MANUAL | QUICK START GUIDE

CORSAIR 6500 SERIES

MID-TOWER DUAL CHAMBER PC CASE

6500_Cases_Main_Visual

BUILDING IN THE CORSAIR 6500 SERIES



CASE SPECIFICATIONS

  Length

481mm  

  Width

328mm  

  Height

496mm  

  Maximum GPU length

400mm  

  Maximum CPU cooler height

180mm  

  Maximum PSU length

 225mm  

FAN LOCATIONS

 

  Front

6500X

---

6500D AIRFLOW

3x 120mm / 2x 140mm

  Top

3x 120mm / 3x 140mm  

  Bottom

3x 120mm / 3x 140mm  

  Rear

1x 120mm / 1x 140mm  

  Side

3x 120mm  

RADIATOR COMPATIBILITY

  Front

6500X  

---

6500D AIRFLOW

360mm / 280mm  

  Top

360mm / 280mm  

  Bottom

360mm / 280mm  

  Rear

140mm / 120mm  

  Side

360mm 

6500_Dimensions

ACCESSORY KIT CONTENTS


Screw_QuikTurn

28x QuikTurn fan screws

Screw_MBD_HDD_18x

18x MBD / HDD screws

Screw_SSD_12x

12x SSD screws


MB_Standoff

1x Motherboard standoff

Washer_8x

8x Washers

Cable_Ties_12x

12x Cable ties


Front_IO_Adapter

1x Front I/O adapter

iCUE_LINK_Cables_2x

2x 600mm iCUE LINK cables

(6500X RGB only)


CASE EXPANDED VIEW


6500_Expanded
A. Top mesh panel D. Glass side panel
B. Top steel panels E. Bottom dust filter
C. PCI expansion bracket (horizontal) F. Front panel (glass/mesh)

REMOVING THE PANELS


RIGHT & LEFT SIDE PANEL REMOVAL

  • Right side panel: Unscrew the locking screws and swivel the mesh side panel off the tabs in the front of the case.
  • Left side panel: To remove the glass side panel, grip the bottom left corner and swivel the window on the hinge. Remove the door by unscrewing the locking screw at the top of the hinge.
6500_SidePanel

FRONT PANEL REMOVAL

  • 6500X: Remove the two screws on the side of the front panel to release and hinge off the entire front portion from the chassis.
  • 6500D AIRFLOW: Remove the two screws on the side and four screws on the front to release and hinge off the entire front portion from the chassis.
TIP: Hinging off the front panel by removing the screws provides additional space for building in X models and facilitates easier radiator installation in the D AIRFLOW variant.
6500_FrontPanel
  • Since all 6500 Series parts are interchangeable, you can switch between 6500D AIRFLOW and 6500X configurations with reconfiguration kits available from the CORSAIR webstore.
TIP: 6500 Series parts are not interchangeable with 2500 Series parts.

INSTALLING THE MOTHERBOARD


The 6500 Series supports mITX, mATX and ATX motherboards, including ASUS BTF and MSI Project Zero motherboards with reversed connections. Before installation, ensure your motherboard I/O plate/shield is in place, if required.

  • Align your motherboard with the standoffs for your motherboard type and secure it using the provided motherboard screws.
TIP: If standoffs don't align, uninstall unused ones and relocate them to the open standoff slot in the motherboard tray for your specific motherboard.
6500_Motherboard

INSTALLING THE FRONT PANEL I/O CABLES

  • Connect the FPANEL plug directly to your motherboard front panel I/O pins, following the keyed connector.
6500_FPANEL_MB

INSTALLING A NON-STANDARD MOTHERBOARD

For non-standard Intel or AMD motherboards, use the included adapter to connect from the FPANEL plug to the individual pins.

TIP: If your PC experiences issues or doesn't turn on with the FPANEL plug, consider trying the adapter cable.
2500_Fpanel_IO_Conn_MB

FRONT PANEL I/O EXPLANATION


6500_IO_Panel

A. Reset button
D. HD audio jack
B. 4x USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A E. Power button / LED
C. 1x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C  

INSTALLING PCI DEVICES


  • The 6500 Series fits most modern graphics cards horizontally out of the box.
  • After installing the motherboard, remove screws in the PCI covers for card accommodation.
TIP: The vertical mounting accessory kit (sold separately) allows you to install your GPU vertically, away from the glass for better thermal performance. It includes the required bracket and a shortened (175mm) PCIe 4.0 Riser card.
6500_PCI
  • Slide the card in until the PCIe retention clicks on the motherboard.
  • Align screws in the PCIe shield and secure the expansion card into the case.
TIP: Add the GPU as one of the final steps for ease in PC building.
6500_GPU

INSTALLING A RADIATOR


  • The 6500 Series features three or four 360mm radiator mounts on top, bottom, side and front (6500D AIRFLOW only), along with a smaller 120mm / 140mm radiator mount in the rear.
  • For AIOs, choose between top, side or front (6500D AIRFLOW only) for your radiator placement.
TIP: Ensure the radiator is higher than the pump for expected noise/thermal performance and reliability. Avoid installing an AIO in the bottom 360mm mount to prevent premature pump wear, reduced thermal performance, and increased noise.

