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[REVIEW] Corsair Carbide Air 540

36K views 28 replies 11 participants last post by  njscorreia 
#1 ·
You can also find this review in spanish here.

Corsair´s new case comes in it´s tradiTional cardboard case, with tedalited pictures and description of the product.

http://s1047.photobucket.com/user/STUNT1990/media/Corsair Carbide Air 540/01_zpsfc0711f8.jpg.html
http://s1047.photobucket.com/user/STUNT1990/media/Corsair Carbide Air 540/02_zps3e90adf3.jpg.html
http://s1047.photobucket.com/user/STUNT1990/media/Corsair Carbide Air 540/031_zpsa49312d2.jpg.html

In the event of the pictures are not enough, there´s also an ilustrated manual.

http://s1047.photobucket.com/user/STUNT1990/media/Corsair Carbide Air 540/04_zps9f147681.jpg.html

When opening the box you find the product wrapped in a black colored bag, seems to be made from the same material as the one included with other cases such as the 650D.

http://s1047.photobucket.com/user/STUNT1990/media/Corsair Carbide Air 540/05_zps45895c04.jpg.html

Even if the case is not too heavy, it cames protected with a couple of thick foam panels.

http://s1047.photobucket.com/user/STUNT1990/media/Corsair Carbide Air 540/06_zpsd8fe8689.jpg.html

The bag covers the case completely, which makes it perfect if you don´t wan´t to scratch your case while moving it to a lan party, for example.

http://s1047.photobucket.com/user/STUNT1990/media/Corsair Carbide Air 540/07_zps9834edfb.jpg.html

As you can see, the case is wider than the average, it measures are 331mm wide, 457mm tall and 407mm deep.

http://s1047.photobucket.com/user/STUNT1990/media/Corsair Carbide Air 540/08_zps4fae5952.jpg.html
http://s1047.photobucket.com/user/STUNT1990/media/Corsair Carbide Air 540/09_zps16b7a6ba.jpg.html

In the supplied accessory box we found only 1 standoff. The case comes with 9 standoff pre-installed, but the one in the middle is just a quick placemente point so I guess that standoff is intentded to replace this one should you wanted to.
You can also find 6 zip ties, 8 screws for optical units and SSDs (in casse you wan´t to instal them in the hot-swap bays), 10 motherboard screws and 12 fan scres (or so says the manual, but I got 22 as you can see).

http://s1047.photobucket.com/user/STUNT1990/media/Corsair Carbide Air 540/10_zpse7c99565.jpg.html

In the front panel you can find a metalic Corsair badge and the common power and reset switched, HDD activity and power leds, two 3.5mm female jacks; one for headphones and the other for a micrphone and, finally, two USB 3.0.

http://s1047.photobucket.com/user/STUNT1990/media/Corsair Carbide Air 540/11_zps74f06f0e.jpg.html
http://s1047.photobucket.com/user/STUNT1990/media/Corsair Carbide Air 540/12_zps43067f0e.jpg.html

The Coirsair Carbide Air 540 has 2 optical bays, in vertical disposition.

http://s1047.photobucket.com/user/STUNT1990/media/Corsair Carbide Air 540/13_zpsdcf97c44.jpg.html

In the back of the case we found 8 PCI expansion bays, a 140mm fan exhausting air, the PSU mountin place and a lot of opened vent holes for pasive airflow.
You can see both side panels fixes with thumbscres. We´ll find 20 thumbscres in this case.

http://s1047.photobucket.com/user/STUNT1990/media/Corsair Carbide Air 540/14_zps6b5de2f7.jpg.html

I´m happy to finally have a case without honneycomb on the echaust fan, instead you get a removable metallic fan grill.

http://s1047.photobucket.com/user/STUNT1990/media/Corsair Carbide Air 540/15_zps1b6f58a6.jpg.html

There´s alsmot no diference between leaving or removing the windowd left side panel; it has a huge smoked acrylic window which allows seeing all the hardware inside.

http://s1047.photobucket.com/user/STUNT1990/media/Corsair Carbide Air 540/17_zpsf5441fbf.jpg.html
http://s1047.photobucket.com/user/STUNT1990/media/Corsair Carbide Air 540/18_zpsbd300ef0.jpg.html

The case comes with 2 hot-swap bays, compatible with 3.5" and 2.5" HDDs or SSDs.
Well, you can´t really call them hot-swap since you would need to remove the windowed panel to access them...

