Corsair Forgot How to Make a Case: 6500D Airflow & 6500X Review
Summary
TLDRThis video review critiques the design and functionality of Corsair's 6500 series cases, highlighting several flaws. The review points out issues such as incompatible drive cage and motherboard designs, loose-fitting filters, and poor material choices leading to sagging mesh panels. Despite some positive design elements and customization options, the cases fail to impress overall. The video concludes that while Corsair aims for versatile and long-lasting designs, these cases fall short compared to other available options in the same price range, making them less appealing choices for buyers.
Takeaways
- 🤔 The Corsair 6500 series cases are described as 'unfocused' with multiple shortcomings and a mix of good and bad design choices.
- 🔧 Compatibility issues are noted with backconnect motherboards, indicating a lack of integrated design planning for such motherboards.
- 📏 The case has a mix of sturdy and cheap materials, with mesh panels that are particularly flimsy and prone to sagging.
- 💨 The air filters are large and loosely fitted, lacking sufficient support, and there's an aftermarket plastic structure to prevent them from being sucked into the fans.
- 💡 The case design features a 'valley effect' with heavy steel on top but uses cheap plastic for the mesh panels, leading to a sagging issue.
- 🔨 Some aspects of the case show attention to detail, such as the yellow accents on USB ports and washers, but these are inconsistent and sometimes appear as mistakes.
- 📄 Documentation for the case is scattered and inconsistent, with some features like open-loop hardware support being undocumented.
- 💰 The Corsair 6500 series cases are priced at $200 each without included fans, positioning them in a competitive market segment.
- 🛠️ Corsair is praised for keeping the affordable case market alive with the 4000D and 5000D, but the 6500 series seems to lack the innovation seen in previous models.
- 🔄 The case's side panel has a design flaw causing it to sag, with a metal strap added as a guide to help align it correctly when attached.
- 🛑 The overall sentiment is that while there are some positive features and touches, the Corsair 6500 series cases fail to excel in any particular area and have notable design and material quality issues.
Q & A
What is the main criticism of the Corsair 6500 series cases?
-The main criticism is that the cases feel unfocused, with design elements that seem to have been added in isolation, leading to compatibility issues and a lack of cohesion in the overall design.
How does the drive cage design in the Corsair 6500 series affect motherboard compatibility?
-The drive cage was designed without consideration for backconnect motherboards, resulting in a compromised design where the EPS 12V cable cutout interferes with the drive cage, eliminating a drive cage mount.
What issues were found with the air filters in the Corsair 6500 series cases?
-The air filters are large and loosely fitted without sufficient support, leading to a design flaw where a large piece of plastic is needed to prevent the fans from sucking the filter in, and the mesh panels are flimsy and prone to sagging.
How does the Corsair 6500 series compare to other dual chamber cases in terms of weight?
-The Corsair 6500 series cases are quite heavy for a case, with much of the weight coming from the swappable steel panels, which can be exchanged for lighter aluminum panels to reduce weight.
What is the problem with the documentation provided with the Corsair 6500 series cases?
-The documentation is inconsistent and scattered, making it difficult to find specific information. Additionally, support for open loop hardware is technically there but not well documented.
What are some of the positive features of the Corsair 6500 series cases?
-Positive features include the yellow accent on the USB ports and washers for some screws, the availability of add-on kits like the rapid route kit and elite panel kits, and the ease of removing the bar between the power supply chamber and side fan mount.
How does the Corsair 6500 series cases perform thermally compared to other cases?
-The Corsair 6500 series cases have varying thermal performance depending on the configuration, with the bottom intake configuration generally performing better for both CPU and GPU thermals, and being quieter.
What is the price range of the Corsair 6500 series cases?
-The Corsair 6500 series cases are priced at $200 each, with no fans included.
What alternatives to the Corsair 6500 series cases are mentioned in the script?
-Alternatives mentioned include the Lian Li DK-01 Dynamic Evo series, the Hades Y60 and Y70, the Montech K95 Pro, and the Antec C8 AR ARGB.
What is the general sentiment towards the Corsair 6500 series cases in the script?
-The general sentiment is critical, with the script highlighting several design flaws and shortcomings, despite acknowledging some positive features and the case's potential.
