Corsair has been hard at work over the years, developing their own lighting and control ecosystem called iCUE. Initially focused on accessories and peripheral control, locking one's self into that ecosystem did not really feel beneficial. Even with the first iCUE-enabled enclosures, there was that underlying sense that the chassis was simply just another vehicle to bundle LED fans or strips and tie users to that ecosystem instead of other proper, holistic lighting components.

The Corsair iCUE 5000T RGB, however, manages to integrate itself extremely well, showing up as a singular unit within the fourth-generation iCUE software, which shows how far things have come. While users will still be within that walled garden of an ecosystem, it now feels much more like a benefit with the cohesion across a wide range of products and ability to synchronize them in ways that otherwise would not be possible. This gives Corsair the clout necessary to be able to market the iCUE 5000T RGB on the addressable RGB count of around 260 LEDs, which does hold true and is easily made use of by end users. On top of that, the overall design of the iCUE 5000T RGB no longer treats the lighting as an afterthought or way to gently force users into this proprietary foundation. Instead, the case comes across as a functional, useful element, same as your keyboard or mouse, by showing up as an entry within the iCUE software environment.

All that makes it easier to justify the $399.99 MSRP, as one does not feel forced into spending money on something that isn't useful or functional anymore, which is cemented by Corsair utilizing retail-grade elements to achieve this cohesive end result. These retail elements also make it a bit more transparent, so there is merit in considering around $250 of the price tag the holistic buy-in into that capable iCUE ecosystem. Considering a $150 price tag for the bare chassis, the whole package is adequately priced, especially as things come ready to go and fairly cleanly routed, even if we would have loved to see it priced slightly lower overall for a bundle saving.

In terms of case functionality, you get the same general build experience as with the 5000D, but with a few elements of the 7000D. We reviewed both of those cases in the past, and the same ease and beneficial build experience are present with the Corsair iCUE 5000T RGB. Based on that, we can recommend the case as the enclosure's iCUE integration is also a functional and integral extension of the chassis.