http://s1047.photobucket.com/user/STUNT1990/media/Corsair Carbide Air 540/19_zps7d4dd1e5.jpg.html
http://s1047.photobucket.com/user/STUNT1990/media/Corsair Carbide Air 540/20_zpsf64d3276.jpg.html

Even with the hot-swap bays installed, you can see big holes on the floor. The holes get bigger whith the bays removed.

http://s1047.photobucket.com/user/STUNT1990/media/Corsair Carbide Air 540/21_zps8cb1a786.jpg.html
http://s1047.photobucket.com/user/STUNT1990/media/Corsair Carbide Air 540/22_zps58d45b42.jpg.html

If you put 3.5" drives on them thy hide most of the area, but with 2.5" drives there´s almost no diference.

http://s1047.photobucket.com/user/STUNT1990/media/Corsair Carbide Air 540/23_zps8b5ad132.jpg.html
http://s1047.photobucket.com/user/STUNT1990/media/Corsair Carbide Air 540/24_zps34705190.jpg.html

I think it would be nice if they included a dust filter under the floor, but I think it isn´t such a big problem, there are a lot of aftermarket options which aren´t too expensive (like demciflex for example)

I don´t have any ATX or smaller motherboard, but here you have of the case with an ASUS Rampage IV Extreme installed, which is as tall as an ATX motherboard but a couple of centimeters wider.
I have the same problem which GPU´s, the only one I have is a EVGA GTX 770 ACX SC, which is a few milimeters shorter than the motherboard.

As you can see, there´s plenty of space for wires and there´s still space for a thin radiator on the top and anotherone on the front.

http://s1047.photobucket.com/user/STUNT1990/media/Corsair Carbide Air 540/25_zpsde7e473b.jpg.html
http://s1047.photobucket.com/user/STUNT1990/media/Corsair Carbide Air 540/26_zpsa979688d.jpg.html

The Corsair Carbide Air 540 is compatible with 240/280mm rads on the top and 360/280mm rads on the front, with both 15 and 20mm spacing for 280 rads.

There´s even enough space to fit a MSI Big Bang x-power II, which is as wide as the previous motherboard, but some centimeters talles.
Sadly there´s not a ninth slot and also the case is missing the lower 3 standoffs, so you couldn´t run a GPU on the las slot.
Also, doing this requires removing the hot swap bays, but I can´t really call this a fail as the case is not really designed to support this motherboard.

http://s1047.photobucket.com/user/STUNT1990/media/Corsair Carbide Air 540/27_zps831443e8.jpg.html
http://s1047.photobucket.com/user/STUNT1990/media/Corsair Carbide Air 540/28_zps9de0233e.jpg.html

In the right side of the case we found a solid side panel, except for the opened vent holes intended for the PSU intake.

http://s1047.photobucket.com/user/STUNT1990/media/Corsair Carbide Air 540/29_zps5307c878.jpg.html

You can see there space for tons of cable management inside.

http://s1047.photobucket.com/user/STUNT1990/media/Corsair Carbide Air 540/30_zpsbe794854.jpg.html

Four SDD cages are placed over thge PSU mounting point. I guess you could also use them for 2.5" mechanical drives but the case isn´t inteded for that as there´s only pasive airflow on that side.

http://s1047.photobucket.com/user/STUNT1990/media/Corsair Carbide Air 540/31_zps7f66d026.jpg.html

The SDD cage is easily removeable by sliding it up a little bit.

http://s1047.photobucket.com/user/STUNT1990/media/Corsair Carbide Air 540/32_zps414fabb7.jpg.html
http://s1047.photobucket.com/user/STUNT1990/media/Corsair Carbide Air 540/33_zps57e45225.jpg.html

There´s a piece to fix the PSU in place n the lower right corner, this piece can be easily relocated by removing 2 thumbscrews.
You can fix up to 200mm long PSUs using this accessory.
The PSu in the picture is a 200mm long Corsair AX1200i.

http://s1047.photobucket.com/user/STUNT1990/media/Corsair Carbide Air 540/34_zps1677ab44.jpg.html
http://s1047.photobucket.com/user/STUNT1990/media/Corsair Carbide Air 540/35_zpsf21607dd.jpg.html

Still, lots of space fot cable management with such a big PSU.

http://s1047.photobucket.com/user/STUNT1990/media/Corsair Carbide Air 540/36_zps5ed8767e.jpg.html
http://s1047.photobucket.com/user/STUNT1990/media/Corsair Carbide Air 540/37_zps133ec29d.jpg.html

Going back to the optical drive bays; you need to know that they optical drive bays can only be left side loaded when they are in vertical position, so keep that in mind if you are going to fit this case at your left.

http://s1047.photobucket.com/user/STUNT1990/media/Corsair Carbide Air 540/38_zpsb5281ae6.jpg.html

You can fit the optical drives easily with the tool-less mechanism.

http://s1047.photobucket.com/user/STUNT1990/media/Corsair Carbide Air 540/39_zpsa4f31fdf.jpg.html
http://s1047.photobucket.com/user/STUNT1990/media/Corsair Carbide Air 540/40_zps8e954e37.jpg.html
http://s1047.photobucket.com/user/STUNT1990/media/Corsair Carbide Air 540/41_zps35871f6d.jpg.html

Once reviewed all the features of the case; let´s dismantle it unti I only see rivets on it!

