Corsair Carbide Air 240 Exterior

"And we shall call it…mini-540". This is what Corsair must have been thinking while designing their latest addition to the Carbide series, the Air 240. The new Micro-ATX case looks exactly like an undersized version of the Carbide Air 540 that we reviewed a little over a year ago. With a size of 315mm × 265mm × 400mm (H×W×D) and a total volume of 0.0334m3, the Carbide Air 240 is not a very compact Micro-ATX case, yet it takes less than half the volume of the Air 540 (61.55% less) and less volume than the Obsidian 350D (21.87% less). It also adds Micro-ATX compatibility over the Obsidian 250D for just 16.9% more volume.

Corsair currently offers the Carbide Air 240 in two colors, black and white, both of which are depicted in the following galleries. It is interesting to note that the metallic parts of the black version have been sprayed with a grainy, satin black paint, while a smooth matte black paint covers the plastic parts. The difference in the paint on the black isn't a major deal, but it is apparent when performing a close inspection. The white version on the other hand is immaculate, with the entire exterior having being sprayed with a satin white color.

Aesthetically, the Carbide Air 240 sports an interesting asymmetric design that hints at the internal dual-chamber configuration. The left part of the faceplate is vented, as is the left part of the top and bottom panels as well, creating exceptional cooling possibilities for the main system. We can see the I/O ports and buttons on the right middle side of the faceplate, with the company logo in alignment towards the left side of the case. The left side panel is almost entirely covered by a transparent acrylic window, revealing the entire main system to the spectator.

The top and bottom panels of the Carbide Air 240 are secured with two thumbscrews each. By removing these thumbscrews, both panels easily slide off. However, as the case actually sits on the bottom panel, it will have to be placed on its side or upside down before removing it. The removal of either panel reveals the frame for the installation of 120mm fans and/or liquid cooling radiators.

It is very interesting that Corsair went with a "rails" design, allowing the user to adjust the location of the fans/radiator by a few centimeters towards the front or the rear of the case. Each of the side panels is secured with two thumbscrews each as well, but these thumbscrews are partially threaded and do not come off the panel when removing it. The front panel can also be removed, but the user needs to first remove both side panels and undo the plastic clips that hold the front panel in place.

Even though the right side panel of the Carbide Air 240 will have to be removed before the user can wire any of the drives, both drive cages are accessible from the exterior of the case. The 2.5" drive cage is beneath the top panel, which has to be removed in order to gain access to it. The 3.5" drive cage is accessible from the rear of the case, by removing a perforated metallic cover held in place with a single thumbscrew. The plastic trays of the 3.5" cage can hold 2.5" drives as well. Strangely, even though the plastic trays have been inserted facing rightwards from the factory, they need to be installed facing leftwards in order to fit three full-size 3.5" mechanical disks.

It is also possible to use the Carbide Air 240 sideways and there are even slots on the metallic right side panel for the rubber feet that Corsair provides in the bundle. However, that will also rotate the faceplate and everything printed on it, including the I/O legend and the case badge, making the Carbide Air 240 look rather odd and off-place. The case badge is magnetic and may be rotated, but that is not true for the I/O legend and buttons.

Introduction, Packaging & Bundle Corsair Carbide Air 240 Case Interior
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  • bnjohanson - Saturday, August 16, 2014 - link

    ...in order to understand, consider believing it a must for car companies to still install cassette players in their newest models because...

    " I use mine for taping mixes of songs and backups for my CD's, etc. I constantly use it nearly everyday. Not to mention to just listen to a movie soundtrack while I am washing my car...Even on my home stereo system, I use the cassette player with some regularity. Sony Walkmans never have interested but with a car this huge, why isn't there one cassette-slot somewhere, even in the trunk? I just don't get it. I also drive motorcycles, smaller than my car, but it still has a cassette player."

    ABSURD !
  • ZeDestructor - Saturday, August 16, 2014 - link

    Well done, that gave me a good chuckle...
  • notlurking - Saturday, August 16, 2014 - link

    Your analogy is bad because you are comparing listening to media in a car with content creation.

    Someone needs to do the rips that you download. Those people need a 5.25 drive to get movies and music onto their NAS or PC.

    If you want a car analogy, buy a small SUV (Corsair 240 is 15.75" deep!) without a trunk. Why do you need a trunk in your small SUV when everyone already uses Amazon to deliver things right to your door?
  • ZeDestructor - Monday, August 18, 2014 - link

    External drives exist. As do full-size 5.25" eSATA/USB3.0/Firewire cases.

    Using the car analogy, that would be a trailer you would tow behind your small, fast Ferrari 458 for bringing extra tyres to trackdays.
  • notlurking - Monday, August 18, 2014 - link

    If you are going to bring up eSata, then why do cases need 3.5" drives? Just use an external 3.5" eSata drive for those times you need to access those extra media files or games.

    RE: car

    But the Corsair Air 540 is NOT a tiny Ferrari! It's 15.75" deep! It's the computer case equivalent of a small SUV. Look at the picture gallery. Fully filled, it has large empty areas.
  • Grok42 - Saturday, August 16, 2014 - link

    There are very few cases without 5.25" bays, why must they all have them? If you like this case better than the hundreds of ones with a 5.25" bay maybe it's because not having a 5.25" bay frees up the case designers to build better designs. Every example you gave for using an optical drive I answered with "Internet". I have an external 5.25" drive that I use to do the odd OS install but I'm not even sure when I last did that.
  • notlurking - Sunday, August 17, 2014 - link

    Someone needs to do the rips that you download from the Internet. Not to mention that many downloads are sub-perfect quality that make me do my own rips for my NAS.
  • Black Obsidian - Monday, August 18, 2014 - link

    Was that same inane comment really worth making almost half a dozen times in the same comment thread?

    Others have already pointed out that such people are perfectly free to buy one of the many cases that DO have 5.25" drives, or buy this case and a USB optical drive. It's not a difficult problem to solve.
  • notlurking - Monday, August 18, 2014 - link

    Yes, because of all the people making the same inane comment that everything is on the Internet a half a dozen times in the same comment thread.

    re: buy something else.
    Then don't read reviews that are critical of anything. Is this facebook where only upvotes of products are allowed?

    My criticism is for the remote chance that it gets back to Corsair and they improve their product.
  • flyingpants1 - Tuesday, September 2, 2014 - link

    No need for discs anymore. I put everything on my phone, or USB stick, or external HDD.

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