Page 6 - Conclusion
The Cooler Master TD500 MAX is a unique product by combining a TD500 Mesh V2, MasterLiquid 360 Atmos all-in-one liquid cooler, and GX II Gold 850W and modifying all of them to create an innovative solution package. But is this solution package any good, and is it worth its whopping $400 MSRP? To start, we appreciate the aesthetics from the crystalline design on the front and tempered glass side panel of the TD500 MAX chassis, as we did with the rest of the series in the past. The case, cooler, and power supply integration was done well, doing much more than just selling you three products in bulk. The TD500 MAX has a lot of room to work with and very easy to build in. The 2-stage cable connectors design further streamlines the build experience and cable organization post-build, and you can tell the length of each cable was carefully chosen. We also like the unique screw storage pad and ARGB lighting and PWM fan controller. When it comes to performance, the thicker 38mm MasterLiquid 360 Atmos in conjunction with three Mobius 120P ARGB fans delivered exceptional cooling performance to my CPU. However, we do have a list of suggestions for improving the TD500 MAX. Our biggest gripe is the 3-pin voltage controlled CF120 ARGB rear fan. Despite being connected to the onboard controller, it is very loud compared to the rest of the fans, because it spins at full speed at all times. Another issue we found was there is only one PCIe 6+2 pin second stage socket and only one PCIe 6+2 pin connector from the factory. You can get one extra PCIe 6+2 pin cable that can be requested for free, but I think this should have been included from the factory, since there is a good chance you will need it. This extra step seems like an unnecessary hassle. Lastly, a captive thumbscrew should have been used on the glass side panel. All in all, you will not save any money by buying the MAX package compared to buying an unmodified version of the three products separately, but in a world of seemingly endless choices and more choices, the Cooler Master TD500 MAX is an innovative and unique offering that mostly delivers in experience and performance.
Cooler Master provided this product to APH Networks for the purpose of evaluation.
APH Networks Review Focus Summary:
7/10 means Great product with many advantages and certain insignificant drawbacks, but should be considered before purchasing.
-- Final APH Networks Numeric Rating is 7.0/10
Please note that the APH Networks Numeric Rating system is based off our proprietary guidelines in the Review Focus, and should not be compared to other publications.
The Cooler Master TD500 MAX is a unique offering that innovatively modifies and combines a computer case, AIO liquid cooler, and PSU for some solid performance and an enhanced experience.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. Physical Look - Outside
3. Physical Look - Inside
4. Installation
5. Cooling Test Results
6. Conclusion
