Corsair has introduced two new PC cases designed to support MSI Project Zero and Asus BTF motherboards. These components stick the connectors on the rear, so you can hide all your cables in the back.
Both 2500X and 2500D are micro-ATX chassis, costing £129.99 in the UK. 6500X and 6500D, meanwhile, are mid towers that’ll set you back £169.99. The only thing separating the suffixes is that X features a glass side panel, while D opts for mesh. You can get any variety in either black or white, and they’ll be available as of February 27.
Dubbed dual-chamber cases, the new duo takes over the mantle from Corsair 280x and 680x. They’re a fair bit wider than your usual, but we can say with confidence they’ll handle cables like a champ. Corsair hasn’t yet listed the specs, but we know what they can handle from their appearance at CES 2024.
Each case can fit up to 400mm graphics cards and between 120mm and 360mm AIO, depending on placement. Being taller, 6500X/D can squeeze a bigger radiator in its side mount, while 2500X/D confines that to the bottom. There isn’t enough room for Arctic Freezer III 420 ARGB, though, even if it would pair superbly with Corsair iCUE Link fans. The top I/O panel features at least two USB Type-A ports and a single USB Type-C, although I’m not sure at what speeds.
During its CES showcase, Corsair also unveiled replacement body panels to give the case a fresh look. It’s a lot like InWin’s approach, changing up the covers on the right-hand chamber. Anything that gives us a wood grain look is a win in my books. We don’t know how much these will cost or if Corsair will include bundles.
Coupling the connectors on the back is an elegant solution to wire woes, but it’s not perfect. Cases need to be wider to give enough clearance for cables. The cutouts also add flex to the steel motherboard mount, but that shouldn’t be an issue once you’ve built your PC. And finally, attaching a Mini-ATX motherboard to a full ATX mount means you’ll see through to the rear chamber.
These are all worthy compromises to keep cables out of the way, though MSI Project Zero is a bit of a misnomer. It gets rid of all cables but one: the graphics card. There are a few PCIe-powered GPUs out there, but they’re mostly entry-level. Anything with horsepower still requires a direct line to the power supply, meaning you’ll need to feed your PCIe cables through regardless.
Asus has a niche solution to this with its BFG model utilising an extended PCIe connector. We can’t see this taking off outside of a niche group of products, given the extra costs involved, but at least it’s something.
All in all, it’s nice to see movement on the cableless concept. You can pre-order your Corsair 2500X, 2500D, 6500X, or 6500D this week.
