You have probably heard of BeQuiet!, whose components are one of the best in the high-end category. The reworked novelty (Pure Base 500DX) of the year-old case (Pure Base 500) was introduced two months ago and finally got to our editorial office for testing. The main improvement over the previous version is very efficient cooling thanks to additional fans in the equipment and added perforation.
Basic specifications
| Parameters | BeQuiet! |
| Pure Base 500DX | |
| Parametre | |
| Supported motherboard formats | Mini-ITX, mATX, ATX |
| Supported PSU format | ATX |
| CPU cooler | up to 190 mm |
| Graphics cards | up to 369 mm |
| Fan | 3× 140 mm |
| Supported liquid radiators | 1× up to 360 mm + 1× up to 240mm |
| 2,5" positions | 5 |
| 3,5" positions | 2 |
| 5,25" positions | 0 |
| Dimensions [H/D/W] (and volume) | 463 × 450 × 232 mm (48 l) |
| Weight | 7.8 kg |
| Materials | steel + ABS plastic + tempered glass |
| Connectivity | 1× USB 3.1 gen. 1 + 1× USB 3.2 gen. 1 Type C + 2× 3.5mm jack |
| Approximate price | 100 euros |
Elegant acquaintance
The content of additional package accessories is at the level of some half cheaper cases. Screws and disposable cable ties are the basics a case needs. For first-timers, there are also instructions on how to assembly the case and what can be customized inside. The manual is fascinating by its design and one will simply open it just out of curiosity, as I did.
After pulling the case out of the box, I stopped for a moment, because it was probably not what I was expecting. The original “wow” effect, which I hoped for, did not come. But the second moment was better. The entire left side is made of tempered glass with a standard thickness of four millimeters. It is attached to the case by 4 screws. Watch out when removing the glass. One wrong move and the glass can end up broken – it is not supported by any step.
Perforations of the front panel give the case a huge advantage. It easily and efficiently pumps cold air through to cool the components. Right in the middle of the panel are two LED RGB strips that can be controlled with a button or through software via the motherboard.
The front part of the case is fully perforated, so it also serves as a dust filter with a thicker particle size. It is possible to completely remove it even though there are LED strips on its surface. This is made possible by the strip power connector which is magnetic. This “cordless” gimmick evoked a sense of innovation in me. I’m definitely not the only one who doesn’t like to open the front panel for cleaning and is afraid to unplug any cable by accident. Either from buttons and connectors located on it or from the LED lighting. With this case, even if it has both, you no longer have to worry.
Behind the first front part is a proper dust filter that we all want. With a fine particle size, it captures even the smallest impurities that the first filter leaks. It holds its place on the case via a magnetic handle and four makeshift hinges. Thanks to this, it can be removed almost immediately.
The upper part disappointed me a bit with its connectivity. When I’m choosing a mid-range case for a hundred euros, I want rich connectivity, at least as in terms of USB connectors. There are two, but one of them is a type C which may not suit everyone. In most households, there are still more USB-A devices than USB-C. The large power button is quite pressure sensitive, so there is no need to push it with great force and it responds almost immediately. The equipment/selection of the front panel then includes another 2× 3.5 mm jack for headphones and microphone and the already mentioned button to change the color and mode of the lighting.
The rest of the upper part is focused on cooling, where one 140 mm Pure wings 2 fan is pre-installed on the inside to remove warm air directly from the processor cooler. Its predecessor does not have one. If that’s not enough for you, you have the option of mounting a water cooling radiator in a 240 mm position. There is also a removable dust filter at the top which is held against the case by four magnets in the corners of the filter, so you don’t have to worry about falling dust.
The left side panel hides a soft cushioning foam on the inside to minimize any possible vibrations that may be transmitted to the panel. There is 2.3 cm of space left for cables which is a decent standard. Fitting the side panel is not a special process. You simply insert it into the grooves and tighten the screws. These come with safety locks and cannot be removed after release, so they will not fall anywhere and you will not lose them.
The last fine dust filter is along the entire bottom of the case. It can be easily removed with a single movement from the bottom of the case, so there is no need to change the stance of the case from vertical to another. The four feet holding the case above the ground have a rubberized surface that prevents slipping on a slippery floor.
