Today we're taking a look at the 3U-3508 server chassis from Inter-Tech. As the name suggests, this is a 3U case, meaning it has the height needed to accommodate standard consumer PC hardware without too much trouble.

The 3U-3508 server chassis, listed under "Storage Cases" in Inter-Tech's product lineup, aims to deliver flexibility, solid airflow, and broad hardware compatibility without the premium price tag commonly associated with enterprise brands. It strikes a comfortable balance between consumer-grade construction and server-oriented functionality, making it well suited for home labs, storage servers, and small business deployments.


Inside the well-protected cardboard box, we find plenty of secure Epe foam that keeps the chassis safe during shipping - without the static-loving mess of styrofoam, which is perfect, since the last thing you want when building a server is styrofoam snow sticking to everything.

Taking the case out of the box reveals an attractive all-black steel chassis. Not too large, not too deep, and designed as a standard 19-inch rackmount unit. Its dimensions make it an excellent fit for many home racks, which aligns perfectly with the goal of this review.


The 3U-3508 is constructed from steel, with relatively few ventilation holes in the front panel - mostly small gaps between panels. However, the hot-swap drive bays introduce plenty of perforations that direct incoming air across the drives, which is a smart cooling design. It may still be restrictive overall, but we'll evaluate that later during thermal testing.


This chassis includes eight hot-swap drive bays with Sata backplanes. The drive caddies feature a triangular lock mechanism, allowing you to secure them to prevent accidental removal during operation. On the front panel we also find the power and reset buttons, an HDD activity Led, and two USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 ports. Additionally, there are two 5.25" bays for optical drives or more exotic modules such as fan controllers - less common in servers, but still useful for some builds.

The drive caddies are easy to remove and open. Mounting a drive is done via screws on the sides, and once reinserted, the caddy clicks firmly into the backplane for a solid connection.


Rotating the chassis and looking at the rear, the first standout feature is full-size ATX power supply support, something typically found only in 3U and 4U enclosures. Inter-Tech also offers optional brackets for other PSU formats if needed. The rear panel also includes five expansion slots, an I/O shield cutout, and mounting positions for two optional 60 mm fans.

Opening the case requires removing four screws - two on each side of the top cover - and sliding the lid backward. Inside, at the front, we see the two hot-swap modules, each equipped with an 80 mm fan, four SATA ports, and two Molex power connectors.


To the left of the drive cages is the 5.25" bay area, offering space for two devices. Installing anything here requires a longer screwdriver, as the screws are accessed from inside the case and mount straight down into the floor. Two additional screws on the outside provide extra rigidity for the frame.


Removing the 5.25" cage allows straightforward installation of drives or accessories. In my test build, I installed a black Dvd writer, which visually matches the chassis nicely. Reinstalling the cage posed no issues.

Below the 5.25" cage, there is space for two additional 2.5" drives. The power, reset, and USB cables also route through this section before reaching the motherboard.

Viewing the interior from above reveals little else beyond the motherboard standoffs, leaving a clean and unobstructed layout.


Inside the accessories box we find all the screws needed for the build, spare expansion slot covers, zip ties, adhesive anchors, a key for the drive bay locks, and four rubber feet in case you want to use the chassis as a standalone desktop/server instead of rack mounting it.

Next, it's time to install our test system, which ties into our article series about building a server using older hardware you might already have in your closet or attic. For this reason, we are not installing brand-new components, but instead a roughly ten-year-old system based on an Intel Core i7-5820K paired with an Asus X99-A motherboard.


The power supply must be installed upside down in this case, and Inter-Tech has provided ventilation holes beneath it to support this orientation. The downside is that the PSU may draw in warm air from its own exhaust path. In theory, warm air should rise quickly enough to avoid being pulled back in, but realistically it may be worth covering the holes so the PSU draws air from inside the chassis instead of from the "hot aisle" behind the rack. Either way, the flexibility is appreciated - leave the holes open if you prefer external intake, cover them if you want internal intake.

With the motherboard and PSU installed, cable management space is somewhat limited, but still manageable. Airflow routing is surprisingly good: one fan feeds the PSU, one blows across the graphics card, and adding two 60 mm fans at the rear provides airflow across the Cpu, VRMs, and Ram. Cooling is effective and could be improved even further by using a 5.25" fan module - rare these days but still available.


The Inter-Tech 3U-3508 is an easy case to build in overall. The only notable requirement is a longer screwdriver for installing 5.25" devices. Otherwise, there's plenty of space for a clean layout, and getting eight hot-swap drive bays at this price point is genuinely impressive. The steel structure is also remarkably sturdy, with no noticeable flex - far better than many consumer-grade PC cases.

The front handles are made from high-quality, rigid steel with foam inlays for improved grip and comfort - a detail not commonly seen in rackmount chassis. The rack ears come pre-installed from the factory, saving an extra step during assembly. Combined with the front USB ports, power and reset buttons, and hot-swap bays, this is a complete chassis designed with home and small-business server builders in mind. It has everything you need for a reliable, consumer-hardware-based server.

You wouldn't want a bank or a global messaging service to run on this kind of hardware - Ecc memory, redundant servers, clustered systems, and enterprise infrastructure exist for a reason. But for hosting game servers, handling Home Assistant, running virtual machines, managing camera recordings, and supporting your own household or small community projects, you absolutely do not need the most expensive components.

For these real-world, practical workloads, the Inter-Tech 3U-3508 is an excellent choice.

The price of the 3U-3508 at the time of writing is around €230-250 in Europe, or roughly $260-270 USD. Here in Sweden it sells for about 2,495 SEK, which is in line with the European and Us pricing.