Corsair Carbide Quiet 400Q Case Review

By Jason Vaught

Manufacturer: Corsair Components, Inc.
Product Name: Carbide Quiet 400Q
Model Number: CC-9011082-WW
UPC: 843591071796 EAN: 0843591068543
Price As Tested: $88.99 (Amazon)

Full Disclosure: The product sample used in this article has been provided by Corsair.

The Carbide series, Corsair’s high airflow mid tower computer case line, has fast become a favorite among gamers and enthusiasts alike. The Carbide Quiet 400Q is the newest member of the silent offshoot series in Corsair’s Carbide case lineup.

The Corsair Carbide 400 series case comes in two forms, a 400Q and a 400C. The 400Q is for the Quiet version and the 400C is for the Clear version. The 400Q features sound dampening material and the 400C features a full length window and no sound dampening.

Corsair is breaking new ground, for them at least, with the 400Q and 400C in offering a mid tower case that has zero 5.25″ bays. Allowing maximum airflow with the least amount of obstructions. Is the Carbide 400Q a contender for similarly sized cases that feature sound dampening and no 5.25″ bays? That’s one of the questions we’re going to answer in this article for Benchmark Reviews.

Features & Specifications

 

Warranty	Two years	Material	Steel
Weight	8.2kg (18.08 lbs)	Power Supply	ATX (not included)
Form Factor	Mid-Tower	External Connections	USB 3.0 (x2) Heaphone (x1) Microphone (x1)
Dimensions	425mm x 215mm x 464mm	Fan Mount Locations	Front: 120mm (x3) or 140mm (x2) Top: 120/140mm (x2) Rear: 120mm (x1)
Motherboard Support	Mini-ITX, MicroATX, ATX, E-ATX	Fans Included	Front: 140mm (x1) Rear: 120mm (x1)
Maximum GPU Length	370mm	Radiator Mount Locations	Front: 360mm Top: 240mm Rear: 120mm
Maximum CPU Cooler Height	170mm	Compatible Corsair Liquid Cooler	H55, H60, H75, H80i, H90, H100i, H105, H110
Maximum PSU Length	200mm	Expansion Slots	7
Drive Bays	3.5in (x2) 2.5in (x3)

Corsair Carbide 400Q Overview

The Corsair Carbide Quiet 400Q is marketed as a “stealth-silent” computer case that doesn’t sacrifice airflow for the sake of sound dampening. All while maintaining a (relatively) small footprint in a mid-tower chassis.

The front of the Corsair Carbide 400Q features a very clean, smooth metal front panel, with the Corsair sails adorning the lower right hand corner. That’s right, no door, no 5.25″ bays. This configuration allows for maximum airflow and for maximum space within the case.

The top front of the case features your USB 3.0 ports, headphone jack, microphone jack, power switch, reset switch, and HDD LED. The power indicator LED is incorporated into the power switch.

The right side of the case features a solid side panel, and vents cut into the side of the front panel for airflow. The side panel is secured by anchored thumb screws (meaning they stay with the side panel and don’t fully remove).

The rear of the case is a standard layout, featuring 7 PCI slots, I/O panel, extra honeycomb ventilation and a height adjustable 120mm fan. The Carbide 400Q accepts ATX power supply units up to 200mm in length.

The top of the Corsair Carbide 400Q features a removable, magnetic sound dampening panel that covers the top fan mounts when not in use.

With the top sound dampening panel cover removed, it reveals two adjustable 120/140mm fan mounts. Corsair does not provide an alternate cover, such as a fan filter, at this time. So this is what your case will look like on top if you utilize the top fan mounts. You’ll also notice that the fan mounting points are offset from center, this allows you to easily mount a radiator and have proper clearance from the motherboard, assuming you don’t utilize particularly tall ram. Combine this with the height adjustable 120mm fan at the rear, and you should be able to utilize a 240mm radiator.

