Page 3 - Physical Look - Inside
Four of the five removable panels can be removed by unscrewing the thumbscrews on the rear, sliding the panels back, and lifting away from the case frame. The thumbscrews are captive, allowing them to stay with the panel being removed and preventing you from losing them. As the front and side glass extends fully from top to bottom, I would not recommend removing the bottom panel unless the case is resting on its side. Otherwise, resting the case on the edges of tempered glass may result in breakage.
The right side panel is 6mm tempered glass, and holds to the case with two captive thumbscrews. There is a handy tab on the back to aid in its removal. This is attached onto a white surround on the back of the glass, which helps to hide fingerprints and mounting hardware. Six plastic circles protrude from the glass and hook onto slots on the case. The front glass panel is the same thickness, and can be removed by unscrewing a screw on the top and bottom before sliding it out.
The left side panel is similarly secured by two captive thumbscrews, and has a removal tab on the back. The panel is made from metal with many small perforations to allow for airflow. On the inside, there is a secondary removal mesh filter that helps to block dust ingress. The mesh is mounted to a plastic frame to give it more structure. This frame is held with a magnet near the back of the panel, and it slides out for further cleaning.
The top and bottom panels are identical. Each one can be removed via a single thumbscrew on the rear. The outer part of the panel is steel and resembles horizontal metal grates. Behind the metal is a plastic frame with protruding hooks that slot into the case frame. This plastic frame also holds a removable fine mesh filter that clips in. All likely intake fan areas for this case come with a mesh filter, which helps to reduce dust ingress.
In the front chamber of the case, we find a roomy build area. The case is compatible with up to E-ATX motherboards, as well as backside connector designs. There is a cutout behind the motherboard for access to the processor area backplate. There are nine standoffs pre-installed for the ATX configuration. Furthermore, the case has engraved letters near standoff locations to indicate where they need to be installed for other motherboard sizes. The chart is intuitive and helps ensure proper mounting and placement. Along the side and bottom of the motherboard, there are sizable cable route cutouts with rubber grommets. The grommets hide the mess behind and protects the cables from rubbing directly against the metal frame. However, the top two cable routing holes above the motherboard do not have rubber grommets. There is also an adjustable graphics card support arm on the right of the area. You can pivot, extend, or raise this arm to the appropriate height for your video cards. As graphics cards have gotten heavier and larger over the years, this integrated support arm can prevent GPU sag and damage to the PCIe port on the motherboard.
As mentioned earlier, the be quiet! Light Base 900 DX does not include any fans. However, users can install up to ten fans. Three 140mm or 120mm fans can be installed on the top, side, and bottom mounts. A single 140mm or 120mm fan can be installed in the rear and is best used as an exhaust fan. For the top and bottom mounts, there is a removable bracket to assist with fan and radiator installation. For radiator compatibility, both the top and bottom can fit up to a 420mm, while the side fits up to a 360mm. The rear can fit up to a 140mm radiator.
In the rear chamber, a pivoting flap caught my attention. This flap is secured by ball sockets on one side and features a hinge that allows it to swing open. It is designed for two 2.5” drives and partially conceals potential cable clutter. The mounting system uses silicone grommets that attach to posts screwed into the 2.5” drives. This setup minimizes vibration and enables tool-free installation. To the right, there is a mounting bracket for the power supply. Silicone pads and foam are included to support the power supply, reducing vibration and noise. However, note the power supply will block the rear cutout for the motherboard. The space provided can accommodate power supplies up to 225mm in length. Below the power supply bracket is a hard drive cage bracket. While the system can fit two be quiet! HDD Cage 2 units, only one is included. This cage supports the installation of either one 3.5” drive or two 2.5” drives. To remove the cages easily, the bracket must first be detached using two Phillips screws.
There are two fan and RGB LED hubs included in the Light Base 900 DX. They are located near the top and bottom of the rear chamber. Both fan hubs support up to six PWM fans and addressable RGB headers each for a total of twelve. The external LEDs can operate independently without software. However, the ARGB header can be plugged into the motherboard for full RGB LED control. The fan hubs require SATA power and have a PWM fan cable to control fan speed.
There is a large amount of interior space in the back to store cables. Cable management should be a breeze with the large cutouts and many options for cable routing. Dotted around the rear chamber are cable tie down points. Three be quiet! hook and loop fasteners are preinstalled, while twelve zip-ties are included.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. Physical Look - Outside
3. Physical Look - Inside
4. Installation and Conclusion
