Corsair Air 5400 Chassis Review

Epilogue

Corsair has introduced a new design to the PC chassis market with the triple-chamber Air 5400. As part of the refreshed Frame series, it effectively creates its own category with no direct off-the-shelf competitor. The chassis is striking yet refined, staying true to Corsair’s updated design language.

The build experience is smooth, and while most panels are removable, you’ll rarely need to remove them. It supports ATX motherboards with back-connect and air coolers up to 180 mm, though large air coolers don’t align with the case’s intended design philosophy. GPU clearance is limited to 360 mm, which is one of its drawbacks. It is also the first chassis we’ve reviewed with a fully Type-C front I/O, omitting Type-A altogether.

The triple-chamber layout effectively separates component cooling, but it comes with caveats: the GPU must be installed horizontally, and the case makes the most sense if you plan to water-cool the CPU. GPU water-cooling is possible, but the bottom-to-top airflow clearly favors a passthrough GPU cooler paired with a CPU radiator in the third chamber. The case is also designed without a traditional rear fan in mind, though a bracket is included.

As a result, the Air 5400 targets a specific build type. If your configuration aligns with what this chassis is optimized for, the final decision is simply whether you want the iCue version.

Having tested many PWM and iCue setups, both options perform well. PWM is straightforward and more future-proof, while iCue offers single-cable convenience and a polished software experience for those willing to invest in the ecosystem. Ultimately, the choice comes down to personal preference.

The Air 5400 gets our Innovation badge because its triple-chamber architecture introduces a genuinely new approach to thermal management, separating heat zones to improve cooling efficiency and system stability.