The Thermaltake A500 chassis with its aluminium panels and potent liquid-cooling options has become a popular choice with the enthusiast crowd. However, with a fairly high price tag of around $250, it is certainly not an option for a large crowd. Thermaltake has done a great job of taking the look and feel of the A500 along with its core functionality and making it available at a much more attainable price point when designing the S500 TG. Gone is the second glass panel and some visual elements, like the hinges and elaborately shaped glass panel. In addition to this, the interior frame is different but essentially just as functional. Gone is also the USB Type-C port and Thermaltake's approach to modularity called "DMD".

What you are left with is a sweet-looking case that is extremely sturdy and manages to delivery tangible functionality where it counts at a fraction of the price. You may still install multiple large radiators with ample storage options for most users left, even though some may want more than just two 3.5" trays. On top of that, there is a ton of space both in the main compartment and behind the motherboard tray to assemble everything, especially considering you can essentially remove every panel for access during assembly.

While the ability to install GPUs vertically is pretty cool as well, you will still have to spend some extra money on the required PCIe ribbon cable—just like with most traditional cases in this price segment that offer a combination of horizontal and vertical slots. This feature then basically boils down to the unique ability to install two GPUs vertically with the right accessory. While pretty cool, I wonder whether the production savings of going with a more classic 8 + 2 slot approach and adding more HDD cages or fans would have been more appealing to the mass market this case is geared towards.

Regardless, the Thermaltake S500 TG clocks in at that magic $100 mark, comes with an excellent material mix, and can essentially hold every piece of hardware you can throw at it, and it comes with a functional feature set resulting in a clean build no matter whether you go for some serious liquid cooling or a potent air-cooling setup. Well done, Thermaltake!