Page 4 - Installation and Conclusion
With a screwdriver at my side and my system components at the ready, I started building in the Corsair 3500X ARGB. As with all of my installations, I started by installing my power supply in place. The DeepCool PX1000G 1000W measures 16cm and it fits well within the area. Corsair specifies a maximum length of 180mm for power supplies. Personally, I probably would not go longer than what I have here, as you still need room for excess cables. This should still be sufficient for most power supplies. I routed the PCIe power cables through the bottom, while using the middle area for the motherboard power cable. I also pushed the CPU 8-pin power cable up the back edge to the top hole. I also placed the front I/O and fan cables through the holes on the bottom edge at this point.
Behind the motherboard opening, I mounted my two SSDs in place. The Patriot P200 512GB and OCZ ARC 100 240GB mounted to the sled here with screws. There is ample clearance here, so even if you need to use straight SATA cables on the drives, they will not experience too much of a bend at the connector. I should note if you have a mix of 2.5" and 3.5" drives, you must install the smaller ones first, as the larger hard drive will block the mounting holes of the smaller one.
On the flip side, I installed my motherboard in place. Installation was quick with the pre-installed risers in place for a standard ATX motherboard. My motherboard in question was the ASUS Prime X470-Pro paired with an AMD Ryzen 7 3700X. I also installed a set of Patriot Viper RGB DDR4-3600 2x16GB. As I have mentioned previously, with how far the motherboard is from the top of the case, you should have no worries about interference with top mounted cooling options.
With everything installed, this is what the interior looks like. I mounted the DeepCool ASSASSIN 4S in place with just enough room for this tall cooler. Corsair specifies a maximum height of 170mm, which is only 6mm more than the height of the ASSASSIN 4S. As for my graphics card, I mounted an EVGA GeForce RTX 3070 FTW3 ULTRA GAMING, which measures 300mm in length. This length is no issue, and you can install up to 410mm options. I would have liked to see a graphics card support included with the 3500X series, as I ended up installing the Cooler Master Atlas ARGB for this purpose. All in all, the clearances inside the Corsair 3500X ARGB should generally accommodate larger components.
As for cable management, the Corsair 3500X ARGB experience is generally familiar. There is ample cable room at the back with a good number of anchor points. I do wish Corsair provided Velcro straps. While the zip ties cover this purpose, they only offer one-time usage. I ended up using my own hook and loop fasteners. You should also keep in mind the shorter power supply shroud, as it means you have less room to push your cables to the bottom. It was not a big issue, but those with lazy habits like me should keep this in mind. Otherwise, the building experience was a mostly seamless one, as I was able to build quickly in it with no hitches.
With everything plugged in, I powered my system on, and everything spun to life. There is no denying this panoramic view makes the system shine with the case acting more like a frame. I do appreciate the bright LED lights on the fans, especially with it synchronized with the GPU stand in the front. The Corsair 3500X ARGB has three 120mm RS120 ARGB fans that provide all of the intake airflow for the case. Using our standard APH Networks sound scale, where 0 represents silence and 10 indicates loudness, I would rate the Corsair 3500X ARGB at a 4.5/10. These fans are pretty noisy with a higher-pitched tone that drones on during regular operation. Even under lower fan speeds, the higher frequency tone is audible and more noticeable, unfortunately. It also gets notably louder when I apply any load, such as gaming or stress testing.
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While the phrase "addition by subtraction" does not always hold true, the Corsair 3500X ARGB does prove this in several instances. It may not be the first fish-bowl case we have reviewed, but the removal of any forward-facing structure provides an extra pizzazz to what is otherwise a standard case. The all-white finish is clean and consistent throughout the whole enclosure. The 3500X squared off look means there are hard corners and edges. Air can flow through the right, bottom, and top, with filters on all of these areas to reduce the amount of dust ingress. Internally, there is clearance for most components and numerous spots for multiple radiators. It may not hold the largest number or size of hardware, but it should cover most of your needs. Three 120mm PWM-controlled RS120 ARGB fans are also included with the Corsair 3500X ARGB, which provides both lighting and cooling to your system. Better yet, the latest trend of behind-the-motherboard connectors is also supported. Building in this chassis was a smooth process, with ample space behind the system to work in. The power supply shroud was capable of holding excess cables, even if it was a bit shorter than usual. I also appreciated the guiding cable tunnel that led the CPU connector up the back and directed the cable into place. On the other hand, there are a few areas where the absence of some desired case elements is a subtraction. For one, this case is missing rubber grommets, a GPU support bracket, and Velcro straps. The glass panels also have a slightly uneven spacing between the two. However, my primary gripe comes from the included fans, which are a bit too loud for my liking. At the time of the review, the Corsair 3500X ARGB is available for $110, which is a very reasonable price for the included features. The standard 3500X is also available for $90, while the higher end option with their iCUE fans is $150. All in all, I am quite pleased with the overall structure of the case, and the Corsair 3500X ARGB strikes a happy balance of features at a reasonable price.
Corsair provided this product to APH Networks for the purpose of evaluation.
APH Networks Review Focus Summary:
8/10 means Definitely a very good product with drawbacks that are not likely going to matter to the end user.
7/10 means Great product with many advantages and certain insignificant drawbacks, but should be considered before purchasing.
-- Final APH Networks Numeric Rating is 7.3/10
Please note that the APH Networks Numeric Rating system is based off our proprietary guidelines in the Review Focus, and should not be compared to other publications.
The Corsair 3500X ARGB mid-tower computer case offers a pleasant view and support for the latest trends at a sensible price point.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. Physical Look - Outside
3. Physical Look - Inside
4. Installation and Conclusion
