Corsair Carbide Series Black 400R Mid Tower Computer Case (CC-9011011-WW)

• Built-in compatibility for SSDs in the six hard drive bays gives you the flexibility you need.
• Front panel includes USB 3.0, Headphone, Mic, and an LED on/off switch.
• Keep your system cool with up to 10 fan mount locations (four 120mm, six 120mm/140mm)
• Up to 316mm of length for modern GPUs.
• Easily accessible dust filters keep the cool air flowing over your valuable components.
• Captive thumbscrews make it easy to remove your side panels without losing the screws.
• Install or upgrade your CPU heatsink quickly with the easy-access backplate cutout.
• Optimize airflow and keep your system neat and tidy using the intelligent cable management system.

Corsair makes some of the world's best PC enclosures; just read all the critical acclaim and awards that their Obsidian and Graphite Series cases have garnered. I had the chance to review the Graphite Series White 600T about six months ago, and was impressed with its interior space, cable management, flexible cooling options and Corsair's attention to detail. Despite the impressive performance and features of the Graphite and Obisidian Series cases, there's no question that the premium price kept Corsair's enclosures out of reach for many people--until now.

To complete their offering of high-performance cases, Corsair has introduced the Carbide Series mid-tower case. As their entry-level case, the 400R promises "everything you need, nothing you don't" at an MSRP of $99.99. Let's see if the 400R lives up to that promise.

PROS:

Plenty of interior space

Supports up to 10 case fans

Built-in SSD mounting

Excellent cable management

Fantastic value

CONS

Reset switch too close to fan LED on/off switch

IN THE BOX

* Quick start guide

* USB 3.0 to USB 2.0 adapter

* Zip ties and wire mounts

* Motherboard standoffs

* Motherboard screws

* Hard drive and optical drive screws

* Power supply screws

* Fan screws

AESTHETICS

The exterior of 400R has a very clean and simple design. It doesn't stand out like the Obsidian or Graphite Series cases do, but the simple design will probably appeal to a lot of people. It's also a more typical mid-tower size than the 600T.

At 18.5 lbs, the 400R is almost 10 pounds lighter than the 600T. The dimensions are also smaller, all the way around. If you have furniture with say, a standard-sized computer stand or you just need something smaller for your space, the 400R should work out nicely. Like the 600T, the 400R uses a mixture of steel and molded ABS plastic.

As an added convenience, the 400R has a carry handle in the front, which makes it easy to carry around to LAN parties. I also use it to store USB cables for quick access.

INSTALLATION

Installing components in the 400R was comfortable and easy because of the roomy interior space. The 400R doesn't have the unique latch mechanisms for the side panels like the 600T, but I didn't mind using the standard thumb screws. The screws are also conveniently attached to the side panels so you don't misplace them. The muscular design of the side panels not only make them look cooler, but also increases the space at the sides. This made reattaching the right panel a lot easier. In fact, I didn't even bother spending the time to tidy up the cables on the right side because the panel shut easily without doing so. If you're a total neat freak though, there are a fair number of tie-down loops and Corsair even includes a few nylon zip ties.

The motherboard was easy to drop into the 400R, even without a motherboard tray. Large heatsinks also aren't a problem because of the large CPU cutout. In my initial build, I had a stock air cooler installed and later installed a Corsair H80 water cooler. Because of the CPU cutout, I didn't have to remove the entire motherboard, just to install mounting brackets for the water block--score! The PSU install was also a cinch and I was able to rout the ATX 8-pin power connector to the motherboard via the cutout for it.

Like the 600T, the 400R has plastic drive caddies. I noticed that the caddies on the 400R are a bit more flexible than the ones in the 600T, but it made no difference in mounting the drives. Hard drives snapped right in to the caddies, without having to mess around with screws or rails. SSD drives can also be mounted into the same caddies, but with the use of screws. This means you no longer have to buy SSD desktop kits or use velcro to safely mount your SSD drive.

Optical drives are even simpler to install, since they use the same tool-free mechanism as the 600T. Just slide the optical drive in until it clicks and you're done; no screws or rails to slow you down.

Expansion cards pose no installation problems for the 400R and the bracket covers are vented for better airflow. You get eight PCI-E slots with support for up to 316mm (12.4 inch) long expansion cards. So yeah, if you want to set up SLI or CrossFire, the 400R has you covered.

The last thing I want to mention about working inside the 400R are the cable-routing holes. If you read my review of the 600T, then you already know how much I like Corsair's cable-routing holes. They allow me to keep the case free of cable clutter, resulting in unrestricted airflow and a better looking case.

COOLING

The 400R comes with three 120mm fans--one rear exhaust and two front intake. The front intake fans also have white LEDs. With the default number of fans, the 400R has good cooling and is pretty quiet. However, if you have greater cooling requirements, the 400R supports up to 10 total fans. You can even install a 240mm radiator at the top of the case. Obviously, cooling options on the 400R are plentiful.

