Be Quiet has earned itself a reputation as a manufacturer of low noise products, as its name suggests. Unlike Be Quiet’s traditionally subtle designs, the Pure Base 500FX departs is something different, being a high airflow design with lots of RGB lighting. Can it stay true to Be Quiet’s core philosophy of quiet computing? Read our Be Quiet Pure Base 500FX Review.
Chris Szewczyk
$ | www.bequiet.com
The Pure Base 500FX is a mid-tower that’s based on the existing 500DX. So, it’s not Be Quiet’s first foray into higher airflow designs, but it’s the first to do so with an emphasis on RGB lighting. A lot of it is due to the four Be Quiet Light Wings ARGB ring fans. There are three 120mm models at the front while the one at the rear is a 140mm version. There’s a strip of lighting at the front too.
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“The Pure Base 500FX is a mid-tower that’s based on the existing 500DX”
The front I/O is basic by modern standards. 3.5mm audio ports are joined by single USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C and USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports. We’d like to see four USB ports in this day and age.
The fans and RGB strip are controlled by a dedicated ARGB and PWM fan hub. Colours can be controlled via a button on the front, or it can be connected to a motherboard header for full system integration. The front and top of the case features plenty of mesh for high airflow, while the side features tempered glass. The top of the case features a well-designed magnetically attached filter cover. You can fit up to a 280mm or 360mm radiator in the front, up to a 240mm at the top and up to a 140mm at the rear. Three intake and three exhaust fans are a good balance. The case can house a GPU that’s 369mm long.
Installing a system into the 500FX was straightforward. A long PSU with stiff cables might struggle to fit, but that’s no problem at all if you remove the 3.5in HDD cage. There are spots for four 2.5in drives even if you do take it out.
The cable management system is very good. The only concern we have is the combined SSD and vanity plate to the right of the motherboard 24-pin connector. It leaves only a small gap for a vertically oriented and stiff 24-pin power connector. Be Quiet should increase the depth of this opening by another cm or so to get rid of any potential 24-pin compatibility concerns.
With all that airflow, obviously there’s little to worry about when it comes to cooling. A gaming session with a 12900K system with an RTX 3080 and ran well, the lowest of the three front fans clearly benefits the GPU, directing cool air straight at it.
At around $ which includes four ARGB fans and a hub, the Be Quiet Pure Base 500FX offers a good value for money. And yes, it’s still a quiet case. We’re glad Be Quiet didn’t deviate from its core mission. Like most cases, it’s not revolutionary but if you’re after a Be Quiet case with a bit of bling, you’ve found it. We’d like to see a couple more USB ports and a tweak to the panel adjacent to the 24-pin connector, but other than that, the Pure Base 500FX is a case we’re happy to recommend.
The Be Quiet 500FX is a low noise and attractive high airflow case, though its front I/O is a bit lacking.
