Corsair Frame 4500X Mid-Tower Chassis Review

TweakTown Rating: 91%

Our Verdict

The Corsair Frame 4500X offers a great base to build a system within. With iCUE and fans included, along with BTF support, it's certainly worth consideration.

Pros

• Wrap around glass
• BTF compatibility
• Thermal performance
• Included fans / iCUE

Cons

• The GPU support bracket may block the USB connector
• Storage capacity

Should you buy it?

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Introduction, Specifications, and Pricing

We consistently see the PC case market evolving, with manufacturers continually pushing boundaries to create enclosures that blend aesthetics, functionality, and innovation into their new case designs. While some of these cases are a little hit and miss, Corsair's latest case to launch, the Frame 4500X, certainly looks interesting. In launching this case, Corsair is releasing its first wraparound glass style case, with a unique back side that is split into two parts for the aesthetic, which Corsair states cascades like a waterfall over the chassis' exterior.

The Frame 4500X merges the Frame aspect with the fishbowl glass design of the 3500X, but adds the curved, single-piece design. The Corsair Frame 4500X includes BTF compatibility, a removable motherboard tray, and somewhat retains the Corsair familiarity overall. The all-new Corsair Frame 4500X is available in two options. First, available with iCUE Link pre-installed, and shipping with three LX120-R fans for $259.99, in either white or black. Alternatively, remove iCUE Link and change out the fans to the Corsair 120mm RS-R reverse fans for $189.99, again available in black or white. Today, I have the Corsair Frame 4500X iCUE Link version in for testing and review, so it's time to get started.

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Packaging

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There isn't much to discuss regarding the Corsair Frame 4500X's outer packaging. The brown cardboard box is printed with the model on both the front and back, with a large Corsair logo above.

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On one side, a small sticker indicates the color option and the fans included in this model.

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Opening up the case, Corsair includes their accessory kit to the top, so let's have a quick look.

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A small, but essential component set is included, screws and ties in silver and white, with a front panel connector adapter, and a small white trim is included in the small parts box that Corsair uses here.

Although there is no product manual, it is available via QR code, which, at the time of writing, directs us to the key points around the Corsair Frame 4500X. Upon release, I imagine this will be redirected to the manual.

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Sliding the case from the box, open cell foam elements protect the top, bottom, and side tempered glass, with a clear bag containing the case within.

Outside the Corsair Frame 4500X

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Now, with the outer packaging removed, I can take a look at the Corsair Frame 4500X for the first time. The case bears a resemblance to the HAVN HS 420, particularly in its continuous, flowing front and side single-piece glass element. The case offers great, uninterrupted views of everything you would throw into it. On arrival, the glass removal instructions are printed on the protective film on the glass.

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Finishing off the front of the case is the IO, with power, a combo audio jack, two USB 3.2 Type-A Gen 1 ports, and a single USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C. The inclusion is not vast, but it meets the standard we expect.

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From the top, the Corsair Frame 4500X offers a nicely designed set of vents to bring air in or out of the case, depending on the fan setup. I like the design here; it is crisp and clean with nothing interrupting the flow of the panel into the rear side panel. Both side edges are angled for more ventilation.

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Moving the case to show the rear, the back continues the flowing vent design from the top. The waterfall marketing Corsair mentioned comes into play here, and it does look good. The rear is split almost 60/40, with the motherboard tray back panel being a separate part entirely with a solid finish. The paint finish around the exterior, and the color matching between materials, seem very good.

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The functional back includes captive thumbscrews to the top panel, while the glass and rear side panel simply clip into place. There is space for either a 120mm or 140mm fan available next to the motherboard IO cutout. A degree of vertical adjustment is available to align this exhaust with an air cooler.

Below, the seven-slot PCIe bracket is modular, allowing for either a horizontal or vertical GPU setup within the case. No riser is included, but the initial option to rotate is available to you, should you wish to show off your card. Swapping this out takes minimal time using the captive thumb screw arrangement.

