A Closer Look - Outside

Out of the box, the Thermaltake Ceres 500 TG ARGB sports a pretty polarizing design - subjectively speaking. It has straight edges at the top cover with two lines forming a 90° bend. That stands in somewhat stark contrast to the front with its rounded top and bottom. Then there is that main design element in the shape of the metal front frame which is bent forward at a 45° angle at the bottom and adds a second color hue to the case with its gunmetal grey. The only gripe we had was the fact that the knob to lock the glass panel was installed on top of the plastic protective film of the glass panel, so that you are forced to disassemble this to get all the plastic removed.


Thermaltake has done well by providing creating a large vent in the front which allows for unrestricted airflow and has managed to add a bit of a design element into the panel as well, which really helps to avoid an otherwise monotone surface & vent. The backward bend on the bottom of the panel draws your focus to the metal component and the company branding nicely, so that Thermaltake is able to get away with a small, subtle, black logo nicely. You may pull the plastic component off the metal frame to reveal the three 140 mm ARGB equipped intake fans which are mounted in the front of the chassis frame to give you an unobstructed view of the cooling units. The black component of the panel also holds a fine mesh dust filter. It utilizes magnets to keep it in place which are unfortunately not very strong. Looking at the rear, the Ceres 500 TG ARGB sports the classic modern case layout with the PSU bay at the bottom of the chassis.


While the Ceres 500 TG ARGB utilizes a clean hinged glass side panel, it does show that Thermaltake has a eye towards a bit of detail with the case design as there are only two black strips of different widths on the back and front edges of the glass to hide unsightly frame components. The PSU shroud has been split in two, with the rear providing another vent in the same design as those on the front and top of the chassis. While there isn't much functionality to it, if you happen to have a power supply with ARGB built in, this gives you a chance to at least show it off somewhat. The front section is a solid steel panel that may be replaced by the Thermaltake LCD Panel Kit which is sold separately. On the opposite side of the chassis, Thermaltake has not simply placed a flat steel side panel, but mimics the design even though this is all just one big metal piece - once again a nice attention to detail.


The locking mechanism on the Thermaltake Ceres TG ARGB is a big knob which feels oddly out of place. There is no reason why Thermaltake could not have used a couple of strong magnets instead as the knob does not offer any additional security anyways. You will also find the I/O panel embedded on the side of the front panel. It consists of the usual buttons and LEDs as well as the modern standard of two USB 3.0 ports, one USB-C connector and two audio plugs. The USB 3.0 ports are OEM blue, which is a bit unfortunate. The only reason this was ever established was so that users could easily differentiate between USB 2.0 and 3.0 ports, but since the Ceres 500 TG ARGB doesn't have that need, Thermaltake should have opted for all black plugs instead.


In the rear, at the bottom of the chassis, there is the PSU bay which utilizes a mounting frame so that you may slide in your power supply from the back of the enclosure. Above that are the seven expansion slots which come mounted inside Thermaltake's signature, patented frame that may be rotated 90° to allow for vertical GPU mounting should you have the right riser cable. In the very top, there is another 140 mm exhaust fan, which is also equipped with ARGB. This means that you should also be able to install big air coolers without issue, something Thermaltake also confirms by communicating clearance of up to 182 mm. Above the fan on the back, there is also plenty of space to suggest that an AIO will find room without interfering with your motherboard. If you look closer, you will see two zip tie hooks on the left edge of the chassis. That is a nice touch, but Thermaltake could have made them larger and added a third one at the bottom next to the PSU bay. Such improvements would them allow them to include three Velcro strips for the purpose of cleanly routing your exterior cables as well in the best possible way.


Looking at the top panel, you will find another mix of plastic and steel which covers the mounting frame for three 120 or 140 mm fans. The plastic of the top panel is nice and thick, thus making it very sturdy. It also holds a fine mesh dust filter with magnets, which are too weak to keep it secured well unfortunately.


On the underside of the chassis, there is a full length dust filter meant to keep dirt and grime out of the PSU and rest of the chassis. You may pull the filter out through the front of the case, which is the best possible solution as you will always have easy, immediate access to it.