Test System

Assembly

Installing the motherboard is done by traditional means, with the use of spacers and screws. As you can see, the ribbon cable is nicely sized to fit into the top PCIe slot without issue. You could in fact place two GPUs in such a way because of the special Thermaltake frame, but would need to source a second ribbon cable. Your GPU is screwed down with a thumb screw as well.


The plastic trays for the hard drive allow for tool-less assembly when it comes to 3.5" drives. Two sets of plastic clips hold the drive in place nicely. For 2.5" units, you have to remove one of the clips and screw the drive down using traditional screws. Once filled, simply pop them back into the Core P5 TG V2 and secure the whole tray with a thumb screw.


Adding the PSU is essentially a two-step process. First, you simply screw it on to the previously added frame just like you would in a traditional, enclosed chassis. The second element is a support bar that you should screw down to further aid in holding the PSU in place. While I am not too worried with the short 650 W unit I used, those with extra-potent, longer PSUs will find it to be a welcome element. While I mentioned that you may technically install any PSU here, odds are anything too long will start blocking off the cable-management hole.


With everything installed, there is very little cable mess, but I am stretching the tubes of the liquid-cooling setup a little bit as there is loads of room between board and mounting area. All the loose cables are hidden nicely in the main compartment, going underneath the VESA mounting plate. There is really no need to keep things clean with so much room, and it will all be hidden anyways. One could even argue that Thermaltake could have easily added three more storage drives without running into any issues.


Once your system is assembled, you need to screw in the four metal rods for the glass panel. They are held in place by big screws through the main compartment of the Core P5 TG. Thermaltake also provides rubber grommets to ensure the glass panel fits snugly and securely.

Finished Looks

Once turned on, it becomes apparent how important lighting elements are for the Thermaltake Core P5 TG. As an open air case, which is not only beneficial in terms of system temperatures, you also want to have some cool hardware to show off without any obstructions, which it lends itself to well. There is a blue LED that lights up on the side of the Core P5 TG to let you know the system is actually up and running.


Thanks to a very light tint on the window, you can clearly view all the parts inside the chassis up close and in full detail. I see the appeal of hanging it up on the wall somewhere next to your TV or even your work desk. The space savings alone could totally be worth the investment. Naturally, there is not much to see in the rear with the glow of the RGBs within the fans shining through.