Corsair iCUE 5000X RGB Tempered Glass Mid-Tower ATX Smart Case (Four Tempered Glass Panels, Corsair RapidRoute Cable Management System, Three Included 120mm RGB Fans, Smart RGB Lighting) Black

Product Information

While idling, HWinfo64 measured an exceedingly breezy average of 28C over 8 hours. In Minecraft, the temperature only jumps up to around 40C. It’s not hard to imagine that the mesh coverings and large openings on the front and top greatly aid in these results. It’s safe to say that the case does its job quite well right out of the box, with a relatively cheap air cooler to boot, and the cooling can only get better from there with plenty of room to add fans or radiators. As both the Corsair iCUE 5000X and 5000D Airflow are very similar, I’ll be reviewing them together, sharing any differences, before finally concluding with which you should buy for your next PC build. Yes, I'm aware. I never said not to do that, just that it would have been helpful to see the thermals of the case with max cooling in addition to the review in its present state. The info provided is very important but, because of the focus taken in the review, the full thermal potential of the case is not shown. I have fans from my previous build and I would imagine many other people do too, so it's not like it is guaranteed that adding extra fans would cost money. I don't really see this as a reason not to also present the results with more fans - other than encouraging the manufacturers to shoot for better thermals out of the box Since it might be a little difficult to tell the size difference between the two case series, we’ve put together some line art with examples of both cases side by side to illustrate: Figure 1 – CORSAIR 4000 Series (left) and 5000 Series (right) Figure 2 – CORSAIR 4000 Series (left) and 5000 Series (right) The top of the 5000X and 5000D follows on from the front of both cases, with angular vents on either side of the glass or mesh panel. Again both look great but the glass top on the 5000X is absolutely superb and while the airflow may suffer in comparison, Corsair’s ventilation design provides everything with enough air to stop those components from cooking.

Beyond the series number, the letter at the end of the name helps to denote the feature set a case is equipped with. For example, an “X” case focuses more on showcasing your components and comes equipped with additional tempered glass panels (two on 4000X, four on 5000X, and three on 7000X cases) when compared to a “D” case which feature solid/perforated steel front panels with a focus more on minimalism or performance (as seen on AIRFLOW versions) while retaining a large tempered glass side panel. Keeping Your Build Cool CORSAIR SP RGB Elite AirGuide Fans If you’re looking for a comprehensive comparison between the two series, we’ve put together this table: Case Series Adding fans can almost double the price of this case if you fill all slots with matching RGB fans to get good cooling results. With the full range of features available in all three cases, the only choice is which style you prefer. The 5000D is equipped with a minimalist solid steel front panel, complete with dedicated ventilation channels for air intake. The 5000D AIRFLOW’s steel front panel is perforated with triangular cutouts for maximum airflow to your components. The 5000X RGB makes for a breathtaking build encased in four tempered glass panels, perfect for displaying the vibrant RGB lighting from the included SP RGB ELITE fans and all your RGB components. Whichever case from the 5000 Series you choose, one thing is clear: you’ll have an immaculate build that keeps its cool.It’s now time to get to one of the most impressive aspects of this case. That thing I went on about in the first paragraph. The Corsair iCue 5000x hits its stride where many tempered glass cases fall short, because it manages to blend sleek looks with function. Corsair uses angles to channel the air around the glass front panel and to the fans, with the same design providing heat removal via the roof vent. Usually, intakes are far too restricted to provide the necessary volumes of air needed to cool components properly. I thought that would be the case for the front and top panels, but I actually didn’t see any temperature differences when testing my system under full load with the panels off. Corsair clearly spent a lot of time testing the spacing here to get almost identical results to the Airflow D version of this case.

Series – The 7000 Series expands the cable management and performance concepts to a full-tower providing all the fan/cooler mounting and internal space you need to build your next masterpiece! The spacious interior of all three cases offers great cooling potential, with room for up to 10x 120mm or 4x 140mm cooling fans. A specialized motherboard tray with customizable fan mounts enables you to install an additional 360mm radiator into the side of a 5000 Series case to bolster your cooling. With room for up to 4x 2.5in SSDs and 2x 3.5in HDDs, along with a host of front panel I/O connections including a USB 3.1 Type-C port and 2x USB 3.0 ports, the 5000 Series has all of your needs covered. https://corsair.sharepoint.com/:f:/s/MarketingCommunications/EjyC9Z3Nf-tPgv-SyxjHEl4BsOZzM1SvoRUMYadnis7kKg?e=P9EaXW

Keeping Your Build Cool

Behind the glass is a steel swing door — completely and easily removable for better building — that hides cabling, SSDs, HDDs, PSU, lighting nodes, and anything else housed behind the motherboard panel. With the panel closed and the glass in place, you'd never know there's anything there. Some might remove the swing door completely if they're particularly proud of their cabling, but others (including myself) will appreciate the relative mess it hides.