Corsair Warthog Lags $90 Sibling on Cooling at Double the Price

Corsair WARTHOG Gaming PC Case Review | Thermals, Noise, & Throwback — Gamers Nexus

Gamers Nexus

Corsair's $200 military-themed Warthog trails cheaper airflow competitors and its own $85 donor chassis in thermal tests, leaving retro nostalgia as the sole justification for the price premium.

AI-assisted summary of Corsair WARTHOG Gaming PC Case Review | Thermals, Noise, & Throwback — original source. Check the original for full context.

Source published:

Key ideas

  • Corsair has launched the Warthog chassis at $180 ($200 for the RS version with dual 200 mm front fans), styled as a military throwback inspired by Halo and the classic Corsair Vengeance C70. (2:50)
  • Beneath its rugged exterior, the chassis relies on Corsair Frame 4000D tooling, meaning buyers pay nearly double the Frame 4000D's ~$85-$90 price primarily for aesthetic styling and handle hardware. (17:48)
  • Noise-normalized thermal testing reveals mediocre cooling performance: the Warthog RS matched the Frame 4000D RS at 47°C over ambient for CPU thermals, but ran warm on the GPU at 48°C over ambient, trailing competitors like the Cooler Master HAF II 500. (10:54)
  • Official 3D-printable accessories offered by Corsair, such as the triple 3.5-inch drive cage, physically clash with the stock 200 mm front fans on the RS variant. (7:41)

Detailed notes

## Background Published by Gamers Nexus on YouTube on September 22, 2026, this review tests the Corsair Warthog gaming PC chassis. The video description highlights the case as an unapologetic throwback to an older era of PC building, noting that while it carries over the solid foundations of the Corsair Frame 4000D, its $180 to $200 price tag faces stiff market competition unless buyers specifically seek out its distinct retro look.

## TL;DR Gamers Nexus thoroughly analyzes the Corsair Warthog, a chassis visually inspired by both Halo and Corsair's classic military-themed Vengeance C70. Underneath its olive-drab exterior, heavy-duty steel handles, toggle switches, and retro styling, the case relies on the core internal tooling and 3D-printable mod ecosystem of the Corsair Frame 4000D. In noise-normalized thermal testing, the Warthog posts mediocre CPU numbers and warm GPU temperatures, lagging behind rivals like the Cooler Master HAF II 500 and Fractal Torrent that feature deeper, more optimized high-flow intake fans. Steve Burke concludes that while the Warthog loses on pure acoustic and thermal value metrics against its own Frame 4000D sibling, it succeeds as an entertaining, well-equipped nostalgia piece for builders yearning for late-2000s PC DIY personality without paying inflated eBay prices for vintage hardware.

## Atmosphere & style The review strikes Gamers Nexus's signature balance between rigorous, no-nonsense benchmarking and dry, tongue-in-cheek humor. Steve Burke delivers an affectionate, nostalgic monologue on the golden age of PC building—fondly reminiscing about cold cathodes, single-color LEDs, and classic military chassis—while cracking jokes about past Corsair typos and modern case privacy policies. Beneath the playful banter, the tone remains technically uncompromising, scrutinizing bare-frame chassis flex and underwhelming fan thickness with clinical objectivity.

## Bulletin - [02:50](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgPOenXO7Vg&t=170s) Corsair has launched the Warthog chassis at $180 ($200 for the RS version with dual 200 mm front fans), styled as a military throwback inspired by Halo and the classic Corsair Vengeance C70. - [17:48](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgPOenXO7Vg&t=1068s) Beneath its rugged exterior, the chassis relies on Corsair Frame 4000D tooling, meaning buyers pay nearly double the Frame 4000D's ~$85-$90 price primarily for aesthetic styling and handle hardware. - [10:54](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgPOenXO7Vg&t=654s) Noise-normalized thermal testing reveals mediocre cooling performance: the Warthog RS matched the Frame 4000D RS at 47°C over ambient for CPU thermals, but ran warm on the GPU at 48°C over ambient, trailing competitors like the Cooler Master HAF II 500. - [07:41](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgPOenXO7Vg&t=461s) Official 3D-printable accessories offered by Corsair, such as the triple 3.5-inch drive cage, physically clash with the stock 200 mm front fans on the RS variant.

## Key takeaways - [00:02](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgPOenXO7Vg&t=2s) The Warthog channels 2008-2013 enthusiast PC culture with military styling, steel top carrying handles, toggle switches, and a retro metal-framed window. - [00:02](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgPOenXO7Vg&t=2s) Corsair delayed the case from an initial August release due to excessive empty space inside the shipping foam inserts, later releasing it in September. - [02:50](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgPOenXO7Vg&t=170s) Priced at $180 for the base chassis and $200 for the RS trim, it includes two 200 mm front intake fans and a 120 mm rear exhaust fan in olive drab or matte black. - [02:50](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgPOenXO7Vg&t=170s) The chassis incorporates a dedicated push-button LED illuminating the rear motherboard I/O, reviving a convenience feature from the NZXT H440 era. - [04:43](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgPOenXO7Vg&t=283s) While the outer 3.4 mm handles and panels feel exceptionally sturdy, the bare inner frame flexes noticeably under diagonal torque once panels are detached. - [06:39](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgPOenXO7Vg&t=399s) Panel removal requires a strict mechanical sequence: snap-fit side panels must be taken off before the top panel can be detached. - [06:39](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgPOenXO7Vg&t=399s) An outward-stamped right panel increases cable management clearance by approximately 1.5 cm over the standard Frame 4000D, complemented by a pegboard-style tray supporting reverse-connector motherboards. - [07:41](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgPOenXO7Vg&t=461s) Corsair hosts free downloadable CAD files for DIY 3D printing, but the printed triple hard drive cage is incompatible with the front 200 mm fans on the RS model. - [08:40](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgPOenXO7Vg&t=520s) Liquid cooling compatibility on the RS is constrained: fixed 200 mm front fans eliminate front radiator mounting, leaving the top mount as the practical alternative, ideally capped at 280 mm. - [10:54](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgPOenXO7Vg&t=654s) Noise-normalized CPU thermals at 27 dBA reached 47°C over ambient, matching the Frame 4000D RS but falling behind the Cooler Master HAF II 500 (43°C) and Fractal Torrent (46°C). - [13:26](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgPOenXO7Vg&t=806s) GPU thermals noise-normalized to 48°C over ambient, lagging behind the Frame 4000D RS (45°C) and HAF II 500 (42°C) due to fan geometry and the lack of an internal airflow scoop. - [13:26](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgPOenXO7Vg&t=806s) Corsair's 200 mm fans measure 30 mm deep, providing lower static pressure and airflow efficiency than the 38 mm to 40 mm thick fans used on competing high-airflow chassis. - [18:38](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgPOenXO7Vg&t=1118s) At $180-$200, the Warthog commands double the price of the mechanically similar Frame 4000D, though it serves as a modern alternative to vintage Corsair C70 cases that sell for over $200 on eBay. - [19:47](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgPOenXO7Vg&t=1187s) Gamers Nexus concludes that the Warthog loses on pure price-to-performance metrics, making it recommendable exclusively for buyers prioritizing retro military sci-fi aesthetics and modding potential.

## Detailed walkthrough ### [00:02](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgPOenXO7Vg&t=2s) Halo Throwback, the "Corsier" Typo, and Release Delays

The Corsair Warthog is pitched as an unapologetic throwback to a freer, less sterile era of PC building—roughly the 2008 to 2013 window—when hardware had personality and "enthusiast meant stuff that looked more like this and less refined like we see today." Visually inspired by both the iconic M12 FAV Warthog from *Halo* and Corsair's own military-themed Vengeance C70 chassis from 2012, the case immediately stands out with green panels, exposed handles, and ruggedized details. Steve Burke jokes that Corsair has already resolved one of its longest-running manufacturing hurdles by dropping vowels from the branding entirely, referencing an infamous historical shipping incident where real Corsair boxes were printed with the misprint "Corsier."

On the outside, the Warthog embraces tactile, mechanical novelties: a flip-up toggle switch on the front panel, protective finger covers shielding the front I/O ports, a firmly latching front door, and thick steel top handles designed to comfortably bear the full weight of a fully built system. To balance airflow and structure, Corsair brought back its distinctive Y-pattern 3D mesh, engineered to boost ventilation porosity while preserving panel rigidity. However, the case faced a chaotic journey to store shelves. Originally slated for launch on August 11th—with Gamers Nexus having already finalized their written review by that point—Corsair abruptly delayed the release until October after discovering several inches of empty space inside the shipping foam that risked transit damage. They subsequently pulled the date forward again to September.

