Thermaltake The Tower 500

Thermaltake's The Tower 500 is an E-ATX case that doesn't play by the usual rules. The thing that sets The Tower 500 apart is that the logic behind the design seems to be based on appearance, rather than function. You can draw cooling air in through the vented sections in the floor of the case and there are large mesh sections in the main compartment however if you pack out the case with storage drives the two compartments are effectively separated.

Overall, if you opt for the Tower 500, you end up with a unique ATX case with lots of space, thoughtful design details, and plenty flexibility. All at a price that feels like it doesn't break the bank for something out of the ordinary, which makes it recommendable despite the slightly higher operating temperatures.

The Tower 500 is finally a refreshingly “different” case with many cool approaches, high flexibility and a show factor not to be despised. The workmanship can be judged positively throughout and the lush material thicknesses convey a high-quality feel. Thanks to the flexible arrangement, the user also has various options for experimenting with the airflow. If it weren't for the problem with the possible water cooling internals.

While the rotated motherboard orientation allows you to really show off your hardware and graphics cards, it takes make for higher than normal thermals. We experienced this on both our CPU and GPU in load situations. White the case does come with two fans, for proper airflow around these components you will likely need to pickup a couple more fans.