FSP CMT340 Addressable RGB Mid-Tower Chassis Review

We recommend FSP's CMT340 Addressable RGB Mid-Tower Chassis. It has a glass door, RGB fans, a sturdy interior and much more that surprised us.

Published
Updated
Manufacturer: FSP
13 minutes & 49 seconds read time
TweakTown's Rating: 93%

The Bottom Line

The CMT340 is a chassis that surprised us! Good airflow, a well appointed interior, sturdy build, and inclusions of Addressable RGB fans, a glass door without holes in it, all come together, along with the cost, to have us recommend you see it for yourself!

Introduction, Specifications, and Pricing

In all, we have seen roughly a half dozen cases from FSP recently, and we are glad to say, that while all of them do share some aspects of design, so far each chassis has been distinguishable from one another. As time goes by, companies tend to revisit designs, adding things here and there, relocating others, maybe even removing things that did not need to be there; this is nothing new. With the chassis we have for you now, we are not looking at a direct redo, but for anyone who saw the FSP510, you may experience a bit of déjà vu.

FSP CMT340 Addressable RGB Mid-Tower Chassis Review 99

That being said, there are some major, and some minor differences between the two, which jump right out at us. The CMT510 offered a trio of tempered glass panels, and the new chassis only offers two, but who wants to look at chassis wiring anyways. The top of the chassis is not as closed off as the CMT510, which is a huge plus for those looking to maximize air or liquid cooling. The feet have been changed, the motherboard tray is slightly different this time around, and rather than hidden trays for HDDs behind the motherboard, this time a cage is used. While there are a few more slight changes to see, what we have listed is the most obvious, and adjustments we feel that many may appreciate when it comes to figuring out which is the best for you.

In hand now is the FSP CMT340 Addressable RGB chassis, which is another mid-tower to enter the market. Keeping up with many of the trends available now in case designs and its feature sets, FSP does not leave you wanting more. What you are about to see ticks many of the boxes customers look for, including things like a view into the chassis, dust filtration, a PSU cover to keep things tidy looking, a removable HDD cage, all packed into a clean looking chassis that can be placed in just about any room of the house. If you are looking to spend less than $100 on a chassis, but still want it packed full of goodies, the CMT340 from FSP may just be the way to go.

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The CMT340 is an ATX mid-tower chassis, which comes in black only. The chassis is made of SPCC steel, but also with bits of plastic, as well as a couple of tempered glass panels. At 13.7 pounds in weight, it is not as light as some, but the 368mm depth, the 206mm width, and the 471mm height plays into the realm of almost all of the mid-tower on the market today. The chassis is capable of housing an AXT, Micro-ATX, or ITX motherboard as well as a pair of 3.5" drives in a cage, which can also fit 2.5" drives, but there are two dedicated trays for 2.5" drives too. The CMT340 offers seven expansion cards, up to 350mm in length, which also makes this a good time to mention the 165mm CPU cooler height limitation, as well as the 170mm PSU length.

Cooling is handled with four fans installed by the factory. There are three RGB 120mm fans in the front of the chassis to bring air into the chassis. There is a matching 120mm fan hanging in the back of the chassis as well, used as an exhaust, for a positive pressure environment. The top of the chassis can also have a pair of fans installed, which can be 120mm or 140mm fans. The front of the chassis is designed to allow for water cooling components, with the option for a 240mm or 360mm radiator. The top of the chassis is restricted by the front I/O panel wiring to allow for a 240mm setup, but can possibly have a 240mm radiator placed there, as long as RAM and motherboard heat sinks allow for it.

We mentioned earlier that this could be a solid solution for your next build, and that you won't have to pay a ton to get it, and this is true. Looking to Newegg, we found the CMT340 listed at $99.99, just beating the $100 mark. We then looked to Amazon to see if we could save a dollar or two, but with FSP listed as the seller at both locations, it is not shocking that they also share the same $99.99 price point. In what you will see of the CMT340, we feel there is a boatload of bang-for-the-buck to be had; the chassis is aesthetically pleasing due not only to the glass but the addressable RGB fans as well. It takes a lot to stand out in the $100 mid-tower chassis game, but we feel that FSP has heard the masses, and delivered an admirable solution.

