Cooler Master has added yet another mid-tower chassis to their MasterBox series; the K500L seems to offer good features and plenty of space, all for a low asking price.
Product on Review: MasterBox K500L
Manufacturer & Sponsor: Cooler Master
Street Price: £55 GBP / $119 AUD
Cooler Master need no introduction in the computer chassis division. They can be regarded as one of the longest standing case manufacturers in the industry and have supplied some of the most popular designs.
Of the different series, The MasterBox line is the most abundant and features mid-tower models which are aimed at enthusiasts and gamers who are on a tighter budget. One of the most recent additions to this series is the MasterBox K500L – another mid-tower with subtle gamer aesthetics. For the low asking price, this case arrives with a triple fan configuration and support for high-performance kit.
So, if you’re in the market for a decent mid-tower case but prefer to keep the extra funds for components, this might be the ideal enclosure for you. Read on to find out more!
About Cooler Master
Cooler Master has done its utmost to build not only tangible incentives for innovation, but also a corporate culture that embraces change and creativity. The company rewards successful risk-taking by employees, regardless of whether it is rationalization of an administrative task that speeds up workflow, or a design improvement that enhances the functionality of device product. Innovation is also encouraged in the process of finding new applications for technological breakthroughs in products and services for Cooler Master customers. In fact, the ultimate aim of innovation at Cooler Master is always aims to enable technology to actually benefit customers. To provide this level of innovation, Cooler Master has built up elite R& 
teams composed of outstanding engineers, many with advanced degrees, and including thermal, mechanical and materials engineers to provide specialized expertise in each of these fields. These superb teams take advantage of a sophisticated design process workflow that ensures efficiency and provides scope for innovations that are reflected in real-world enhancements. Strict process controls ensure maximum efficiency and quality at each step, beginning with thermal simulations, and proceeding to mechanical design, evaluation of mock-up samples, and on to experimental production runs, process testing, thermal and reliability testing, and finally pilot runs and mass production.
teams composed of outstanding engineers, many with advanced degrees, and including thermal, mechanical and materials engineers to provide specialized expertise in each of these fields. These superb teams take advantage of a sophisticated design process workflow that ensures efficiency and provides scope for innovations that are reflected in real-world enhancements. Strict process controls ensure maximum efficiency and quality at each step, beginning with thermal simulations, and proceeding to mechanical design, evaluation of mock-up samples, and on to experimental production runs, process testing, thermal and reliability testing, and finally pilot runs and mass production.Technical Specifications
Below are the technical specifications surrounding MasterBox K500L.
Detailed Look Video
For this review we’ve created a detailed video review of the K500L, exploring all of the features, along with hardware limitations such as CPU cooler, graphics card and water cooling support. Watch our K500L video review, or click play below!
Thermal Performance Testing
Inside the MasterBox K500L we have a push-pull configuration using three 120mm fans – two are located at the front as intakes and one is located at the rear as an exhaust. This type of arrangement usually yields great results.
To discover the thermal performance of K500L we will record idle temperatures after 20 minutes from a cold boot. We will then stress the system and temperatures will again be monitored after 30 minutes have elapsed.
NOTE: Ambient temperature is 20C
System Components
CPU Intel Pentium K G3258 @ 4GHz
Motherboard GIGABYTE Z87X-D3H
CPU Cooler Cooler Master Hyper 212 LED Turbo
Graphics NVIDIA GTX 1080 Ti
Memory 4GB Kingston HyperX DDR3
HDD Samsung Spinpoint 500GB SATA-II
PSU Corsair RM850
Motherboard GIGABYTE Z87X-D3H
CPU Cooler Cooler Master Hyper 212 LED Turbo
Graphics NVIDIA GTX 1080 Ti
Memory 4GB Kingston HyperX DDR3
HDD Samsung Spinpoint 500GB SATA-II
PSU Corsair RM850
Noise
Noise emission from K500L can be regarded as either disruptive, or quiet. Since the panels aren’t especially thick, noise from the system can be heard but we don’t feel it will bother a majority of system builders.
Conclusion
The MasterBox series has been recruiting a multitude of new models lately and the K500L is just one of the new mid-towers to join this popular product line. For any system builder who likes what MasterBox has to offer, it’s very likely that K500L will not disappoint.
While this case is clearly aimed at the gamer, the styling is quite conservative and isn’t too extravagant. At this price point, Cooler Master done well to offer up a desirable combo – three cooling fans are included and the dual configuration at the front delivers a warm glow when the system is powered up.
Inside the K500L, there is sufficient space to include high-performance CPU coolers and flagship graphics cards but there are some limitations for liquid coolers. Larger units which feature a 240mm radiator or bigger will need to be installed at the front of the chassis due to the tight clearance above the motherboard. We should also add that if you choose to go with a 280mm radiator install, SSDs cannot be installed into the two spots beside the motherboard tray – an obstruction occurs between the SSD and radiator.
Although there isn’t a lot of space behind the motherboard tray, thanks to the abundant allowance of hooks and cavities, cables can be easily tucked away and arranged in a tidy manner.
Our experience with K500L is positive but there are a few areas which could be improved. We’d like to see another SSD bracket included at the very least, in the current state, only one bracket is included although there are four slots around the motherboard to install such a drive. Following on from our video production we also found the HDD trays to present an annoyance; the metal pins which are used to slot into the holes on the drive dislodge from the tray and fitting them back in is rather troublesome – fitment is poor. We’d like to see this improved however minor it may be.
The MasterBox K500L arrives at a cost of just £55 GBP – $119 AUD. This represents great value for money considering the inclusion of three cooling fans (two LED ready) and the flexibility of hardware support within.
If you’re on the hunt for a low-cost mid-tower then the new Cooler Master MasterBox K500L is a superb choice. It comes with plenty of space, a well-mapped out design and even includes a trio of cooling fans!
Pros
+ Appealing gamer aesthetic
+ Excellent value for money
+ Includes three cooling fans
+ Good compatibility for hardware
+ Great cable management features
+ Available with solid or acrylic panels
Cons
– Only one SSD bracket included
– Large radiators can only be installed at front
– Flimsy PSU filter
– Pins on HDD trays pop out too easily
+ Appealing gamer aesthetic
+ Excellent value for money
+ Includes three cooling fans
+ Good compatibility for hardware
+ Great cable management features
+ Available with solid or acrylic panels
Cons
– Only one SSD bracket included
– Large radiators can only be installed at front
– Flimsy PSU filter
– Pins on HDD trays pop out too easily
Click here for an explanation of our awards at Vortez.net.
Stay connected with the Vortez Social Media pages:
Join in with the discussions on Discord
