Supermicro SuperChassis 836BE1C-R1K03B (Black) — 3U Rackmount Storage Chassis

The Supermicro SuperChassis 836BE1C-R1K03B is a high-density, 3U rackmount chassis engineered for demanding storage and expansion needs in data centers and enterprise environments. This black, rugged enclosure is built to host EATX form factor motherboards while delivering substantial PCIe expansion and an abundance of external drive bays. With 16 external 3.5" drive bays, a robust 1000 W power supply installed, and support for up to seven PCI slots, it is designed to maximize storage throughput, streamline cable management, and simplify scalability. The chassis combines strong engineering with practical features that cater to performance-focused IT professionals, making it a reliable backbone for storage arrays, media libraries, virtualization hosts, and high-availability server applications.

• Dense 3U rackmount chassis with extensive storage — The 836BE1C-R1K03B packs 16 external 3.5" drive bays into a compact 3U footprint, delivering a powerful storage backbone without compromising rack space. This design is ideal for organizations that need large-scale data capacity, fast I/O, and straightforward drive management in a single, streamlined enclosure. The drive bays are positioned to optimize airflow and reduce cable clutter, enabling enterprise-grade storage configurations that scale with business growth while maintaining clean, efficient rack deployments.
• Reliable 1000 W power supply installed — Equipped with a 1000 W power supply, this chassis provides ample headroom to support multiple hard drives, PCIe cards, and expansion peripherals. The installed PSU ensures immediate readiness out of the box, reducing deployment time and minimizing downtime during upgrades. Whether you’re building a dense storage server or a multi-GPU/FPGA workstation in a rack, the robust power delivery helps maintain stable performance under heavy workloads and peak-load conditions.
• Supports EATX motherboards and expansive PCIe options — The SuperChassis 836BE1C-R1K03B is designed to accommodate EATX motherboards, offering flexibility for high-end processing, virtualization, and storage control. In addition to motherboard compatibility, it provides a generous seven expansion slots to host PCIe add-in cards for networking, storage controllers, acceleration devices, or other enterprise-grade peripherals. This combination enables advanced server configurations with rich I/O, improved data throughput, and tailored performance optimized for your workloads.
• Enhanced cooling with multi-fan support — To keep dense storage configurations cool and reliable, the chassis supports up to five fans, delivering robust airflow across drive bays and expansion cards. Efficient cooling reduces thermal throttling, extends component life, and maintains consistent performance during sustained I/O bursts. The airflow design complements the backplane and front-panel drive trays, helping to preserve data integrity in hot environments and providing a stable platform for long-running applications.
• Professional black 3U enclosure for rack deployments — The chassis arrives in a clean black finish, suitable for data centers, server rooms, or enterprise IT closets where a professional, low-profile appearance is preferred. Beyond aesthetics, the enclosure emphasizes accessibility and serviceability, with a front-facing drive bay array and clearly organized internal pathways that facilitate maintenance, upgrades, and routine checks—all while delivering a reliable, enterprise-grade platform for storage-heavy workloads.

Technical Details of Supermicro SuperChassis 836BE1C-R1K03B

• Form factor: 3U rackmount chassis designed for dense storage and expansion in enterprise environments.
• Drive bays: 16 x external 3.5" drive bays, enabling large-scale storage configurations and straightforward drive management.
• Motherboard compatibility: Supports EATX motherboards, providing flexibility for high-end processing and storage controllers.
• Expansion slots: 7 x PCIe slots to accommodate a range of add-in cards, including NICs, RAID controllers, and acceleration devices.
• Power supply: 1000 W power supply installed, delivering reliable power for storage arrays and expansion components.
• Cooling: Supports up to 5 fans, enabling effective cooling for dense drive cages and PCIe devices.
• Color and finish: Black enclosure suitable for professional data-center aesthetics.
• Rack compatibility: Designed for standard rack deployments in data centers and IT rooms.

how to install Supermicro SuperChassis 836BE1C-R1K03B

• Prepare the rack and enclosure: Position the chassis in the desired rack location, ensuring access for maintenance and cable management. Secure the chassis with the appropriate rails and mounting hardware, making sure it is level and stable.
• Inspect the power and cooling setup: Verify the installed 1000 W power supply is connected to a suitable power source and that any required power distribution or circuit protection is in place. Check that fans are properly installed and oriented to promote optimal airflow across the drive bays and expansion cards.
• Install or verify the motherboard and backplane connections: If you are adding an EATX motherboard, mount it per the chassis’ standoff pattern, connect the power, memory, and CPU components as required, and ensure PCIe slots line up with the chassis expansion slots. Attach any backplane connections and data cables as per your motherboard and drive controller configuration.
• Populate drive bays and expansion cards: Install your 16 external 3.5" drives into the drive bays, routing data and power cables as needed to minimize obstruction and maximize airflow. Install PCIe expansion cards (RAID controllers, NICs, GPUs, etc.) into the 7 available slots, securing cards firmly and ensuring clear clearance for cooling and cabling.
• Cable management and testing: Route data cables, power cables, and fan connectors neatly to reduce airflow resistance and simplify future maintenance. Power on the system, verify POST, and test drive detection, RAID configurations, and network connectivity. Monitor thermal readings and ensure fans respond correctly to temperature changes to maintain stable operation under load.

Frequently asked questions

• Q: Does this chassis support EATX motherboards? A: Yes. The 836BE1C-R1K03B is designed to support EATX form factor motherboards, offering extensive PCIe expansion and robust performance for storage and compute workloads.
• Q: How many external drive bays are available? A: It includes 16 external 3.5" drive bays, suitable for large-scale storage arrays and rapid data access.
• Q: What is the power supply specification? A: The chassis comes with a 1000 W power supply installed, providing ample headroom for drives, expansion cards, and CPU/memory requirements.
• Q: How many PCIe expansion slots does it offer? A: The enclosure provides 7 PCIe expansion slots to accommodate a range of add-in cards for networking, storage controllers, acceleration devices, and more.
• Q: How many fans can be installed for cooling? A: The chassis supports up to 5 fans, enabling effective cooling for dense storage configurations and high-performance workloads.
• Q: Is this chassis suitable for rack deployments in data centers? A: Yes. It is a purpose-built 3U rackmount chassis designed for enterprise storage, data processing, and scalable server deployments in professional IT environments.