Thermal behaviour
Comparing two systems that rely on a completely different cooling solution is of course only possible to a limited extent. And since everything really differs here over the radiator, the CPU block, the pump up to the case fans, the comparison is actually also quite unfair. Nevertheless, I was interested to see what changes would result from the move and whether one could venture a general statement regarding the thermal performance of the 7000D. To do this, I subjected my beloved hardware to the same test course in both systems, logging temperatures and GPU clock speed. Pump and fans (radiator, case, and GPU) were stubbornly fixed at 60% in both cases, with no regard to flow or speeds.
The course consisted of 30 minutes of Cinebench R23, followed by 30 minutes of Furmark and then 30 minutes of Red Dead Redemption 2.
Grey = Old case with 360mm custom loop
Green = Corsair 7000D Airflow with 420mm Custom Loop
It quickly becomes apparent that the temperatures in the large Corsair tower are consistently better than in the old and significantly smaller case. Of course, the fact that the 420 radiator has a higher cooling capacity than the 360 radiator was pretty predictable. However, I didn’t expect such a significantly better result.
However, the temperature of the air-cooled graphics card is particularly interesting in this comparison. Under load, it was 4-5°C colder in the 7000D, which even led to a measurably higher GPU clock! In general, the case lived up to its name, as even after several hours of stressing the system, I couldn’t detect any significant heat buildup inside the case. And that even though the case fans were spinning at a whisper-quiet 300rpm.
Summary and conclusion
At the end of this article I would like to summarize the most relevant pros and cons for me, which I have already gone into for the most part, and finally draw a small personal conclusion.
Pros:
- Excellent airflow
- Ample space
- High material quality
- Solid hinges
- 4x USB 3.0 and USB 3.1 Type-C
- 4 x dust filter
- Removable brackets for radiators
- Very flexible GPU mounting
Contra:
- Cable cover obstructs 24-pin
- No integrated GPU support
- PCIe riser cable not included
With a recommended retail price of €259.90, Corsair positions the 7000D Airflow in the mid-price segment for high-quality full-tower cases. Considering the high quality of the material and the many features, this is a very justifiable price. By default, the case comes in this variant completely without RGB bling-bling and is suitable in this form for “serious” systems such as workstations, etc. Personally, I like it a little flashier and therefore wanted to show that you can make a visual eye-catcher out of the 7000D Airflow with a few RGB components in no time.
My only real criticism is the much too flat cable cover, which can unfortunately only be remedied by removing it completely, and then it doesn’t look quite as elegant. Otherwise, the tower knows how to convince with plenty of space, smart solutions for elaborate water cooling, excellent airflow and the consistently high material quality all along the line. Well done, this really fits like a tailor-made suit for hot hours, except for a few tweaks.
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