MISCELLANEOUS

The 400R's I/O panel is conveniently located at the top and includes 2 x USB 3.0 ports, power switch, HDD LED, mic and headphone jacks, FireWire (1394) port, fan LED on/off switch, and a reset switch. The only issue I had with the I/O panel was that the fan LED on/off switch is located just above the reset switch. Twice, I accidentally hit the reset switch when I meant to hit the fan LED switch. Granted, this happened in the dark, but they're so close together, I could see myself and others hitting the wrong switch even in the daylight.

The 400R also comes with a USB 3.0 to USB 2.0 converter for the motherboard, which is a nice touch. Additionally, the I/O cables are neatly wrapped in a black cover and clearly labeled. I know it's minor, but it's probably the best looking I/O cables I've seen yet for a PC enclosure.

Finally, I just want to mention another example of the detail that Corsair paid with the 400R. To install optical drives on the 400R, you have to remove the entire front panel of the case. Seasoned system builders have performed this act, countless times in their careers. It goes something like this: unclip the stupid plastic tabs located all over the left and right sides, partially pull the front panel out, unclip the stupid tabs again that clipped back in, then finally remove the front panel completely.

Removing the front panel of the 400R is a different story and it goes something like this: pull the front panel out. Done. The 400R doesn't use plastic tabs. It's a little hard to describe, but the 400R uses a circular metal tab that when you give it a quick pull, the entire front panel comes out without fuss. Those Corsair engineers are pret-ty smart.

CONCLUSION

The Corsair Carbide Series 400R mid-tower case has hit its mark. For $99, you probably shouldn't expect too much out of an ATX case, but the 400R has raised the bar. The 400R gives system builders and enthusiasts an affordable alternative to Corsair's higher-end enclosures, without sacrificing a whole lot. You still get the same Corsair-grade build quality, support, tool-free design, cable-routing holes, roomy interior, flexible cooling and good looks. So yeah, you could say that the 400R has lived up to its billing, and is a great way to step into a Corsair case without breaking the bank. I highly recommend it.

* Review sample provided by Corsair

Buy Corsair Carbide Series Black 400R Mid Tower Computer Case (CC-9011011-WW) Now

I purchased this case the end of December 2011 and did not have USB 3.0 functionality on both front ports testing with 3 different USB 3.0 storage devices. The back Intel DZ68BC board USB 3.0 header/ports worked fine. Corsair sent a replacement that appeared to be used (visible using a 10x loupe) that was received the first week of January 2012. Of the two USB 3.0 front ports with the replacement, only one functions as USB 3.0. Corsair will again send another replacement front header that is supposed to be "new". Either I am unlucky or who ever makes the parts for Corsair is using inferior parts for their series 400 R cases regarding front USB 3.0 front headers.

Beyond the USB 3.0 front panel connectivity issue I really like the case overall design.

Read Best Reviews of Corsair Carbide Series Black 400R Mid Tower Computer Case (CC-9011011-WW) Here

Coming from an Antec 900 (still in use), can't help but compare:

Antec 900 Pros: Somewhat better build quality. HDDs and drive bay covers screw in. Cooling is better out-of-box, with the helicopter fan on top, and fan switches to control speed. See-through panel. Looks sleeker, IMO.

Carbide 400R Pros: Cable management and ergonomics. No contest here. With all of my drives and Corsair TX750 transferred from the Antec, it was MUCH easier to tuck cables out of the way behind the motherboard panel, thanks to lots of rubberized holes around the motherboard mounting, the rear-facing orientation of the hard drive bays (the HDD trays fit the drives very snuggly), and the extruded side panel. Makes for plenty of room in the case for GPUs. Looks stodgier by comparison, but I don't really care.

Couple gripes: the HDD trays -if you try to install an SSD, the retainer clip for HDDs gets in the way. Also, what's with the current fad of putting USB ports right above optical drive bays? Sure it makes for easy access, but dangling cables can block ejecting trays.

Really nice case overall. Would buy it again for a new build.

Edit: You can remove the pins in the HDD trays for mounting an SSD by removing the entire pin bar.

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This is a really great case, and the radiator of the H100 water cooler that it's designed to hold fits great... Until you try to put the motherboard in. Once I put my motherboard in, the radiator (plus stock fans) was touching parts of the board, and totally blocking access to the fan plugs along the top edge of the board. Now this might not be the case for your board, but in general I would have liked to have seen extra space to prevent this.

My solution was to put the fans for the radiator on the outside of the case (top) and put grills on them keep anything from getting in the fans. It looks silly, but luckily I'm more interested in performance than looks at this point.

If the case would have had more room to keep the H100 away from the board, I would have given it 5 stars.

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This is probably the best case I have ever owned.

Pros:

Cable Management

Easy Access to the CPU for Aftermarket Coolers.

Crazy amount of space.

Cons:

was not free