- **Design roots:** Blends styling from *Halo*'s Warthog and the classic ammo-can Corsair Vengeance C70. - **Top handles:** Heavy-duty steel handles capable of moving and supporting the entire system with zero flex. - **Ventilation:** Y-pattern 3D mesh maximizes intake airflow porosity without degrading steel sheet rigidity. - **Launch delays:** Pushed from August 11 to October due to packaging gaps, then moved forward to a September release.

---

[02:50](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgPOenXO7Vg&t=170s) Specs, Pricing, and Military Aesthetic Nostalgia

Priced at $180 for the bare chassis and $200 for the RS variants equipped with two massive 200 mm front intake fans and a single 120 mm rear exhaust fan, the Warthog comes in both an olive drab and a standard black finish. While the military-truck namesake exists in real-world combat vehicles, Steve notes "come on, that's got to be Halo." The retro styling serves as a welcome counterweight to modern PC pricing realities, where dropping $200 on an elaborate case just to populate it with an empty DDR4 motherboard feels like the only affordable fun left in a market stricken by hardware markups.

The aesthetic flourishes—stenciled military lettering, switch guards, visible chassis bolts, and an authentic fabric "REMOVE BEFORE BUILD" flight tag—offer zero functional advantage, existing purely because "they're just cool." It harkens back to mid-2010s aggressive styling, such as the Antec GX700 or early Gigabyte enthusiast boards sporting heatsinks shaped like ammo magazines and bullet cartridges. Steve recounts a memorable industry anecdote about someone traveling by air with a sample Gigabyte G1.Sniper board; airport security agencies in multiple countries pulled the traveler aside in panic over the realistic shell casing heatsink mounted directly to the motherboard chipset. Moving to legitimate functional retro features, Corsair integrated an LED illuminating the rear motherboard I/O—a much-appreciated utility originally popularized by the NZXT H440 and Noctis N450 that never saw widespread industry adoption.

```mermaid flowchart TD accTitle: Corsair Warthog Case Lineup and Pricing accDescr: Diagram illustrating the two Warthog configurations, fan inclusions, and color choices.

subgraph Variants["Corsair Warthog Configurations"] Base["Base Warthog ($180)<br/>Sold without fans"] RS["Warthog RS ($200)<br/>Includes 2x 200mm Front Fans<br/>+ 1x 120mm Rear Fan"] end

subgraph Finishes["Aesthetic Options"] OD["Olive Drab Green"] BLK["Matte Black"] end

Base --> Finishes RS --> Finishes ```

---

[04:43](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgPOenXO7Vg&t=283s) Shared Frame 4000D Tooling and Structural Rigidity

Underneath the military shell, the Warthog's skeleton is nearly identical to the Corsair Frame 4000D, sharing the vast majority of its core tooling outside of specialized areas like the power supply shroud. Gamers Nexus reviewed the Frame 4000D very favorably, which bodes well for the Warthog's fundamental layout, expandability, and modularity. This shared DNA also extends to Corsair's dedicated 3D-printing ecosystem: owners can download official CAD models directly from Corsair's website for free to print modular parts at home, essentially allowing builders to "print the DLC instead of buying it."

However, full hands-on testing revealed an unwelcome surprise regarding frame rigidity. While the case felt exceptionally solid when previewed on display tables at Computex, stripping off the outer panels exposes the bare internal frame's inherent flimsiness. Without panels installed, the bare chassis flexes noticeably under moderate diagonal torque—enough that opposing diagonal corners will lift clean off the bench when twisted. The structural rigidity is predominantly carried by the outer panels and the heavy-duty steel handles and feet. The carrying handles and feet measure approximately 3.4 mm thick (or around 3.0 mm prior to powder-coating), while the primary sheet metal measures 1.4 mm painted (roughly 1.0 mm raw), relying on strategic stamping and layering to achieve its perceived heft.

---

[06:39](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgPOenXO7Vg&t=399s) Build Quality, Panel Design, and Cable Clearance

The side panels eschew traditional thumb screws altogether, instead relying on snap-fit push pins that interlock beneath the top panel. This mechanical arrangement enforces a strict order of disassembly: the side panels must always be popped off before the top panel can be removed, and the top panel must be installed first when closing the system. While Gamers Nexus initially suspected the packaging redesign may have been triggered by tool-less panels dislodging in shipping, Corsair's actual packaging revision was centered on eliminating several inches of dead space between the internal foam inserts and the case. The side window departs from modern all-glass trends, featuring a small, metal-framed trapezoidal aperture shaped reminiscent of the *Dota 2* logo, styled to mimic old-school acrylic side cutouts.

On the builder-friendly side, Corsair largely abandoned single-use plastics, packaging accessories inside recyclable paper pouches alongside a reusable compartmentalized plastic screw sorter. System specifications and dimensions are printed on an informative identification label placed directly on the rear chassis. Because the stamped side panel bulges slightly outward, cable management clearance behind the tray is improved by up to 1.5 cm compared to the standard 4000D. Cable management flexibility is further bolstered by a pegboard-patterned motherboard tray that allows tie-down brackets to be repositioned anywhere along the tray, supported by two extra anchor points included in the box and full support for back-connect (reverse-connector) motherboards.

- **Panel assembly sequence:** Sides must be removed prior to the top panel; the top panel must be mounted before snapping side panels into place. - **Window styling:** Small metal-framed window evoking retro acrylic side panels rather than edge-to-edge tempered glass. - **Cable room:** Stamped panel profile provides an additional ~1.5 cm of routing depth behind the motherboard tray. - **Eco packaging:** Paper bags for screws and mounting hardware, accompanied by a reusable organized plastic hardware case.

---

[07:41](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgPOenXO7Vg&t=461s) 3D-Printed DLC Accessories and Drive Compatibility

Corsair host a library of official 3D-printable accessories designed for the Frame 4000D platform, most of which carry over to the Warthog with the exception of lower PSU shroud mounts (due to venting differences on the Warthog's side panel). Gamers Nexus printed and evaluated two files from the repository: a triple hard drive cage and an upper dust filter retention bracket. The 3D-printed triple 3.5-inch drive cage was an extensive build requiring one to two full days of printer uptime, along with builder-supplied nuts, bolts, and TPU dampeners for optimal isolation.

While functional, testing the printed drive cage uncovered a critical compatibility conflict: the printed cage physically clashes with the massive 200 mm intake fans found on the front of the Warthog RS model. Consequently, the add-on drive cage is only compatible with the non-RS SKU running smaller front fan configurations. This is a vital caveat for storage-heavy builds, as out-of-the-box storage without 3D-printed expansions is limited to just two 2.5-inch SSDs and a single 3.5-inch hard drive. The secondary print—a retention frame for a top fan filter—was also successfully produced, though Gamers Nexus bypassed the mid-print pause required to sandwich a custom mesh layer inside. Despite some finicky assembly steps, Corsair earns praise for publishing comprehensive, step-by-step guides for making these modular accessories at home.

[08:40](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgPOenXO7Vg&t=520s) Radiator Support, Front I/O, and Hardware Accessories

The discussion dives into the specific hardware limitations and layout quirks of the Warthog RS. The 200-millimeter intake fans occupy a fixed position and cannot be relocated anywhere else in the chassis; users wishing to mount a radiator in the front are advised to purchase the non-RS variant instead. The side mount features two possible positions, but the team had to shift it forward to accommodate non-back-connect power cables, placing it directly beneath the front intake fans. When paired with a standard ATX motherboard on the Warthog RS, the side mount is rendered effectively unusable. Furthermore, because the stock fans obstruct the front mount for radiators, only the top mount remains viable. While theoretically supporting radiators up to 360 millimeters, the stock fans make it an extremely tight fit, rendering a 280-millimeter radiator a much more practical maximum. Additional cooling provisions include space for two fans on top of the power supply shroud and a single 120-millimeter mount directly on the floor.

The front I/O remains unremarkable apart from its distinct aesthetic and the dedicated button controlling the rear I/O light, alongside a fun covered reset button. An accessory kit includes a splitter, allowing builders with clever external use cases to reconnect the reset button to control other devices. Corsair's fasteners receive a humorous nod for having a "super cool name with a missing letter": Quick Mount, spelled without a "c," presumably to dodge another trademark incident. These secure the expansion slots and optionally the motherboard. Another set of quick-turn fan screws also drops the "c," though Corsair bypasses them for the stock fans, showing an incomplete commitment to the quick-screw concept despite its neat spelling.

Closing out the minor structural notes, the bottom filter uses an unusually fine mesh compared to the standard front filter, prompting permeability concerns since the case floor consists of perforated steel layered underneath. Additionally, the GPU support arm is described as "barely present." Much of the core DNA remains identical to the Frame 4000D, sharing internal components. Gamers Nexus notes that while the Frame 4000D possesses a standard and relatively robust layout, its external structure loses rigidity without the side panels attached.

- Fixed 200 mm front intake fans preclude front radiator installation; users must choose the non-RS model for front liquid cooling. - Side mount compatibility is constrained with standard ATX boards, forcing a forward shift under the front intake fans. - Top radiator mount officially fits up to 360 mm, but 280 mm is recommended due to tight clearances with stock fans. - Included accessories feature a reset button splitter and "Quick Mount" screws spelled without the letter "c."

---

[10:54](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgPOenXO7Vg&t=654s) Thermal Testing Methodology and Comparative Lineup

Thermal evaluations follow a straightforward setup: since the 200 mm front fans cannot be moved, they remain in their stock intake positions alongside the included 120 mm rear exhaust fan. Testing heavily leans on comparisons against the Frame 4000D RS—which retails at roughly half the price of the Warthog—allowing the team to isolate the impact of Corsair's chosen fan configuration and throwback aesthetics. Anyone purchasing the Warthog does so primarily for nostalgia or its "futuristic combat evolved military look," making the Frame 4000D RS the logical budget-conscious alternative sharing 90% of the same tooling. Other key market competitors include the Cooler Master HAF II 500 (matching the Warthog precisely in price and bulky form factor), the HAVN BF 360 Flow, and the older Fractal Torrent.

Running tests inside the hemi-anechoic chamber with system fans tuned down to a 27 dBA SPL threshold, the Warthog's CPU performance averaged 47 degrees Celsius above ambient on the performance cores, tying the Frame 4000D RS. The Fractal Torrent averaged 46 degrees, the BF 360 Flow hit 45 degrees, and the Cooler Master HAF II 500 led the chart with a 43-degree average. Conventional wisdom suggests larger fans move greater air volumes at slower, quieter speeds, but the Warthog fails to demonstrate this advantage as effectively as the Torrent, BF 360 Flow, or HAF II 500. Those competing models feature heavily engineered large fans built with comically deep profiles. Corsair's fans, much like the case itself, feel like a retro throwback despite being slightly thicker than standard. While cases featuring dual massive intakes have grown common—such as the Lancool 217 series, past Cooler Master H500s, and Lian Li Lancool 215—the Warthog's thermal results are merely reassuring rather than impressive, especially given its $180 to $200 price tag.

- **Testing Environment:** Hemi-anechoic chamber with all system fans noise-normalized to a 27 dBA SPL threshold. - **CPU Thermal Results (Noise-Normalized):** - Cooler Master HAF II 500: 43°C over ambient - HAVN BF 360 Flow: 45°C over ambient - Fractal Torrent: 46°C over ambient - Corsair Warthog RS & Frame 4000D RS: 47°C over ambient

---

[13:26](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgPOenXO7Vg&t=806s) Noise-Normalized GPU Thermals and Full-Speed Analysis

While CPU thermals were merely mediocre, GPU performance places the Warthog definitively on the warm side of the charts. In the same noise-normalized test, the Warthog RS averaged 48 degrees Celsius above ambient on the GPU and 53 degrees on the VRAM. By comparison, the Frame 4000D RS averaged 45 degrees, the BF 360 Flow recorded 43 degrees, and the HAF II 500 hit 42 degrees. Because these are noise-normalized figures, the wide temperature gaps stem from inherent design efficiency rather than raw fan power deficits, making the Warthog an underperformer here. The team expresses hope that Corsair will release dedicated 3D printable accessories for the Warthog, noting it would greatly benefit from a front airflow scoop on the power shroud to redirect air upward into the graphics card, similar to solutions seen on other cases.

Pushing the system to full throttle, the Warthog RS fans reached 39 dBA, proving quieter than most comparison cases. Under full speed, its CPU thermals outperformed the Frame 4000D RS and tied the Torrent at 42 degrees on the performance cores, trailing the BF 360 Flow (41 degrees) and HAF II 500 (40 degrees). However, Cooler Master's HAF II 500 achieved significantly superior thermals while running only about 2 dBA louder. Examining the hardware differences, both cases utilize 200 mm fans spinning around 1,000 RPM, but Cooler Master employs "Monster Mighty" 40 mm thick fans paired with an oversized 180 mm rear exhaust and an optimized front panel design. Corsair's 200 mm fans measure a modest 30 mm in thickness—thicker than standard 25 mm models, but dwarfed by Cooler Master, Torrent (38 mm), and BF 360 Flow (40 mm) fans.

GPU temperatures at full speed remained weak, averaging 47 degrees above ambient and 51 on the VRAM, whereas the Fractal Torrent excelled at 39 degrees. Adapting community 3D-printed airflow scoops would require modifying existing Frame 4000D files since the Warthog's shroud and side panels differ.

