be quiet! Dark Base 700 Chassis Review

Final Thoughts

Price

The be quiet! Dark Base 700 launches today and should be hitting the major retailers right now. the 700 is one of be quiet!’s pedigree products, so it’s a bit more expensive, with an MSRP of €189 / £174.90 / $179.90. Of course, you’ve seen the quality and features on offer, and we think it’s worth every penny of the asking price.

Overview

I’ve reviewed so many chassis over the years here at eTeknix, and so many of them come and go, looking pretty much like everything else that went before it. At first glance, the Dark Base 700 doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but there’s just enough magic here to set it apart from the crowd.

Innovation

Is it the first to feature tempered glass? No. Is it the first with RGB front trim? Nope. Is it the first with a reversible motherboard tray? Not really. However, it’s the way all these features are blended that makes the difference and the overall engineering quality that stands out. The quality of the glass is excellent, but the way you can move it to either side thanks to the multipurpose mounting system is incredible. Being able to move the motherboard tray too gives you all the flexibility you need to show off your rig, no matter which side of your desk you wish to place it. Add to that the LED lighting, which is some of the brightest and most vibrant looking I’ve seen on a front panel yet, and you’ve got a winning combination.

Great Features

The list of praise doesn’t stop there. The slide-out additional cable routing system is seriously cool and I can see a lot of fun uses for that with water cooling tubes, braided cables, and much more being done in the near future. The pop-out panels on the PSU cover are a great idea too. You get even more added value from the built-in fan hub and controller, which also powers the front panel lighting. However, there’s also the fully-modular storage bays, which are removable too, excellent cable management, a full complement of dust filters, sound dampening materials, 1.2mm aluminium panels. The list just keeps on going.

…and it’ll keep going. As you’ve also got the vertical expansion slots for side mounting an expansion card, the USB Type-C on the front panel, the pair of super high-quality SilentWings 3 140mm PWM fans, extensive radiator support, L-Shaped noise dampening air vents, and dedicated 2.5″ SSD mounts.

Build Quality

Crafted from some of the best finished brushed aluminium I’ve seen on a case, it’s a cut above the rest. Watch out Lian-Li; you’ve got some stiff competition here. The jet black finish is inky and sexy and goes well with the jet black interior, and tinted window. Of course, it’s not so stealthy when the RGB lights are on, but this is a chassis to be seen, not to be heard. Everything fits the first time, locks tightly together and looks delivers quality reflective of its high retail price.

Value for Money

I’m not going to beat around the bush here, as you do not get much change from £200 for this great chassis. However, it gives back in so many ways, offering every feature you could ask for, then more on top of that. It’s easily one of the best chassis in the world right now and ideally suited to that sleek office system, right up to an extreme gaming rig.

Pros

• Fan hub
• RGB front panel lighting
• Noise dampening materials
• Reversible motherboard mount
• Unique cable routing options
• PSU shroud
• USB Type-C
• Extensive cooling support
• Class-leading build quality
• Two fans pre-installed
• Vertical expansion slots

Cons

• None