The Corsair Carbide 400Q Case Review
by E. Fylladitakis on April 29, 2016 9:00 AM EST- Posted in
- Cases/Cooling/PSUs
- Corsair
- ATX
- E-ATX
- Carbide
Corsair is a company that does not need much of an introduction - they are one of the world’s most reputable manufacturers of PC components and peripherals, with a vast range of products for all wallets and tastes. One market section that Corsair is highly active in is that of PC cases, with the company frequently releasing new designs and currently marketing dozens of products.
Introduction
Today we are having a look at one of Corsair's most recent releases, the Carbide 400Q. The Carbide 400Q is not formally designed to replace or compete with any of the company’s previous models, but it feels as if it the spiritual successor of the Carbide 330R. The midi-tower case is designed as a financially reasonable solution for users that want an refined yet simple and quiet system. We are having a close look at the features, quality, performance, shortcomings and value of the Carbide 400Q in this review.
| Corsair Carbide 400Q | ||
| Motherboard Size | EATX, ATX, Micro-ATX, Mini-ITX | |
| Drive Bays | External | - |
| Internal | 2 × 3.5" (internal drive cage) 3 × 2.5" (Rear of motherboard tray) |
|
| Cooling | Front | 3 × 120 mm or 2 x 140 mm (1 × 140 mm included) |
| Rear | 1 × 120 mm (included) | |
| Top | 2 × 120 mm or 2 × 140 mm (none included) | |
| HDD | - | |
| Bottom | - | |
| Radiator Support | Front | Up to 360 mm or 280 mm |
| Rear | Up to 120 mm | |
| Top | Up to 240 mm | |
| Side | - | |
| Bottom | - | |
| I/O Port | 2× USB 3.0, 0× USB 2.0, 1× Headphone, 1× Mic | |
| Power Supply Size | ATX | |
| Clearances | HSF | 170 mm |
| PSU | 190 mm | |
| GPU | 370 mm | |
| Dimensions | 464 mm × 215 mm × 425 mm 18.27 in × 8.46 in × 16.73 in |
|
| Prominent Features | · Silenced panels for quiet operation · Easy to build, hard to beat · Clean, modern lines with an all steel exterior · Direct Airflow Path · Compact design, full size capabilities · Liquid cooling capable · Two included AF series fans · PSU and 3.5” Bay Cover · Easy to clean |
|
| Price | $99 (MSRP) | |
Packaging & Bundle
Corsair supplies the Carbide 400Q in a sturdy brown cardboard box. The monochromic artwork is simple and based on a schematic of the case itself, with a short description of the case printed in several languages. Although it is not much to gaze upon, the sturdy box and thick Styrofoam slabs provide more than good protection during shipping.
Corsair barely supplies more than just the basics alongside with the Carbide 400Q. The bundled items are just a user’s manual, black mounting screws and a few short cable ties.
Facebook
Twitter
RSS
63 Comments
View All Comments
close - Saturday, April 30, 2016 - link
Well, "bent" and "extend" are correct, just not in that sentence. So only a proof reader would spot it, not a spell checker. And the author's name suggests he may not be a native speaker so you can expect some mistakes. As long as the technical details are correct I can get over spelling errors, photos that weren't shot RAW, and other BS like this coming from people that have nothing better to do.jdavenport608 - Friday, April 29, 2016 - link
I come here for the expert and professional reviews. I would expect the expert to be able to sound the part. Basic spelling and grammar mistakes make me wonder about other parts of the review. Plus it breaks up the smooth flow of the article to stumble across these types of mistakes.I have been wondering about the editorial staff of some sites I read for awhile now. Sadly, Anandtech is not the only site with this problem.
As for being free. I have no ad blockers running. Plenty of ads here.
The_Assimilator - Friday, April 29, 2016 - link
^ This guy gets it. Simple spelling and grammar mistakes reveal a lack of professionalism.MatthewsWal - Friday, April 29, 2016 - link
<irony>Yeah because two simple spelling mistakes that a spellchecker cannot catch is what makes a review unprofessional.</irony> Have you ever bothered checking the background of the writer? Other than that he is not even American and he still writes better than most I've seen, I still prefer reading a piece written by someone with a phd than "reviews" written by people of questionable education and expertise.The_Assimilator - Saturday, April 30, 2016 - link
Allow me to introduce you to the concept of "an editor".JoeyJoJo123 - Friday, April 29, 2016 - link
You mean a b itchy response to Corsair advertising, right? Tech journalists who run a website with paid employees don't review stuff for free, you know. They make articles so that they can continue to have a job.svan1971 - Saturday, April 30, 2016 - link
economymatthew - Amen.Black Obsidian - Friday, April 29, 2016 - link
I picked up this case's sibling, the 400C (full-frame side window, no acoustic dampening, dust filter replacing top panel) and then stuffed a 5820K, Corsair H110i GT, and MSI 980Ti into it. With Corsair AF120/140 Quiet fans in the top and rear running at 100% it's still virtually silent at idle, and normal gaming load conditions. Airflow is a bit weak, but this isn't a case for extreme overclockers anyway.I had the same difficulty with the front panel, solved by bending the plastic tabs inward a bit so the force required to remove the panel is now only "quite a lot" rather than "Hulk Smash!". Also, as much as I like the aesthetics of the PSU/HDD/wiring shroud at the bottom, it was quite a pain to put back into place after the motherboard was installed.
Overall a very reasonable case for $110CAD, but I don't expect it to have the kind of longevity my Corsair 650D and Antec P180 enjoyed.
nagi603 - Friday, April 29, 2016 - link
Good to hear of an owner... and speak of the devil, I still have a P180 in active service. :)Black Obsidian - Friday, April 29, 2016 - link
My original P180 lasted a long time, but my back still hurts just thinking about it.