The top panel slides of by removing 2 thumbscrews located on the back opf the case.

http://s1047.photobucket.com/user/STUNT1990/media/Corsair Carbide Air 540/42_zps4ab29889.jpg.html
http://s1047.photobucket.com/user/STUNT1990/media/Corsair Carbide Air 540/43_zps906ed9d2.jpg.html
http://s1047.photobucket.com/user/STUNT1990/media/Corsair Carbide Air 540/44_zps1be9b6e4.jpg.html

By removing 4 scres and some plastic clips, you can remove the metallig grill from the plastic panel.

http://s1047.photobucket.com/user/STUNT1990/media/Corsair Carbide Air 540/45_zps265b7715.jpg.html
http://s1047.photobucket.com/user/STUNT1990/media/Corsair Carbide Air 540/46_zpse5a4715d.jpg.html
http://s1047.photobucket.com/user/STUNT1990/media/Corsair Carbide Air 540/47_zpsdf30b155.jpg.html

The front side ventilation panel comes off just as easy as the other, but you will need to remove the top before removing the front.
The plastic panel separated from the metallic grill just as the other one

http://s1047.photobucket.com/user/STUNT1990/media/Corsair Carbide Air 540/48_zpsa94f95f3.jpg.html

Behing this piece we found a magnetic dust filter, whith a thick plastic frame.

http://s1047.photobucket.com/user/STUNT1990/media/Corsair Carbide Air 540/49_zps1e9d0a92.jpg.html
http://s1047.photobucket.com/user/STUNT1990/media/Corsair Carbide Air 540/50_zpse83331d9.jpg.html

By removing this filter or switching it by a thinner one, you could fit 25mm fans between the case and the front panel.
This won´t be posible in the top of the case, as the top panel isn´t deep enough.

The plastic panel comes of by removing some black screws (you swill need to remove the front an top vent panels before) and sliding them out a little bit.
The procedure for this piece is the oposite; you will need to remove the ones in the front before the ones in the top..

http://s1047.photobucket.com/user/STUNT1990/media/Corsair Carbide Air 540/51_zps93c58823.jpg.html
http://s1047.photobucket.com/user/STUNT1990/media/Corsair Carbide Air 540/52_zps3cc0467a.jpg.html
http://s1047.photobucket.com/user/STUNT1990/media/Corsair Carbide Air 540/53_zpsde84ef22.jpg.html

The case comes with three 140mm airflow series fans, optimized for high airflow without air restrictive objects in the middle (such as radiators or hard drives)

http://s1047.photobucket.com/user/STUNT1990/media/Corsair Carbide Air 540/54_zps8aee1bc0.jpg.html

Once removed the front right side panel, you can see that the optical drive cage is easily removeable by removing those 4 thumbscrews.
We´ll also find a plastic piece inside holding the weight of the case. This can also be removed by unscrewing 3 black screws on the motherboard side.

http://s1047.photobucket.com/user/STUNT1990/media/Corsair Carbide Air 540/55_zpsc0f97f51.jpg.html
http://s1047.photobucket.com/user/STUNT1990/media/Corsair Carbide Air 540/56_zpsab7114d5.jpg.html
http://s1047.photobucket.com/user/STUNT1990/media/Corsair Carbide Air 540/57_zpsa6705819.jpg.html
http://s1047.photobucket.com/user/STUNT1990/media/Corsair Carbide Air 540/58_zpsa32a80a8.jpg.html

The front panel conector is hold in place by 2 screws and it also cames off easily by removing them.

http://s1047.photobucket.com/user/STUNT1990/media/Corsair Carbide Air 540/59_zps700cfdaa.jpg.html
http://s1047.photobucket.com/user/STUNT1990/media/Corsair Carbide Air 540/60_zps73e726e0.jpg.html
http://s1047.photobucket.com/user/STUNT1990/media/Corsair Carbide Air 540/61_zpsd7527c6f.jpg.html