```mermaid flowchart TD subgraph Testing["Thermal Evaluation Modes"] A["Noise-Normalized Test (27 dBA)"] --> B["Warthog CPU: 47°C / GPU: 48°C"] C["Full Speed Test (39 dBA)"] --> D["Warthog CPU: 42°C / GPU: 47°C"] end subgraph Competitors["Key Competitor Comparison"] B --> E["HAF II 500 leads with better thermal efficiency & 40mm thick fans"] D --> F["Torrent dominates GPU cooling at 39°C over ambient"] end style Testing fill:#222,stroke:#555,stroke-width:2px style Competitors fill:#222,stroke:#555,stroke-width:2px ```

---

[15:43](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgPOenXO7Vg&t=943s) Privacy Policy Humor and Final Verdict

Transitioning into a humorous new review segment—jokingly attributed to regulations brought on by LG—Steve examines the case's privacy policy. Noting that the product is a metal computer case devoid of hidden microphones or recording screens to beam data back to corporate headquarters, the privacy policy essentially boils down to buying the enclosure and placing it on a furniture surface or floor. This sparks a lighthearted tangent warning builders about Paul from Paul's Hardware: while described as the calmest, nicest guy in the world, "as soon as he sees a computer on a floor, it's game over... he will murder you." The banter wraps up by reiterating that the privacy policy is delightfully simple: "Buy case, put stuff in case."

Concluding the evaluation, strict thermal numbers and build comparisons favor alternative offerings. The Cooler Master HAF II 500 delivers vastly superior performance at the exact same price point, featuring heavy-duty, high-end fans that justify a large portion of that case's cost. In contrast, Corsair's included fans feel like a retro throwback "in not a good way"—evoking the "cheap shitty plastic old 200 mm fans" common in older eras of PC building. The Fractal Torrent likewise offers superior performance at an identical price point. While the Torrent's aesthetic design is aging, prospective buyers drawn to the Warthog are specifically seeking that vintage, long-in-the-tooth military look anyway.

[17:48](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgPOenXO7Vg&t=1068s) Market Positioning and the Aesthetic Value Proposition

When evaluating the Corsair Warthog against the current chassis landscape, value depends entirely on how heavily an individual weighs aesthetics versus pure thermal and acoustic performance. Competitors like the HAVN BF 360 Flow sit at $230, which prices them slightly out of this specific tier, but inside Corsair’s own product catalog, the comparison becomes much sharper. The Corsair Frame 4000D RS shares essentially the exact same core internal chassis with the Warthog, yet it routinely outperforms it thermally while selling for dramatically less money—sitting at just $85 on sale, or $90 for the RS ARGB version.

Stripping away styling, the Warthog is fundamentally a Frame 4000D with a custom cosmetic dress-up kit that doubles the cost. However, a customer looking at the Warthog is not shopping for an anonymous black mesh box; they are buying it for visual character that is almost entirely missing from modern retail shelves. The closest visual peer currently available is the Cooler Master HAF II 500, but even that case leans heavily into an indistinct, generic "space type of future look." The Warthog, by contrast, captures a gritty, military-grade sci-fi silhouette—channeling what Steve characterizes as an unmistakable "Combat Evolved type of look."

