[nextpage title=”The exterior of the 3500X aRGB”]
Corsair announced a new case at this year’s Computex: the 3500X. The company sent us a copy of this case, but in its RGB version. What makes it special? It has three RGB fans as standard, unlike the basic model. In this test, we’re going to see how it fares acoustically and thermally, as well as what it has to offer. Let’s get started!
The exterior of the 3500X aRGB:
With this model, Corsair is tapping into the current trend for aquarium-style cases. However, unlike its 2500 series and 6500 series, this is a standard tower-format case. There’s no compartmentalized design like the models previously tested.
With its aquarium design, it has a sober appearance, particularly enhanced by the glass panels on the side and front. What’s more, the absence of a pillar on the front gives you a clear view of the configuration, so you can admire your components at work!
In terms of format, the 3500X aRGB is a mid-tower model measuring 240 (W) x 460 (D) x 506 (H) mm. Weight-wise, it’s a decent 10.54 kg on the scales, so there’s no risk of breaking your back when carrying it.
Finally, this model is available in three versions:
- 3500X: the basic model, without fans
- 3500X aRGB: the intermediate version, supplied with three RS120 aRGB fans
- iCUE Link 3500X RGB: the ” +++ ” model incorporating three RX120 RGB fans
[affilizz-publication id=”jj5992y2d”]
The official price tag for the basic version is €99.90, compared with €140 for the aRGB model. Finally, the bill rises to €194.90 for the iCUE Link version.
The control panel :
Without further ado, let’s take a look at the control panel. As you can see, the box features:
- A reset button
- A 3.5 mm microphone/headphone jack
- One USB-C 3.2 Gen2 port
- Two USB-A 3.2 Gen1 ports
The control panel offers basic connectivity, but enough to be perfectly functional. Unlike some NZXT cases, you’ll be able to plug in more than one USB key at a time!
The underside:
On the underside of the case, you’ll notice a long dust filter running the entire length of the 3500X aRGB. This protects a large ventilation grille, as you can see.
Otherwise, at the ends are four rubber-coated feet. These provide a good grip on the surface on which they are placed. Honestly, I have a slight preference for foam coverings that make it easier to glide, it’s more practical when it comes to turning and flipping it when wiring in particular.
Rear:
At the back, we find a very classic layout with a motherboard slot at the top and a fan slot directly opposite. A little lower down are seven open-work expansion slots held in place by Phillips screws. Finally, at the very bottom, we find the slot for the power supply unit.
The top:
On the top, we find a long perforated grille allowing the configuration to breathe well. It’s right next to the control panel. Oh, and there’s also a ventilation grille on the steel side panel!
[nextpage title=”Inside the 3500X aRGB”]
Inside the 3500X aRGB :
Opening the case is very easy, as there are no screws to lock the various panels. Instead, a push-pin system is used on the side panels and the top panel. This is quite a change from XPG’s Invader X, which required you to remove the top panel to remove the side glass!
The chassis:
Internally, we find a classic layout with the motherboard tray located above the power supply tunnel. However, it’s worth noting that this tray has a number of openings. The aim here is to make the case compatible with backpannel motherboards. These include MSI’s Project Zero, ASUS’s BTF and Gigabyte’s Project Stealth.
As for format compatibility, the 3500X aRGB will accommodate E-ATX (305 mm wide), ATX, micro-ATX and mini-ITX references.
Finally, as far as cabling is concerned, there should be no shortage of space for organizing the connectors. At nearly 4 cm, there’s plenty of room to group them together without worrying about running out of space.
Storage slots:
The part used to house the storage units remains fairly similar to what we had with XPG’s Invader X. This part will allow two 2.5″ or 3.5″ units to be fitted. With M.2 SSDs, the slots for hard disks and 2.5″ SSDs tend to become much simpler over time.
