When I finished my Nvidia RTX 4080 FE built for review, I wondered, “Can I do this with a mid-tower case?” So, after spending a little time on the build assembly (including cable management) due to the excellent design of the case and running it for a whole day to ensure nothing breaks apart, here’s my RTX 4080 FE build, where I managed to squeeze all the below components in my XPG Starker Air Mid Tower Chassis for this review:
Table of Contents
- Chassis: ADATA XPG STARKER AIR ATX Mid Tower Case
- CPU: Intel Core i9-13900K 3 GHz 24-Core Processor
- Cooler: Corsair iCUE H150i ELITE CAPELLIX 75 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler
- RAM: G.Skill Trident Z5 Neo RGB 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-6000 CL30 Memory
- Motherboard: MSI MPG Z790 CARBON WIFI ATX LGA1700 Motherboard
- PSU: ADATA XPG CYBERCORE 1300 W 80+ Platinum Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply
- SSD: Samsung 970 Pro 1 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 3.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive
- GPU: NVIDIA Founders Edition GeForce RTX 4080 16 GB Video Card
That’s right, all of the above components fit neatly inside the XPG Starker Air case. And nowadays, for most people, especially given the importance of live streams with your Cases on display, one of the first choices you should make is that of your PC case. So for such users, this will determine other factors in your PC build, such as the motherboard to use, dimensions, ports, drive bays, radiator support, weight, and more. If you are looking for a Mid-Tower chassis with an exciting design and innovative elements, we will tell you if you should consider the XPG Starker Air. Is it worth it? Will it fit with your vision? Learn everything you need to know right here.
Why a Mid Tower Case for RTX 4080?
As we mentioned in our card review, Nvidia decided to give the RTX 4080 FE the same hefty triple-slot heatsink given to the RTX 4090. The Nvidia RTX 4080 Founder’s Edition resembles the RTX 4090 Founder’s Edition in terms of look. The same eye-catching style with sharp corners and straightforward, flowing lines is present, suggesting that it will fit into even fewer PC cabinets.
Before you select your PC chassis, you have to consider that it will be the one that will also hold your future purchases related to upgrading your computer. For example, within the last few years, the sizes of graphics cards have increased quite a bit. Compare an RTX 2080Ti to RTX 4090, and you’ll know what I am talking about here. The fact that Nvidia is putting the 4090 Cooler on the 4080 isn’t necessarily alarming if you’re worried about keeping your card cool. However, it can be an issue if you have clearance constraints.
Keeping this in mind is crucial because that will determine what exactly you are looking for long term. Since you are contemplating a mid-tower chassis, let’s look at what the Starker Air offers. At first glance, I was skeptical about trying to fit it in a mid-tower, but here I am with a success story, and also, as part of it, able to present this case review for you guys.
Everything you Need to Know in a Nutshell
First, let’s look at everything you need to know in brief. The dimensions (H*W*D) in Starker Air, you will get the size of 465 x 215 x 400mm (18.3 x 8.46 x 15.75 inch), so compare these numbers with the dimensions of your GPU, and you can move ahead with the next step. Another thing to keep in mind is to have some space around the GPU since it will be doing a lot of heavy lifting for your PC.
Cooling is vital, no matter the size of the case you are going to buy. During your chassis search, you may look for thick chassis with good-quality fans because that can make all the difference. Starker Air features a Front: 1 x XPG VENTO 120 Fan and a Rear: 1 x XPG VENTO ARGB 120 Fan. This case supports six fans, a 280mm radiator at the top, and 120mm at the rear. If you are up, you can fit a 360mm radiator at the front.
Speaking of looks – the XPG Starker Air is a compact chassis made for the ATX format. There’s a front panel that looks pretty sleek and has a design featuring two front ARGB lighting strips. If dust has been a problem for you in your previous PC builds, the Starker Air features a solution in the form of a removable dust filter. You can remove it by sliding it upwards. It is easy to clean and protects your chassis from dust on expensive components.