- **Price comparison against direct chassis siblings**: Corsair Frame 4000D RS retails around $85 on sale; Frame 4000D RS ARGB retails around $90. - **HAVN BF 360 Flow comparison**: Sits slightly higher at $230, somewhat separating it into a different pricing bracket. - **Visual styling distinction**: Military sci-fi aesthetic vs. the Cooler Master HAF II 500's glossy futuristic space motif.

---

[18:38](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgPOenXO7Vg&t=1118s) Case Pricing Realities and the Corsair C70 Nostalgia Factor

A $180 to $200 asking price reflects a frustrating trend in modern case manufacturing economics. The market has polarized into two stark tiers: ultra-budget enclosures around $60 where manufacturers cut corners aggressively—slashing steel thickness by an extra 0.1 millimeters and stripping front I/O or fan hardware to save pennies—and premium cases hovering near $200 that still make quiet compromises, just less overtly. Steve notes that the feature set and material feel of the Warthog resemble what enthusiast builders expected from a $140 or $150 chassis only a year prior, remarking that "$200 just seems to be the new $150."

```mermaid flowchart TD accTitle: Retro Military Case Buying Decision accDescr: Decision flow between buying a used Corsair C70 on eBay versus a new Corsair Warthog.

A["Desire Military / Retro PC Aesthetic"] --> B{"Current Options"} B -->|"Option 1"| C["Vintage Corsair C70 (eBay)"] B -->|"Option 2"| D["Corsair Warthog ($180-$200)"]

C --> C1["$200+ Buyout Cost"] C1 --> C2["Heavy Shipping Fees + Used Condition"]

D --> D1["Modern Frame 4000D Chassis"] D1 --> D2["Pegboard Tray + Modern Modding Support"] ```

For builders chasing this exact vintage aesthetic, the price tag is surprisingly defensible due to secondary market inflation. Original military green Corsair Vengeance C70 cases frequently command upwards of $200 on eBay, plus exorbitant shipping fees due to their heavy, bulky steel frames. From that perspective, buying a modern Warthog provides a brand-new, warrantied alternative with updated cable routing and component clearances. Corsair also walks a delicate line between fostering community modification by distributing free 3D printable accessory files and simply omitting physical hardware from the box. Nevertheless, the inclusion of the rear pegboard motherboard tray stands out as a genuine asset, making the Frame platform a significantly better base for custom modifications than typical off-the-shelf towers.

- **Market pricing shift**: The modern $200 bracket mirrors the features and expectations previously found in the $140–$150 category. - **Corsair Vengeance C70 market rates**: Vintage green C70 enclosures regularly exceed $200 on eBay before freight/shipping. - **Platform strength**: The modular pegboard motherboard tray provides structural flexibility that outclasses standard competing interior frames for maker projects.

---

[19:47](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgPOenXO7Vg&t=1187s) Final Verdict: Novelty, Modding Potential, and 2000s PC Era Tribute

Gamers Nexus ultimately recommends the Corsair Warthog solely for its novelty and nostalgic styling. From an objective benchmarking standpoint, there are superior options at or below $200 in virtually every performance metric, particularly regarding noise-normalized thermals and out-of-the-box airflow. If the Warthog were skinned like a generic modern chassis—with flat tempered glass, standard steel side panels, and plain mesh filtration—"it loses basically in every matchup," leaving no practical reason to purchase it over cheaper alternatives.

The entire appeal rests on how effectively it pays homage to the golden age of PC DIY culture between 2008 and 2013. Steve fondly recalls the era of Danger Den acrylic cases, installing dual cold cathode lighting or UV reactive fluorescent tubes, and selecting case fans that offered only a single fixed LED color—forcing builders to commit entirely to blue, red, white, or occasionally green. The Warthog successfully recreates the spirit of that pre-ARGB enthusiast culture without requiring builders to sacrifice modern conveniences. Behind the stylized exterior panels sits a proven, reliable Corsair Frame 4000D skeleton, meaning that as long as a buyer loves the combat-ready aesthetic and understands the thermal tradeoffs, the case delivers a competent and uniquely memorable building experience.

- **Target era tribute**: Emulates late-2000s and early-2010s hardware culture (2008–2013: Danger Den, UV cold cathodes, single-color LED fans). - **Thermal reality**: Underperforms cheaper airflow-focused mid-towers; purchased strictly for design rather than thermal efficiency. - **Structural base**: Retains the well-reviewed interior skeleton and layout of the Corsair Frame 4000D line. - **Channel support**: Coverage is directly subsidized via customer purchases at store.gamersnexus.net and community backers on Patreon.

## Notable quotes > [00:02](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgPOenXO7Vg&t=2s) enthusiast meant stuff that looked more like this and less refined like we see today. — Steve Burke

> [02:50](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgPOenXO7Vg&t=170s) come on, that's got to be Halo. — Steve Burke

> [02:50](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgPOenXO7Vg&t=170s) they're just cool. — Steve Burke

> [04:43](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgPOenXO7Vg&t=283s) print the DLC instead of buying it. — Steve Burke

> [08:40](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgPOenXO7Vg&t=520s) super cool name with a missing letter — Steve Burke

> [08:40](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgPOenXO7Vg&t=520s) barely present. — Steve Burke

> [10:54](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgPOenXO7Vg&t=654s) futuristic combat evolved military look — Steve Burke

> [15:43](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgPOenXO7Vg&t=943s) as soon as he sees a computer on a floor, it's game over... he will murder you. — Steve Burke

> [15:43](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgPOenXO7Vg&t=943s) Buy case, put stuff in case. — Steve Burke

> [15:43](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgPOenXO7Vg&t=943s) cheap shitty plastic old 200 mm fans — Steve Burke

> [17:48](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgPOenXO7Vg&t=1068s) Combat Evolved type of look. — Steve Burke

> [18:38](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgPOenXO7Vg&t=1118s) $200 just seems to be the new $150. — Steve Burke

> [19:47](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgPOenXO7Vg&t=1187s) it loses basically in every matchup — Steve Burke

## Mentioned Steve Burke, Patrick Lathan, Vitalii Makhnovets, Tim Phetdara, Paul (Paul's Hardware), Gamers Nexus, Corsair, NVIDIA, Lexar, Fractal Design, Cooler Master, HAVN, Hyte, Lian Li, Antec, Gigabyte, NZXT, Danger Den, LG, Corsair Warthog, Corsair Warthog RS, Corsair Frame 4000D, Corsair Frame 4000D RS, Corsair Frame 4000D RS ARGB, Corsair Vengeance C70, Fractal Summit, Cooler Master HAF II 500, Cooler Master H500, HAVN BF 360 Flow, Hyte X50, Fractal Torrent, Fractal Pop 2 Vision, Lian Li O11 Vision Compact, Fractal Meshify 3 Ambience Pro RGB, Antec Flux Pro, Antec GX700, Lian Li Lancool 207, Lian Li Lancool 215, Lian Li Lancool 217, Gigabyte G1.Sniper, NZXT H440, NZXT Noctis N450, M12 FAV Warthog (Halo), Dota 2, Lexar Play MicroSD

## Video description Sponsor: Lexar Play MicroSD Cards on Amazon: https://geni.us/fUQYvq and Play Pro on Amazon https://geni.us/WC89AO The Corsair Warthog gaming PC case is a true throwback to an older era of PC building -- when RAM was affordable and NVIDIA hadn't begun its descent into AI psychosis -- and the case does well to bring it back. It has its downsides, but the biggest upside is that it's based on the already well-received Corsair Frame 4000D. We liked the Frame 4000D case in testing, so all of those aspects carry over. The Warthog stops making sense if you're not into its look, especially with the $180 to $200 price point that brings it into competition with a ton of other cases.

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TIMESTAMPS

00:00 - Corsair Warthog Case Review 02:50 - The Basics 03:44 - The Fun Parts 06:39 - Build Quality 07:41 - 3D Printed Accessories 10:54 - Thermal Test Methodology 12:17 - CPU Thermals: Noise-Normalized 13:26 - GPU Thermals: Noise-Normalized 14:17 - CPU Thermals: Full Speed 15:17 - GPU Thermals: Full Speed 15:43 - Conclusion

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Steve Burke: Host, Writing, Test Lead Patrick Lathan: Testing, Writing Vitalii Makhnovets: Camera, Editing Tim Phetdara: Camera

