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In terms of value, you can’t go far wrong by choosing the Deepcool CL500 for your next PC build, especially if a high airflow case with great thermal performance is what you are looking for. The build quality of the case seems to be of a high standard which is typical of Deepcool products these days, the chassis frame and plastic panels all have a solid feel to them. Even with all the side panels removed, there isn’t much flex in the chassis frame at all.
The aesthetics of the Deepcool CL500 may divide opinion, however, I quite like the look of its almost giant heatsink appearance which gives the case a somewhat industrial look. Unlike many modern cases designed for high airflow with large open mesh front panels, Deepcool has taken a different direction with the appearance which offers consumers with an alternative to a mass of mesh at the front of an airflow case, which is great.
Recent Deepcool cases carrying the GamerStorm tag such as the Macube series have featured solid front panels, the CL500 is not a GamerStorm branded case so maybe Deepcool is thinking the aesthetics may not appeal to gamers and expects the CL500 to be used in an office or home environment by professionals. The case will certainly fit in well in these situations, but I see no reason why you wouldn’t use this case for a gaming system, especially since it features great airflow and cooling potential.
While we are on the subject of airflow, its worth mentioning that this is one area that the CL500 excels. During our thermal performance tests, we found that the front panel is doing a great job in helping keep the temperature of system components under control. With the panel removed from the case, component temperature during our stress tests barely reduced, which means that the front panel offers very little airflow resistance.
There are not a huge number of unique features in the CL500, but what is included works very well. The chassis layout is almost identical to the Macube 310 but with the addition of a plastic fan mounting panel at the top of the chassis providing space for top-mounted radiators or AIOs which wasn’t possible in the Macube 310, so this is a handy addition giving users more choice of radiator placement.
With the front-mounted radiator fans installed between the inner and outer front panels, it creates more space inside the chassis, therefore even with a long graphics card installed there is a health gap between the GPU and the radiator. This space should be enough to install a pump/res combo so the case could be a viable budget option to use for custom water cooling.
A couple of features included with the CL500 have been used in previous Deepcool cases to good effect. The most useful feature for me is the VGA anti-sag bracket. It's not just a gimmick either, it works and is a very simple solution to a problem that has existed since graphics cards became long and heavy. Using the bracket is also very easy and it should support almost any GPU on the market.
Another important area of a PC case is the cable management features. Deepcool has got most of this right with a 23mm cable management space on the right-hand side of the case, multiple cable tie-down points and cable passthrough cut-outs in the correct places. However, a slight let down is the number of cut-outs with rubber grommets, I would have liked to see grommets on all or at least the cut-outs in the PSU shroud as it makes the end product look neater.
One other area where you can see that the purse strings have been tightened is with the dust filter at the bottom of the case. A very flimsy piece of perforated metal mesh sits at the bottom of the case to filter dust from entering the power supply fan. Because this filter doesn’t slide out, it means that the system must be tipped over to remove the filter which is a little disappointing.
Taken as a whole, the Deepcool CL500 is a good value, well-built case with some interesting features and a unique appearance. If you are currently in the market for a high airflow case that costs under £100, the Deepcool CL500 is worth buying.
The Deepcool CL500 PC case is available to purchase from Amazon UK now, priced at £79.99. It is also available from Scan HERE.
Pros:
- Excellent airflow.
- Great thermal performance.
- Unique industrial appearance
- Handy built-in features.
Cons:
- PSU dust filter could be improved.
- 3.5-inch HDD cage not fully removable.
KitGuru says: The Deepcool CL500 mid-tower case is an excellent all-rounder with great airflow, solid build quality and some handy features built-in. If you have £80 to spend on a case and need high airflow, extensive hardware support and good looks, the CL500 could be an ideal choice.