  Front

6500X  

---

6500D AIRFLOW

360mm / 280mm  

  Top

360mm / 280mm  

  Bottom

360mm / 280mm  

  Rear

140mm / 120mm  

  Side

360mm 

6500_Radiator

Top mounting provides optimal noise performance, but other mounts can be utilized based on your build preferences.

6500_Fans_1
6500_Fans_2
TIP: The side fan mount is fully removable for easier fan or radiator installation, with two bracket positions for a concealed or forward look.

INSTALLING THE FANS


  • Hold your fan at fan mount, use the included QuikTurn screws and install your fans quickly with a Phillips-head screwdriver.
TIP: Don’t overtorque the fan mount screws. When the screw stops spinning freely, your fan screw is seated.

 

  Front

6500X

---

6500D AIRFLOW

3x 120mm / 2x 140mm

  Top

3x 120mm / 3x 140mm  

  Bottom

3x 120mm / 3x 140mm  

  Rear

1x 120mm / 1x 140mm  

  Side

3x 120mm  

6500_Fans_Side

INSTALLING A POWER SUPPLY


INSTALLING AN ATX POWER SUPPLY

The 6500 series supports standard ATX power supplies in the side chamber.

  • Insert the power supply from the side with the fan facing out towards the side panel, so it is intaking from outside the case, filtering through the side panel, and exhausting out of the rear of the power supply.
6500_PSU

INSTALLING A CORSAIR SHIFT SERIES POWER SUPPLY

TIP: Before installation, ensure you’ve removed the HDD/SSD cage, as the cage will unfortunately interfere with the modular board’s connections in most cases.

The 6500 Series also fully supports CORSAIR’s patented SHIFT power supplies that have the modular board rotated to the side for easier cable management.

  • Installation is identical to a standard PSU installation, with the final position allowing the power supply fan to intake from outside the case.
6500_PSU_SHIFT

INSTALLING HARD DISK AND SOLID STATE DRIVES


The 6500 Series supports 2x 3.5” HDDs in the removable hard drive cage.

  • Remove the drive caddy, secure the drive to it using the included HDD screws, and slide it back into the case.
6500_HDD
  • For SSDs, the 6500 Series accommodates 2x 2.5” SSDs on the hard disk drive bay.
TIP: Repurpose 3.5” drive caddies to carry extra 2.5” drives, allowing for a total of 4x on the hard drive cage.
NOTE: If you are using a motherboard with reverse power connections (e.g. ASUS BTF, MSI Project Zero, or Gigabyte Project Stealth) we recommend you depopulate the inner most HDD tray to provide additional room for the EPS12V cable.
6500_SSD

MAINTENANCE


CLEANING YOUR CASE FILTERS

  • The 6500 Series features nylon mesh filters on the side, bottom, and front (6500D AIRFLOW only).
TIP: Clean with air or water, ensuring filters are fully dry before reinstalling.
6500_Filters

* The bottom filter pulls out from the front.


CABLE MANAGEMENT TIPS

The 6500 Series includes various cable management features like zip tie points, iCUE LINK loops, hook & loop straps, doubleshot grommets, and an optional RapidRoute strap kit (sold separately).

  • Zip tie points are strategically placed for routing power cables to specific devices.
  • iCUE LINK loops in the top panel, near the rear fan, and on the removable fan mounting tray securely hold iCUE LINK cables without additional attachments.
  • Use the hook & loop strap on the rear for efficient cable management, consolidating external cables into a single braid at the chassis base.
  • Doubleshot grommets feature a dual-hardness rubber design for a secure mount in the grommet hole and easy cable passage.
  • The optional RapidRoute kit includes 4 extra hook & loop straps and 2 metal cable guides for faster, easier, and less permanent cable management.

ACCESSORIES (SOLD SEPARATELY)


SWAPPING THE DECO PANELS

The 6500 Series allows easy case customization by swapping steel plating for different materials or designs.

  • Unscrew the front panels from inside and the top panels from the rear.
  • Uninstall the existing I/O from the panel by removing two outer I/O screws, and migrate it to the new top panel.
  • Reinstall screws in front panels, slide top panels on and screw in from the rear.

For more information and photos on how to remove the deco plates, check out this article on CORSAIR Explorer.

TIP: Remove front screws when the case is hardware-free for easier access.

INSTALLING THE VERTICAL GPU MOUNT

  • Unscrew and remove the existing PCI bracket from the chassis.
  • Replace existing bracket with the vertical mount PCI bracket.
  • Confirm standoffs are in the desired position on the vertical bracket.
  • Attach PCIe Riser card to standoffs using provided screws.
  • Connect the PCIe Riser card to the motherboard until it clicks.
  • Install and secure the GPU as usual.

INSTALLING THE RAPIDROUTE ADD-ON KIT

  • Place RapidRoute steel brackets in place along the backside of the motherboard tray.
  • Screw into place with included screws.
TIP: The RapidRoute Add-On Kit does not work with ASUS BTF or MSI Project Zero motherboards.

WARRANTY


Warranty_2

All CORSAIR computer cases have a 2-year warranty.


LEGAL


© 2024 CORSAIR MEMORY, Inc. All rights reserved. CORSAIR and the sails logo are registered trademarks of CORSAIR in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Product may vary slightly from those pictured.