[Source](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgPOenXO7Vg)

中文简报

美商海盗船Warthog售价翻倍但散热落后于90美元同门机箱 美商海盗船售价200美元的军武风Warthog在散热测试中落后于更便宜的风道竞品以及自家85美元的基础机箱，复古情怀成了其高溢价的唯一理由。 Gamers Nexus对美商海盗船Warthog进行了详尽评测。这款机箱的外观灵感源自《光环》以及美商海盗船经典的军武风Vengeance C70。在其橄榄绿外观、重型钢制把手、拨动开关和复古造型之下，该机箱沿用了美商海盗船Frame 4000D的核心内部模具以及3D打印改装生态。在噪音归一化散热测试中，Warthog表现平平，CPU温度中规中矩且GPU温度偏高，落后于Cooler Master HAF II 500和Fractal Torrent等配备更厚、更优化的前置高风量进气风扇的竞品。Steve Burke总结称，尽管Warthog在纯粹的静音和散热性价比指标上输给了自家的Frame 4000D兄弟产品，但对于渴望重温2000年代末PC DIY个性、又不想在eBay上为老硬件支付虚高价格的装机玩家来说，它依然是一款有趣且配置完备的怀旧之作。 美商海盗船推出了售价180美元的Warthog机箱（配有两个200毫米前置风扇的RS版本为200美元），其军武复古造型灵感来自《光环》和经典的海盗船Vengeance C70。 (2:50) 在其粗犷的外表之下，该机箱沿用了美商海盗船Frame 4000D的模具，这意味着买家支付接近Frame 4000D（约85至90美元）两倍的价格，主要买到的是外观风格和把手硬件。 (17:48) 噪音归一化散热测试显示其散热表现平平：Warthog RS在CPU散热上与Frame 4000D RS持平（超环境温度47°C），但GPU温度偏高（超环境温度48°C），落后于Cooler Master HAF II 500等竞品。 (10:54) 美商海盗船官方提供的3D打印配件（如三位3.5英寸硬盘笼）与RS版本标配的200毫米前置风扇存在物理冲突。 (7:41)

Reading summary

Gamers Nexus concludes that the Corsair Warthog ($180–$200) is justified primarily as a nostalgic, military-themed novelty piece rather than an airflow performer. While constructed on a proven interior platform, the case underperforms similarly priced competitors in thermal efficiency and internal frame rigidity. Military Styling and 2000s Enthusiast Nostalgia (0:02) The Corsair Warthog draws visual inspiration from Halo's M12 FAV and Corsair's 2012 Vengeance C70 chassis, featuring an olive drab or matte black exterior designed to emulate PC DIY culture from the 2008–2013 era. The exterior incorporates functional 3.4 mm thick steel carrying handles, switch guards, an illuminated rear motherboard I/O LED, and Y-pattern 3D intake mesh. Non-functional styling accents include stenciled military lettering, exposed chassis bolts, and an authentic fabric flight tag. Gamers Nexus notes that this aesthetic targets enthusiasts who remember cold cathode lighting and single-color LED fans, offering an alternative to modern, sterile glass towers. Additionally, with vintage Corsair C70 cases frequently commanding upwards of $200 plus shipping on secondary markets like eBay, the Warthog provides a modern, warrantied alternative for buyers seeking that specific combat-ready look. Frame Rigidity and Shared 4000D Architecture (4:43) Underneath its themed panels, the Warthog shares approximately 90% of its tooling with the Corsair Frame 4000D. Although the assembled case feels solid, Gamers Nexus discovered that stripping the outer panels exposes a flexible bare frame that twists noticeably under diagonal torque, lifting opposing corners off the bench. Structural rigidity is largely maintained by the outer panels, handles, and feet rather than the internal sheet metal, which measures approximately 1.4 mm painted (1.0 mm raw). The chassis uses snap-fit side panels that enforce a strict disassembly order: side panels must be popped off before removing the top panel, and the top panel must be installed first when closing the system. The stamped side panel profile adds roughly 1.5 cm of cable management depth behind the motherboard tray compared to the standard 4000D, and an interior pegboard tray supports repositionable tie-down brackets as well as back-connect motherboards. Component Clearances and 3D-Printing Trade-Offs (7:41) Corsair provides free downloadable CAD files enabling users to 3D print modular accessories, including drive cages and fan filter frames. However, Gamers Nexus found significant hardware conflicts on the Warthog RS: the official 3D-printed triple 3.5-inch hard drive cage physically clashes with the stock 200 mm front intake fans. This limits 3D-printed drive expansion strictly to non-RS configurations, leaving out-of-the-box storage constrained to two 2.5-inch SSDs and a single 3.5-inch drive. Liquid cooling is similarly constrained on the RS model. The fixed 200 mm front fans cannot be relocated and prevent front radiator installation, forcing builders to mount radiators at the top. While the top panel officially accommodates radiators up to 360 mm, Gamers Nexus recommends a 280 mm limit due to tight clearance against the stock fans. Furthermore, installing a standard ATX motherboard pushes the interior side mount forward beneath the front intake fans, rendering that mounting location effectively unusable. Noise-Normalized Thermals and Competitive Positioning (10:54) In a hemi-anechoic chamber noise-normalized to a 27 dBA SPL threshold, the Warthog RS averaged 47°C above ambient on CPU performance cores—matching the Frame 4000D RS, but trailing the Fractal Torrent (46°C), HAVN BF 360 Flow (45°C), and Cooler Master HAF II 500 (43°C). GPU cooling was notably warm, averaging 48°C over ambient compared to 45°C for the Frame 4000D RS and 42°C for the HAF II 500. Gamers Nexus attributes this to Corsair's 30 mm thick fans, which lack the airflow efficiency of competitors' 38 mm to 40 mm fans and lack an internal shroud scoop to direct airflow toward the expansion slots. At $180 for the bare chassis or $200 for the RS, the Warthog costs roughly double the Frame 4000D RS ($85 to $90 on sale) despite sharing its core frame and thermal characteristics. Competing enclosures at the $200 price point, such as the Cooler Master HAF II 500 and Fractal Torrent, deliver significantly better thermal engineering and higher-performing fan hardware. Gamers Nexus concludes that the Warthog is uncompetitive as a pure performance enclosure, falling behind cheaper airflow cases across thermal benchmarks. Its appeal rests entirely on nostalgic styling, maker-friendly modding files, and the pegboard frame layout; prospective buyers should consider it only if they prioritize retro aesthetic novelty over thermal value.

Source quotes

[0:02] Steve Burke: enthusiast meant stuff that looked more like this and less refined like we see today. [2:50] Steve Burke: come on, that's got to be Halo. [2:50] Steve Burke: they're just cool. [4:43] Steve Burke: print the DLC instead of buying it. [8:40] Steve Burke: super cool name with a missing letter [8:40] Steve Burke: barely present. [10:54] Steve Burke: futuristic combat evolved military look [15:43] Steve Burke: as soon as he sees a computer on a floor, it's game over... he will murder you. [15:43] Steve Burke: Buy case, put stuff in case. [15:43] Steve Burke: cheap shitty plastic old 200 mm fans [17:48] Steve Burke: Combat Evolved type of look. [18:38] Steve Burke: $200 just seems to be the new $150. [19:47] Steve Burke: it loses basically in every matchup

Original transcript

[0:02] This is the Corsair Warhog. It's a fun [0:03] case. It's a throwback. Obviously, it's [0:05] a bit inspired by Halo and uh also it's [0:08] inspired by the old Corsair C70 and a [0:10] bunch of other cases from that sort of [0:11] maybe 2008 to 2013 era of computers [0:15] where they were just having more fun [0:17] with it and enthusiast meant stuff that [0:19] looked more like this and less refined [0:22] like we see today. But the Corsair [0:24] Warthog has already instantly solved one [0:27] of the biggest challenges Corsair has [0:28] had over the years, which is if we just [0:31] punch in really tight on that right [0:32] there. [0:34] Vowels. That's right. They've gotten rid [0:37] of them ever since the great Corsier [0:40] incident previously. [0:42] Actual thing that happened, by the way. [0:44] I don't know how many of those boxes [0:45] they made, but there's a lot of Corsier [0:48] boxes out there somewhere. Some cool [0:50] stuff the Warthog does. So, it has this [0:51] flip up switch in the front and it's [0:54] also got the finger covers over the IO. [0:55] I mean, this is obviously like it [0:57] technically has a function. It's not why [0:59] it's there. It just looks kind of cool. [1:00] The front door is pretty nice. So, [1:02] really good solid connection there. [1:03] There are thick steel materials around [1:05] the case. Doesn't mean it's structurally [1:07] strong everywhere. We'll show you that [1:08] in a minute. But, uh, for areas where it [1:10] definitely matters, like the handles, [1:12] these more than support the weight of [1:13] the case. Very easy to move around, [1:14] throw it around. Uh the side panels [1:16] definitely kind of feel like that older [1:19] ruggedized style of case. Now, they're [1:21] making up a lot for the actual rigidity [1:23] of the case and the frame by bulking up [1:26] the panels to make it kind of feel a [1:28] little more solid than it actually is, [1:30] but it's still not bad overall. And [1:32] Corsair has brought back things like [1:34] their Y pattern 3D mesh around the