Review System

Assembly

Installing the motherboard is done with screws and spacers. There is no room at the bottom edge of the case, but as there are two openings in the shroud, cable management should be just fine. On top of that, the two grommet-covered openings are properly placed as well. Adding a GPU is straightforward, with loads of room for even longer units. With clearance of up to 410 mm, you may throw just about any graphics card into the MasterBox 500.


Adding an SSD requires no tools. Just pop the rubber grommets into place, screw the pin-style screws into the drive with your bare hands, and push the drive into place. Cooler Master has been refining the pins used for this purpose over time, and the current iteration holds the drive securely.


Adding a 3.5" drive does not require tools, either. You simply pull apart the plastic tray, insert the drive, and squeeze it together.


That whole contraption may then be pushed back into one of two positions underneath the shroud until it snaps into place securely.


Adding a PSU doesn't deviate from the usual process for a modern chassis. Simply slide your PSU underneath the shroud and use classic screws to secure it. There is ample room, so you should not have to sacrifice your HDD cage for all but the most extreme scenarios.


Preparing an AIO for the ceiling of the chassis is very easy because of the fully removable top cover. Once it is secured to that, drop it onto the top of the case and proceed to screw everything down. As you can see, there is ample room for such coolers to fit without colliding with any components on the motherboard.


With everything installed, the Cooler Master MasterBox 500 makes a very clean impression. As you can see, the PCIe power cable has been routed straight up and through the shroud, which also keeps line of sight to your GPU unobstructed. In the rear, everything is neatly arranged with zip ties thanks to the many hooks.

Finished Looks

Turning the Cooler Master MasterBox 500 on for the first time, the subtle embedded ARGB in the front adds a nice bit of flair. The SickleFlow fan with its hub-mounted ARGB adds to that as well. That said, neither being very bright diminishes the effect a little bit in a well-lit room. Just like with most modern Cooler Master enclosures, the power button lights up white as an additional little piece of branding.


Looking straight at the front of the chassis, the lighting really makes the difference, adding that bit of flair the case needs to stand out. Thanks to the clear window, you can also clearly see your installed hardware components, and the rear bears no surprises as the internal layout is quite traditional.