be quiet! Pure Base 501 Airflow PC Case Review
Conclusion
Conclusion – Is the Pure Base 501 a good PC case?
As always, be quiet has provided us with a solid chassis with their new Pure Base 501 Airflow. The case features robust construction and simply oozes quality. There isn’t much that we can fault with this case design-wise. That said, we do think it is a shame that it doesn’t ship with an extra 140mm fan at the front of the case.
Cooling-wise, this relatively compact ATX case delivers solid GPU thermal performance, even with only one front fan. Even so, we feel that an extra fan would have turned the Pure Base 501 into an excellent case. As it stands, the Pure Base 501 has to settle for being a good case. Thankfully, users can fix this issue themselves without much added cost.
If you want to buy matching fans for this case, Overclockers UK is currently selling 120mm and 140mm Be Quiet Pure Wings 3 fans for £9.95 each. We recommend that users install an extra 140mm fan at the front of this case, at a minimum. This case uses the standard-speed Pure Wings 3 140m fans, so don’t buy the high-speed versions if you want everything to match.
A solid, if basic, PC case
If I am honest, I am impressed by the 501’s little details. Its vertical GPU mount is simple but elegant and its aesthetic is clean and appealing. It could be argued that this case is on the “basic” side of the PC hardware spectrum. That said, not everyone wants an RGB-clad rainbow PC with an overly angular “gamer” aesthetic.
The be quiet Pure Base 501 is a PC case that is easy to work with. It’s well built and it has all of the features that a PC builder needs. Out of the box, it delivers ample cooling performance, though it can easily be upgraded to deliver better results. It even has a handy vertical GPU option if you’re willing to invest in a PCIe riser cable.
The Pure Base 501 is a solid PC case for gamers. It delivers strong GPU thermals and is priced well. It is more than worthy of consideration, assuming its aesthetic is to your liking.
You can join the discussion on be quiet’s Pure Base 501 Airflow PC case on the OC3D Forums.
