Midi Tower Case Final Thoughts

Custom water cooling loops in this case should be fairly easy to accomplish. With the various radiator options in the front, top, and rear, you should be able to easily cool a CPU and a pair of GPUs. be quiet! clearly had this lined up to allow for seemingly endless internal configurations and the ability to truly make it your own.

be quiet! Dark Base 700 Conclusion

Given the number of fan mount locations and options, options for radiators and pumps, and the sheer amount of configuration options, as well as the RGB trim lighting on the front bezel, this case can easily perform as your daily driver or gaming PC.

The appearance of this case is sleek with a bit of wow factor. The LED trim on the front panel is a welcomed addition, and the fact you can connect it to a compatible motherboard for LED lighting control is very creative. Add in some more interior LED lighting and the wow factor increases exponentially, thanks largely to the tempered glass side panel.

The construction of this case is solid. Though you’ll find yourself working a lot of screws, the end result is a solid unit. The motherboard tray is secured entirely by user removable screws that each feature rubber grommets for sound dampening. The HDD/SSD drive cages are secure with 3 thumb screws each at the back of the motherboard tray. You’ll be working at roughly double the number of screws to the average case, but at that cost comes the ability to truly make this case your own.

The case functions perfectly for a water-cooling enthusiast and/or an air cooling person, though function of this case is clearly for the water-cooling crowd. If you utilize the water-cooling features of this case, you might want to consider hard line tubing for a cleaner build and more aesthetically pleasing appearance. This case has the ability to be oriented internally in reverse ATX, I’m a huge fan of reverse ATX computer cases, have been since I had the Lian-Li V2000B back in the day.

Value is where things get subjective. Available online for $179.90 (NewEgg), the be quiet! Dark Base 700 is not cheap. But, considering the amount of configuration possibilities and the tempered glass window, plus all of the thick brushed aluminum, makes it worth it’s price. To some, however, the price might be a bit daunting.

I would recommend this case to anyone wanting a decently sized mid-tower that offer excellent customization and the ability to light up the insides and be seen. The price of this case is easily understood when accounting for the tempered glass, thick aluminum, and the LED lighting. To some though, $179.90 is a little steep, but if you’re accustomed to the price that premium cases draw, then this midi tower should be a very good contender for being your next case.

Pros:

+Very modular
+Tempered glass side panel
+Reverse ATX capable
+LED lighting
+USB 3.1 on the front I/O
+Sound dampening everywhere
+Filtered intakes

Cons:

-Fingerprint magnet
-Heavy
-No 5.25″ bay options (but not door either)
-Screws, everywhere, but are better than clips

Ratings:

• Performance: 9.00
• Appearance: 9.50
• Construction: 9.00
• Functionality: 9.00
• Value: 9.00

Final Score: 9.0 out of 10.

Excellence Achievement: Benchmark Reviews Golden Tachometer Award.