A Closer Look - Outside

Out of the box, the Corsair iCUE 5000T RGB looks nothing like the 5000D. Gone are the clean, straight edges and unique front-mesh design. Instead, the iCUE 5000T RGB feels bulkier with the thicker front and top cover alongside the elaborate base and metal feet. Just with that, Corsair could easily justify a higher price for the base case.


The front of the chassis has a large metal-mesh cover that is held in place magnetically and may easily be pulled off to access the fans. That magnetism on the panel is nice but feels a tad too weak for me to confidently state that it will stay in place. On the upside, it comes with an incredibly fine secondary filter, so dust and grime won't reach the three LL120 ARGB fans. In the rear, the enclosure looks pretty traditional. Corsair usually utilizes thumb screws with a yellow insert, but as the 5000T comes with hinged side panels, there are none of those here.


The main glass side panel is nice and clean with its hinges, but it is also tinted just a tad too heavily for my taste. That said, it may be just fine for you. On the opposite side is a solid metal panel with an air vent right where the side fan/radiator mounting position has been placed.


Taking a closer look at the rear, the PSU bay is underneath a shroud at the bottom and comes with two sets of mounting holes. Above that are the 7+2 expansion slots. Each of these is protected by a removable, reusable cover that is held in place by a thumb screw. Even though you can install a dual-slot GPU vertically, you will, as with most cases out there, need to buy the required accessories separately. In the very top is a 120 mm fan mount with elongated holes to adjust the eight of any cooling unit placed here. Above it, you can clearly see additional space for an elaborate, thick liquid-cooling setup in the ceiling that will not interfere with your motherboard.


In the ceiling, the theme of gentle, bulky curves continues with a metal mesh cover with the same triangular openings as the front. You may take that cover off to reveal yet another mesh cover, but with round holes. This one is held in place by magnets. I am not sure why Corsair opted for two such layers. Removing that, you have complete access to an array of mounting holes for three 120 or two 140 mm fans. Naturally, a 280 or 360 mm radiator will fit as well. Seen clearly is how Corsair embedded two of the six ARGB LED strips. Each of these comes with a soft diffusing layer and 27 individually addressable RGB LEDs, and points outward. As we will see when turning the system on, these six strips are an integral part of the iCUE 5000T RGB and its general design. Each pair of iCUE-compatible strips sells for $30–40 on their own depending on their length.


The I/O consists of a square power button with a white LED, four yellow USB 3.0 ports, a USB 3.2 Type-C connector, audio combo plug, and square reset button. This is the same setup as on the 7000D, while the 5000D has fewer USB-A ports.


On the underside, you are usually able to see the dust filter and floor of the chassis. However, with the Corsair iCUE 5000T RGB, there is another fully enveloping cover that acts as a a standing base and ensures that the overall design is cohesive for the embedded ARGB LED strips. You may pull the PSU dust filter out towards the back of the case without tipping it over.