Power supply location:
On the power supply side, we find something fairly basic with four foam studs to accommodate your PSU. There’s no foam lining around the rear, unlike some be quiet! models such as the Dark Base 701. Finally, as the power supply cover is closed, the power supply is restricted to a maximum depth of 180 mm!
Cooling options:
By default, this model comes with three RS120 aRGB fans. These are mounted in the side slot, next to the motherboard. However, you can install other fans via the available slots:
- Rear: 1x 120 mm
- Top: 3x 120 mm or 2x 140 mm
- Bottom: 3x 120 mm or 1x 140 mm
We’d like to take this opportunity to talk about compatibility with watercooling radiators. On this subject, the 3500X aRGB will be able to accommodate a 360/280 mm radiator at the top and next to the motherboard. At the rear, you’ll be limited to 120 mm.
Finally, if you want to fit an air-cooling type heatsink , Corsair’s case gives you a clearance of 170 mm in height. So you’ll be able to fit an NH-D15 G2 or a Corsair A115 with no problem.
The bundle:
In terms of the accessories supplied with the case we have:
- A warranty guide
- A dozen nylon zip ties
- An adapter for the control panel connector
- Screws and bolts, including long fan screws and extra spacers!
The accessory section remains complete, and the brand offers everything you need for installation. Special mention should be made of the large number of nylon zip ties and the control panel adapter for older motherboards.
The little details:
As far as the little details are concerned, the main thing to note is that the power supply cover is perforated and has additional slots for two fans. These are ideally positioned to cool the graphics card efficiently.
Otherwise, on this model, the bottom filter can be accessed from the front of the case, a system equivalent to the Antec P120 Crystal. This system is so much more practical for cleaning: no need to turn the case to clean the filter.
To sum up:
With this case, we find a rather nice reference offering broad compatibility with computer components. As far as air cooling is concerned, no worries, you can have fun with large heatsinks.
However, when we dismantled the various panels to take photos, we noticed that the steel used here was soft, especially at the top of the case.
The same goes for the motherboard, which is compatible with a number of references. All that remains now is to see if the assembly poses any problems!
[nextpage title=”Assembly”]
Assembly
We’re now ready to assemble our configuration inside this Corsair 3500X aRGB. Here are the components that will be used for assembly:
- Motherboard: NZXT N7 Z790
- CPU: Intel Core i5 14600KF
- Graphics card: ASUS ROG Strix RTX 3050
- Heatsink: Noctua NH-U12A chromax.black
- Power supply: NZXT C1000 Gold
Power supply :
Fitting the power supply is not very difficult, as you simply need to slide the unit to one side. Then screw it to the case from the rear. Note that there’s enough room in this model for us to easily add connectors to our NZXT C1000 (15 cm deep) without having to remove it from the case.
Installing the motherboard :
Fitting the board is simple, as the tray is clear. There are no spacers to add or remove. In fact, all you have to do is place it in its slot and screw it down. Nothing complicated here.
Wiring :
The control panel:
We now move on to the wiring of the control panel, which offers no resistance. All you have to do is position the cables along the card and then slide the connectors out through the openings in the power supply cover. This is particularly the case for the F_PANEL andHD_AUDIO connectors. As for the various USBs (C and A), the connectors loop around and come out through the side openings.
Motherboard and graphics card:
On the motherboard side, nothing too complicated either. In fact, the usual method is applied. The EPS12V CPU will come up the motherboard tray through the back of the case and come out through one of the two top openings.
As for the 24-pin ATX and the 8-pin PCIe for the graphics card, these two connectors will go up the tray next to the fans and come out through the side openings.
During cabling, we used a total of four nylon collars, and as there were enough notches to fit them in the right places, there was no need to use more for our configuration.
Installing the ventirad and graphics card:
All that’s left to do is install the heatsink and graphics card. In the case of the NH-U12A, you’ll need to remember to remove the plate used to house the storage units. Where this is positioned, it obstructs the motherboard’s wide backplate access.
