Today, we announce the launch of Corsairs new Carbide Spec-04. As a step up from the Spec-03, we hope the bold, angular, hard edged exterior can keep up with the other big names in chassis building. We cant wait to test the airflow and customization options of this high speed rig.

If you're building a budget gaming rig or building your first ever rig and don't want to spend too much money, you should definitely go for the Corsair Carbide SPEC-04.

Affordable; Good airflow; Removable HDD cage (with screws

Limited liquid cooling support; Ships with only one fan; No dust filter on top fan mount

It's been while since we've reviewed a budget case, so with this in mind we thought we'd take a look at the brand new Spec 04 from Corsair. At under £50 it's certainly inexpensive.

The Carbide Series has been a highly active range for Corsair – boasting an astounding forty varied models. The portfolio is filled with enclosures which are largely associated with value for money, blending great aesthetics with useful features.

+ Modern styling; + Reasonable build quality; + Flexible storage options; + Can house high-end kit; + Lightweight – just 4KG; + Great value for money

I have a great time using this case and it suits perfectly my needs.

- Cheap (bought it for 54$ CAN; - Nicely designed; - Cable management was easy to do in this case; - Side window panel

- Side window panel isn't tempered glass

This is quite an attractive case and when powered on, the red LED fan makes the red plastic sections glow. It comes with only one red LED fan in the front but has space for five. The case is OK quality. Much more plastic than the Corsair 200R but of a similar size and layout.

It is almost a requirement for any new case to feature tempered glass of some sort, usually in the case of a side panel. The tempered glass trend has been around for a while now, and some manufacturers are taking a look at some of their previous designs and incorporating glass side panels where they...

Tempered Glass side panel; Room for up to six 120mm fans; Enough space for full-sized graphics cards; Price

Narrow width results in less cable management options; Only a single 120mm fan included; No cutouts above motherboard

Corsair's Spec-04 TG brings a tempered-glass side panel and sharp looks to the $60 price point. We built up our test system inside to see...

Corsair's Carbide series is renowned for its variety, with cases to match many a system build. At the budget end, one of its more attractive products is the Spec-04; a reassuring reminder that for around £60 both engaging design and a side-panel window are attainable.

Tempered glass side panel; Engaging design; Strong fan/expansion options; Sensible routing options; Well-positioned I/O

Maximum 272mm ATX motherboard width; Odd backplate cut-out alignment

You won't win any prizes for guessing that in making this case, Corsair has taken the original Spec-04 design and fitted it with a tempered glass side panel, presumably in a bid to stay on-trend.