While GMC Case designs have been available for sometime in other markets, they are just now becoming available in the USA.  We recently had the opportunity to work with the well received R-2 Toast chassis and today we will be looking at the very similar R-3 Corona model.   Like the Toast design, the Corona takes what you know about case design and stands it on end...literally!  Does this new GMC offering have a place in your next build?  Lets find out!

The R-3 Corona design is one of the most recognizable GMC designs now coming to the USA.  Covered by no less than seven international design patients, this design uses the same vertical mounting we first saw in the Toast.  This ODD (Optical Disk Drive) mounting method creates great opportunities for how space is handled both internally and from a external setup.

The glossy black exterior of the Corona features a larger plastic front bezel with the distinctive blue circle lighting.  This bright blue circle may be the origin of the Corona name.  Like this sibling the Toast, the Corona is much smaller than you would expect from a full ATX design at just 180 x 290 x 420mm. 

Features:

Middle Tower ATX Case

• ATX Form Factor accepts ATX, Micro-ATX, and Full-ATX boards
• Supports the largest graphics cards
• 12 v Power Supply
• 3 Drive Bays
• 7 PCI Card Expansion Slots

Excellent Thermal Solution

• Up to two (2) 80mm rear fans for maximum cooling
• Air duct and PCI Express air hold in side panel.
• Meets Intel Chassis Air Guide (CAG) 1.1 standard

Front panel function

• Achieve a visual effect with ODD tray up/down (Worldwide Patent)
• Front panel eject button, power switch, multiport, and Optical Disk Drive
• Support USB 2.0 x2, HD Audio/ microphone port FPI

Specifications:

Our Corona is a traditional black but can also be found in both white and a selection of two tone designs as seen here.  The colored options will run you about $10 more though at a MSRP of $89.99. Not only is the ODD style a head turner, the two tone cases are like nothing I have seen to date.

The left side is vented above the card slots and features a ported vent for the processor.  With the AeroCool Silverwind heatsink installed you can see how well the vent is centered over a typical ATX processor location.  Only the left side has thumb screws as the right side is not removable at all.

This picture from GMC helps illustrate the cooling flow though the front venting on the Corona is located on the bottom of the front bezel instead of the side venting you see here.  The right side is vented near the top to help pull fresh air in and vent hotter rising air.  Not shown here is the additional venting located in the center bottom.