Chad's Chassis Test System Specifications

Buy at Amazon

FSP ATX Mid Tower PC Computer Gaming Case with 2 Translucent

TodayYesterday7 days ago30 days ago
$69.99$69.99$69.99
* Prices last scanned on 3/27/2024 at 5:12 am CDT - prices may not be accurate, click links above for the latest price. We may earn an affiliate commission.

Packaging

FSP CMT340 Addressable RGB Mid-Tower Chassis Review 02

Even while using a plain brown cardboard box, FSP never fail to make it interesting. The company name, logo, and chassis name are in the black bar on the left, while a rendering of the chassis along with some sort of goddess used to fill the space. Also, note the notation for Addressable RGB support at the bottom-right corner.

FSP CMT340 Addressable RGB Mid-Tower Chassis Review 03

On the right side of the box, we find all of the naming and notifications at the top this time, while the bulk of the panel is used to display a specifications chart which offers more details than the one we borrowed from the product page for the previous section of this review.

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FSP uses the back of the box to offer an exploded diagram of the chassis along with pointers for four features. Across the bottom, next to the CMT340 name, we see dual USB 3.0, dual radiator support, use of tempered glass, and the inclusion of four addressable RGB fans explained as to what we being pointed to above.

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The left side of the box starts off like the right side did, but features follow, with the compact design and stunning good looks mentioned this time too. Lower on the panel is where you find the company information, where it is made, stickers with codes and warnings, and even the address to go to if a deeper look into the chassis is required at the point of purchase.

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To protect the chassis, the outsides of the glass panels are covered with plastic, and then the entire chassis is placed into a plastic bag. While that all keeps the surfaces from getting scratched, and keeps paint from being rubbed off, it is the thick dense foam caps at the top and bottom that take the big hits. We have not complaints in this arrangement, as the CMT340 is in fabulous condition, and is more than ready to have more images taken of it.

FSP CMT340 Mid-Tower Chassis

FSP CMT340 Addressable RGB Mid-Tower Chassis Review 07

It is hard to deny the sleekness of the front of the chassis, as all you see from this angle is a tempered glass panel which has been tinted, with just a slight view of the fans behind it. If anything is a bit off, it is the fact that we can see the glass panel on the right side of the chassis, and there is no match on the right side.

FSP CMT340 Addressable RGB Mid-Tower Chassis Review 08

Just behind the glass, on the top of the chassis is the same front I/O panel we saw in the CMT510. There is a pair of USB 3.0 ports on the left, 3.5mm jacks and the power and HDD activity LEDs in the middle, with a paddle witch for the power and RGB modes.

FSP CMT340 Addressable RGB Mid-Tower Chassis Review 09

The rest of the top panel is open for optional fans or passive ventilation. To keep hair and debris out of the chassis, FSP opted for a plastic dust filter that magnetically attaches to the chassis in this instance.

FSP CMT340 Addressable RGB Mid-Tower Chassis Review 10

The left side of the chassis is another side where the view is of the tempered glass panel. The glass is painted black around the edge to block view of the frame, but there is a bit of steel showing at the top and bottom of the glass. Note too that the panel is held in place at the back, without thumbscrews through the glass. This time the glass is secured to a steel frame.

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The rear of the chassis is pretty standard. The rear I/O and exhaust fan are at the top, followed by seven expansion slot covers that are externally accessed. However, when we look at the PSU area, there is no mounting holes, as the hardware includes a PSU mounting plate for that.

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Rather than offering, and spending extra money on, a glass panel on the right side of the chassis, FSP has opted for steel this time. In all honesty, the shine of glass painted black on the inside would look nice, but otherwise, we see no reason for a glass panel here.

FSP CMT340 Addressable RGB Mid-Tower Chassis Review 13

The feet under the CMT340 are round, and made of plastic, with no additional rubber for grip, and we do notice it will slide on smooth surfaces rather easily. In the middle of the floor, to the left is a clipped in plastic dust filter for the PSU, while the right offers some ventilation as well as two locations where the HDD cage can be mounted.

Inside the CMT340

FSP CMT340 Addressable RGB Mid-Tower Chassis Review 14

With an unimpeded view of the interior now at hand, we can see the two section design with the PSU cover keeping the PSU and HDD cage under wraps. The section above holds the rest of the components, where the hardware, manual, and wiring is now tied for transit.

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The front of the chassis has three fans pre-installed behind the glass, without any form of a dust filter. If you wish to change the fans, you will need to remove four thumbscrews from inside of the chassis, and the glass can then be removed.