Finally I leave you with a couple of pictures of some hardware installed inside.

http://s1047.photobucket.com/user/STUNT1990/media/Corsair Carbide Air 540/62_zpsa08041c5.jpg.html
http://s1047.photobucket.com/user/STUNT1990/media/Corsair Carbide Air 540/63_zps204cc912.jpg.html

The H100i with 25mm fans in pull/push comes some milimeters down to the motherboard, this could be a problem depending on your hardware.

http://s1047.photobucket.com/user/STUNT1990/media/Corsair Carbide Air 540/64_zpsdc05a215.jpg.html

Hardware on these last pictures:
Motherboard: ASUS Rampage IV Extreme
GPU: EVGA GTX 770 ACX SC
RAM: 4x Corsair Dominator Platinum
PSU: Corsair AX1200i
SSD: Corsair Force Series GT
Cooler: Corsair H100i
Fans: 3x Corsair Airflow Series 140mm (incluidoed with the case) and 4x Corsair SP 120mm High Performance (on the H100i)

Go easy on me xD this is my first review
 
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63
#5 ·
I love that case, man. Great Job.

It's just a breath of fresh air and different than anything else. It looks like it will have superb airflow and that full acrylic side window looks fantastic.
thumb.gif


AND it houses E-ATX boards. I JUST bought my Switch 810.....There might be an RMA in my future. lol

EDIT:

Is this available for purchase yet or was this just a review sample?

Corsair's website shows them In Stock but Newegg still has Pre-Order w/ a 7-31 Release Date.
 
#7 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by STUNT1990 View Post

Sure, here a couple of shots compairing it with my brother´s Obsidian 800D.

Hope it helps, I know the 800D is not precisely a thin case xD
Awesome review. Anyway you can do me a favor with the Air 540? Are you able to measure its height and width if it were on its side with the glass window on the top as it was horizontal? I was going to place it as a HTPC and this case looks like its awesome.

Like this:



Thanks
 
#9 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by STUNT1990 View Post

Sure,but i'm jot home right now so I can't measure it. I'll check it out later today but it should be something like this:
Width: 457mm (minus the height if the feet if you remove them)
Height: 331mm (plus the height of wheels or feet if you use any)
Ok cool look forward to hearing back on measurements when you have time. Thanks
 
#10 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by CaptainZombie View Post

Ok cool look forward to hearing back on measurements when you have time. Thanks
Meausred, the width would be something arround 442mm once the feet are removed.
(I can´t tell you about the height, but just add the height of your feet/wheels to 331mm)

Little correction on the review, sorry:

The procedure for this piece is the same; you will need to remove the ones in the top before the ones in the front.

The procedure for this piece is the oposite; you will need to remove the ones in the front before the ones in the top.
 
#11 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by STUNT1990 View Post

Meausred, the width would be something arround 442mm once the feet are removed.
(I can´t tell you about the height, but just add the height of your feet/wheels to 331mm)

Little correction on the review, sorry:

The procedure for this piece is the same; you will need to remove the ones in the top before the ones in the front.

The procedure for this piece is the oposite; you will need to remove the ones in the front before the ones in the top.
Thanks for getting the measurements.
 
#13 ·
I have a quick question.

Can you measure area of the case, I am trying to find a proper fan filter. I plan on buying one of those DEMCiflex 280mm filters for the top of the case so I can use it as intake with an H220, I know the H220 is uses a 240mm, but I want to completely cover the top. I might just get the 240 version is the dimensions are correct.

Is there enough gap under that area to sandwich the filter or any filter for that matter?
 
#14 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by v1ral View Post

I have a quick question.

Can you measure area of the case, I am trying to find a proper fan filter. I plan on buying one of those DEMCiflex 280mm filters for the top of the case so I can use it as intake with an H220, I know the H220 is uses a 240mm, but I want to completely cover the top. I might just get the 240 version is the dimensions are correct.

Is there enough gap under that area to sandwich the filter or any filter for that matter?
I will me using an H100i on exhaust up there, and later I´ll use an Alphacool NexXxos 240 30mm thick also in exhasut, but anyway I also want to put a demciflex filter up there as my computer won´t be on the half of the day and dust will get inside because the is some space between the fans and the case.

Demciflex also offers custom size filters, and the price is just about the same than a similar size standard fan filter.

Demciflex filters have a thickness of less than 2.5mm whitout the magnetic sticket, and less than 3mm with the magnetic sticker.
But since this case is not aluminum, it is magnetgic so we need 2.5mm of space between the case and the panel.
I think there are 3mm but I can´t tell you for sure (I don´t have a precise tool), anyway I´ll be ordering one of those filters the next week so you could wait and see how it goes.