case, [1:37] which increases the porocity while still [1:40] retaining rigidity. This case has had a [1:42] bit of a troubled start. It was supposed [1:43] to come out on August 11th. We had [1:44] already written the review by then. [1:46] Corsair then realized it had large gaps [1:48] in its packaging materials, so it pushed [1:50] it back to October. Then it pulled the [1:52] case release forward to September. [1:54] Either way, it's here now. It's good [1:56] that they delayed it to fix a major [1:57] problem. Uh not sure why they they [2:00] pushed it and then pulled it in. It's [2:02] here though, so we're reviewing it. [2:04] Before that, this video is brought to [2:05] you by Lexar's Play series of micro SD [2:07] cards available in capacities 256 GB and [2:10] up and acting as a portable memory card [2:12] that can easily move games between [2:14] compatible Linux systems that support [2:16] portable hot swap game installs, [2:18] especially on handheld and small gaming [2:20] devices. Why? Because per device storage [2:23] needs during our dystopian times of [2:25] consumer shortages and pricing require [2:27] creative solutions like allowing fewer [2:29] portable cards at a lower total cost [2:31] that enable moving games from one device [2:33] to another. Again, particularly with [2:35] Linux builds that are compatible with [2:37] portable games. We've been using Lexar's [2:39] Play Series micro SD cards for some of [2:41] our smaller high FPS action cameras that [2:43] we use for counting frames in [2:45] benchmarking processes and haven't had [2:47] any issues with them. Learn more at the [2:49] link in the description below. Corsair's [2:50] Warthog is a throwback to the more fun [2:53] era of PCDIY and in particular is [2:55] inspired by the ammo crateesque style of [2:57] the C70 from 2012. The Warthog costs [3:00] $180 without fans and $200 the RS [3:04] variants with two 200mm intake fans and [3:06] one 120 mm exhaust fan. It's also [3:08] available in what they call olive drab [3:10] and also black. It's pretty clear as a [3:13] reference to Halo's M12 FAV Warthog as [3:15] well. As I understand it, there's also [3:17] some real military Warhogs, but I mean, [3:19] come on, that's that's got to be Halo. [3:22] Relieved to see a PC case that's just [3:23] for fun. It's a bit of a mix of old and [3:25] new. The old is obvious, the aesthetic. [3:28] The new is the price where I mean, at [3:31] least you can buy this, I guess, um, to [3:34] then put a DDR4 motherboard in without [3:36] any RAM so you look at it. But the the [3:41] case is pretty fun. So, the green paint, [3:45] stencled lettering, switch guards, and a [3:47] flip-up cover on the front IO, visible [3:50] bolts, and a fabric remove before build [3:52] tag don't really contribute to the [3:54] function. They're just cool, and that's [3:56] nice sometimes, especially now. In [3:58] addition to the C70 inspiration, it also [4:00] calls back to cases that followed, like [4:02] the Anttech GX700 or the old Gigabyte [4:05] boards with ammo and gun heat sinks. Fun [4:07] side story about that. I know somebody [4:09] in the industry who was transporting [4:10] gigabytes. I think it was the G1 Sniper [4:12] with the shell casing like bullet heat [4:15] sink for the chipset and they were [4:17] flying and brought it through as a [4:20] sample through airports and got pulled [4:21] aside by multiple countries, different [4:24] security agencies because why the [4:26] is there a bullet in your oh, okay, it's [4:28] a motherboard. Anyway, it's been long [4:30] enough that this look works again. On [4:31] the functional side, the Warthog has an [4:33] LED on the back that illuminates the [4:35] rear IO. We remember this from the old [4:36] NDX H440 and the Noctis N450 later. It's [4:40] a useful feature and it never really [4:41] caught on. All right, so the core of [4:43] this case is familiar because it's the [4:44] Corsair Frame 4000D. There's a lot of [4:46] shared tooling. They've changed some [4:47] things like in the power supply shroud [4:49] department of the case, but otherwise a [4:51] lot of it is going to be the same or at [4:53] least be very similar. That includes [4:55] some of the positives like for example [4:57] the 3D printability of accessories where [4:59] Corsair has a whole separate website [5:01] where there's 3D models you can download [5:03] and print uh for free. other than the [5:06] cost of running your printer like this. [5:07] This is a drive cage model that we [5:09] printed straight from Corsair's website. [5:11] So, a lot of those are compatible here [5:13] if they work with the frame 4000D series [5:15] of cases with the exception of some [5:17] stuff towards the bottom of the case [5:18] like interacting with the power supply [5:20] shroud which is different in this for [5:22] the tooling. So, uh so it's familiar to [5:24] a case that we reviewed very positively [5:26] and we liked which is that frame series [5:28] case. We can get behind it overall. The [5:30] modular theme that Corsair is pushing [5:32] with the frame cases does mean that [5:34] they're pretty easy to work on. They're [5:36] easy to modify and expand, which is [5:38] nice. And in this era in particular of [5:41] PCDIY, where stuff is so unobtainable, [5:44] being able to just like print the DLC [5:46] instead of buying it if you have a [5:48] printer is a nice touch. When we first [5:50] got hands-on with the Warthog at [5:52] Computex earlier this year, our first [5:54] impression was that it was extremely [5:55] sturdy during that hands-on. However, [5:57] now that we have full access to it, um, [5:59] and I've had more time with it, we've [6:01] come to realize that as soon as you [6:02] remove the panels, it does kind of bring [6:05] back that frame wobbliness where it's [6:08] it's just it's actually not that sturdy [6:10] structurally. I There's a lot of flex in [6:12] this where you can get the opposing [6:14] corners front and back to not touch the [6:17] table when you push on it a little too [6:19] hard. The steel handles and the legs are [6:21] very thick. They're about 3.4 4 millm [6:23] thick or maybe 3 mm before paint. And [6:25] they easily support the weight of the [6:26] case. The rest is built from more [6:28] conventional 1.4 mm steel, which is [6:31] actually very thick as far as steel [6:32] goes, but that's probably about 1 millm [6:34] before the painting. It's pretty thick [6:35] paint on there, and that steel has been [6:37] shaped and layered to add rigidity. So, [6:39] getting into the build quality and the [6:40] build details, we'll start with the side [6:42] panels. The side panels can't be screwed [6:43] in in this one. So, we wonder whether [6:44] the packaging delay was due partly to [6:46] the panels falling off and shipping or [6:47] something. Our understanding is that [6:48] Corser had a couple inches of gap [6:50] between the foam and the case, and [6:51] they've now resolved that. We're not so [6:52] worried about the lack of screws this [6:54] time since the only glass is a small [6:56] Dota logo shaped window fully framed by [6:58] metal styled like an old school acrylic [7:00] panel. The side panels snap into the top [7:02] panel, so the sides must always be [7:04] removed before the top, and the top has [7:06] to be installed to attach the sides. [7:08] There are some nice touches in the [7:09] Warthog in addition to the light over [7:11] the rear IO. There's minimal disposable [7:13] plastic with paper bags for the [7:15] accessories and a reusable screw sorder, [7:17] which is nice. The specs for the case [7:18] are printed directly on a label on the [7:20] back, which we also found to be a good [7:22] attention to detail touch. The shape of [7:23] the side panel creates a little more [7:25] cable clearance than in the 4000D, [7:27] adding about 1 and a half centimeters at [7:29] most. The pegboard style motherboard [7:31] tray means that the cable tie can be [7:32] repositioned, so cable management is [7:34] automatically good, and the accessory [7:36] kit includes an additional two tie [7:38] points. The tray is back connect [7:40] compatible as well. Corsair has posted [7:42] several printable models for the Frame [7:44] 4000D and the Warthog accessories. The [7:46] Frame 4000D shroud models won't work [7:48] since the Warthog side panel doesn't [7:50] have the same ventilation, but otherwise [7:52] the models should be compatible. We [7:54] haven't tested all of them. That would [7:55] take a lot of printing time. We did test [7:57] a few though. We tested a print of the [7:59] triple hard drive cage, which took about [8:01] a day or two