By: Aaron Lai
August 14, 2020
The origin of names is always an interesting topic to me, especially when it comes to companies. Peoples' names are often not ever by their choice, especially since it is usually their progenitor that gives them their name. Similarly, company names are also given by their founders, except in a somewhat ironic fashion, many of them are named after the founder who did not choose their own name in the first place. You can see this in fast-food joints like A&W or McDonald's as well as other companies like Ernst & Young, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, or Proctor & Gamble. Other company names can be translated from another language to convey a meaning or purpose. For example, the name Lego is from a Danish combination of "leg godt" which means "play well". Similarly, the German pop Fanta came from the German word "fantasie", which means "imagination". On the other hand, some names also have no meaning whatsoever. For example, the ice cream brand Haagen-Dazs, which may look like a Danish word, but actually means nothing and its name was made more to make consumers think of old-world traditions and craftsmanship. Of course, a lot of these definitions may require a bit of digging to understand them, but I doubt you would have concerns about today's manufacturer, which brings us the be quiet! Pure Base 500DX today. It seems obvious to me this computer parts maker has an emphasis on something to do with sound, but they could also make earplugs. Thankfully, I do not need to plug my ears or block any of my other senses, as we have the Pure Base 500DX, a case that is a refinement of the original Pure Base 500. What sorts of improvements do we have, and how does it line up with the "be quiet!" name? Let us read on to find out!
Today's review unit of the be quiet! Pure Base 500DX arrived from their American offices in Walnut, California. Traveling with UPS and their Standard service, the Pure Base 500DX arrived in pretty good condition with no holes or dents to be concerned about. As with most cases, the shipping container also doubles as the retail container. The brown corrugated cardboard box shows off the case, which is printed on the sides in a scaled down fashion. The company's logo can be found on the top right side, while the product name is under the picture of the case. At the bottom, we have a descriptor of "Exceptional Airflow, Significant Quiet". Otherwise, a large red "Fragile Handle with Care" label can be found on the side and on another panel to remind UPS and any future customer that there is tempered glass inside.
As a manufacturer, be quiet! is a German company that was founded in 2002. Originally, they only offered power supplies with low-noise output, but in 2008 they added cooling products like fans and CPU air coolers. Six years later, they also added cases to their lineup. As you can tell by the name, be quiet! has generally focused on lowering noise output with all of their products. Other than video cards, considering the products they offer are the ones that contribute most to the noise coming out of your system, their lineup is quite sensible.
Before we continue on, I have grabbed the specifications from the manufacturer's website for your perusal:
General Data
Model: Pure Base 500DX Black
PSU form factor: ATX PS/2
Motherboard compatibility: ATX / M-ATX / Mini-ITX
Case size excl. stands (L x W x H), (mm): 450 x 232 x 443
Installation of motherboards with backplate: ✓
Case size incl. stands (L x W x H), (mm): 450 x 232 x 463
Dimensions side panel window (L x W), (mm): 400 x 431.3
Color option: Black
Weight (kg): 7.8
USB 2.0: -
USB 3.0: 1
USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type C: 1
HD Audio I/O: Mic + Audio
Expansion slots: 7
Fan mounting locations: 6
Qi charger / Quick Charging Option: -
Material
Top cover: ABS
Side panel: Steel
Side panel window: Tempered Glass 4mm
Front panel: ABS
Stands: ABS
Drive bay capacity
5.25 bays: -
3.5 slots (max.): 2
3.5 slots (scope of delivery): 2
2.5 slots (max.): 5
2.5 slots (scope of delivery): 5
Pre-installed fans
Fan @ top: 1x Pure Wings 2 140mm
Fan @ front: 1x Pure Wings 2 140mm
Fan @ rear: 1x Pure Wings 2 140mm
Dimensions (L x W x H), (mm): 140 x 140 x 25
Fan speed @ 100% PWM / 12V (rpm): 900
Noise level @ 100% PWM / 12V (dB(A)): 17.10
Airflow @ 100% PWM / 12V (CFM / m3/h): 55.8 / 94.8
Air Pressure @ 100% PWM / 12V (mm H2O): 0.6
Voltage range (V DC): 12
Input power (W): 1.08
Input current (A): 0.09
Connector: 3-Pin
Lifespan (h / 25°C): 80,000
Fan controller: -
Optional fan installation
Front (mm): 1x 140 / 3x 120
Top (mm): 1x 140 / 1x 120
Bottom (mm): -
Side panel (mm): -
PSU shroud: -
Optional radiator installation
Front (mm): 120 / 140 / 240 / 280 / 360
Top (mm): 120 / 140 / 240
Bottom (mm): -
Rear (mm): 120 / 140
Cooling
Max.construction height of CPU cooler unit (mm): 190
Airflow channel: Front / Top / Rear
Lighting
RGB LED illumination: Front LED ARGB / Internal ARGB
LEDs synchronizable with RGB controller/motherboard: -
Expandable RGB controller: -
PSU compatibility
Maximum dimensions excl. bottom fan (mm): 258
Maximum dimensions incl. bottom fan (mm): 225
Graphics card
HDD cage (in height of graphics card) installed (mm): 369
HDD cage (in height of graphics card) removed (mm): 369
Insulation and damping
Top panel insulation mats: -
Front panel insulation mats: -
Side panel insulation mats: ✓
Anti-vibration decoupled HDD: ✓
Anti-vibration decoupled fan: -
Anti-vibration decoupled PSU: ✓
Anti-vibration decoupled motherboard-tray: -
Removeable dust filters
Front: 1
Bottom: 1
Side panel: 1
Accessories
Screw set (Drives/Motherboard): ✓
Rubber rail (pcs.): -
Standoff (pcs.): -
LCS bracket (pcs.): -
HDD slot cover (pcs.): -
Upper fan bracket (pcs.): -
HDD panel rubber grommet (pcs.): -
SSD bracket for PSU shroud: -
LED strips (pcs.): -
Cable ties (pcs.): 6 | 4 (Velcro)
Out of the box, the be quiet! Pure Base 500DX comes in a translucent plastic bag and is saddled between two large foam brackets. The large tempered glass side window also has a plastic sheet on top of the case to protect the panel from any scratches or nicks that may appear in transit. Otherwise, a small booklet is provided on the side to aid users in installation. There is some warranty information too, which highlights the three years of coverage for the Pure Base 500DX. This is a pretty good length of warranty, as most cases only come with one or two years.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. Physical Look - Outside
3. Physical Look - Inside
4. Installation and Conclusion
