The be quiet! Pure Base 500DX is a mid tower PC case from German manufacturer be quiet!, designed to balance sound dampening with adequate airflow and visual appeal. It comes with three pre-installed Pure Wings 2 140mm fans and an ARGB lighting strip controlled via a bundled be quiet! controller. Available in black and white, it sits in the mid-range segment of the market and targets builders who prioritise a quieter system without sacrificing modern connectivity or aesthetics. View the be quiet! Pure Base 500DX on Amazon UK.
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Available Variants
The Pure Base 500DX is sold in two colour options:
- Pure Base 500DX Black — matte black exterior with black interior
- Pure Base 500DX White — white exterior with white interior
Both variants ship with an identical hardware specification: three Pure Wings 2 140mm fans (two fitted at the front intake, one at the rear exhaust), a front-panel ARGB lighting strip, and a dedicated be quiet! ARGB controller. There are no differences in specification between the two colour options.
Full Specifications
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Case type | Mid tower |
| Motherboard support | ATX, Micro-ATX, Mini-ITX |
| Dimensions (H × W × D) | 463 × 232 × 450mm |
| Weight | 7.6kg |
| GPU clearance | 369mm |
| CPU cooler clearance | 190mm |
| PSU length | 225mm maximum |
| Front I/O | 2× USB-A 3.0, 1× USB-C 3.2 Gen 1, 3.5mm audio + microphone combo |
| Drive bays | 2× 3.5″ HDD, 2× 2.5″ SSD (expandable with additional brackets) |
| Fan slots — front | 3× 120mm or 2× 140mm |
| Fan slots — top | 2× 120mm or 2× 140mm |
| Fan slots — rear | 1× 120mm |
| Included fans | 2× Pure Wings 2 140mm (front), 1× Pure Wings 2 140mm (rear) |
| Radiator support — front | Up to 360mm |
| Radiator support — top | Up to 360mm |
| Radiator support — rear | Up to 120mm |
| PCIe expansion slots | 7 |
| Sound dampening | Front, top, and side panels lined |
| ARGB lighting | Yes — front strip with bundled be quiet! controller |
| Dust filters | Top (magnetic), front, PSU bottom |
Compatibility Notes
The 369mm GPU clearance accommodates the vast majority of current graphics cards. The RTX 4090 Founders Edition (336mm in length) fits within this limit with some margin; however, several RTX 4090 AIB (add-in board partner) models exceed 369mm in length. Builders intending to install a triple-slot or triple-fan AIB RTX 4090 should verify the exact length of their chosen card against the 369mm maximum before purchasing.
The 360mm top radiator support is noteworthy for this price bracket. Many cases at a similar price point limit top radiator support to 240mm or 280mm, making the Pure Base 500DX a reasonable option for builders planning an all-in-one or custom loop liquid cooling system with a 360mm radiator mounted at the top.
The 190mm CPU cooler height clearance is sufficient for most large tower air coolers, including models such as the be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4 (162.8mm) and the Noctua NH-D15 (165mm). Builders using oversized coolers should confirm height specifications with the individual cooler manufacturer.
The sound dampening panels on the front, top, and side restrict airflow to a degree compared with open-mesh case designs. This is a deliberate engineering trade-off: the dampening material absorbs high-frequency noise from fans and hard drives, but cases with fully perforated or mesh fronts will generally achieve lower internal temperatures under sustained load with the same fan configuration.
Pure Base 500DX vs Pure Base 500
The Pure Base 500 is the non-DX version of the same chassis. The two cases share the same overall form factor and build quality but differ in several key areas:
- ARGB lighting: The 500DX includes a front ARGB strip and controller; the standard 500 has no RGB lighting
- Front I/O: The 500DX adds a USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 port absent from the standard 500
- Fan configuration: The 500DX ships with three Pure Wings 2 140mm fans; the standard 500 ships with two 140mm fans (one front, one rear)
- Price: The standard Pure Base 500 is priced lower, making it the option for builders who do not need RGB or USB-C on the front panel
The DX suffix consistently denotes the enhanced specification across be quiet!’s product range — expect additional lighting, improved connectivity, and a slightly higher included fan count compared to the base model.
How It Compares to Similar Cases
| Feature | be quiet! Pure Base 500DX | Fractal Design Define 7 | Fractal Design North | Lian Li Lancool 216 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price range (UK) | ~£90–£100 | ~£130–£160 | ~£110–£130 | ~£80–£100 |
| Sound dampening | Yes — front, top, side | Yes — extensive | Partial | Minimal |
| GPU clearance | 369mm | 467mm | 355mm | 400mm |
| Included fans | 3× 140mm | 2× 140mm | 2× 140mm | 2× 160mm ARGB |
| Front panel type | Solid with dampening | Solid with dampening | Mesh with wood accent | Mesh |
| ARGB | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Top radiator maximum | 360mm | 420mm | 280mm | 360mm |
The Fractal Design Define 7 offers a more premium build and greater GPU clearance but at a significantly higher price. The Fractal Design North occupies a similar price segment with a distinctive aesthetic but is more focused on airflow than noise reduction. The Lian Li Lancool 216 prioritises airflow over sound dampening and suits builders who prefer maximum thermal performance over quiet operation.
Who the Pure Base 500DX Suits
The Pure Base 500DX is well suited to builders where noise reduction is a primary consideration — home office environments, bedroom builds, or any setup where fan noise during everyday computing tasks is undesirable.
The combination of three included 140mm fans, multi-panel sound dampening, 360mm radiator support at both the front and top, and an ARGB lighting system at this price point represents strong value. Builders do not need to purchase additional fans out of the box, and the included be quiet! controller simplifies ARGB management without requiring a compatible motherboard header.
The Pure Base 500DX is less well suited to the following scenarios:
- Maximum airflow builds: Builders running high-TDP processors and GPUs who prioritise the lowest possible temperatures over noise will find mesh-front cases such as the Lian Li Lancool 216 or Fractal Design Torrent more appropriate
- Oversized AIB GPU installations: Builders planning to install an RTX 4090 AIB card longer than 369mm will need to confirm compatibility or select an alternative chassis with greater GPU clearance
- ITX small form factor builds: While Mini-ITX motherboards are supported, the mid tower chassis is designed around standard ATX builds and is not optimised for compact ITX configurations
For builders who want a quiet, well-equipped mid tower with modern I/O, a generous radiator clearance, and ARGB lighting without purchasing fans separately, the Pure Base 500DX is a practical and well-specified choice in the £90–£100 segment.
View the be quiet! Pure Base 500DX on Amazon UK
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