The premise of the Thermaltake Ceres 500 TG ARGB is pretty clear. It means to offer users a mid-tower form-factor with 140 mm fans and the ability to install the biggest air coolers or plenty of liquid cooling. On top of that Thermaltake leans on their USPs like their patented expansion slot design or unique LCD Panel add-on by incorporating those into the design of the Ceres 500 TG ARGB. For $170, the case doesn't come across as overly affordable at first thought. There are plenty of ATX enclosures out there with similar IO and four fan setups for as low as $100, even offering ARGB & Fan Hubs. The $70 premium of the Thermaltake case does get you a better material mix, bigger fans and several functional features, thus this aspect to the chassis can be considered adequate.

That said, the build quality of the Ceres 500 TG ARGB is great for the most part, with thick plastic that feels very sturdy on the exterior and the use of metal for the GPU support bracket. The only gripe are the weak magnets for dust filters that add a slight annoyance to the build experience at times.

Thermaltake did dimension the chassis extremely well, so that there more than enough room for even the heftiest air coolers, but also fitting a 360 AIO in the ceiling of the case still allows for full access to the motherboard connectors, while ensuring very good use of available space with up to eight 2.5" or five 3.5" drives supported. The clean hinged glass panel as well as the attention to design details around the Ceres 500 TG ARGB, like the uniquely shaped steel side of the chassis, also adds some less tangible value to the chassis to further justify the price tag.

Overall, the Thermaltake Ceres 500 TG ARGB performs well and while it has a few quips that may be eyebrow raising during the assembly process, none of them are deal breakers. While the case doesn't provide bang for your buck if you are just using it for a basic build, it is a recommendable chassis under the premise that you actually end up up really utilizing its features - be it the GPU support bracket, or radiator flexibility and plentiful storage options while also eyeing the LCD Panel Kit upgrade down the line.