Page 4 - Installation and Conclusion
The installation process was quite pleasant and simple. As someone who has put together and taken apart many computers, the build process was the same as any other regular case. Cooler Master included all the necessary supplies inside a small bag. As always, there was an abundance of supplies. I took out all of the necessary screws and got to work. There were not many additional cables for fans or lighting.
To not repeat any previous mistakes, I ensured all standoffs on the case were properly tightened. Afterwards, I proceeded to install my MSI MPG X570 Gaming Plus motherboard alongside everything already installed onto it. The front I/O was simple enough to route to the motherboard and is long enough to be routed through the bottom of the shroud with ease. The drive bay used has a simple tool-free installation for 3.5” drives. All you have to do is clip the drive into the provided brackets, then simply slide the bracket into the bay. I had already preinstalled my Patriot Viper VPN100 512GB SSD on my motherboard, so all I had to do was install my Western Digital Blue 4TB HDD into the drive bay.
As I began to install my SilverStone VIDA 240 SLIM CPU cooler, I decided to experiment and test fit radiator positions. My radiator did fit and matched the provided specifications. I found there was adequate spacing to route my CPU cable through the top cutout with no hassle, especially with the ability to remove the top panel. Installing my FSP Hydro PTM+ 850W power supply was as simple as installing a PSU in any other case. I simply plugged in any necessary wires, then gently slid it underneath the shroud. I did struggle a little bit with getting the PSU into place. It is important to remember to plug in all the cables prior to installation, as you will not have much room to plug them in after it is already installed. Once all my other components were installed, I began installing my MSI GeForce RTX 2060 Super Ventus graphics card. I simply removed the second and third expansion slot and tucked in my GPU. After all my components were in place, I got to work with cable management.
Admittedly, my cable management was only alright for this build, as I felt I had the minimum amount of space under the shroud due to the drive bay. Behind the motherboard tray, I had an adequate amount of space. My cable management does not really matter from a visual perspective as the right panel is not glass, but it is still important to try your best. The Cooler Master MasterBox TD500 Mesh V2 provides an adequate number of tie-down points. Routing cables was easy enough using my personal Velcro straps to bunch up the cables. As previously stated, there is about 19mm of space across the majority of the case. Most builders can get by with this amount of space, but having more would be beneficial. The grommets alongside the motherboard tray made passing through cables from the back of the case to the front of the case very easy, minimizing the number of visible cables. I would be very careful when picking parts if you decide to use this case, especially with how big components are getting nowadays. I was able to fit a nice mid to high-end system inside with a hard drive. I personally would recommend not having a hard drive and removing the drive bay to allow for more space underneath the shroud.
In my opinion, the Cooler Master MasterBox TD500 Mesh V2 looks amazing. While looking quite sleek, Cooler Master was able to add a bit of uniqueness with the crystalline design. The front panel is especially nice, because it allows maximum airflow and RGB LED lights to shine through it at the same time. The design of this case is the main attraction, as this is a very different and aesthetically pleasing case. The design of the front panel serves both function and aesthetics and I really appreciate how the tempered glass side panel continues the pattern.
There are many different configurations of fans this case can handle. My personal setup consisted of the three preinstalled CF120 ARGB fans as well as my radiator with two slim 120mm fans attached. All fans were connected to a fan hub, which was then connected to the motherboard. I adjusted the fan speed by changing my motherboard settings for testing. According to the standard APH Networks sound scale where 0 is silence and 10 is loud, the Cooler Master MasterBox TD500 Mesh V2 sits around 1.0/10 while idling and 3.5/10 at full speed. Considering how most computers will not be running at full power, these fans are quite quiet and will not be a disruption.
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Revisions are essential in creating a better product. Cooler Master did this in a wonderful way with the MasterBox TD500 Mesh V2, as I have noticed some notable changes that I had previously commented about in my original TD500 Mesh review. Some notable changes I found were the removable top panel and the redesigned PSU dust filter in the V2. Although both were fairly small changes, I found that the new PSU dust filter design made for a simpler method of cleaning, while the removable top panel made for a drastically better building experience. By removing the top panel, one could make cable routing incredibly easy. As I am no stranger to this product line, I will iterate again, the design of the MasterBox TD500 Mesh V2 is absolutely wonderful, offering an excellent and positive experience. I really appreciate the aesthetics from the crystalline design on the front and tempered glass side panel. The build quality was good as well. Despite having the same amount of space behind the motherboard tray as the previous model, I found the V2 much easier to build in, given the much more open design. The offset motherboard and expansion slots aided ever so slightly in an easy motherboard installation. Furthermore, the addition of Cooler Master’s very own CF120 ARGB fans is great. As much as this case has improved, I do still have some comments for improvement. Underneath the shroud lacks a significant amount of space to hide the cables. Although you will be able to manage cables here, I would like to see some more space behind the motherboard or below the shroud to create an even better building experience. No rear case fan is included, but at an MSRP of $90 USD, the Cooler Master MasterBox TD500 Mesh V2 is an astonishingly good deal and should not be overlooked.
Cooler Master provided this product to APH Networks for the purpose of evaluation.
APH equal.balance Award | APH Review Focus Summary:
8/10 means Definitely a very good product with drawbacks that are not likely going to matter to the end user.
7/10 means Great product with many advantages and certain insignificant drawbacks, but should be considered before purchasing.
-- Final APH Numeric Rating is 7.4/10
Please note that the APH Numeric Rating system is based off our proprietary guidelines in the Review Focus, and should not be compared to other sites.
The Cooler Master MasterBox TD500 Mesh V2 is a great looking mid-tower with refinements from the original at a great price.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. Physical Look - Outside
3. Physical Look - Inside
4. Installation and Conclusion