Finally, the power supply is secured with two additional captive thumbscrews, but it lacks a slide-in assembly with a separate plate, requiring you to install it through the rear side panel.

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Finishing out the exterior, the base includes a side-mounted full-frame dust filter for easy cleaning. The front feet are a solid block containing the front ports, while the rear feet are individual, with good clearance under the chassis, ample to let the case and power supply breathe. Note that to the front, there are mounting holes for a single 120mm floor-mounted fan.

Inside the Corsair Frame 4500X

Now it's time to start pulling off panels and take a closer look at the interior.

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Removing the wraparound glass is a straightforward process; there are no captive screws that hold this in place, and it simply locks itself into place with the chassis. On arrival, the case came with masking tape wrapped around it to keep everything in position.

Slide the glass following the instructions on the sticker, and it simply releases, revealing the interior. The front of the panel has locating pins built in at the top that guide it back into place when reinstalling.

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Looking around the interior, the Corsair Frame 4500X includes an integrated GPU support bracket, similar in design to that found on some of their other models. While simplistic, it offers some vertical adjustment to help keep your card straight and level.

Corsair negates the use of rubber grommets around the case, instead opting for smooth edges around the case cutouts. I assume this is because it's probably more of a BTF-focused chassis. There are ample cutouts around the motherboard tray and to the top of the power supply area.

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The power supply shroud also features a curved vented design towards the front of the case, cascading down towards the vented floor area. Vent patterns around the Corsair Frame 4500X are again familiar, featuring in other recent cases that Corsair has launched with the "Y" pattern. The shroud can also be used to mount up to two 120mm fans to push air towards your graphics card.

Some cabling is visible from the front panel connectors; however, it is all white and runs braided to the back of the motherboard tray. If you install a 120mm fan on the floor, it will help conceal some of the braided cable that is currently visible.

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Looking more closely at the side-mounted intake fans, with the included fans being the Corsair LX120-R, these three fans keep RGB lighting front and centre, are PWM controlled, and of course, are part of the Corsair iCUE Link system for easier cable management and control via the Corsair iCUE software.

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The top internal panel can house up to 3x 120mm fans, or two 140mm, with 160mm also noted, but not given in the case specification on the Corsair "Everything you need to know about the 4500X" page. Regardless, the top panel can house a conventional fan setup to assist in the cooling of your components, and of course, AIO coolers and radiators are also supported. Everything is installed using the Corsair InfiniRail system, making installation easy, yet not removable for installation outside of the case.

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Around the messy side, where all your cables are installed, there is still plenty of room to work with, given the split design. Corsair includes a good selection of tie-down points and Velcro ties. There is a large cutout to access the rear of the motherboard, along with all the included openings to support BTF motherboards. Remember, the Corsair Frame 4500X also consists of the ability to remove the motherboard tray, if needed to assist installation.

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A captive thumbscrew holds down the SSD tray over the motherboard cutout, and this doubles for placement of the included iCUE module, with magnetic fitment on the tray. The tray can support two 2.5" drives or a single 3.5" drive. If you do install drives, the iCUE module may need to be relocated.

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Removing the plastic vent panel opens the rear up entirely, giving full access to the bottom PSU area. The side-mounted fan bracket is held in with a single screw to the top for removal, and all the included wiring is neatly arranged. The only thing to note around the back is that the iCUE cables are black, which, although not visible, is the only minor point to mention. Power supplies have enough space for additional cables to be tucked away, with a maximum clearance of 250mm quoted by Corsair.

Installation, Testing, Finished Product, and Final Thoughts

Kris' Test System Specifications

I think it's fair to say that Corsair has been around the block a few times and knows how to build a case that is simple to build within, and the Corsair Frame 4500X is no exception. There are no unnecessary complexities for the sake of it, just functional and logical design for the end user experience.

Although I took my time building the test system, I still managed to fit all the components quickly. Installing the motherboard and routing cables was a pleasure in this case. I understand that some people prefer removable motherboard trays, and they do have their uses, but honestly, it's hardly a chore to slot a board in here with the case laid on its back.

