BitFenix Colossus Micro-ATX review

The BitFenix Colossus Micro-ATX is an attractive compact case that’s based on the same internal frame as the cheaper Prodigy M. It takes up a bit less room, though, as it lacks the former’s carrying handles.

The Colossus is easy to work in. Just remove both side panels and unclip a mesh grille from the top of the case, and you’ve got easy access to the entire system. The case has a vertical motherboard tray and an easily detachable hard disk tray, which has space for three 2 1/2in or two 3 1/2in drives. You can put two 3 1/2in disks at the bottom of the case, too, instead of using the space for extra fans. There’s also an external 5 1/4in bay at the front of the case for your optical drive.

The case has a little over 320mm of internal depth, leaving plenty of room for our 275mm AMD Radeon R9 290 graphics card and more to spare. The power supply sits upright at the front of the case in a removable PSU tray secured with a thumbscrew. An extension lead connects the power supply to a socket at the back of the chassis. Although a non-standard power supply setup, this is a sensible setup to maximise airflow. You have to route your power supply’s cables carefully, though, in order to leave room for your graphics card; as with many compact cases, it’s worth using a modular PSU with detachable cables to cut down on fiddly clutter.

All your external connectors, in the form of two USB3 ports and mic and headphone ports, are on the right side panel, but their cables are long enough to allow you to take the side panel on and off without having to unplug anything.

The case isn’t built for silence, so you’ll hear a rush of air from the fans, but its fine mesh grilles keep dust out effectively. Inside, everything is beautifully engineered. The Colossus Micro-ATX is a great compact case, but the BitFenix Prodigy M is, at around £20 less, a better buy overall.