As for the graphics card, the usual operation involves removing the PCIe brackets located in its slot. Here, you’ll need to use a Phillips screwdriver to remove them. Once removed, all that remains is to plug the card into its PCIe slot and screw it to the case.
In the case of the 3500X aRGB, if you want to mount your card vertically, bear in mind that the expansion slots are separated by metal strips. A universal bracket like the one from Cooler Master is to be preferred.
Overall:
Mounting a configuration in Corsair’s case isn’t particularly complicated. What’s more, the generous space at the back of the tray means that cables can be grouped as you see fit. If you’re new to PC assembly, you won’t have any nasty surprises with this model!
[nextpage title=”Protocol”]
We’ve updated our test protocol in order to test the qualities of our cases. We’ll be assessing the performance of the different models according to three criteria:
- Insulation
- Original ventilation noise
- Air flow
Here, the configuration changes; you’ll find the details a little further down. As for the software, the CPU will run on PowerMax while the graphics card will run on Furmark, both simultaneously. Note that the CPU ventilation is forced to 50%, while the graphics card will run at 50%.
In addition, in order to limit temperature variations linked to frequency/consumption variations, we clip the graphics card curve at 1800 MHz, the original boost frequency of the ASUS RTX 3050 Strix.
A warm-up period of 8 to 9 minutes is applied before two 2-minute averaging sessions. The tests were run one after the other, without interruption, in order to observe the variation in component temperature as a function of the speed of the case’s fans. A delta is then applied: component temperature subtracted from ambient temperature.
As far as adding ventilation is concerned, we chose to integrate two fans. The first, a Fractal Design Silent Series, is an exhaust from the rear. The second is a red Thermaltake Riing 14 mounted at the bottom as intake, in front of the power supply cover.
Configuration:
- Motherboard: NZXT N7 Z790
- CPU: Intel Core i5 14600KF
- Graphics card: ASUS ROG Strix RTX 3050
- Heatsink: Noctua NH-U12A chromax.black
- Power supply : NZXT C1000 Gold
[nextpage title=”Tests”]
Tests
Airflow :
Additional ventilation comes in the form of two fans. The first, a Fractal Design Silent Series, is mounted at the rear for extraction. The second is a red Thermaltake Riing 14 mounted at the bottom, in front of the power supply cover.
CPU airflow, original ventilation then completed:
Let’s start with the temperature of our CPU. We’ll keep the front panel and the top of our test case. Let’s see if the airflow is sufficient to have an influence on the cooling of the Core i5 14600KF.
As you can see, Corsair’s case is very efficient when it comes to cooling our Core i5 14600KF. In fact, it is ahead of all its competitors with its default ventilation, which takes the form of three 120 mm fans mounted on the sides.
However, the addition of fans didn’t seriously improve the temperatures of our processor. At least, not in the layout we’ve chosen.
Original CPU airflow without front panel or top:
In order to ascertain the limiting factor in the story (and just how limiting), we remove the steel side panel as well as the top of the case. The aim here is to show the raw performance of the integrated ventilation..
Removing the various panels likely to obstruct the airflow reduces the temperatures obtained on our processor… Not by much, admittedly, but still. At full speed, the delta drops from 55°C to 53.2°C, while the impact is even more limited at low speeds.
GPU airflow, original ventilation then completed:
We repeat the operation, but with measurements taken on the graphics card. Here, we’re testing with the original ventilation and then with the added ventilation.
Once again, our graphics card is well cooled with the default ventilation. As it stands, the 3500X aRGB is one of the best cases in our comparison, especially at low speeds.
The addition of a fan at the bottom of the case will save a few precious degrees. Coming from the bottom of the 3500X aRGB, the airflow directly blows on the graphics card, which is beneficial as we can see.
Original GPU airflow without front panel or top:
We’ll run the same test again, but with the front panel and top panel removed. Let’s see how this affects the card temperatures.
