A Closer Look - Outside

Out of the box, the X500 looks pretty sleek and clean. I am always a fan of understated and simple enclosures, and the front panel has this very subtle brushed structure, which does help make everything look less like plastic. However, the whole front is pretty soft, and I was able to push down on it to deform it fairly easily under pressure. On top of that, the front cover isn't black, but this milky dark gray hue, which doesn't help, either.


Two white strips on either side of the front panel hold RGB LEDs and diffuse them once they are turned on. You may pull the cover off with a firm tug to reveal the three fans in the front of the chassis. Having this many fans pre-installed here is a pretty nice touch for sure, and while all black, these are of very good quality. You can also clearly see the side vents on the front panel, which should allow for plenty of airflow. Unfortunately, there is no removable dust filter here, so fine dirt and grime will be pulled in as well. In the rear, the layout looks pretty traditional with the PSU bay on the bottom.


Looking at the main side panel, there is a large, fairly heavily tinted window held in place by four thumb screws. Plenty of brands have figured out how to frame the glass without these large screws, and also moved away from glass panels which are too dark as the whole point is to show off your hardware. On the opposite side, a sturdy, solid side panel made out of steel allows you to hide the cable mess within the Sharkhan X500.


The PSU bay comes with two sets of mounting holes for you to install your power supply any way you wish. Above that are the seven expansion slots. Unfortunately, Sharkhan has decided to make all but one of the breakout kind, which is in my humble opinion a no-go for a chassis of this price segment. In the very top is a 120 mm fan set to push air out the back, which may also be adjusted vertically to align with your internal CPU cooler. This fan is actually equipped with RGB LEDs as well and brings the total number of active cooling units within the X500 to an absolutely solid and respectable four. Another very important positive aspect is the amount of room you have above the fan, which means that radiator setups in the ceiling should not get in the way of your motherboard.


On the top of the chassis, you will find a high-quality metal mesh cover that is held in place by magnetic strips. Underneath it are plenty of mounting holes for either three 120 mm or two 140 mm fans. This also translates into radiator support of up to 280 and 360 mm radiators. Sharkhan has also equipped the X500 with a full set of standard I/O consisting of two USB 2.0, two USB 3.0, and the usual pair of audio plugs. Additionally, there are the power and reset buttons and a toggle switch for the RGB elements. All the USB ports are covered by silicone dust covers, which is certainly a nice touch.


The whole underside is covered by a simple metal mesh cover. While the layer of protection is great, the norm these days is one that may be pulled out the back of the case without having to tip over the full system.