Unboxing and First Impressions
The Air Pro may not come double-boxed, but it features extra-thick cardboard padding on all sides to prevent deformation during transport. We’ve seen more expensive chassis pay less attention to packaging. Inside, it’s secured with foam pieces and stored in a plastic bag. The bundled accessories are strapped to the drive cage in the PSU enclosure area.
Inside the bundle, you’ll find the following:
- 9x Motherboard screws
- 4x PSU screws
- 4x Rubber HDD isolators
- 4x HDD screws
- 8x 2.5-inch HDD/SSD screws
- 8x 2.5-inch HDD/SSD pads
- 8x long fan screws
- 1x Stand-off
- 5x Zip-ties
- 1x Stand-off removal tool
- Leaflet with QR for instructions
The Valor Air Pro’s dimensions are the first thing that stands out. It has a slender profile yet accommodates large components. Compared to the Valor Air Plus we reviewed last year, this model feels sturdier and better built.
Design and Build Quality
The tempered glass side panel offers a clear view of the internals, while the steel backside panel includes ventilation near the front that complements the front panel’s design. A magnetic dust filter on the inside helps keep your system clean.
The front panel is now metal, giving it a more premium feel. Let’s see if that affects noise levels later. To access the front, remove the single screw on the bottom of the chassis and gently pry it open, no force is required, as it slots in from the top. Removing it reveals the front magnetic dust filter.
At the rear, you’ll find a standard modern layout: PSU on the bottom, seven expansion slots, a fan, and the motherboard I/O area. The thumbscrews securing the side panels allow easy, toolless access.
Up top, a magnetic mesh filter makes maintenance simple. The I/O is solid, featuring two USB Type-A ports, one USB Type-C, a combo audio jack, plus power and reset buttons. The Type-C port is USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5 Gbps). Having both Type A and Type C simultaneously is convenient.
Underneath, a single screw secures the front panel, while the PSU dust filter is slightly trickier to remove and clean, but it is still welcome.
Compatibility and Space Utilization
Moving inside, the most notable change is the absence of the PSU window seen on the Valor Air Plus. The PSU enclosure’s top is perforated, with mounting options for two 120 mm fans or a vertical GPU kit. The expansion panel can be removed entirely to fit a vertical GPU bracket, as the slots aren’t bridgeless. Toward the front, the enclosure opens to accommodate a front radiator if desired.
The chassis supports GPUs up to 400 mm long and CPU coolers up to 167 mm tall.
The motherboard tray has a classic design without BTF support, with 19 mm of clearance for cable routing. There are cable passthroughs above and beside the motherboard, though no rubber grommets. Compared to the Plus model, there’s more space between the motherboard and the front, allowing up to two 120 mm side intake fans, though this may be unnecessary.
Behind the motherboard tray, there’s room for two 2.5-inch drives and numerous metal hooks for cable management. At the top left are the I/O cables, and below them, the dual-fan openings. Cable management out of the box is messy, but you’ll likely rework it during your build anyway.
At the bottom, there’s room for additional storage and the PSU. If you’re not using a 360 mm AIO in front, the storage cage can be moved forward for extra PSU clearance or removed entirely for better airflow. The PSU can be mounted either way, since the enclosure is open on both sides, making it ideal for passive PSUs.
Cooling and Airflow
The Valor Air Pro supports up to nine fans externally and two more on the PSU shroud.
- Front: up to 3× 120 mm or 140 mm fans (supports 360 mm / 280 mm radiators). XPG includes three Vento 120 mm ARGB fans here.
- Top: up to 3× 120 mm or 2× 140 mm fans (360 mm / 280 mm AIO support).
- Rear: one 120 mm fan slot, adjustable vertically, populated with another Vento 120 mm ARGB.
- Side: two optional 120 mm fans (for ATX or smaller motherboards), beneficial for vertical GPU setups.
PSU shroud: up to two 120 mm fans for improved GPU cooling.
The included four ARGB fans add significant value. They support daisy chaining, though cable management can be messy, and they use 3-pin connectors instead of 4-pin PWM.
Storage Options
The Air Pro offers excellent storage flexibility:
- Two 2.5-inch drives are behind the motherboard tray.
- Two additional drives (2.5-inch or 3.5-inch) in the PSU cage.
The cage is secured with one thumbscrew and two additional screws from the bottom. For easier tool-free installation, you can omit them during assembly. The plastic tray holds one drive (screwed in place), and another can be mounted on top. Rubber mounts for the upper drive would have helped reduce vibration.
