Corsair 2500D Airflow step by step PC build guide with tips and tricks

Here is a detailed guide on how to build a PC inside the Corsair 2500D Airflow, including things to know before you start with compatibility logic, problems I encountered and more.
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Disclosure: Shopping links within the description of this video generate a commission at no extra cost to you. These are added for your convenience but other retailers are available. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
See deals on the Corsair 2500D Airflow:
Amazon US - amzn.to/3OXqmSI
NewEgg - newegg.io/ncee0150c6
Amazon UK - amzn.to/49N9A0t
Amazon FR - amzn.to/49OylcD
Amazon IT - amzn.to/3UWtp1k
Amazon DE - amzn.to/48snEvq
Amazon CA - amzn.to/48snMLq
Amazon AU - amzn.to/3Ie1DFM
Overclockers - tidd.ly/49NaCcN
Scan - tidd.ly/3wv4RlO
Specs of the builds
Build 1:
Case - Corsair 2500D Airflow - go.corsair.com/Py9DWe
Motherboard - MSI B760M PROJECT ZERO - amzn.to/49t41EA
CPU - Intel i7-14700k - amzn.to/3TcHdn8
RAM - Crucial Pro Overclocking 32GB Kit (2x16GB) DDR5-6000 - www.crucial.com/memory/ddr5/c...
CPU cooler - Lian Li Galahad 2 Trinity - • Lian Li Galahad 2 Trin...
Fans:
5 x Lian Li SL120 V2 Reverse Blade - • Lian Li SL120 V2 Rever...
6 x Lian Li SL120 V2 - • How to connect and set...
PSU - Corsair RM1000e - • Corsair RM1000e PSU un...
NVMe - Corsair MP600 Elite - go.corsair.com/WqakEA
GPU - MSI GeForce RTX 4070 Super 12G Gaming X Slim amzn.to/3uK6OdE
SSDs - Crucial MX500 2TB and Crucial BX500 2TB • How to install 2.5 inc...
Build 2:
Case - Corsair 2500D Airflow - go.corsair.com/Py9DWe
Motherboard - Gigabyte Aorus B650i Ultra • Gigabyte Aorus B650i U...
CPU - AMD Ryzen 7 7700X amzn.to/3sBhDxc
RAM - Corsair Vengeance RGB DDR5 16GB x 2 6200MHz go.corsair.com/eKAL3Z
CPU cooler - Corsair iCUE H150i ELITE LCD XT - go.corsair.com/MmxLEq
Fans:
11 x Corsair AF120 RGB Elite - • How to connect and set...
PSU - Corsair SF1000L - go.corsair.com/anj2yR
NVMe - Corsair MP600 Elite - go.corsair.com/WqakEA
GPU - MSI GeForce RTX 4070 Super 12G Gaming X Slim amzn.to/3uK6OdE
SSDs - Crucial MX500 2TB and Crucial BX500 2TB • How to install 2.5 inc...
Fan controller - 2 x Corsair Commander Core XT - go.corsair.com/q4Ar0Y
Corsair USB hub - go.corsair.com/5gM1Pj
Build 3:
Case - Corsair 2500D Airflow - go.corsair.com/Py9DWe
Motherboard - MSI B760M PROJECT ZERO - amzn.to/49t41EA
CPU - Intel i7-14700k - amzn.to/3TcHdn8
RAM - Crucial Pro Overclocking 32GB Kit (2x16GB) DDR5-6000 - www.crucial.com/memory/ddr5/c...
CPU Cooler - DeepCool AK500 Digital amzn.to/3uV0iR9
Fans:
10 x Lian Li P28 UniFans - • How to connect Lian Li...
GPU - MSI GeForce RTX 4070 Super 12G Gaming X Slim amzn.to/3uK6OdE
SSDs - Crucial MX500 2TB and Crucial BX500 2TB
Specs of the 2500D Airflow
Dimensions 479 x 304 x 376 mm
Material: Steel, Tempered Glass
Included Fans: None
Cooling Layout: Front: 2x 120mm; 2x 140mm
Top: 3x 120mm; 2x 140mm
Side: 2x 120mm
Bottom: 3x 120mm; 2x 140mm
Rear: 1x 120mm
Radiator Compatibility
Front: 240mm, 280mm
Top: 360mm, 280mm, 240mm
Side: 240mm
Bottom: 360mm, 280mm, 240mm
Rear: 120mm
Expansion Slots (Main):
4 Horizontal (Vertical GPU Mount Sold Separately)
Motherboard (Main): Mini-ITX, Micro-ATX
Storage: 4 x 2.5-inch SSD or 2x SSD and 2 x HDD
Clearances:
PSU: 225mm
CPU Cooler: 180mm
GPU: 400mm
Dust Filters: Front, Bottom, Side
Front I/O:
USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A (x2)
USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C (x1)
Headphone/Microphone (x1)
Power/Reset
PSU support: ATX / SFX
timestamps
00:00 Hello
00:37 Things to know beforehand
02:22 PSU compatibility
04:31 Cable tidying matters
05:34 Remove HDD cage
06:42 SSD mounting problem
08:46 Fan setup logic
10:50 Corsair fan recommendations
12:57 Lian Li build recommendations
16:31 Build guide from the start
18:23 Motherboard setup
19:55 Motherboard stand offs
20:48 DeepCool AK500 Digital setup
27:00 Case power connections
28:33 Fan install
31:45 PSU wiring and install
40:05 SSD mnounting
43:51 GPU install
44:58 Fan speed
😍Special Thanks😍to my KZbin members:
SirSpawnsALot, Meatykeyboard, Rawrr483, Space Cannons, Mike S, Jason Morgan, Starastin, McFarty, Kraken Tortoise, Gaming Nomad, Jay Shank 007, Beaster Bunny, Spandau Guy, Steve Patterson, Chris Thompson, D Shaddix, Hao Vo, Scott Chappelle, Sotong, AuF5guy, Friendly Fire, Bhushan Mahesh Gandhi, Elbert McCormick, Fazu Battlecaster, Dureren12, ONENONLYCASPER, April Nelson, aDam aDamin and you?