to print. It's elaborate. [8:04] It requires some additional nuts and [8:05] bolts as well as TPU for the best [8:07] results, but it does work. This [8:09] particular accessory conflicts with the [8:10] 200 millimeter fans and therefore only [8:12] works with a non RS case. This is [8:14] something to seriously consider if drive [8:16] support's required without an extra [8:18] cage. The case only supports two 2 and [8:20] 1/2 in drives and one 3 and 12 in drive. [8:22] The only other model we printed was the [8:24] frame for a top filter, but we didn't [8:26] pause the print halfway through to [8:28] sandwich a layer of mesh inside because [8:30] we didn't buy the separate layer of [8:31] mesh. We did test the print though. The [8:32] models we tried were a bit finicky, but [8:35] we appreciate the effort Corsair put [8:36] into posting detailed step-by-step [8:38] guides, and again, they do work. The two [8:40] 200 millimeter intake fans in the [8:41] Warthog RS can't be installed in any [8:44] other location of the case. If you need [8:45] to do something else with the front spot [8:47] of the case, like install a radiator, [8:48] then you should look at the nonRS [8:50] instead. The side mount can be placed in [8:52] two positions, and we were forced to [8:54] shift it forward in order to route our [8:56] nonback connect power cables, which put [8:58] it under the front intake fans. In the [9:00] Warthog RS with a standard ATX board, [9:03] the side mount is effectively unusable. [9:05] The front mount isn't usable for [9:07] radiators due to the stock fans, leaving [9:09] only the top mount. This theoretically [9:11] fits radiators up to 360 mm, but the [9:14] stock fans make this a very tight fit, [9:15] so 280 mm is a more practical maximum. [9:19] The top of the power supply shroud can [9:20] support two fans, and there's a third [9:22] 120 mm mount directly on the floor of [9:24] the case. The front IO is unremarkable [9:26] other than its appearance and the button [9:28] to control the rear IO light, but the [9:30] covered reset button is fun. There's [9:33] actually a splitter in the accessory kit [9:34] as well, so it could be reconnected to [9:36] control another device rather than just [9:38] resetting things if you had some kind of [9:40] clever use case for it outside of the [9:42] computer, for example. Corsair screws [9:44] are so fancy that they even have a super [9:47] cool name with a missing letter. Quick [9:49] mount, spelled without a C, presumably [9:52] again to avoid another Corsier incident. [9:54] These are used for the expansion slots [9:57] and optionally the motherboard. There's [9:59] also a set of quick turn fan screws, [10:01] also without a C, but Corser doesn't use [10:04] these for the stock fans. There's not a [10:05] strong commitment to the quick screws, [10:07] although they are definitely super cool [10:09] with the way they spelled it. A couple [10:11] of small points to close. First, the [10:13] bottom filter is an unusually fine mesh [10:15] compared to the more normal front [10:17] filter. We're concerned about how [10:18] permeable this is since the case floor [10:21] is a layer of perforated steel on top of [10:23] that. Second, the GPU support is barely [10:25] present. And then as for sort of the [10:27] core features of the case, a lot of that [10:29] is going to be really familiar to the [10:30] Frame 4000D. And that's because it's [10:33] literally the same as the Frame 4000D. [10:36] So, we're going to keep this section [10:37] kind of short since we've already [10:38] reviewed that case. And if you haven't [10:40] watched it, you should check it out if [10:41] you're considering this one because it's [10:43] shared components internally. Broadly [10:45] speaking though, we did like the Frame [10:46] 4000D. Its layout is pretty standard in [10:49] a good way and it's relatively strong. [10:52] Just that external structure weakens [10:54] without the panels. Thermals is going to [10:55] be really simple for this one. There are [10:56] no other places for the front 200 mm [10:58] fan. So, we're going to leave them right [10:59] where they are, which is the front of [11:00] the case. It's the only place they can [11:01] go. Um, the rear has a 120 in it. That's [11:04] included. And our main comparison is [11:06] definitely against the Frame 4000D just [11:08] because that is what this is based upon. [11:10] So that'll help us kind of see what the [11:12] differences are, especially from the [11:14] fans that they've opted for in this [11:15] variant of it. So the 400D RS is the [11:17] main point of comparison. And the 4000D [11:20] RS is also about half of the price of [11:22] this one. So, if you only cared about [11:23] everything else except for the looks, [11:25] which I mean the only reason anyone [11:27] should buy this is the looks basically [11:29] is for that throwback feel and [11:30] nostalgia, uh, or if you just like this [11:33] kind of like futuristic combat evolved [11:35] military look, then uh, the place you [11:38] would look for the alternative would be [11:40] the Frame 4000 DRS, which is the cheaper [11:43] sort of 90% same tool in version of [11:46] this. For other comparisons, the Cooler [11:48] Master Half2500 actually is probably a [11:50] pretty good comparison to this because [11:51] it matches the Warthog exactly in both [11:54] price and in form where it's a very [11:56] bulky case. It's got that sort of [11:58] futuristic old school look to the [11:59] outside. The Haven BF360 Flow and the [12:02] older Fractal Torrent that we used for [12:04] comparison in the Half2500 review also [12:07] are main competitors here with this [12:08] case. So, let's get into some of the [12:10] charts. Using our Hemiooic chamber to [12:12] tune the system fans down to a 27 dBA [12:14] SPL threshold on all cases. The CPU [12:17] averaged 47 degrees Celsius above [12:19] ambient on the Peores for the Warhog. [12:21] That's tied with the Frame 4000 DRS, but [12:24] the Torrent averaged 46, the BF360 Flow [12:27] 45, and the Half2500 remains at the top [12:30] of the chart with a 43°ree average. The [12:32] conventional wisdom is that larger fans [12:34] move larger volumes of air while [12:36] spinning slower and quieter, but the [12:38] Warthog isn't really showing that so [12:40] far, at least not to the same degree as [12:42] the Torrent, the BF360, and the Half2500 [12:45] are. But each of these cases has large [12:48] fans that received special engineering [12:50] focus, including often increasing the [12:52] depth of those fans to sometimes [12:54] comically deep levels. Corsair's fans, [12:57] like its case, feel like a throwback, [12:58] even though they are a little deeper. [13:00] We've seen a fair number of cases over [13:02] the past couple years that take the two [13:04] big intake fans approach, including the [13:06] Lancel 217 and 217 Infiniti. For a [13:09] while, it was mostly Cooler Master with [13:11] the various H500s of past and Lean Lee [13:14] with the Lancel 215. The Warthog isn't [13:17] bad here, which is reassuring, but it's [13:19] also not impressive and certainly not [13:21] for a 180 to $200 case if it had to [13:24] compete solely on its performance. In [13:26] the same test, but now for noise [13:28] normalized GPU thermals, the Warhawk RS [13:30] averaged 48 degrees Celsius above [13:32] ambient for the GPU and 53 for the VRAM. [13:34] The CPU thermals weren't strong, but the [13:37] GPU thermals are definitively on the [13:38] warm side of the chart. The Frame 4000D [13:41] RS averaged 45 on the GPU, the BF360 [13:44] averaged 43, and the Half2500 averaged [13:46] 42. Keep in mind that these are noise [13:48] normalized thermals, so the wide gap in [13:50] temperature isn't due to differences in [13:52] raw fan power. The Warthog is an [13:54] underperformer here. We hope Corsair [13:56] puts out more 3D models specifically for [13:58] the Warthog because this seems like a [14:00] case that would really benefit from a [14:02] scoop in the front of the power supply [14:04] shroud to direct air flow up and into [14:05] the GPU. Shroud top fans are another [14:08] option or the single slot on the floor [14:10] of the case, but an airflow scoop would [14:13] be cleaner. We've seen several cases use [14:15] them effectively, including ones from [14:17] Corsair. To judge the fans at full [14:18] throttle, we'll move to the full speed [14:20] test. The Warthog RS hit 39 dBA with its [14:23] case fans at full speed, quieter than [14:25] most of the cases we're comparing to. [14:26] For CPU thermals, it outperformed the [14:28] Frame 4000D RS and tied the Torrent. The [14:31] other cases were better with the BF360 [14:33] Flow at 41° on the Pores compared to 42 [14:36] for the Warhog and the Half2500 at 40. [14:39] The Half 2 is significantly better in [14:41] thermals at about 2dba louder at full [14:43] speeds. The Warhog's fans are 200 mm [14:45] like the Half2500s and they're fairly [14:48] close to the same speed at around 1,000 [14:49] RPM. But the Half2500s are all Monster [14:52] Mighty 40 40mm thick fans and those are [14:55] accompanied by the oversized 180 mm fan [14:58] exhaust. The front panel design also [15:00] affects this with Cooler Master having [15:01] slightly more of a whooing in the case. [15:03] Corsair's 200 mm fans are 30 mm thick, [15:06] which is more than the typical 25, but [15:08] Cooler Master's fans are just absolutely [15:10] huge by comparison. The Torrent and [15:13] BF360 fans are similarly oversized at 38 [15:15] mm and 40 mm. GPU temperatures remained [15:18] weak at full speed with an average of 47 [15:20] degrees above ambient and 51 on the [15:22] VRAM. The Torrent remains one of the [15:24] best of the cases we've selected for [15:26] comparison here with an average of 39 on [15:28] the GPU. But the other cases are also [15:30] all significantly better than the [15:32] Warthog. Again, this is something that [15:34] would benefit from 3D printing and [15:35] airflow scoop. But since the shroud and [15:37] side panel differ from the frame 4000D, [15:40] those files would need to be modified in [15:42] order to fit the Warthog. And finally, [15:43] for our new section of reviews, the [15:45] privacy policy review. [15:48] Thanks to LG, we have to have these now. [15:50] Um, [15:52] this is a computer case. It's made out [15:55] of metal. To the best of our knowledge, [15:58] there are no microphones in it. And it [16:01] also doesn't have a screen that it can [16:03] record and send back to headquarters. So [16:06] that the privacy policy pretty much [16:08] seems to be you buy it and then it sits [16:11] on a table or the floor. I mean, I'm not [16:14] sure if they explicitly lay out in their [16:16] terms of use what surfaces you're [16:18] allowed to put it on. Maybe carpet's not [16:20] allowed. If you're Paul's hardware, [16:21] probably carpet is not. If you're near [16:23] Paul, if Paul ever inspects your build [16:26] setup, make sure your computer's not on [16:28] the floor. He will murder you. [16:30] That guy, he's he's the nicest guy in [16:32] the world. He's very calm, easy to get [16:35] along with. Soon as he sees a computer [16:36] on a floor, it's it's game over. But [16:39] anyway, privacy policy for this. Pretty [16:42] simple. [snorts] Buy case, put stuff in [16:46] case. And then, you know, the spine that [16:48] happens to you from the other devices [16:50] that you plug into the stuff that's in [16:51] the case, that's a different story. So, [16:53] strictly going by the thermal numbers, [16:54] the Half2500 has the better performance [16:56] at the same price. It has far superior [16:59] fans. It's not even close. Corsair's [17:01] fans in this are also a throwback and [17:03] not in a good way. They feel like the [17:05] cheap shitty plastic old 200 mm fans [17:09] that you used to get in a lot of that [17:10] era of cases. Cooler Master went way [17:13] overkill. I think they call them the [17:15] mighty 40 fans or the F40 fans or [17:17] something like that. Uh but in our [17:18] review, they performed excellently. [17:20] They're really well built. They're also [17:22] very expensive and that's most the price [17:23] of that half 2500 case. So, from purely [17:26] a sort of a performance standpoint, [17:28] general build quality, stuff like that, [17:30] the Half2500 is a better case there. [17:32] It's also different looking and it is [17:36] pretty bulky as well. So, it really just [17:38] depends what you're going for. The [17:39] Torrent also has better performance at [17:41] the same price. It's getting a bit long [17:43] on the tooth, but then again, if you're [17:44] looking at buying this case, it is [17:46] designed to look long on the tooth. And [17:48] the BF360 Flow isn't much more expensive [17:51] at $230, but it is more expensive. So, [17:54] uh, that does kind of price it out a bit [17:56] from this one. The Frame 4000D RS shares [17:59] a chassis with the Warthog mostly while [18:01] also usually performing better and being [18:02] significantly cheaper. Currently, it's [18:04] on sale for $85 as we write this, or $90 [18:08] for the RS ARGB version. Of course, that [18:10] doesn't take into account the appearance [18:12] of the case, which is really the reason [18:14] someone would buy this, and we recognize [18:16] that. So, uh, from an appearances [18:17] standpoint, this is fairly unique in [18:20] today's market. I I do think the [18:21] Half2500 is probably one of the closest, [18:23] but even that that's more of like a [18:25] space type of future look, whereas this [18:27] is more of that uh like I said, combat [18:29] evolved type of look. So, which I guess [18:30] is a space future look, just more [18:32] military and less generic space uh or [18:35] whatever it is you would call the [18:36] Half2500. $200 is sadly not a crazy [18:40] price anymore for cases in the current [18:42] market. Seems to be what most of them [18:44] that come out are priced at now. It's [18:46] like you've got kind of two categories [18:48] of case. There's $60 where they have [18:51] just stripped absolutely anything and [18:53] everything to save a few pennies. [18:55] They've gone down, you know, an extra [18:57] 0.1 millimeters in steel, stuff like [18:59] that. And then there's $200 where [19:01] they've still stripped stuff down, but [19:03] it's less noticeable. It's like the $200 [19:05] case. I don't know. This feels like in [19:08] terms of the features what I would have [19:12] gotten for maybe $140 to $150 about a [19:16] year ago. Um, so it does feel more [19:20] expensive, but then all cases are right [19:22] now if they're in this type of class. [19:24] So, I don't know. This just seems to be [19:26] the new $150, I guess. Now, as a note, [19:28] just for fun, used green C70s are at [19:31] over $200 on eBay, plus huge shipping [19:34] fees. So, the Warhog may be a wiser way [19:36] to go for that if that's what you're [19:38] going for. There's also a fine line [19:39] between providing free models and [19:41] accessories and cheaping out on included [19:43] hardware. But so far, we like what [19:45] Corsair is doing with the frame family. [19:47] The pegboard motherboard tray is one of [19:49] the first features that we've seen that [19:51] may make Corsair's case a better [19:53] platform for modification than any other [19:55] random case on the market. Overall, we [19:57] like the Warthog, but only for its [19:59] novelty. There are better cases in [20:01] pretty much every category for the [20:03] price, especially in performance and [20:05] thermals. Doesn't mean this one's bad. [20:07] It just means that there are better [20:08] alternatives. So, you know, this case, [20:11] if it didn't have the look, if it were [20:12] kind of like just straight up glass, [20:14] straight solid steel panel and venting [20:17] in the front, then it loses basically in [20:20] every matchup. There'd be no real reason [20:21] to buy it. The reason to buy this is the [20:23] looks. We like it overall for the looks. [20:25] It is a fun case. It is a throwback, and [20:28] they've done that part well. I think [20:29] they've really paid sort of tribute to [20:31] this era of PC building, which again, I [20:33] put it probably about 2008 or so till [20:35] 2013. It's like that Danger Den uh era [20:39] where you were still buying maybe cold [20:40] cathodes or UV tubes to put in your [20:43] computer case or something which I did a [20:44] lot of that stuff and back when fans [20:47] only had a single LED not RGB and you [20:50] got your pick between white, blue, red [20:52] and maybe green. So um so they've done [20:55] that well but anyway it's only worth [20:57] considering if the aesthetic appeals to [20:58] you and if it does as a case it's mostly [21:02] a frame 4000D which is a good thing. [21:04] It's a tested good sort of structure for [21:06] a case and we don't have any major [21:09] complaints beyond that. There's a couple [21:10] of the stuff smaller things we've [21:12] mentioned throughout the review, some of [21:13] the rigidity, but um otherwise it's a [21:15] frame 400D pretty familiar, pretty [21:17] proven. So that's it for this one. [21:18] Thanks for watching. Subscribe for more. 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