A Closer Look - Outside

It has been around four years since Corsair released the Air 240, which was a big deal, and the Crystal 280X RGB takes the same idea, but refines it for 2018. That said, Corsair has upped the quality by adding real glass panels on the front and top and refining the I/O placement and use of space within the case. Clearly. the Crystal 280X RGB looks really sexy out of the box in white, but I am sure the same holds true for the black variant.


The main side panel consists of a slightly tinted glass panel that is held in place by four thumb screws. On the opposing side, you can see the solid metal panel with a large air vent that is covered in a white dust filter out of metal mesh. It is held in place by rather strong magnetic strips, so you will not have to worry about it falling off during transport. Looking at the case from this side, it becomes apparent that it is quite a bit shorter than the Air 240, making it even more compact.

Looking at the rear, we can definitely see a lot of refinements in comparison to the Air 240. While the general layout has stayed the same, everything seems to be more compact, allowing for a smaller footprint while retaining all the needed space to build a potent gaming system.


The front consists of plastic, but also holds a glass panel with that same light tint, which is in turn secured by thumb screws as well. You may pull it off completely, which reveals a black mesh dust filter that is held in place with magnetic patches as well. The shape of these magnets results in less grip, which has the dust filter move around easily. The reason for the more elaborate approach is to give your RGB fans an unobstructed view once turned on, which is naturally quite important. However, it feels as though Corsair could have designed the front panel to hold a removable dust filter instead to resolve that issue. Behind the mesh, you will find a retail quality Corsair LL120 RGB fan. You may add a second unit here, upgrade to two 140 mm variants instead, or choose a radiator setup of up to 280 mm in size.


In the bottom left is the full-size ATX PSU bay. You are meant to install the unit with the fan facing outward for it to draw cool air through the white dust filter. Above that is a small door that allows you to access two 3.5" drive trays.


On the other side of the rear, the bottom offers four expansion slots for your mATX motherboard, so you may easily go for a dual GPU system if you like. Above that is an air vent with two long rows of mounting holes for more unique system elements, like pumps or reservoirs.


In the top, the design follows what has been set in the front of the Crystal 280X RGB. There is a slightly darkened glass panel on the main side of the chassis, which may be removed easily to reveal two more fan-placement possibilities for 120 or 140 mm units. Corsair includes a second LL120 fan here, but once again, you may also opt for a radiator of up to 280 mm in size if you like. The I/O has also been placed into the top of the case and consists of two USB 3.0, the usual audio plugs, a power, and a reset button.


On the underside, you will find another white dust filter covering another set of fan-mounting possibilities. Once again, you may install two 120 or 140 mm fans here or go for a radiator of up to 280 mm in size.