XPG STARKER AIR chassis supports up to x2 3.5″ HDD and x2 2.5″ HDD/SSD storage, and a Combo Drive is available for both 2.5″ and 3.5″ storage sizes. Those looking for ARGB-compatible motherboard software will be glad to know that you can control the ARGB fans with it and even by the I/O panel LED Button. And if you are a fan of RGB like me, then the replaceable VGA bracket will make it easy to show your graphics card with lighting effects. I liked the wide variety of lighting effects because I prefer a chassis that looks good overall.
With all that out of the way, let us look at the detailed XPG Starker Air mid tower Chassis review below.
ADATA XPG Starker Air Mid Tower Chassis Review
XPG is relatively new in the PC Chassis department compared to major brands. But they led themselves to establish some diversification in all the products they managed to release. From their tool-free “XPG BATTLECRUISER” that makes room for independent, versatile configurations to their elegant looking “XPG CRUISER,” XPG has some cool-looking PC cases. And currently, I’m in love with STARKER AIR. Let me tell you why.
See, there are 2 cases from XPG for easy builds. VALOR AIR, as the name suggests, with more emphasis on air cooling, and STARKER, a better PC case with more room for GPU & additional 3.5″ HDD support. But the STARKER lacked a completely new air-colling design like VALOR AIR. Make way for the new STARKER AIR. It is everything I love about normal STARKER with the added benefits of VALOR AIR’s cooling front design.
New XPG cases feel like a fresh and intelligent approach toward a market filled with many choices. XPG makes itself stand apart with a carefully designed & selected handful of PC cases that will fulfill your need from entry to even high-end gaming rigs.
Price
Given that you’re in the airflow sector and the case itself is rather good, $109.99 in the US (with all international import duties) is not expensive. It competes directly with the “be quiet! Pure Base 500DX” and the “Fractal Design Meshify C Mini” at this rate. However, I discovered that the cost is around $59.99 in Singapore and other cities close to Southeast Asia. That is comparable to the standard “NZXT H510,” while the “NZXT H510 Flow” will cost you $89.99 and has extra airflow cooling features. If you can get this case for that price, it is one of the best in its segment with all the features it offers.
Aesthetics, Dimensions, & I/O
Size-wise this is a typical mid-tower, very much the same as the ones you are probably acquainted with already. You can proudly display this nice clean PC case to your friends. Both Black and White color options are available for STARKER AIR. There is also a STARKER AIR PINK colored variant available if you want to step up your style. However, we shall discuss it at a later time.
This chassis seems well put together from both a design and a construction quality viewpoint. This case’s front paneling style and general design language, which has clean lines throughout, clearly harken back to earlier XPG models. The all-black variant we use here has appropriately tinted glass side panels that let you see your RGB components inside.
Talking about the looks of the chassis, the front panel has a MESH style, which XPG names as “Exoskeleton” design. The side of the front panel is decorated with two front ARGB lighting strips to compliment the RGB style you have inside the case. You can customize them to millions of colors with various effects & patterns you find pleasing.
Just pull the front magnetic front panel, and it will pop off. Behind it, we have an excellent “Removable-on-Rail” dust filter. Removing the dust filter is easy; your periodic cleaning will be a breeze.
Regarding dimensions, we have 465 x 215 x 400mm (18.3 x 8.46 x 15.75 inch), but with enough clearance for a 350mm Graphic Card (without preinstalled fans), & up to 280mm radiator support on top. If, unlike me, you are not experimenting with the ‘clearance’ with an RTX 4080, you can add a 360mm Radiator on the front of the case. That’s a lot for a $59.99 chassis with complete SPCC material built.
For I/O, you can expect a full range of connections that allow you to quickly access USB devices, music, or other lighting effects modes. You will receive two USB 3.0 ports, one hybrid audio port, one LED control button, and the standard power and reset buttons. You can use either ARGB-compatible motherboard software or the LED button on the I/O panel to operate the ARGB fans. 13 lighting effects are included (including OFF).
I wish they had added the USB 3.2 Gen 1 port on the I/O, like the VALOR AIR case. The cases come with two fans preinstalled. One ARGB fan for the back and one standard 120mm fan. It is okay if you add a radiator to the front, you will not be left with more than one extra unused fan. Also, you have the option to add any ARGB fans to the front of your choice.