FSP CMT340 Addressable RGB Mid-Tower Chassis Review 16

The top of the chassis has slots to mount 120mm and 140mm fans, but also notice that the 120mm mounts are pushed as far to the left of the case as possible, to help alleviate constraints some RAM and motherboards may case a 240mm radiator installation.

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The motherboard tray offers a large access hole, it has fourteen wire tie points visible, and another three blocked from view by the fans. The motherboard tray is not labeled, but all of the standoffs are installed for an ATX motherboard.

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The PSU cover is well ventilated across the top of it, and is where the pair of dedicated 2.5" drive trays are located. There is a hole at the back to pass some wires through, but the gap at the front is to allow for liquid cooling support, but you do have to move the HDD cage we can see blocking it now. On the side of the cover there is the FSP logo along with an open area to allow a view of the PSU sticker.

FSP CMT340 Addressable RGB Mid-Tower Chassis Review 19

The last of the matched set of four fans is found hanging ion the back of the chassis. We also see the ventilated expansion slot covers, and since they are accessed externally, we cannot see the 6/32 screws used to secure them.

FSP CMT340 Addressable RGB Mid-Tower Chassis Review 20

Behind the motherboard tray, we see a fan hub, which controls the RGB and fan power, either with the switch on the chassis, or by connecting a 4-pin RGB connector to the motherboard. The motherboard tray is angled near the front, to allow better access to ports, but does limit any chances of using an EATX motherboard.

FSP CMT340 Addressable RGB Mid-Tower Chassis Review 21

At the front of the chassis, under the PSU cover is the two bay 3.5" drive trays. The drives install with connections facing out this side, and the entire cage can be removed or slid to the right of where we see it now. These trays are also drilled for 2.5" drives to fit.

FSP CMT340 Addressable RGB Mid-Tower Chassis Review 22

The room at the back for the PSU and the wires that go along with it is limited, but the area is well ventilated and has rubber pads for the PSU to rest upon. We do advise connecting modular wires to the PSU before sliding it in through the back, as the tall frame on the side limits access for larger hands.

FSP CMT340 Addressable RGB Mid-Tower Chassis Review 23

From the front of the chassis, there is the USB 3.0 and HD Audio connectors at the top. At the bottom are the wires to connect the HDD activity LED, the power LED, and the power switch. What we did not show here is the 4-pin Molex connector that is used to power the fan hub.

Hardware & Documentation

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In case the extra fans you want to install do not have screws, FSP covers the screws needed for the top of the case. Next to them is the set of 6/32 screws used to install the motherboard and HDDs and there are sixteen in total. At the bottom are the eight PSU screws to secure the plate and the PSU. To the right of them are the M3 screws used just to mount 2.5" drives, and for some reason seventeen of them seemed like a good number, in case you need one extra, or lose one.

FSP CMT340 Addressable RGB Mid-Tower Chassis Review 25

FSP also supplies five zip-ties to tend to the wires behind the motherboard tray. While we used way more than what is supplied to complete our build, it is nice to have some to get the build completed and somewhat tidy. The ring of black steel is the PSU mounting plate, which is how users will secure the PSU to the back of the chassis.

FSP CMT340 Addressable RGB Mid-Tower Chassis Review 26

The manual or guide from FSP is done on one sheet of glossy paper, which is folded into ten panels. Once open, there is a specifications chart, a parts list, exploded diagram of the chassis, and even instructions for connectivity of the fan hub.. It then goes on into step-by-step instructions for major build components. The back of the guide offers warranty information, warnings, company information, and even a section with a warranty card to fill out for reference later, should an issue arise.

Case Build & Finished Product

FSP CMT340 Addressable RGB Mid-Tower Chassis Review 27

As we expected, not a single thing about the front view of the chassis has changed after the completion of the build. However, once power is added, the front of the chassis delivers quite the light show.

FSP CMT340 Addressable RGB Mid-Tower Chassis Review 28

Since our AIO we use for testing is 280mm in size, we opted for air cooling this time. Even so, we have no issues fitting the taller 120mm tower, accessing the wires, routing them, or anything to keep us from a sleek looking completed PC. However, due to the shallow expansion slot screw cover, there is a bit of fiddling to do to get the video card mounted.

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We were able to snap in the dust shield without any issues, and we already addressed the video card, however, securing it and replacing the cover were simple to achieve. Our PSU slid right in, but we soon found it was too long to fit into the chassis as it is shipped, so we removed the HDD cage and solved that issue.