Outlines
🛠️ Design Flaws and Compatibility Issues
The Corsair 6500 series case is criticized for being unfocused, with design elements that appear to be an afterthought. The drive cage and backconnect motherboard compatibility are poorly integrated, leading to a loss of a drive cage mount due to a pass-through hole for cables. The case's filters are described as large and loosely fitted, requiring an aftermarket plastic structure to prevent them from being sucked into the fans. The use of heavy steel in some areas contrasts with cheap-feeling mesh panels that sag, indicating a lack of reinforcement. The case also has inconsistent documentation and lacks clear support for open-loop hardware, despite Corsair's own line of such products. The 6500 series is positioned as a safe, timeless design that fits industry trends but is seen as a departure from Corsair's earlier innovative approach to case design.
📈 Market Strategy and Design Philosophy
Corsair's strategy with the 6500 series is to create a case that remains relevant and salable over several years, spreading R&D and tooling costs. This approach is typical for larger companies and has benefits, despite sometimes being criticized. The 6500 series is seen as a spiritual successor to the Corsair 680 but with improvements. Corsair is commended for keeping the affordable case market alive with the 4000D and 5000D models. The company's design philosophy now seems focused on creating cases that fit with current trends rather than setting them, a shift from their earlier aggressive market positioning with distinctive designs like the C70 and 780T. The 6500 series is part of Corsair's move towards more mainstream, safe designs that can maintain their appeal over time.
🔍 Detailed Critique of Design Elements
The script delves into specific design criticisms of the Corsair 6500 series, including issues with backconnect motherboard compatibility that feels like an afterthought, awkward gaps, and a hard drive cage that interferes with power supply mounting. There's also mention of the case's heavy weight due to swappable panels, and the contrast between sturdy materials and cheap, poorly assembled parts. Small oversights, such as the lack of vibration damping for the 3.5-inch mounting and the sagging mesh panels, are highlighted. The case's filters are criticized for being bulbous and loosely fitted, requiring additional structures to prevent them from being sucked into the fans. The script also notes the case's heavy steel components and the availability of various add-ons, such as cable management kits and elite panel kits, which are seen as interesting ideas but not necessarily essential.
📐 Design and Functionality Concerns
The script discusses concerns with the case's design and functionality, such as the side panel's lack of rigidity leading to a sagging appearance and the potential for paint scratches. It also mentions the case's trademarked fan screws, which are a nice touch but indicative of a broader issue where attention to detail is inconsistent. The accessory kit is praised for its color-matched splitter and I/O cables, as well as the well-designed rubber grommets. However, the ease of removing the bar between the power supply chamber and side fan mount is highlighted as a manufacturing letdown. The case's thermal testing methodology is explained, with the 6500 series showing variable performance depending on fan configuration and intake direction. The case's thermal performance is compared to other dual-chamber cases, with some configurations performing better in terms of noise and temperature.
🌡️ Thermal Performance and Comparison
The script provides a detailed analysis of the Corsair 6500 series' thermal performance, comparing it to other cases in the market. It notes that the 6500 series performs well in certain configurations, particularly with bottom intake, but lags behind competitors like the Lian Li O11D Evo XL and the Fractal Torrent in terms of GPU thermals. The importance of fan placement and type is highlighted, with the Corsair cases generally being louder and hotter compared to the Torrent. The script also discusses the impact of removing panels on thermal performance, showing significant improvements when airflow paths are unobstructed. The 6500 series is positioned as a mid-range option that offers decent thermals but does not lead the pack in this aspect.
🏁 Final Thoughts and Recommendations
The final paragraph summarizes the overall impression of the Corsair 6500 series, describing it as unfocused and a product of a committee-driven design process. It suggests that Corsair has lost its way in recent years with case design, trying to accommodate too many features without excelling in any particular area. The script recommends other cases in the same price range that offer better value or are more thoughtfully designed, such as the Lian Li PC-O11D, the INWIN F5, and the Montech K95. It concludes by stating that while there are aspects of the 6500 series that are interesting, there are too many good alternatives available that make it a less attractive option for purchase.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Backconnect motherboards
💡Drive cage
💡Corsair 6500 series
💡Dual chamber design
💡Mesh panels
💡Thermal Grizzly
💡ATX BTF (All-in-One Battle Tested Frame)
💡Radiator mounts
💡Side fan mount
💡Noise normalized thermal results
💡Open loop hardware
Highlights
The case has design problems, particularly the drive cage designed in isolation from motherboard compatibility.
Corsair's filters on the case are large and loose-fitting without sufficient integrated support.
Corsair used heavy steel on the top with a thick structure, but went cheap with the mesh panels, resulting in sagging.
The documentation for the case is inconsistent and scattered, making it difficult to find specific information.
