be quiet! Pure Base 500 Case Review

To give you a sense of scale I dropped in a MSI Z390 Ace motherboard which fit exactly how you would expect.  The Ace is a standard ATX sized motherboard using all three mounting holes and with the board installed you still have plenty of cable routing space and the fan mounting points across the top are offset enough to clear the motherboard heatsinks.

Clearance at the bottom of the motherboard is tight so you’ll need to ensure only single slot cards are used and the cable access holes line up quite well with the front panel and USB connections.

When your system is ready to be buttoned up you’ll be happy to know that bequiet also painted the edges of the tempered glass to match the case and give the glass some color. 

What amazed me the most is that I didn’t notice the painted edge right away until the glass was removed and overall it is these subtle touches that help separate this case from some of the others in this price range.

In this review we looked at the Pure Base 500 from be quiet!.  This is a down market chassis designed to be a cost effective solution for computer builders.  Cost effective means different things in the computer world and to understand what that means you have to look at the company as a whole.  be quiet is a premium hardware maker from Germany who focuses on products that make systems silent.  While silent computers have never been a priority in the US that is a deciding factor in Europe and other parts of the world and companies will go to great lengths to achieve that goal.  Needless to say a company like that is not about to release a shoddy product, even if it is designed to be inexpensive.

The Pure Base 500 is a case designed to fill the basic needs of a system builder while addressing the current demands of the modern PC market.  As a result there are ample SSD mounting locations allowing the builder to decide if they want their drives hidden or exposed.  For users wanting tempered glass there are two versions available and the case comes in three different colors.  Tempered glass version featured in this review is intended for those wanting to show off their systems while the alternative with a solid side panel will offer better acoustical performance with the sound absorption material applied.

Airflow is always a concern with cases and while the Pure Base 500 comes with sound absorption material and no direct airflow it can breathe pretty well.  The case supports between five and seven fans depending on the size you choose and comes with two top panels giving uses the choose of higher airflow or more sound absorption.  All of the fan locations support radiators with are ideally intended for AIO cooler installs.

As a casemodder I always look at how a case is constructed.  I am happy to say that the construction quality of the Pure Base 500 is extremely good with tight joints, minimal gaps in the panel fitment and none of the components ever bound up.  Even the tempered glass comes with a painted edge to complete the visual appeal.

The only item I took issue with is with the expansion slots and how they secured outside of the case instead of being placed inside.  This is a typical cost saving feature that many people overlook but I am not a fan.  Not only does it making system assembly a little more difficult but make me feel like a company is cutting corners just to cut corners.  Considering the overall build quality that just seems odd.

Tempered Glass Option
Great Paint Finish
Plenty of Cooling Options
Full Radiator Support
Vented Basement Panel
Three Color Options

Expansion slot screws outside the case
Not big enough for a full DIY loop