While the Cooler Master MasterBox 500 has the same number in its name as several past MasterBox enclosures, and its general design resembles the MB500 the most, there are marked differences. The faux brushed front and fine metal mesh give way to just one SickleFlow fan, but at least offer cool embedded ARGB elements with a push pin connector and fine metal mesh.

On the interior, the MasterBox 500 offers ample space for gaming-grade hardware and very good cable management attributes. Cooler Master clearly doesn't push the engineering envelope, but provides a solid, useful building experience. In terms of elements that make the case stand out a bit, there is the ARGB controller with the PWM fan hub, which follows that same strategy of usefulness. This is rounded off by the clean and clear glass side panel, with the removable top panel as a USP to differentiate the enclosure from the competition.

That said, there are a few odd shortcomings, too. On one hand, the MasterBox 500 feels slightly fragile both in the front and from a structural point of view. The interior, while functional, is nothing to call home about, and things like the basic mesh dust filter on the underside and inability to retain the 3.5" drive bays with a long PSU simply don't reflect why the chassis costs this much. On top of that, the rear fan is a basic, non-ARGB RPM fan, which feels out of place, too.

Would the chassis cost $100–$120, one could absolutely argue that you forgo fans for some of the more unique functionality. But at $160, it is simply way too expensive. Cases in that price segment may not offer that removable top cover, but score with four or more ARGB fans, engineering, and I/O, which unfortunately makes it impossible to recommend the Cooler Master MasterBox 500.