Value and Conclusion
- The Corsair 2500D Airflow has an MSRP of US$159.99 excl. taxes.
- Very well-built
- Can hold thick rads in top, bottom, side & front
- Lots of hooks for very clean cable management
- Can hold all the latest, biggest hardware
- Tool-less 3.5" drives
- Functional mesh side panel
- Underside dust filter removable from the front
- External cable management possible thanks to hooks for zip ties
- Dust filters on all vented areas
- Simple yet effective tooling
- Unified front panel connector + adapter for separate pins
- Box to keep screws included
- Exchangeable panels available
- Rather expensive
- 3.5" trays generic, all plastic
- Mesh side panel can be bent fairly easily
- Lack of grommets on motherboard tray cable openings
- Heavy
The Corsair 2500D series is a noticeably smaller variant to the 6500 models. The big gap between the two model numbers suggests that Corsair may fill that line-up with additional SKUs in the future. On the other end of the spectrum, there is really only the 2000D, which is a differently shaped ITX enclosure. As such, for now, the 2500D can be considered the brands most compact dual-chamber enclosure. Priced at $160, it seems a bit expensive when compared to some of the direct competition in the space - especially if you consider that things within the case aren't as intricate, either.
Looking at the Corsair 2500D Airflow, its most noticeable attribute is weight, due to the thick steel panels used. This heft does add to the overall quality feel of the chassis and its clean design pairs well with that. There is a distinct focus on simple but functional choices here, similar to what we had seen in the 6500 series. Even so, adding components inside the case is a breeze, and it all just works without really pushing the boundaries of engineering. While there are a few small flaws or shortcomings, none are dealbreakers during the assembly process.
The main aspect keeping us from giving this case an award is the price. When the competition for a compact dual-chamber case manages to offer the form factor for roughly $20-30 less, while providing fans out of the box alongside more detailed tooling, it becomes hard to recommend the 2500D Airflow, no matter how nice it feels or how clean it looks. At the very least, the chassis should be priced on par so that it can be argued that you get a solid exterior over thin & light materials, to offset the lack of included fans or intricate engineering.