The Corsair 6500 cases are $200 each and do not include fans.
The styling of these dual chamber cases feels familiar to other cases like the Montech K95 and the Antec C8 AR ARGB.
Corsair has a history of unique case designs, such as the Carbide Air 540, but has shifted to safer, trend-following styles recently.
The drive cage and back-connect motherboard support were designed in isolation, causing compatibility issues.
Corsair's open loop hardware is technically supported but not well documented.
The mesh panels on the case are fragile and prone to sagging over time.
Corsair included several add-ons for the 6500 series, like the rapid route kit, glass kits, and vertical GPU mount kits.
The side fan and radiator mount is well-designed but limited to 120mm fans.
The case lacks included fans, but Corsair provides their trademarked 'quick turn' screws, which are easier to use.
The accessory kit includes color-matched splitter for the front panel connections and double-shot molded rubber grommets.
Thermal testing shows the case performs well with standardized fans, but the front intake configuration is the best for CPU thermals.
Transcripts
in one word this case is unfocused it
has a few problems it's got a mess of
solutions and one of them is that it
seems like the drive cage was designed
in isolation from the back connect
motherboard compatibility so for example
because this case is trying to support
those boards that have cables going into
the back they've carved out this pass
through hole in the back wall of the
motherboard tray that then has to pass
through through the drive cage which
then passes through the drive cage sled
if you want to keep it in there and
eliminates a drive cage Mount so it's
like the two were designed in isolation
of each other but that's not the only
shortcoming here additionally corsairs
filters on the case are large and loose
fitting without sufficient integrated
support as you can see here and they've
got this huge piece of aftermarket
plastic structure that we've branded
corsair's oh moment of product
design where they already got through
and designed everything else and needed
a solution to stop the fans from sucking
this large loose filter into the
fans God damn it of course I also used
heavy Steel on the top with this thick
structure to create this exaggerated
Valley effect down the center but went
really cheap with the mesh panels like
that nice bending effect uh but that's
because they've reinforced all of the
mesh panels with instead of Steel and
metal like they have ample amounts of up
here plastic and the end result is that
every mesh panel on this case sags this
is as charitable as possible cuz I'm not
going to hold it up this is the normal
orientation and it's got quite a radius
on it bending like a banana as can pin
would say in fact even the top panel
does this where if we hold this
one you can see the SAG right in the
middle there it's like Corsair saw what
they were doing with video cards and
thought they'd jump in except there's
not like four pounds of heat sink
attached to this of course there has
some nice touches on this case like the
yellow Accent on the USB ports and on
the washer for some of the screws but
they didn't follow this through like
they've done in years past so typically
they've also done a yellowing on the
pull tab or in some other small areas of
the case that show an intentional
attention to detail and by on the front
of the case really only showing it in
those USB ports has the opposite effect
where they make it look like a mistake
like it's some left over Port from the
9s there's also a documentation problem
with the case where one it's not
consistent between its materials uh two
they're kind of scattered but it's a
good idea it just wasn't executed well
and then three open loop Hardware is
technically supported it's just not
documented very well so these are the
Corsair 6500 cases one's the 6500 x with
the glass one is the 65 500d airflow
with the mesh front panel today we're
reviewing them these are $200 each no
fans included in either one of these
before that this video is brought to you
by thermal Grizzly's aeronaut and
hydronaut thermal pastes aeronaut is
thermal Grizzly's entry-level thermal
solution marketed as resistant to curing
and for long-term endurance hydronaut is
thermal Grizzly's Next Step Up targeted
for overclocking and higher performance
applications we've used hydronaut on a
lot of our systems internally over the
years you can learn more at the link in
the description below the styling of
these dual chamber cases feels familiar
to the family another 0d a montech
k95 uh the game Max hype the another 01
the antec
C8 AR argb
[Music]
Edition but despite fitting in with this
trend corser isn't actually a follower
here it actually came before all of
these and it was with the carbide air
540 and they had others that were dual
chamber as well I wrote about the air
540 in 2013 and it's been a few years
but about 10 to 12 years ago Corsair was
fighting fiercely in the case Market the
Corsair C70 and its edgy military
theming had some highlights like a flip
up button cover and heavyduty panel
latches Corsair had the bulbous 600t and
the popular 780t lately they've moved
away from styling and featured
development in the case industry and
these days cors strategy seems to be to
make safe styles that follow or fit in
with Trends in the industry the Corsair
4000d gets huge credit though for
keeping the more affordable case Market
