Corsair Carbide SPEC-06 RGB Review

Inside the SPEC-06

Upon our first glance at the SPEC-06, we find ourselves having a little bit of deja-vu, as we know that Corsair has released a case that is very similar to this in the recent past.     

Yes, this case is a lot like the Carbide 275R, though it is clear to our eyes that Corsair has made some noteworthy changes to their design with the SPEC-06, aside from the distinct addition of RGB.

First, we have a larger area for the inflow of air at the front of the chassis, as well as the addition of more black elements to give the SPEC-06 are more two-tone, rounded appearance. Secondly, we also have other ease of use changes like the use of both thumb screw and Allen/hex key side window fasteners, which offer PC builders useful aesthetic and security options. 

While we were initially baffled by the use of both Allen bolts and thumb screws, it is worth noting that the Allen bolts are pretty much impossible to remove without an Allen key, assuming that they are adequately fastened. Those who attend LAN parties may appreciate the ability to use Allen bolts to secure your case window, as it will somewhat limit how many people can unfasten your side-window, whereas frequent upgraders will be happy to know that their window can be taken off by hand without tools. Corsair will supply their SPEC-06 case with an Allen key.  
  

At the front of the SPEC-06, we have enough room for either three 120mm fans or two 140mm fans, as well as mounting positions for two 2.5-inch HDDs or SSDs, allowing users to install these components in a location which is viewable from the case’s tempered glass side panel. 

A handy cut-out is available between these two mounts for cable management, though users could alternatively install these drives behind the motherboard tray if users want to keep them out of view. 

  

Unlike other Corsair RGB-enabled cases, the Carbide SPEC-06 is designed to have its integrated 3-button RGB controller at the rear of the chassis, allowing users to adjust the case’s built-in RGB lighting without the need to open up their enclosure.

This feature does wonders for the SPEC-06, as most of us who are experienced with early Corsair RGB-enabled cases will know how much of a pain accessing their controllers can be. Nobody wants to remove a side panel before being able to adjust their system lighting. 

Another thing that is worth pointing out is that the Carbide SPEC-06 also comes with two vertically mounted PCI brackets for use with vertically mounted GPUs or other hardware. These mounts are covered by removable slot covers, though Corsair doesn’t ship the case with reusable PCI covers to replace them. 

Sadly, Corsair’s PSU shroud on this case lacks any dedicated mounting points for a PCIe riser card, which means that users will need to improvise, wither by modding in their your own mounting positions or by otherwise securing a vertically mounted graphics card in place. 

  

Inside the SPEC-06, we have plenty of room for activities, though things can be a little cramped between the case’s PSU and 3.5-inch drive bays. There is more than enough space for our ATX RM850X white edition power supply, though anything longer will be problematic. 

Looking into the rear of the chassis, we can find four 2.5-inch drive bays, two that sit directly behind the user’s motherboard in toolless removable mounts and two which lie near the front of the case that can be mounted in front of or behind the case’s motherboard tray. At the base of the case, we can find mounting positions for two 3.5-inch HDDs, though in our build we have used this space to store some of our cable clutter.