Page 4 - Installation and Conclusion
As always, I started from the back and installed a SilverStone Strider Gold S ST85F-GS 850W power supply in the basement. As it slots in from the backside and attaches to a separate bracket, I ensured all my modular cables were connected prior to installation. With the drive cage at the front, I also installed a Western Digital Blue 1TB hard drive into a tray and slotted it in. I had a bit of difficulty lining up the plastic tray and sliding it back into the cage and I think FSP could improve upon this by making the rails it sits upon protrude more. FSP mentions the CMT350 should fit a power supply up to 170mm in length with even more room if you end up removing the hard drive cage. This power supply is quite compact so its length is not a huge concern here. I tucked the necessary cables through the routing holes and proceeded as normal.
While this is an ATX case, I installed an mATX motherboard to see how this may affect cabling and spacing. As you can see, this translates into some cables extending a bit further than normal. Otherwise, it is not a huge deal. As I have already mentioned, I would have liked to see some coverage for the routing holes, as you can see right through the case to the cables tucked into the back side. Continuing on, I routed the necessary cables into place, including the CPU and motherboard cables. Next, I plugged in all of the necessary cables into the motherboard such as the front I/O and audio. As for compatibility, FSP has provided a maximum height clearance of 160mm for CPU coolers and a maximum length of 350mm for graphics cards. This should be plenty of space for most CPU coolers and graphics cards, which is not too surprising considering the size of the case. Overall, I found the internal layout to be alright with providing a sufficient amount of routing holes on the sides and bottom to route all the necessary cables.
Going back to the back side, I tucked additional cables into the front valley while also stashing some in the bottom compartment. Unfortunately, the power supply I used had a shorter CPU power cable, so the diagonal path across the back was the only way I could route the cable with enough length to connect to the top CPU power connector. Thankfully, the sufficient spacing at the back meant even the thicker motherboard power cable had little issue routing through the back. I did end up having to push the right-side cover down a bit more though when installing it back onto the FSP CMT350. Overall, building in the this case felt alright, though there could have been small refinements here and there for a better experience. The metal flexing on the case was still a bit of a concern, though the CMT350 is still structurally able to hold everything together.
With my system installed and everything plugged in, I fired up the computer for the first time and everything came to life. With the dark tint, you can see only the lit elements in the case, which is limited to the RGB fan at the back. According to the standard APH Networks sound scale, where 0 is silence and 10 is loud, the FSP CMT350 is a quiet 3.5/10 under full load. The three fans, even when spinning at full speed, are mostly quiet, even if the case does not really do much to prevent noise from leaving. With more components inside or louder fans, I would expect this to get louder. Its stock configuration, on the other hand, is good.
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As this Christmas season is coming closer to us, pork back ribs are actually the next thing to cook on my list. As I mentioned in the introduction, hopefully I will have a good experience with cooking and baking this one, especially as I should keep all the right aspects in mind when making a meat dish. As for the FSP CMT350, I think there are some great elements with this case, especially when we take a look at all the things it offers. For one, we are looking at a sleek and conservative look while keeping up with the times and its tempered glass panel. The RGB light strip and fan look really nice when it is powered on. Furthermore, FSP should be praised for including an addressable RGB controller with industry standard headers. Inside, the CMT350 includes spacing and compatibility for most standard components, including multiple mounting options for radiators and fans. Overall cabling and installation were actually decent, though I would have liked to see some way for FSP to cover up the routing holes. On the other hand, there were some questionable aspects here. My biggest gripe comes in the form of the included fans, which oddly enough include Molex connectors. Considering the present-day situation, I am not sure why people would want a Molex-connected fan in this day and age. The mediocre ventilation filter at the bottom under the power supply also seems like something FSP should replace with a sturdier solution. Lacking USB Type-C is something I will also continue to harp upon, both for now and cases to come. Finally, I think FSP should strengthen the frame to make it more durable. With all this in mind, the FSP CMT350 is a decent computer case with areas of potential refinement here. At press time, the chassis can be found for $83 USD on other online retailers. For this price point, there are also not many cases that offer tempered glass and addressable RGB lighting with a controller. Thus, the CMT350 is a viable option for those wanting these flashy lights at a more attainable cost.
FSP provided this product to APH Networks for the purpose of evaluation.
APH Review Focus Summary:
7/10 means Great product with many advantages and certain insignificant drawbacks; but should be considered before purchasing.
-- Final APH Numeric Rating is 7.0/10
Please note that the APH Numeric Rating system is based off our proprietary guidelines in the Review Focus, and should not be compared to other sites.
The FSP CMT350 offers addressable RGB lighting and tempered glass at a reasonable price point.
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Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. Physical Look - Outside
3. Physical Look - Inside
4. Installation and Conclusion