The right side panel is lined with a nice, thick pad of sound dampening material. No cutouts or options for a side fan, but I’m sure many modders will look at this as a blank canvas to do any customization they want.

The left side panel features the same sound dampening material that is found on the right, with one exception. There is a rectangular cutout to make clearance for a component on the back of the motherboard. Let’s dive in to the interior next in the detailed features section of this review!

Corsair Carbide 400Q Detailed Features

Looks like Corsair tried to think of everything when they designed this case. No 5.25″ bays, no HDD cages to block airflow, sound dampening everywhere, and even some aesthetic touches.

The Corsair Carbide 400Q comes with the owner’s manual, zip ties, fan screws, mobo screws, HDD/SSD screws and 1 additional motherboard standoff.

The inside of the Corsair Carbide Quiet 400Q reveals ZERO cages obstructing air flow, with exception to the hidden one on the bottom in front of the PSU. The Carbide 400Q comes equipped with a Corsair AF120L 120mm fan in the rear, and a Corsair AF140L 140mm fan in the front, giving you plenty of positive pressure airflow right out of the shipping box. The inside also features rubber grommets and front panel connections for dual USB 3.0, power, reset, HDD LED, power LED, as well as front port audio.

Taking a cue from Phanteks, Corsair opted for an aesthetically pleasing, but not all that functional in a case with no window, PSU/HDD cover in the bottom of the case. The covers are easily removed via thumbscrews on the back of the case. It’s worth noting that you have to remove the PSU cover to install the PSU.

Remember that rectangular cutout in the sound dampening on the left side panel? Well as you can see above, that cutout is to make clearance for the 3 x 2.5″ HDD/SSD tool-less hard drive bays. The left side of the case features about 18mm of clearance (5/8″) for easy cable management, as well as access to the dual 3.5″ drive bays.

A closeup of the triple SSD drive bays reveals that they are truly tool-less, featuring spring loaded insertion as well as a simple plastic clip to hold them firmly in place. Unfortunately, if you wanted to remove a single drive bay mount, for whatever reason, you would have to remove all 3, as the drive bays are all 1 unit. Not a big deal to most, but I’m sure someone would find a use for the extra space.

The dual 3.5″ hard drive bay utilizes a tool free design as well, except if you want to install 2.5″ HDD/SSDs, then you’ll need to attach it via 4 screw holes located at the bottom of the drive tray.

With the front panel removed, you’ll see the flexible triple fan dust filter, This dust filter utilizes a single clip at the top, and magnets to keep it attached all the way down to the two anchor points on the bottom. This allows you to easily access and clean your dust filters without any tools what-so-ever, resulting in no more excuses for having a dusty PC. You’ll also notice that the fan mounts/holes are offset from center on the case, this allows clearance for up to a 360mm radiator in the front!

With the front dust filter removed, you’ll gain access to the adjustable front 140mm fan. There’s room for up to a 360mm radiator and/or 3 120mm fans or 2 140mm fans. With the clearance between the front panel and the actual case, you should be able to set up a push/pull configuration on the front of this case, without the dust filter of course. I don’t believe, however, that you would get very good airflow in a push/pull setup this way, as you intakes are on the sides of the front panel.

Mid-Tower Case Final Thoughts

This case is very similar to the Fractal Design Define S, with some very notable exceptions. The Corsair Carbide Quiet 400Q is smaller, in almost every way. The overall dimensions, the interior layout, as well as the vents and case feet are quite different from that of the Define S. Think of it as the little brother to the Define S with some rounded corners and little more polish in certain areas. I think Corsair was going for something more suitable for sitting up on your desk, while maintaining clean lines. I like this case very much, but I feel it would not be suited for everyone.

Custom water cooling loops in this case should be fairly straight forward, although maybe a little tight in some areas. With the options for a 360mm radiator in the front, 240mm in the top, and a 120mm in the back, you should be able to easily cool a CPU and dual GPUs. That being said, pump location and reservoir location would need to be something you plan out before buying this case, as there is not any pump/res specific mounting points in the case as there are in the Define S.

