A Closer Look - Outside

The Corsair Carbide 500R makes a great impression. For those who do not like the round design of the 400R, the straight, edgy looks of the 500R should be the perfect alternative. If I may voice my personal opinion here - I love the looks of this one. The combination of white and black is also done in an excellent manner, giving the case enough of each so that the dark aspects do not look out of place and black optical drives should blend in with the rest of the 500R perfectly.


Taking a quick look at the front and rear, compared to the 400R not much has changed in terms of layout and connectivity, but the 500R does offer quite a bit additional features. One of these is the enlarged opening in the side panel, which holds a 200 mm intake fan. To go with this design change, Corsair has also changed the shape of these panels slightly when compared to the 400R.


Upon closer inspection of the front, you will find the same I/O in the top area of the 500R as on the 400R, but Corsair has also included a little switch to adjust the fan speed in this version of the chassis. Below that are the four 5.25 inch bays, each covered in metal mesh with dust filters behind them. The bottom half still holds two 120 mm intake fans, which provide cool, fresh air to the hard drives within the chassis.


In the back, starting at the bottom, we have the PSU bay, which allows you to install the unit with the fan facing up- or downward. Above that are the eight expansion slots, each with openings to act as air vents along the four round openings for water cooling tubes. This is changed when looking at the 600T or 650D, as these only feature two such holes and also a slightly different look in the back. In the very top you will find another opening for a 120 or 140 mm fan. Corsair has placed a fan of the smaller variant here to pull air out the back of the chassis.


There are multiple changes to the top area when compared to the 400R as well. In the front, there is a simple tray in which you can place your keys, cell phone, wallet or USB drive when not needed. The entire rear area is completely covered and now offers enough space to install a 280 mm radiator in the ceiling of the chassis. As you can see, the entire frame of the chassis is white, while the interior is black.