be quiet! brings RGB to its value-oriented Pure Base 501 case series, adding more style to an already nice frame. Whether you are looking for a compact or a well-ventilated chassis, the 501 lineup has you covered.
These new additions to the Pure Base 501 series come in two slightly different variants – DX and LX, each available in black or white to suit your build. Pure Base 501 DX focuses on subtle built-in case lighting using RGB strips in the front and inside, whereas Pure Base 501 LX blasts your hardware with colour thanks to four Light Wings RGB fans. If you are wondering why be quiet! didn’t go with separate lit and stealthy versions instead, well because it already offers the latter with Pure Base 501 Airflow.
These new RGB models are targeting those who liked the price and design of the 501 series but want some lighting to go with their RGB RAM and liquid coolers. I prefer the black Pure Base 501 DX due to its fine lighting and performance fans. Price is also a factor, after all this is a value series.
Looks aside, Pure Base 501 DX and LX both share a similar internal layout offering support for ATX motherboards, 368mm graphics cards, 178mm CPU coolers, and 200mm PSUs. Despite their compact 450mm (L) x 231mm (W) x 449mm (H) dimensions, these chassis carry five 2.5in drive bays – two of which can accommodate 3.5 HDDs, an ARGB hub in the case of the LX version, plus enough room behind the motherboard tray to hide your cables. You can even install your graphics card in a vertical orientation using the optional PCIe riser cable, giving more flair to your machine.
Cooling-wise, you get space for up to six fans, two 140mm or three 120mm on the front, one 140/120mm on the rear, and two 140/120mm up top. If you are into liquid cooling, you can instead install up to a 360mm radiator in the front, 140mm in the rear, or 240mm up top. And to protect your hardware from dust, you will find removable filters in the front, top, and bottom.
Out of the box, you get three Pure Wings 3 140mm fans on Pure Base 501 DX and four Light Wings LX 120mm RGB fans on Pure Base 501 LX. The latter trades some performance for the RGB looks, but not much all things considered. If you like some figures, be quiet! rates the 140mm Pure Wings 3 for 57.4cfm of airflow and 0.96mmH2O of pressure at 21.9dBA of noise, against 51.5cfm and 1.34mmH2O at 25.5dBA on the 120mm Light Wings LX. Lastly, two USB 3.2 Type-A, one USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C, plus one combo audio jack make up front connectivity.
| Model | LED Strip | Fans | ARGB Hub | MSRP |
| Pure Base 501 DX Black | Front+inside | 3x Pure Wings 3 | No | $124.90 €124.90 £89.99 |
| Pure Base 501 DX White | Front+inside | 3x Pure Wings 3 | No | $129.90 €129.90 £89.99 |
| Pure Base 501 LX Black | No | 4x Light Wings LX | Yes | $139.90 €139.90 £99.99 |
| Pure Base 501 LX White | No | 4x Light Wings LX | Yes | $144.90 €144.90 £99.99 |
Pure Base 501 LX and Pure Base 501 DX cases will be available starting March 11 at the prices above, backed by a three-year warranty.