alive and the 5000d remains available
and was corsair's last mid-range case
launched in 20121 it seems like
corsair's strategy with the 4,000 5000d
7000d and with these is to build and
design a case that is relatively
Timeless for an era something that's
safe so they can launch the market and
in 3 years
they can still sell it for roughly the
same price that allows them to spread
the R&D and tooling cost over more years
and it's a big company move of course
there's a big company now it's somewhere
around three times the size it was
minimally for employee account compared
to when the air 540 came out it's
different now but big company moves
despite being sometimes character at
list can have their advantages as well
so the 6500 series it feels like a
spiritual successor in some ways to the
Corsair 680 but improved before we get
into more detail on it we need some
Alternatives alternatives to this case
include the lean lee1 Dynamic Evo series
the height y60 and y70 non-touch that we
just reviewed on the channel if you want
to check it out the k95 pro from montech
the antec C8 AR argb and that's just
some of the recent dual chamber cases
all in the same general form factor and
price category and we've got fresh data
for each of those from our recent height
y70 review to compare that we'll look at
today in our new ATX case testing
methodology and looking big picture
first this case is pretty heavy for a
case everything I'm showing today are
very heavy and a lot of that weight
comes from these swappable panels so the
front and the top here can be exchanged
they've got a couple variants one of
them is aluminum this just by default is
steel and swapping this if you look at
how thick that steel is swapping that
for an aluminum panel actually has a
meaningful weight reduction if you
needed an example of why companies will
often go to aluminum for weight this is
the perfect one the 6500 though it's
interesting because it feels like this
combination of sturdy and relatively
quality feeling materials in assembly
with really cheap and really bad
materials in assembly let's start with
some of the small weirder oversights the
first weird one is compatibility with
backconnect motherboards corsair's
trying to satisfy this demand but the
whole thing feels like an afterthought
that started partway through design
maybe for corporate political Capital to
please their Partners in the ecosystem
Corsair included a full set of cutouts
for normal ATX boards and back connect
Mini ITX Micro ATX and ATX motherboards
from both Asus and MSI Corsair is pretty
confident in its abilities in this
regard re-engineering is such a crucial
part of case design for entirely new
standards without compromising something
else obviously isn't easy but at the
same time we are Corsair so it was
absolutely fine so the problem with all
this unfolds here there's an awkward Gap
underneath where the power supply mounts
it mounts here it doesn't make much
sense feels like just kind of a
byproduct of something they were trying
to do rather than intentional the hard
drive
cage gets in the way so you've got this
cutout through the hard drive cage for
the EPS 12vt cables and back connect
boards but if we bring the camera down a
little bit you'll see the normal cutout
for the normal EPS 12vt that doesn't get
in the way this is why cors are punched
what seems like an otherwise completely
random hole through the hard drive cage
which isn't discussed in the manual at
all they have two 2 and A2 for 3 and 1/2
in Sleds on the drive cage and two 2 and
1/2 in mounts on the side which Corsair
calls quote expansive storage options
but if you use one of corsair's rotated
shift power supplies which has been
specifically sh at the 6500 series the
hard drive cage must be removed
completely eliminating all official
drive support from the case all of it no
drives except nvme or whatever you lay
on the floor of the case if you just
route CPU power cables through the cage
but without a shift power supply one of
the sleds is unusable there's another
spot in the bottom of the case where you
could Force One of the 2 and 1/2 in
mounts with some bending but it's not
officially supported we recommend using
the sleds inside the drive cage first
since cabling for the mounts on the side
can press against the side panel and
you've already seen how flimsy that is
the 3 and 1/2 in mounting is tooless but
it lacks vibration damping so another
place for improvement so they designed
for drives and they designed for back
connect motherboards but they didn't
design for both of them at least not
properly not in a way that seems like it
was all intentional they're made an
isolation of of each other where one
causes compromises with the other and
yet there's all this extra space in the
backside that seems like it just could
have been used more thoughtfully for
open Loops there appear to be pump or
Reservoir mounting holes next to the
expansion slots and a drain hole at the
bottom of the case we say appear to be
because corser doesn't mention these
features in the online manual there's no
physical manual at least not with ours
or the reviewer guide or the jumble of
tagged posts on their website that tries
to be a extra manual or something this
is a premium case with showcase glass
panels as they say made by a company
that has its own line of open loop
Hardware but corsair's only
acknowledgement of op Loop Hardware in a
6500 is in this video and the article
that accompanies it Corsair needs to