Specifications
Now as we have dug into the characteristics of the dimensions & specs already, we also want to share the official stats for you to refer to:
| Dimension (H*W*D) | 465 x 215 x 400mm (18.3 x 8.46 x 15.75 inch) |
| Color | Exterior & Interior： Black / White |
| Material | SPCC |
| Side Panels | 4mm Tempered Glass*1 (Left side) |
| Form Factor | Mini-ITX, Micro-ATX, ATX |
| 3.5″ HDD/HDD Tray | 2+1 (Combo 3.5” + 2.5”) |
| 2.5″ HDD/SSD Tray | 2+1 (Combo 3.5” + 2.5”) |
| I/O Port | x2 USB 3.0 |
| x1 Hybrid Audio Port | |
| x1 LED Control Button | |
| Fans Included | Front: 1 x XPG VENTO 120 Fan |
| Rear: 1 x XPG VENTO ARGB 120 Fan | |
| Fan Support | Front: 120mm x3, 140mm x2 |
| Top: 120mm x2, 140mm x2 | |
| Rear: 120mm x1 | |
| Radiator Support | Front: 360 / 280 / 240mm x1 |
| Top: 280 / 240 / 120mm x1 | |
| Rear: 120mm x1 | |
| Clearance | Graphic Card Length: 350mm |
| 320mm (with preinstalled fans) | |
| Graphic Card Vertical Installation Height: 24mm | |
| CPU Cooler Height: 165mm | |
| PSU Length: 160mm | |
| Weight | STARKER AIR (BLACK)： |
| Product: 7.37kg (16.2lb) ±5% | |
| with Package: 8.8kg (19.4lb) ±5% | |
| STARKER AIR (WHITE)： | |
| Product: 7.37kg (16.2lb) ±5% | |
| with Package: 8.8kg (19.4lb) ±5% | |
| Warranty | 2 Years |
Verdict
In this XPG Starker Air mid-tower chassis review, I would like to say that this is a beautiful PC case with a significant “bang for your buck” compared to other cases at the price we mentioned above. This airflow is as expected from a PC Case of this caliber. Temperature-wise, as long as you have the necessary front intake & back exhaust fans, you don’t have to worry much. Both CPU and GPU temps (that too of RTX 4080) showed up pretty well during our gaming tests.
Usually, the more expensive model you have, the better features you get within a price segment. Starker Air breaks away from this tradition and adds a versatile case fit for any configuration of your choice.
With the 4 mm tempered glass panel and controllable ARGB light options, you will spend a lot of time just looking at this beauty to marvel at everything you accomplished during this build. The included vertical mounting plate you attach on top of the PSU area makes this case worth its cost. Many other PC Cases in this price bracket lack this feature.
The case feels strong to hold the best ATX motherboards out there. Seeing the brand touch on the power supply shroud was also lovely. Cable management is well adequate as per modern Case standards. There are enough routes to divert them and even reach the 2+1 combo HDD/SDD all around. With all these features, it will take 15 minutes to finish your PC assembly with cable management. It is that straightforward.
The front panel is stuck magnetically, so it’s very convenient to take off to clean & ensure airflow. It has plenty of space to ensure good cable management.
Design-wise it feels consistent, the build quality is excellent, and the PC assembly experience is flawless. If there had been an option to choose standard velcro straps like in similar PC Cases, that would have been a bonus. The back hard drive combo space was easy to reach, and all the cable cutouts hid all the wires inside. If you’re attaching a 360mm RGB radiator on the front, the design of the PC Case evaluates it. But for thinker GPUS above 320mm, like many RTX 4080 or 4090, we suggest you stick with a 280mm radiator.
My only issue is the higher price margin in the US compared to other countries. Still, for $109.99, it feels proportionally consistent and delivers exquisite quality. I loved the vibrant lighting with different astonishing patterns, magnetic font panels, in-built high static pressure fans, and rotatable GPU installation to match the VGA orientation of your choice.
On the other side of the spectrum, if you manage to get your hands on this chassis for $59.99, then go for it. There are just a few cases that can come closer in features at this price. And there is nothing else like Starker Air for the same price. I wholeheartedly give this chassis a solid 9.5/10 for everything it offers.
The Starker Air case is suitable for your PC in this budget. If you like how the design looks, this case is ideal for new PC builders for its convenience.