iCUE 220T (CC-9011174-CN) is a mid-tower chassis which places strong emphasis on airflow and RGB lighting with its three SP120 RGB PRO fans. Does it tick the other boxes though?
Product on Review: iCUE 220T RGB Airflow
Manufacturer & Sponsor: Corsair
Street Price: GBP: £99 USD: $99 AUD: $160
Corsair are one of the market leaders in the computer chassis division and it appears that there isn’t a month that goes by without us seeing a new enclosure unveiled by the multi-award winning giant. Momentum doesn’t appear to be slowing down either, as today another mid-tower joins the fray.
In the spotlight today we have the iCUE 220t RGB Airflow. This is the first case to adopt the new iCUE naming system and you guessed correctly – this case, with its three SP120 RGB PRO fans and Lighting Node CORE marries into the iCUE eco-system., allowing you to customise the colours via Corsair’s iCUE software.
Initially, the price does appear to be high for this model and such a price-tag places it among a competitive crowd of computer cases. Has Corsair done enough to allow this enclosure to rise above the rest?
Corsair on their 220T
The CORSAIR iCUE 220T RGB Airflow is a mid-tower ATX smart case with a high airflow layout and three included SP120 RGB PRO fans for spectacular RGB lighting controlled via CORSAIR iCUE software.
Technical Specifications
Below are the technical specifications surrounding Corsair’s 220T:
Closer Look Video
For this review we’ve also created a YouTube video which highlights all of the key features, shows a full system install and identifies the good/bad points regarding this computer case. Click the video below or go to the Corsair iCUE 220T.
Thermal Performance Testing
Inside 220T we have three 120mm cooling fans which are mounted as front intakes.
To discover the thermal performance of 220T we will record idle temperatures after 20 minutes from a cold boot. We will then stress the system and temperatures will again be monitored after 30 minutes have elapsed.
For the purpose of accurate analysis, the idle and load temperatures for CPU will be recorded and the range between idle and load will be calculated to determine how efficient cooling is.
NOTE: Ambient temperature is 20C
System Components
CPU Intel Pentium K G3258 @ 4GHz
Motherboard GIGABYTE Z87X-D3H
CPU Cooler Cooler Master Hyper 212 LED Turbo
Graphics NVIDIA GTX 1080 Ti
Memory 4GB Kingston HyperX DDR3
HDD Samsung Spinpoint 500GB SATA-II
PSU Corsair RM850
Motherboard GIGABYTE Z87X-D3H
CPU Cooler Cooler Master Hyper 212 LED Turbo
Graphics NVIDIA GTX 1080 Ti
Memory 4GB Kingston HyperX DDR3
HDD Samsung Spinpoint 500GB SATA-II
PSU Corsair RM850
Noise
Attention has been placed on the airflow capabilities with this case and as such, it is possible to hear noise from the chassis due to its nature.
Conclusion
Corsair has equipped iCUE 220T with RGB at the forefront of the feature-set. Donning three 120mm SP120 RGB PRO cooling fans and the Lighting Node CORE means that users can have their chassis tapping into the same eco-system as other Corsair devices.
From a build quality standpoint, 220T is a solid chassis with steel and tempered glass being the two main construction materials. Not only is this reassuring but it ensures the installation process is plain sailing too. Since the dimensions on this case are pretty tight (mainly due to the constraints on the depth) it is necessary to take time when moving a new system into 220T. We would highly recommend removing the HDD cage before installing the PSU so that cabling can be mapped out beforehand.
The cooling performance for 220T is good, but it could be better. Corsair are touting this chassis as being adept in the field of thermal performance and airflow yet they have omitted one key ingredient – a rear exhaust fan. We feel that even adding in a non-RGB fan would be both beneficial and cost-effective. Since 220T is designed for airflow the panels are heavily ventilated, and the trio of pre-installed fans along with overall system noise is hard to escape.
At a cost of £100 GBP, $100 USD and $160 AUD, such a price-point places 220T into a crowded, competitive market. Admittedly the RGB fans, lighting node and tempered glass push the cost up and so with what is left over there are obvious cut-backs. Ideally, we’d like to see this case cheaper.
In the iCUE 220T, Corsair presents quite a basic computer case. We feel a few elements need refining – one of those being the pricing.
Pros
+ Available in black or white
+ Good build quality
+ Good storage options
+ Includes Lighting Node CORE
+ Can house high-end kit
+ Fits different sized radiators
+ Great cooling performance
Cons
– Noise leakage
– No rear exhaust fan included
– Cable management can be cumbersome
– Price
+ Available in black or white
+ Good build quality
+ Good storage options
+ Includes Lighting Node CORE
+ Can house high-end kit
+ Fits different sized radiators
+ Great cooling performance
Cons
– Noise leakage
– No rear exhaust fan included
– Cable management can be cumbersome
– Price
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