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Around the back, space was ample for the be quiet! PSU,. I secured the power supply cables using some of the Velcro ties to the rear edge of the motherboard tray. Even having an additional power connector for the iCUE system, cables are tucked away nicely without any effort.

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Back to the front, there is more of the same. I used the power supply top shroud panel to pass through the GPU power, front panel connector, and iCUE cable to the header. I could have run the GPU cable near the 24-pin connector, so routing is something you have options on to make the system look as clean as you would like.

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As you can see, the Corsair 4500X offers plenty of space to grow, especially with graphics cards. Our be quiet! The air cooler nests in nicely, leaving a bit of space due to the 185mm clearance available.

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One issue I encountered is that the included GPU support bracket can obstruct one of the front USB headers, depending on your motherboard. I tried two MSI motherboards here, and while the B850 variant was ok, the B860 version was completely obstructed.

It's a minor oversight; having more holes drilled into the motherboard tray frame would have been ideal, allowing the bracket to be repositioned. Alternatively, making the bracket longer could resolve this issue. It's not the end of the world, just something to consider: you may need a standalone support bracket if the one included isn't usable.

With our system all built and the protective wrap removed from the glass, let's get into testing and my thoughts on this case.

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With the system all fired up, it is time to see what the testing results mean for this case.

I am running my usual hardware, which includes an AMD Ryzen 5 9600X CPU housed in an MSI B850 Tomahawk Max Wi-Fi Motherboard paired with two sticks of 16GB Corsair Vengeance DDR5-6000. Our CPU is kept cool using the be quiet! Dark Rock Elite. For storage, I am using a Corsair MP700 Elite 1TB NVMe M.2 drive. Finally, for graphics, I have an ASUS Prime RTX 4070 12 GB Super. Testing is completed with PBO enabled, AXMP1, and MSI Smart fan configuration.

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All testing was completed using Aida64 Engineer's System Stability Test v7.65.7400 for 2 hours. Other software used was HWiNFO 64 v8.30-5800, TechPowerUp GPU-Z v2.68.0, and CPU-Z v2.15.0 x64.

The Corsair 4500X is set up with the three side-mounted fans pulling in air, giving positive pressure within the case. After running testing for over two hours, with an ambient of 21.5 °C, the results are in.

For both CPU and GPU cooling, the case performed relatively well across the board; CPU max came in at 78.1 °C, with an average of 72.9 °C. On graphics, the ASUS RTX 4070 Super sat mainly at 73.3 °C, creeping up to a maximum of 75.4 °C. From the cases I have tested so far, considering delta, this puts the Corsair Frame 4500X around on par with the Antec Flux SE and the Corsair Frame 5000D.

With all things considered, what do I make of the all-new Corsair 4500X?

Well, I feel it's a bit like the same thing, but revised from Corsair, and I don't mean that in a bad way. I mean, familiar and safe, but with the continuous tweaks Corsair is making to their line-up, they offer a range of cases that are hard to ignore.

I would have liked to see a bit more storage capacity in the Frame 4500X, but I think we're increasingly moving towards on-board NVME storage, and Corsair can't please everyone all the time. If you need more storage capacity, then there are other options available.

There is, of course, room to add more fans, and with that spacious interior, some extra lighting, especially in the white version, to make it really pop. You can soon take a standard-looking system and turn it into something even better to the eye, especially with the uninterrupted views you get in this case.

The Corsair 4000D Airflow and the new Frame series carry on a tried and trusted range of cases from Corsair that goes back quite a few years now. It's evolution, not revolution, and it just simply works better with each subtle change that Corsair makes, not that it was bad to begin with. More minor changes, based on a concept that brings all the fundamentals together, for an all-round well-performing chassis.

The 4500X is nice and compact so that it won't take up too much room. It's not in your face, and I really like the waterfall concept on the top and back side vent. It's not arrogant or loud, but relatively soft and warm. If you want to get into the Corsair ecosystem, including iCUE , then the Corsair Frame 4500X is certainly worth consideration.