The top of the case is a little bended up where the rad area, with the purpose of winning some milimeters for the rad, and as the top is bent you will probably not be able to use a filter that cover all of it, just the rad area.

CREATOR: gd-jpeg v1.0 (using IJG JPEG v62), default quality

So here that size: 310 x 145 (milimeters)

But, as I said, I don´t have a precise tool so just to be sure I´ll be ordering one filter with an external size of 305 x 140mm

A regular dust filter, without any kind of frame, will fit with no problem (as long as it´s within those measurements, of course)
 
#20 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by STUNT1990 View Post

I got a Haf XB some days ago.
I have a lan party to attend this week but the next monday I´ll take some shots, write a review and do a little comparsion between the two cases for those of you who can´t decide between these so similar cases.
I can't wait to read your comparison. I owned the HAF XB for a week and while its not bad, it looks like the Air 540 corrects a lot of issues that I had with the HAF XB..
 
#21 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by CaptainZombie View Post

I can't wait to read your comparison. I owned the HAF XB for a week and while its not bad, it looks like the Air 540 corrects a lot of issues that I had with the HAF XB..
It does indeed. I got the Haf XB only for comparion, but my rig will stay in the 540 ^^
But I´ll probably end up modifying the XB and I´ll use it with another buld (maybe I´ll fit a water cooled PS4 inside xD)
 
#22 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by STUNT1990 View Post

It does indeed. I got the Haf XB only for comparion, but my rig will stay in the 540 ^^
But I´ll probably end up modifying the XB and I´ll use it with another buld (maybe I´ll fit a water cooled PS4 inside xD)
LOL! Now that would be cool to see a water cooled PS4.

I hope retailers get the Air 540 in on 7/31 as it Corsair is listing on many sites. I just bought the 300R, but I wouldn't mind switching to the Air 540.
 
#23 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by CaptainZombie View Post

LOL! Now that would be cool to see a water cooled PS4.

I hope retailers get the Air 540 in on 7/31 as it Corsair is listing on many sites. I just bought the 300R, but I wouldn't mind switching to the Air 540.
I wanted to get a 330R for my dad along with the 540, but it wasn´t availiable on the website so I ended up geting a 300R in a local store.
It´s a good case for the price but.. well, I won´t like xD I like all the corsair cases but the C70 xD
Anyway I think the 540 is the best case for the price I´ve seen in a really long time.
 
#24 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by STUNT1990 View Post

I wanted to get a 330R for my dad along with the 540, but it wasn´t availiable on the website so I ended up geting a 300R in a local store.
It´s a good case for the price but.. well, I won´t like xD I like all the corsair cases but the C70 xD
Anyway I think the 540 is the best case for the price I´ve seen in a really long time.
The 330R is a nice case, but quite the taller than I originally expected. This is my first Corsair case, and it shows the quality build of this case.

I'm quite interested in the 540, it looks like a very cube style case that would also work in a HTPC environment. I'm hoping that it shows up in retailers at the end of the month.
 
#25 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by CaptainZombie View Post

The 330R is a nice case, but quite the taller than I originally expected. This is my first Corsair case, and it shows the quality build of this case.

I'm quite interested in the 540, it looks like a very cube style case that would also work in a HTPC environment. I'm hoping that it shows up in retailers at the end of the month.
For a HTCP:.. the biggest corsair case I would go with is the 350D (the smallest they have, as far as I know), but if you need full size ATX support I preffer the 300R more than the 540; the 540 would take too much space considering you woulnd´t be runing a water loop and that you would only use 1 optical drive.. you would get a lot of empty space on the PSU side.
 
#26 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by STUNT1990 View Post

For a HTCP:.. the biggest corsair case I would go with is the 350D (the smallest they have, as far as I know), but if you need full size ATX support I preffer the 300R more than the 540; the 540 would take too much space considering you woulnd´t be runing a water loop and that you would only use 1 optical drive.. you would get a lot of empty space on the PSU side.
I have considered the 350D, its a decent size when compared to the 330R. The 330R is a great case, but its like a hulking beast in my AV Stand. My motherboard is a mATX, which I usually stick with mATX. I still have my previous HTPC case, the Silverstone Grandia GD08 but I am so limited with what I can do. I started modding the case a bit and screwed up some things on it.

I'm only running a H60, haven't gone to a full loop since I'm not brave enough yet to try + the funds aren't quite there.
 
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