Mid-Tower Round-Up: Antec, Corsair, NZXT, Thermaltake

Take everything good (and bad) we just told you about the Corsair Carbide 400R, including all the features, and carry it on over to the Carbide 500R. However, we'll note a few more features and extras that make this case an even better value.

Corsair Carbide 500R Specifications & Features

Side panel with mesh fan mount locations Four 5.25” drive bays Six 3.5” hard drive bays with 2.5” compatibility Eight expansion slots Supports most 240mm dual radiators (15mm spacing) Supports graphics cards up to 452mm in length (with hard drive cage removed)   Two-year warranty Dimensions:   20.5” x 8.1” x 20”

Front I/O panel contains: Two USB 3.0 connectors One Firewire connector 3.5” headphone and microphone connector Power and reset switches Fan LED on/off switch Fans: Six 120mm/140mm fan mounts Four 120mm fan mounts Includes a 200mm side panel fan, two front-mounted 120mm fans, and one rear 120mm fan Multi-channel fan controller

Our 500R boasts a beautiful, white-and-black case design that just pops.  It’s a refreshing departure from the dark finishes on most cases. This case is also available in an all-black design, but we’re convinced that white is definitely the way to go for head-turning appeal.

The impeccable paint job itself is worth the upgrade from the 400R. The quality of the finish is about what you’d expect from a good car paintjob.  There isn’t a drop of overspray, and the painted sections are completely covered--no painted exterior/bare metal interior here.

Like the 400R, the 500R has white LEDs on the two front fans, but the white LEDs also light up a big 200mm side panel fan. The overall effect is downright sexy.


Features, Exterior, and Interior
In addition to the 200mm side panel fan, the 500R has a few features that the 400R does not. For one thing, you can put a pair of smaller fans on the side panel instead of the 200mm fan, for a total of eight possible fan mount.

The top panel of the 500R comes off in additional to the front, giving you access to the twin top fans, and there’s a multi-channel fan controller on the front panel along with the other amenities.

The 500R has the same number of drive bays and expansion slots as the 400R, but there’s more than meets the eye there. The 3.5-inch bays are split into two sections of three bays, and both bays are removable. That feature enables two primary things. You can remove a cage to accommodate graphics cards up to 452mm in length, and you can also take one out to facilitate better airflow.


The jump from the 400R to the 500R is forty bucks--from $99 to $139.99--and essentially what you’re paying for is the white chassis option, an extra 200mm side fan, a multi-channel fan controller, and significant flexibility with the 3.5-inch drive cages. Is it worth the extra dollars? Absolutely, although if you’re on a budget, none of those features is necessary per se.