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A final look behind the scenes is of clean runs of wires, plenty of places to tie them too, and plenty of access for backplates, as the oversized Thermaltake backplate shows. Sadly, our motherboard does not support RGB, so without connecting the cable with the blue wire tie on it to the motherboard, we are limited to eighteen options of RGB LED illumination.

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With everything now ready for power, it is not the view or the finished looks that we have an issue with. The sticker on the left side of the case is what got to us. We wish all companies would use clinging plastic stickers when placing them onto tempered glass. FSP uses a paper sticker, which does not come off cleanly, and takes a fair bit of fuss to scrape and clean the residue left behind after trying to remove it.

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We love what FSP offers in the addressable RGB fans included with the CMT340. Keep in mind this is only one of the seventeen options, as one mode of the eighteen is turning the LEDs off. We also loved the amount of airflow we are given in the chassis, while never breaking 35 dB. However, that airflow comes at a cost, as in order to achieve it, the eliminated a dust filter for the front of the case, which means you will be cleaning the interior much more often.

Final Thoughts

At the end of it all, the FSP CMT340 ends up impressing us. At first, we were like here we go again, more of the same thing again, but FSP has proved out assumptions wrong. Yes, it is yet another tempered glass mid-tower with fans LED fans, but, at the same time, we feel there is much to appreciate in this instance.

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Room for a pair of AIOs, room enough for a custom loop, options for additional cooling, modularity of the HDD cage, ease of use, and relative ease of the build process all stand out to us. We do suggest you plan ahead and thing carefully if using this chassis, as using things like an AIO in the front and a larger PSU means you will have no way of using the 3.5" drive mounting, and to some, this may be an issue. Still though, even with the few bugs we found, we find it hard not to recommend you give it a close look if looking for a sub $100 mid-tower chassis.

While airflow is sufficient to keep the interior of the chassis and the components cool, and not that much noise associated with it, it does lead us to one thing that many will not like. The lack of a dust filter in the front of the case. This means more frequent cleaning, although, you could slap on a magnetic filter from a third party if you wish, but know it will reduce airflow. We also found that fitting the GPU is a bit of a pain, and for the novice builders who will gravitate to a chassis like this, we feel that the force needed may have users feeling like they are doing something wrong.

Had the opening to fit the GPU been two or three millimeters wider, the cards would slot into the board without issue, and could have been an easy fix, but it is what it is. While the sticker on the chassis does not block the view of anything important, we do think many will want to peel it off. That said, using a paper sticker is near torture. Even after attempting to heat the sticker prior to removal, it still made a mess we had to spend time cleaning up.

Right out of the box, with the guide in hand, we see no reason why a build cannot be completed, now that you have all of the information at hand. We also feel that the aesthetic and feature set do help to leave is with a good feeling about what FSP is offering. Yes, there are a couple of very minor things to deal with, it's just that they are more things to be aware of to simply your time with the CMT340, and not anything that are deal killers.

At $99.99, we feel that FPS has put a lot into this case, and even if your motherboard is not RGB capable, there is still a brilliant show of illumination, with many options to choose from with just the press of a button. For us, the CMT340 Addressable RGB Mid-Tower chassis has rendered our gut feeling worthless, and has won us over with what FSP provides in this chassis.

Chad's Chassis Test System Specifications

Performance

93%

Quality

90%

Features

92%

Value

95%

Overall

93%

The Bottom Line

The CMT340 is a chassis that surprised us! Good airflow, a well appointed interior, sturdy build, and inclusions of Addressable RGB fans, a glass door without holes in it, all come together, along with the cost, to have us recommend you see it for yourself!

93%

FSP ATX Mid Tower PC Computer Gaming Case with 2 Translucent

TodayYesterday7 days ago30 days ago
$69.99$69.99$69.99
* Prices last scanned on 3/27/2024 at 5:12 am CDT - prices may not be accurate, click links above for the latest price. We may earn an affiliate commission.

Chad joined the TweakTown team in 2009 and has since reviewed 100s of new techy items. After a year of gaming, Chad caught the OC bug. With overclocking comes the need for better cooling, and Chad has had many air and water setups. With a few years of abusing computer parts, he decided to take his chances and try to get a review job. As an avid overclocker, Chad is always looking for the next leg up in RAM and coolers.

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