By removing the panels in front of the fans, the temperature gains are still minimal, as you can see. At low speed, the delta is only improved by 1°C compared with around 2°C at full speed. It’s fair to say that the fans can express themselves fully… Unless the components only benefit moderately from their airflow given their position in this model.
Insulation:
Here, we’re simply measuring the noise emitted by our configuration when the CPU cooling and GPU fan are cranked high.
In terms of sound insulation, the case does pretty well, as you can see. In fact, it offers insulation halfway between a Dark Base 701 White and the bare configuration.
Original fan noise:
This time, we measured the noise emitted by the case’s original fan. To do this, the configuration is run in idle mode ( CPU and GPU fans at minimum) while the readings are taken successively at 5V, 8V and 12V on the case fan.
Ouch, ouch, ouch, if the thermal performance is good, it’s not the case for the noise pollution, which is very, very pronounced. As you can see, it’s an ear-splitter with its full and mid-range ventilation, while the fans remain audible at low speeds. Even though it comes with blowers, you’ll have to regulate them aggressively via your motherboard’s BIOS.
To sum up:
While from a thermal point of view the 3500X aRGB holds its own, it’s on the noise front that it will disappoint. Clearly, if you like silence, opt for the model without a fan and buy yours separately… Unless you’re very aggressive about regulating them in your BIOS.
[nextpage title=”Conclusion”]
We’ve now come to the end of our test of the Corsair 3500X aRGB. So, good case or not? We tell you all about it!
Another aquarium case from Corsair!
With this case, Corsair offers us a third aquarium case reference. After the 2500 series and 6500 series, the brand is now opting for a standard mid-tower format. Obviously, from a design point of view, there’s nothing to complain about: it’s sober and you can admire your configuration as it should be. However, the quality of the steel can sometimes leave something to be desired, especially at the top with the fan slots.
Apart from that, this is a model offering good compatibility with components. Admittedly, support for 420 mm radiators is not guaranteed, but 360 mm radiators are, which already covers most water-cooling needs. As far as motherboards are concerned, this case will also accommodate backpannel models as well as three air cooling fans.
Simple assembly, with no surprises:
When it comes to assembly, the case offers a no-surprise installation experience for the various components. What’s more, the generous space at the rear of the motherboard makes for simplified cabling, where you can run large cable clusters without worrying about not being able to close the case.
Temperatures ok, but watch out for the noise! :
Once the machine is assembled and powered up, the case is quite efficient when it comes to cooling a processor or graphics card. Corsair has done a good job here. However, beware of the noise generated by the fans supplied with this model. These are clearly present and will require rather aggressive fan regulation for silent operation. If you’re really allergic to noise, you might be better off opting for the basic model, without fans, and opting for a P12 pack from Arctic at a lower price.
A high price nonetheless:
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In terms of price, Corsair is officially selling this model for €139.90, which isn’t all that high. However, given the performance offered by the basic fans, we can only recommend that you buy the basic 3500X and add your own fans afterwards. This will give you quieter fans!
Corsair 3500X aRGB:
We liked:
- The aquarium design, as attractive as ever
- The fact that it’s available with or without fans
- The easy opening of this model: 0 screws!
- Support for backpannel motherboards
- Excellent compatibility with air cooling fans
- Generous space behind the motherboard tray
- No unpleasant surprises when components are fitted
- Overall good temperatures
We didn’t like :
- The steel lacks rigidity in places
- The ventilation noise is too loud!
In the end, we decided to give this Corsair model a silver award. In fact, the excessive noise from the standard fans has a negative impact on the user experience. If you have to run the fans at 500rpm constantly to get silence, cooling performance may not be optimal. Otherwise, the chassis is good, the assembly is without any nasty surprises and it will be able to accommodate recent configurations without any problems. It’s just a shame that the steel lacks rigidity in places, otherwise it’s a highly recommendable model!
Many thanks to Corsair !