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ADATA XPG Valor Air Pro
ADATA’s XPG Valor Air series has always focused on delivering the basics well on a budget. The Valor Air Pro shifts that approach a notch higher, arriving at a price of $89.99 and presenting a sturdier, more fully equipped design than its predecessors. When compared with the earlier Valor Air and Valor Air Plus, the Pro feels more substantial and capable, though it also carries a roughly 50% higher price tag. That premium reflects thicker materials, enhanced radiator support, quieter stock fans, and the addition of a front-panel USB Type-C port, which nudges the Valor Air line from a strict budget option toward a more mainstream entry point.
If you’re shopping for a budget ATX case in this price range, another strong competitor is the Thermaltake View 270 TG ARGB. However, the Valor Air’s aesthetics and feature set give it a distinct appeal for builders who prioritize looks and practicality alike.
Design: Slim Form, Clear Presence
Despite sitting comfortably in the typical mid-tower height range of 17 to 21 inches, the Valor Air Pro reads as shorter in depth and width: about 17.25 inches deep and 7.25 inches wide. This illusion comes from beveled edges that shave a full inch off each dimension, with the remaining depth mostly from rear hardware. The right-rear viewpoint reveals practical details: vents on the side panel, knurled screws for securing panels, a 120mm exhaust fan with adjustable screw slots, and a removable panel that can rotate 90 degrees for vertical GPU mounting (you’ll need a PCIe x16 riser cable sold separately).
Compared with Valor Air Plus, the Valor Air Pro adds a USB Type-C port while keeping the USB 3.x Type-A ports, a headset jack, and illuminated power and reset buttons. This combination makes it a step up in connectivity without compromising familiar basics.
A dust-filter sheet guards the power-supply intake on the bottom, secured by edge tabs for easier removal. The bottom panel also features a knurled screw to secure a back-facing tab, dual rails for a removable internal drive cage, and four rubber feet for grip and vibration damping.
XPG equips the case with three 120mm ARGB intake fans on a versatile mount that can also accommodate up to three 140mm fans, and it can support a front-mounted radiator up to 420mm. A plastic bar above the front fan opening helps the panel stay in place during installation.
Behind the front fan mount, a 66mm clearance permits radiators up to 460mm long, while a second radiator can be mounted under the top panel, up to 412mm long (subtracting the top radiator thickness if both spaces are used). The power-supply shroud is drilled and tapped to accept up to two 120mm fans, and the shroud can also support a PCIe x16 riser cable for vertical GPU installations.
Dust filters use magnets in the front panel and flexible magnetic strips on the side, while the top panel’s filter shares the same magnet-based attachment system. The front panel itself is magnet-mounted, reducing the need for screws at the top and bottom.
Cooling and Drive Layout: Flexible Yet Practical
The case provides a right-of-motherboard tray mount for a second radiator, but front-mounting radiators is the practical choice here. A 360mm radiator leaves enough space for side-mounted 120mm fans, while a 420mm (or a 280mm) radiator leaves only about 16mm of clearance—tight, but feasible with slim 15mm fans. The side fan area also removes some of the motherboard-tray support for larger EATX boards, effectively reducing the depth limit for certain large motherboards. The kit includes six motherboard standoffs, with three additional standoffs provided as extras to accommodate standard ATX builds.
Two 2.5-inch drive trays live at the back of the motherboard tray, with a removable drive cage beneath that supports both 2.5-inch and 3.5-inch drives. In default position, the cage limits PSU depth to about 200mm; measurements showed a bit more in practice. A second cage position moves forward to increase PSU clearance by about 27mm, though it reduces the available front-radiator clearance.
What’s Inside the Build: Tools, Cables, and Compatibility
The Valor Air Pro ships with an installation guide, five zip ties, two long standoffs for vertical GPU mounting, three motherboard standoffs, a standoff socket, eight combined power-supply screws, eight 3.5-inch drive screws, and 28 M3 screws for motherboard and drive installation. Since the factory only installs six standoffs, the extra three complete a standard ATX setup in most cases.
Front-panel and motherboard connections include a nine-pin front-panel header, a 19-pin USB 3.x Gen 1 header for the Type-A ports, and a USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 header for the Type-C port. All fans use connectors that allow daisy-chaining to a single ARGB header and a single fan header on the motherboard, simplifying cable management.
Building with the Valor Air Pro: A Pretty Smooth Experience
With typical test components, assembly was straightforward. There’s about 28mm of clearance between the side-fan mount and the edge of a roughly 12-inch GPU, which is ample for many builds. The finished result presents a value-focused option that looks and feels more premium than the Air Plus, particularly for builders aiming at a clean, modern aesthetic without breaking the bank.
Thermals and Noise: Real-World Performance
In testing against peers of similar size and fan count, the Valor Air Pro cooled components about as well as the Valor Air Plus, but ran a few degrees warmer overall. On noise, it ranked near the top, finishing second to the Fractal Meshify 3 in our comparisons. The stock fans prioritize low noise, which explains the modest airflow and mid-range cooling results, despite the case’s numerous vents. Removing the top dust filter did not meaningfully improve CPU cooler airflow.
If you’re willing to replace the stock fans, you can push the Valor Air Pro to better thermal performance. Pair a top 280mm radiator with a front 420mm radiator to unlock the case’s generous 140mm fan support. At around $90, many builders may find it reasonable to swap out the included fans entirely in pursuit of higher performance.