organize its materials there are
genuinely helpful blog posts for this
case but finding specific information is
a chore let's bring it back to the
filters so the 6500 series it's got
filters in a couple places for the
there's one in the mesh front panel with
the mesh itself so there's that metal
layer then this really fine almost kind
of invisible nylon style filter except
it's not invisible because you can see
that it is it is bulbous it's like the
precursor to Bulbasaur or something
there's another filter over here on this
side there's one in the top there's a
pullout filter in the bottom which is a
little more standard these panels are
already all kind of bowed I mean you can
see this one pretty clearly as we talked
about earlier but you've got the extra
problem of such a large piece of mesh
with no reinforcement whatsoever and
then as we said earlier this piece is
designed to move around which is
interesting uh maybe that for the power
supply over here or something but in
either case uh this is clearly to stop
that filter from just getting sucked
into the side mounted fans and causing
new problems so uh all of these seem
like they are going to Sag with time and
we like airf flow and we like Corsair
trying ventle Motif but the mesh panels
are unpleasantly fragile it's a strange
contrast with the complete Overkill
armor plating another areas where you've
got steel it seems like it could stop a
bullet since all the panels snap into
place removing them requires prying them
up on one side which unavoidably curls
them interestingly Corsair also has
quite a few add-ons available for the
6500 and we actually don't hate all of
them there's some interesting ideas here
there's a rapid route kit of cable
channels and velcro ties that cost $15
there's a glass kit to convert the 6500d
airf flow to a 6500 X that's $35 a
vertical GPU mount kits available with a
riser cable for 75 bucks there's a
wooden Elite panel kit and then the
black or silver aluminum Elite panel
kits which are $100 the wood one at 75
we'd like to see the rapid route kit
included with the case we noticed that
some of the included twist ties are the
type that disintegrate like you get on a
bag of bread the elite panel kits
replace four plates on the 6500d air
flow three on the 6500 X the stock
plates are extremely heavy they're 3.2
mm thick steel the single plate that the
io attaches to weighs 1.3 Kg on its own
while its aluminum equivalent weighs 0.4
kg fresh out of the box the 6500 X
weighs 14.5 kg and the 6500d air flow
weighs 14.8 kg with the non-structural
plates making up a large share of those
numbers the case is pretty heavy now if
you're watching this and you're like
that's a lot of kilograms I don't know
what those are you can do like one of
our commenters did previously and
unironically say why do you hate Freedom
use inches and to that I would say we
have a full blog post that will give you
the measurements in cubits furons Reams
and choirs hopefully one of those is
useful to
you I didn't write a blog post you can
just go to Google and convert it but
those are all real measurements
installing an elite panel kit isn't
complicated although it's hard to access
the screws on the front plate it is
pretty straightforward though the
tolerances on our sample were tight with
minimal gaps between the plates and
around the io ports this is great and
one of the better places of attention to
detail from cor a despite the
shortcomings the side fan and the
radiator Mount is held in with a single
screw and the tray can be screwed down
without being hooked into place properly
which stood out to us as one example
where corser manufacturing rather than
its design let us down on the case this
Mount is 120 mm only but there would
have been space to fit a 140mm mount
without expanding the case on to the
less negative features of the case so uh
the side and bottom mounts for radiators
can both support 360 mm radiators
without being in conflict with each
other which is great installing fans and
a radiator in the bottom mount will
reduce access to the bottom of ATX
motherboards but Corsair has oriented
the cable cutouts in this location so
that they can't be blocked that's also
excellent the front mount in the 6500d
airf flow does have some overlap with
the bottom mount so we recommend
focusing on the bottom and the side for
liquid coolant some positives with the
right side panel as well for both of
these first of all the gap between the
front and the Side Glass here these two
pieces is really well done the
tolerances are super tight they fit
together really flly that's good also on
the back over here there is a screw to
hold things in place so we like seeing
that it is lacking a way to fully secure
the panel so it can still swing open but
at least they've got something basic in
there now there are some downsides to
the side panel so as a quick aside point
out
the just I mean I I don't even know just
look at it I guess I don't need to say
anything this is when it's not socketed
clearly and it's just it's lacking some
of that structure that rigidity to help
bring it up to stay level and it
actually looks like as pointed out by
vital behind the camera this is
something that Corsair became aware of
during the design process because they
strapped this piece of ch hampered metal
to the bottom so that when it starts to
approach it will collide with that
bottom lip and then guide it up and in
in case the user is just pushing without
much thought so as you can see it