has them built in. More on that later. Zip ties are also included although only 4 of them. A chassis this size, you’ll be need much more than that for a tight, clean look.

[section label=”Exterior”]

Graphite 780T – Exterior

The Corsair Graphite 780T features a unique look and the resemblance to the Graphite 600T is actually quite minimal save for the recessed front. Our White edition model features a clean, bright paint job with both plastic and metal blending quite nicely.

Corsair has taken a more edgy look for their new Graphite series of chassis and the 780T, 760T and 380T all bear the same look from this design principle. The front of the Corsair 780T features a large intake grill and two 5.25″ front bays barely breaking up the uniform look of the front. The rear of the chassis shows us a bit more hint at how huge the chassis is with the sheer number of PCI expansion slots, the space on top of the I/O hole and that large 140mm rear exhaust. The 780T features a bottom-mount PSU area.

And this is where its all. The most unique aspect of the new Graphite series are their unique side panels with the new chassis bearing a simple latch system to easily hold the chassis in place. Whereas the 760T features a full clear panel, 780T has a central window which is by no means small as the chassis is quite huge already and the window exposes the contents inside very nicely. The other side panel has a recessed portion to give the chassis balanced feel in terms of looks.

Up top we spot the front I/O panel with the power buttons and the integrated fan controller. A large mesh top is also present. The Graphite 780T White edition is strictly black and white in its color scheme but the USB3.0 and power button highlight break that up a bit but nothing to really worry about.

Corsair made it really convenient to clean the chassis by allow the front and top mesh to be easily removed. To remove the front mesh, simply push gently on the mesh and the locks will release and you will have access to the front intake area. More on that later.

The top vent is removed in a similar fashion.

The front I/O panel features USB2.0 and USB3.0 ports a power and reset button and finally a fan controller option for switching between 3 speeds. We would have preferred all USB3.0 ports in the front as this case just screams out top-end and we assumed most users will have access to at least 2 front USB3.0 headers in their boards.

The side latch on the Graphite 780T removes the need for screws for removing the side. Just lift up and remove. Corsair really made the case accessible and maintenance friendly with these features.

Another maintenance-friendly feature is the bottom intake filters. Due to the length of the Corsair Graphite 780T, the company has opted for a mid-split filter design where you both front and back filters need to be removed.

[section label=”Interior”]

Graphite 780T - Interior

Popping the hood off the Graphite 780T White, we now have a peek of the enormous expanse of the chassis’ internal. Greeting us the large motherboard tray which can hold boards up to eATX and XL-ATX distinctions. If you need an idea how huge the board is again, notice that the motherboard tray hole designations ends just midway of the chassis.

Checking out the back of the motherboard tray, we spot a large hole for cooler bracket installation. Rubber grommets line the cable routing holes on the tray with the included cables already somewhat neatly tied in place. You’ll also notice 3 curious brackets on the drive areas. These are 2.5″ drive cradles where you can suspend SSDs or compatible HDDs if you want a cleaner look or if you remove the drive cages.

The Corsair Graphite 780T has space for the longest PSU’s in the market right now especially the higher wattage ones and its meshed bottom area allows for maximum airflow.

Here are the drive cradles populated with SSDs.

There are two drive cages built into the 780T, each one holding up to 3 cradles for a total of 6 drives. The cradles are flexible and can bend to fit your drives but we’d prefer the types that slide and lock in place which should avoid cradles that snap after a while.

The ceiling of the Corsair Graphite 780T features a long space for radiator and exhaust fan mounting. There is space for a full 360mm radiator on top or a wide 280mm one.

Keeping up with the Graphite 780T White theme, a white 140mm AF stock fan is included in the chassis. This fan pushes plenty of air with minimal RPMs so lesser noise.

[section label=”Disassembly”]

Disassembly

The Corsair Graphite 780T offers some flexible options for watercooling possibilities and internal arrangements. For example, the front drive cages can be swapped around or removed totally to mount a full 280mm or 360mm radiator on front.

Like the included rear exhaust fan, the included front intake fans are retail AF140 LED types with white lighting. Removing these exposes the intricate front mounting area. The snap-in drive cradles on the board tray also snaps easily for removal and mainteance.

And here is the chassis without the cages and front bezel. Notice that there is a recess below and you cannot remove the 5.25″ drive bays.

[section label=”System Installation”]

System Installation

We thought it’d be hard to find a white motherboard, luckily we had the ASUS X99-DELUXE for review and put it inside the chassis. A white system build is rare for internal components and the chassis really complements any contrasting build due to its neutral color. This time though, the board complements the chassis well with their uniform curved look. Notice the amount of space still left there and the PSU is just hiding beneath barely visible.

Since no ambient light is included with the chassis, the clear side panel doesn’t really do nicely without them. We highly advise using some LED strips to illuminate the internal of your Graphite 780T (White in the chase of our sample) to show-off the internals.

The illuminated front fans when lit show off the unique mesh styling of the Graphite 780T.

The front panel also feature a sweet glow to it with the logos also illuminated for easy access in dark rooms and areas.

[section label=”Conclusion”]

Conclusion

Corsair has been known to make the most quality cases on the planet right now and how best can they show that off than with their flagship models. The Corsair Graphite 780T is exactly that: the perfect harmony of form and function.

At its purest form and that being a chassis, the Graphite 780T opens up plenty of support for the widest array of hardware. Large motherboards with XL-ATX an EATX form factors are fully support and GPUs as long as 13″ or more can fit without obstruction inside the chassis.

Moving on to cooling, there is plenty of room for two 360mm or 280mm radiator in both front and top vents. The chassis allows maximum airflow via the bottom which is perforated for optimal intake. Support for bay-res is still there with the 5.25″ bays and there’s also space for a pump on the drive cage area, just swap them around. You can appreciate your build via the large windowed panel on the side.

While we may go on praising the Graphite 780T, there is stillsome things we think could use improving. First up, Corsair could’ve provided the third drive cage to fully max out the chassis storage potential. Also missing is a bottom shroud to hide the cable mess of non-sleeved PSUs. The front intake also seems capable of fitting a 420mm rad but anyone with modding experience would see that as no-big-deal. Ultimately though, these are minor nitpicks and nothing that breaks that Graphite 780T.

In closing, the Corsair Graphite 780T is an elegant case with monstrous potential. It offers a large array of case options for maximum airflow, cooling and hardware support and shows it off with its ingeniously designed side panels. There is no going wrong with this chassis if it catches your eye. Give in to the temptation.

Corsair backs the Graphite 780T with 2 years warranty for electronic parts. The Corsair Graphite 780T comes in Yellow, White and Black. We give the Corsair Graphite 780T our elusive B2G Gold Award.