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As a graphic designer or a gamer, when it comes to upgrading a computer, a computer casing is one of the most important factors you consider. For office people, they don’t have to think about looking at a computer casing since they do not need multiple RAM slots or an extended graphic card.
However, for a heavy computer user like a gamer or graphic designer, you have to go for a case that accommodates your needs.
Of course, the casing you go for depends on the type of motherboard you are using, or you intend to buy.
Two recent computer cases that are gradually gaining popularity are Thermaltake Core P3 and Thermaltake Core P5. These two computer cases look quite similar, but they do have their differences.
We are going to review both the cases and later see how they compare and whom they suit. Let’s get started with the P3.
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Thermaltake Core P3 Review
| Brand | Thermaltake |
| Color | Black |
| Material | Tempered Glass |
| Cooling Method | Water |
| Motherboard Compatability | ATX |
| Item Weight | 27 Pounds |
| Item Dimensions LxWxH | 7.3 x 21.6 x 21.3 inches |
| Case Type | Mid Tower |
This computer case features tempered glass that allows you to see all its components. With this casing, you can position it any way you like- vertically or horizontally, or even wall-mount it thanks to its tempered glass panel. However, the horizontal orientation may not work great as it may end up taking a lot of space.
Although considered a mid-tower chassis because of its relatively smaller size, in reality, the Core P3 from Thermaltake is one of the most spacious mid-towers you will find with more potential than most standard casing designs on the market today. Standing at 512mm tall, this casing has a width of 333mm and a depth of 470mm.
This chassis features a transparent side window that allows you to admire your hardware, while the rest are made from SPCC steel and bits of rubber and ABS plastic. There are also pieces of stainless steel on some components.
You can install multiple components into this chassis, including storage drives (a pair of 3.5” drives or three 2.5” drives), that can be visible. There are two other drive trays, although not visible from the transparent window, that can house two 2.5″ or 3.5 drives. This case offers eight expansion slots in the back, where you can orient your drives vertically or horizontally.
This Core P3 from Thermaltake is designed to house either Mini-ITX, Micro-ATX, or ATX motherboard. The front panel offers a pair of USB 3.0 ports, a pair of USB 2.0 ports, HD audio jacks, and a reset button as well as a large power button.
You can install three cooling fans of either 120mm or 140mm to support water cooling or an AIO.
What’s more, this chassis also comes with loose parts that allow you to shape it as per your needs; you don’t have to worry about how it looks in the manual.
Let’s briefly look into its features;
Features
- Features a 5mm thick tempered glass window panel that displays your built-in components with clarity. You can show off your skill sets to your peers with its exceptional viewing capability.
- This chassis has a dismantlable modular design (DMD), whereby users can build the system in the shape they desire using modular panels, brackets, pre-design mounting arrays, and brackets. Installation work is easy as you will not have to deal with unreachable screw corners.
- 3-way placement layout. You can place it horizontally, vertically, or wall-mount it for décor.
- Versatile PSU and GPU orientation. You can display your power supply and a graphics card with the special design bracket provided.
- Native AIO support. This chassis is natively supported for different cooling solutions.
- It can accommodate multiple hardware components including two pairs of hard drives.
That’s all for Thermaltake Core P3. Let’s now talk about Thermaltake Core P5.
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Thermaltake Core P5 Review
| Brand | Thermaltake |
| Color | Black |
| Cooling Method | Water |
| Motherboard Compatability | ATX |
| Item Weight | 18.45 Kilograms |
| Item Dimensions LxWxH | 12.99 x 23.62 x 22.44 inches |
| Case Type | Mini-Tower |
| Number of USB 2 Ports | 2 |
| Total USB Ports | 4 |
This is an open-frame chassis that lets you map out and design your hardware components. For adventurous individuals, you can print custom parts for the case using a 3D printer to make your build unique.
It features a modular design that allows 3-way placement layouts (Horizontal, Vertical, and Wall-Mount). However, for wall mounting, you will need to buy special brackets.
In terms of build quality, the Core P5 from Thermaltake has exceptional quality, and a lot of thought was put into making this case as customizable as possible. The tempered glass features a solid-thick metal that prevents it from being wobbly.
Other great features of Thermaltake Core P5
- It features a dismantlable modular design, which allows you to build your design from the ground. You can organize the racks, modular panels, and pre-design mounting arrays into your preferred shapes.
- Handy I/O ports. This chassis features two USB 3.0 ports, two USB 2.0 ports as well as an HD audio connector. There is also a large power and reset button on its side panel.
- Versatile GPU and PSU layout. You can show off your power supply and graphic card using the specially-made bracket.
- Expansion trays. You can install up to four 2.5” or 3.5” hard drives. It is also possible to remove these trays to gain maximum space to allow you to manage cables. There are three hidden trays where you can keep 3.5″ or 2.5 hard disks.
- Liquid-cooling support. This chassis AIO Bracket, which is not included, is designed to accommodate the AIO liquid cooling system as well as hold hard disk expansion.
- Advanced ventilation whereby this casing can support up to four 120mm fans or up to 480mm radiator.
Now that we have reviewed the two chasings, let’s briefly see how they compare;
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Thermaltake P3 vs P5
In reality, the Thermaltake Core P3 is a smaller version of the Core P5 open-frame computer chassis. The P5 is intended to showcase a system with multiple hardware components and full-loop water cooling systems thanks to its spacious nature. It is designed to house motherboards with large reservoirs such as E-ATC motherboards. This case will look quite empty if you don’t install a 480mm radiator on its left.
On the other hand, the Core P3 is quite similar to Core P5 but in a smaller package. It can house mini-ITX and ATX boards. This casing can support radiators of up to 430mm. The radiator mounting points are near the motherboard to support closed-loop water coolers.
In other words, the Core P3 borrows most of its features from P5 but in a smaller proportion.
Here are other ways in which P3 compares to P5
- Thermaltake P5 is 3X pricier than Thermaltake P3
- P5 is a bit deeper and higher than P3
- The P5 chassis supports more fans on its left panel than the P3
- P5 can accommodate larger radiators than P3
- The CPU cooler limit for both cases is the same
- Both chassis support motherboards of the same size
Final Thoughts
From the above reviews and comparison, you can see that the two cases are quite similar, but one is larger than the other and thus suited for relatively larger motherboards.
We can recommend both chassis to anyone who is looking for a stylish, simplified, and impressive chassis that can accommodate the needs of heavy computer users such as graphic designers and gamers.
We can recommend Thermaltake Core P3 to beginner gamers who do not have a lot of components and those with relatively smaller motherboards.
Core P5 is for pro graphic designers with larger boards that have larger reservoirs. In terms of quality and build, Thermaltake has done a great job. You can rest assured they will give you service for a long time.
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