[@windrunnerKal]

Hey dude, just wanted to thank you, i bought this case a few days ago and already moved my syste into it, but i've not been satisfied with my cable management, this guide changes everything! hope you have a nice week

[@TheProvokedPrawn]

Thanks Nacho. You too.

[@TheFirefoxSystem]

One very strange thing is the lack of a PSU support in this Corsair, without this the power supply remains hanging on the 4 screws. It would be interesting to see a build with a black Corsair 2500D Airflow with 11 Lian Li SL-Inf fans. Three on top, three on bottom, two 140 on the front, two 120 on the AIO and finally one on the back. Thanks for your truly amazing videos! 👍🏼

[@stevesutton772]

Have you considered the Thermaltake Core P3? I believe that shall be my gaming build and use the fractal north at the office (because the glass is so dark you can't see the very expensive matching colored noctua fans anyway!)

[@TheProvokedPrawn]

I need to try some Thermaltake products for sure.

[@vincentsb898]

Helpful video! I'm looking forward to the comparison to the Lian Li Air Mini since I am torn between these two right now.

[@TheProvokedPrawn]

It's publishing on Friday. Here's the link kzbin.info/www/bejne/hmmnoZiFrMx_rac

[@herc1319]

Get the Mini this case is a mess all around

[@SgtHotdogbun]

Just built a Lian Li O11 Dynamic Mini white for the wife 2nd ever build you can't go wrong (1st build NZXT 9Flow) . This one seem more like a gimmick focusing on the panels to make more money.

[@vincentsb898]

@@SgtHotdogbun How are the thermals? And you can only use SFX PSUs right?

[@SgtHotdogbun]

I used a ATX. Specs Corsair RM850x Lian Li Galahad II Trinity 240 and the Lian Li Infinity fans and put my old card 3070ti FE since i upgraded. I only put a Intel Core i5-14600K which is not a hug heat magnet like my I9 14gen K but the temps are low and won't have to worry about. All she does is crafting programs movies work and light gaming.@@vincentsb898

[@INSSSTINCT]

Go for the 2500d or 2500x?

[@jessWow808]

With the LIAN Li build was there enough space to put a 360 radiator in the top?

[@jessWow808]

It looked like it could fit

[@jessevelazquez7088]

Yes, Corsair specifically states you can put a 360 rad on top, bottom(but gpu where?) And 240's on the front and side.

[@thecheecko]

On the website it say you can put 3 140mm fan on top and bottom. So thats a lie? You can only do 2?? (No radiator ofc)

[@TheProvokedPrawn]

The specs I was sent were wrong apparently, so the website is more likely correct. I didn't have 140mm to test and show I am afraid.

[@AuF5guy]

where you been prawn?!?!

[@TheProvokedPrawn]

Doing this for a week basically

[@iHaveTheDocuments]

I would also use lian li fans instead of Corsair. The less ICUE bloatware to go wrong, the better 😂

[@TheProvokedPrawn]

😂 yet I've heard plenty of people say they hate L Connect

[@DistractedTrader]

One thing about that if you ever consider Lian Li RGB fans.. The lian li fans have an absolutely terrible white colour temp. The controller is also laggy and the fans are almost incompatible with external RGB software such as signal RGB. The corsair controllers have way better data capabilities.

[@Boria0]

This is disappointing Somehow they managed to make it larger than O11 mini, but unlike the mini, it doesn't fit ATX mobo It's 469mm long or 479mm long depending if you trust Corsair specsheet or their photo and still doesn't support 3x140 fan or does it 😅 That's 50mm or 60mm longer than mini, yet it doesn't fit 280 rad or 2x140 fans on the side What's the point of mobo area being so wide when it won't fit e-atx anyway Case this expensive and they can't afford 3 extra grommets Should have either been much shorter and tad lower for the hardware it can accommodate or same size maybe tad longer and fit ATX mobo and 420 rad Amount of wasted potential here is directly proportional to the amount of wasted space

[@meatykeyboard8399]

First

[@hassangammudi3212]

Why Corsair makes it hard

[@hassangammudi3212]

What a mess

[@swizzler8053]

What?

[@102830189291]

What?

[@its_not_the_Ishu]

What??😅