A Closer Look - Outside

Out of the box, the Carbide 400Q makes a very clean and understated impression. Corsair refrained from adding intricate design elements to the enclosure and has kept it as symmetrical as possible. As is apparent by the smaller model number, the Carbide 400Q is actually more compact than the 600 series, but it still allows for an E-ATX board to be installed within. The biggest difference here is the complete lack of external drive bays.


As this is the quiet variant, there is no window. Instead, both panels are completely solid and are also, as we will see later on, lined with sound-dampening material.


Due to the lack of external drive bays, there is no need for any doors. Instead, the front is completely solid to go with the rest of the enclosure. The materials used are excellent, and the panels consist of steel. Interestingly enough, Corsair only placed the company logo in the bottom-right corner without putting their brand's name below it. Taking a quick look at the rear, the layout looks quite traditional by today's standards. Unlike the 600 series, the motherboard is put into Carbide 400 enclosures in an upright position.


The PSU bay at the bottom comes with two sets of mounting holes, so you may choose to mount the power supply with its fan facing up- or downward. Above that are the seven expansion slots, each protected by its own reusable cover. In the very top is a 120 mm retail quality fan you may adjust in its vertical position to best suit your cooling needs.


The I/O consists of two USB 3.0 plugs and the usual audio connectors. You will find a small reset button on one side, while a larger one for power has been placed on the other. The top of the chassis comes with a solid cover that is held in place by magnets. Removing it (I just snapped it onto the side for the picture since the magnets are on the panel and not the top of the case) reveals mounting positions for two 120 mm or 140 mm fans, which allows a radiator of up to 280 mm size to be installed since the mounting holes have been offset to be as far away from the motherboard as possible.


The I/O in the top is completely solid otherwise. It consists of a pair of USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 ports. A large removable dust filter on the bottom covers the opening for the PSU's fan.