Well, let's get one thing out of the way right off the bat. The $160 price tag for the RGB version and subsequent $110 for the non-RGB variant are great price points for the Crystal 280X. Considering that a 3-pack of LL120 fans with the required controller and hub retails for $70-$80, the RGB variant can be considered to have an even better price/performance ratio than the basic version.

While some may say that the Crystal 280X is just a mere refresh of the Air 240, this does not really hold true even if you ignore the updated material mix, which, by the way, is right on the money for a case from 2018. Corsair has done an excellent job by incorporating solid glass panels into the case design where it makes sense and sticking to metal and plastic where cover is needed.

The reality is, while the inspiration and origin of their cube design does hearken back to 2014, the Crystal 280X, as the name implies, allows for fans and radiators of up to 140/280 mm in size, while being even smaller than its older counterpart. On top of that, refinements in the secondary compartment make the addition of 2.5" drives much easier, while keeping the functional and efficient general layout for both 3.5" drives as well as the PSU.

In the main side, the larger liquid-cooling possibilities allow you to go for Corsair's largest liquid cooling units, while ensuring all these areas are covered by magnetic dust filters. However, this is also the only element where you will have to sacrifice a little peace of mind for design: in a bid to ensure that RGB-equipped fans are fully visible, Corsair has reduced the amount of magnetic patches holding the filters in the front and top in place. This in turn means that they won't hold as well as they should.

Overall, the Crystal 280X manages to impress in the same way the Air 240 did, and it is, thus, once again deserving of our Highly Recommended award alongside a shout out for its great price.