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Anurak Grubb photo
Japan, Tokyo
1 Level
711 Review
35 Karma

Review on Phanteks PH EC500ATG_DBK01 Full Metal Mid Tower Digital RGB by Anurak Grubb

Revainrating 4 out of 5

Function over form: Computer case

While the P500A doesn't have the bells and whistles you'd expect from a modern gaming PC, the P500A impresses with its superior design and build. metal and plastic components. The tempered glass side panel is heavy duty and easy to remove and reinstall. No need to fiddle with thumbscrews here. Spacious cable management area with integrated attachment straps. Pretty much the entire bottom fifth of the case is open unless you're installing hard drives. The SDD mounting brackets provide good cushioning and are easy to remove. Their position flush with the motherboard mounting wall makes them farther away than traditional hard drive bays. The front grille is minimally blocked while still allowing room for three 140mm fans for excellent airflow. Despite the number and size of the fans, the case is surprisingly quiet even under load. Some Complaints and Notes: - If you want to use the front I/O buttons to control the case and fan LEDs, you should NOT connect the D_RGB cable to the motherboard. This allows you to control the LEDs with the motherboard, but completely disables the LED buttons on the front I/O panel. Only two USB 3.0 ports and 1 USB-C port are pretty meager for the front I/O panel. I would recommend buying a hub or actively using your motherboard's onboard USB slots. Although the case can accommodate a large number of fans, it does not have a built-in fan hub. Don't make the same mistake I did: get an aftermarket fan hub! (In my previous case there was such a sleeve, hence the error.) The sidewall is only held in place by magnets, so there can be problems during transport. The side panel also has no special handle, just a too small cutout in the case. the opportunity to try to pull myself together. Have a microfiber cloth handy to wipe away those inevitable fingerprints.

Pros
  • Handy thing
Cons
  • Angry