For those of you who like to utilize AIO (all-in-one) liquid coolers, such as the Corsair H100i, then this case would work very well and be an easier installation. You could easily mount a 240mm AIO in the top, and still have room for 1 or 2 liquid cooled GPUs, such as the AMD FuryX or the upcoming FuryX2 and mount their radiators in front.

Corsair Carbide Quiet 400Q Conclusion

Performance wise, given the number of fan mount locations, options for radiators, options for HDD/SSDs, this case could easily perform as your gaming rig/everyday PC. The only thing that perplexed me in the beginning before receiving the sample, was that it has it’s front intakes on the sides. But, after inspection of the sample, I don’t feel this would be any hindrance to cooling performance and gives it a nice, clean appearance. That being said, if you do choose or need to utilize the top fan/radiator mounting location, you will be losing some of the sound dampening qualities of this case.

Appearance wise the Carbide 400Q is slick, with it’s clean lines and no ODD(optical disk drive), Corsair was definitely going to the minimalist appearance crowd. However, with the top sound dampened magnetic panel removed, the clean appearance from the top is gone. The 400C version of this case comes with a magnetic dust filter that aids in masking the honeycomb ventilation and helps keep those clean lines. I’d like to see Corsair include this filter with this case as an additional option should you choose to utilize the top fan mounting location. Maybe they could forgo the unnecessary PSU/HDD bay covers (as this case has no window) and give you the added option of a dust filter up top.

This case is very well constructed and has a bit of heft to it when fully assembled. The side panels are nice and thick, and the sound dampening appears to be a quality material. The plastic parts are thick and rigid, giving it a robust feel. I would note, however, that because of the design and rigidity of the front panel clips, the front panel is a little finicky to put back on and requires that you line it up just so before applying pressure to snap it back in place.

The Carbide 400Q functions well as a entry level Mid-Tower case that features water cooling support and plenty of fan mount locations. It should be able to handle a custom water loop well and handle AIOs very easily. Although I recommend hard line tubing if you do a custom loop as when dealing with multiple radiators and a pump/res combo in this size of case, it would make for an easier and more organized loop.

In terms of value, this case doesn’t move the needle very far. At the time of this review, the Corsair Carbide Quiet 400Q is available online for $88.99 (Amazon). Given that the similar Define S is priced at around $79.99 (no window), and is bigger with more water cooling ability, the Carbide 400Q is just slightly more expensive right now. That being said, when retailers start carrying this case, we might see a better price point in line with that of the Define S and similar cases in the Mid-Tower category.

I recommend this case for anyone looking for a cleanly designed, quiet, mid-tower case. While I feel the price is a bit high for the case, I’m confident that online retailers will adjust it to a more reasonable amount. Corsair’s cases are renowned for their quality, their craftsmanship, and their ease of use and the Carbide Quiet 400Q meets all of those expectations.

Pros:

+ Relatively small footprint
+ Can support any length graphics card
+ Sound dampening
+ USB 3.0 front panel
+ Tool-less drive cages
+ Positive pressure design
+ Multi-radiator support
+ Attractive design
+ Abundance of fan/radiator mount locations
+ Unobstructed airflow design

Cons:

– No grommets at the top of the motherboard
– 2.5″ HDD/SSD trays are 1 unit instead of 3 separate units
– Front cover release tabs are tight and finicky when reattaching
– PSU cover has to be removed to install PSU (not a big deal, minor annoyance)
– Price (compared to similar options)
– No option for slim or slot load ODD
– Only 7 PCI slots (may not be a con to some)

Ratings: (## quarter-point scale, ie: 8.75 ##)

• Performance: 9.50
• Appearance: 9.50
• Construction: 9.50
• Functionality: 9.00
• Value: 8.00

Final Score: 9.0 out of 10.

Excellence Achievement: Benchmark Reviews Golden Tachometer Award.

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