Genesis got in touch and asked if we’d like to write a Genesis Irid 353 PC Case Review. This was a first for us as we’ve never reviewed a PC case before. We accepted the request and waited (in)patiently for the Micro ATX form factor RGB PC Case to arrive.
Genesis Irid 353 PC Case Review – First Impressions
I tried to avoid looking at the specification prior to the case arriving. I was really surprised to see a full glass panel and 3 RGB fans included in a case that would probably fall into the ‘budget’ category.
Once I’d removed it from the sturdy box and protective packaging my first impression was that the design, feature set and build quality, look anything but budget.
So far so good then but let’s get into the review and have an in-depth look at this RGB PC Case.
Genesis Irid 353 PC Case Review – Build Quality & Styling
My current PC case is the Cooler Master MasterBox Lite 3.1, it’s a budget micro ATX case that I picked up for around £39.99, it looks great with the clear acrylic side panel, doesn’t go too overboard with the styling and has customisable front air vents.
But, since taking the Irid 353 out of it’s box and seeing it in all it’s glory, I think I’ve found the case for my next PC build. It’s simply beautiful to look at.
The metal feels strong and there is no twisting in the case when I try to bend it. It weighs a heavy 6200 g and that’s partly down to the full PSU shroud, again another nice touch in a budget case.
The front of the case has a flat face featuring a clear glass panel with the Genesis logo, the RGB fans look awesome once lit up.
There is also a lot more room for the intake fans to do just that, take in cool air, the Cooler Master is a little restricted in that sense. Behind the front panel is a removable magnetic dust filter.
At the top of the case there is a magnetic dust filter. You can mount a 240mm radiator (for your all-in-one cpu cooler) to the top of the case, which is where I think I’ll mount mine.
The top of the case also features two USB 2.0 ports, one 3.5mm audio jack, one 3.5mm mic jack and one USB 3.0 port. I’m not sure why manufacturers continue to fit USB 2.0 as they are all meant to backwards compatible anyway?
I’d have prefered all three USB ports to be at least 3.0, it’s a slight annoyance and in no way is it a deal breaker.
On one side of the case you have a clear tempered glass panel, it’s nice and thick and hopefully doesn’t scratch as easy as a clear acrylic panel.
I have a soft spot for black PC cases with clear panels. Once lit up on your desk, they look special.
The other side is a metal panel that has a decent amount of space for hiding your cable management zip ties and two SSD’s. The holes to feed your cables through to the back compartment have a rubber attachment making it look alot cleaner.
It’s nice that they’ve added the rubber grommets as other cases in the lower end of the price spectrum don’t bother. So it’s good to see.
So how much is it? It’s between £50 – £55, there isn’t a direct place to buy it in the UK yet but we found a few cases on Amazon, you can check them out below.
Irid 353 Size Guide:
| Height | 393 mm | |
| Width | 210 mm | |
| Length | 429 mm |
Inside the case, you’ve got room for a Micro ATX motherboard, a full form factor power supply unit and a graphics card up to 375 mm in length.
Adding your Hard Drives couldn’t be simpler either, simply remove the Hard Drive cage, add your disk and screw it back in. The simple things really do matter, and Genesis have done them well.
Other Features:
Genesis said that:
‘Genesis Irid 353 ARGB offers a clean environment inside the case for a long time. The set includes three dust filters to ensure maximum order. The Irid 353 has been designed with attention to every detail, ensuring long-term user satisfaction.’
Summary and Verdict
I really like the case. There are a couple of things I dislike a tiny amount but that’s my personal preference, such as the silver feet, I’d have preferred them to be black to match the case colour.
The other thing is that the front panel, when removing it it felt as if I was going to break one (or some) of the clips. I don’t think it’ll be an issue in the long run if you are careful when removing the front panel to empty the dust filter.
For this case to be as cheap as it is, look as good as it looks and come with 3 fully addressable RGB fans it’s definitely a case to consider for your next build. I for one, will be using this case for my next PC / Developer Workstation build.
Score: 9 / 10
You can find out more about Genesis by visiting their website.
Genesis Irid 353 PC Case Review – Gallery
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Disclosure:
If you use any of the Amazon links in this article they are affiliate links. This means that if you go onto buy something from Amazon I may get a small commission. It won’t cost you anything extra but it helps me to pay for the running costs of the blog and allows me to bring you great content! Thank you so much for your support.
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