Thermaltake Ceres 500 TG ARGB PC case full review

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The Thermaltake Ceres 500 TG ARGB is a standard ATX format case with ample dimensions to accommodate 420mm radiators in the front. It maximizes airflow with multiple mesh panels with filters, and it comes with 4 RGB fans. Access is made easy with its glass door.

Exterior design

Looking at the exterior design, we can see a transparent 3mm tempered glass door on the left side which only shows the main compartment. It has rear hinges that allow for an oscillating-type opening and a rotary latch in the front.

Two removable individual plates are used for the PSU area, one with a grille and filter coinciding with the location of the PSU, and another opaque one that can be replaced with the LCD screen kit marketed by Thermaltake.

Located in this area is the I/O port panel, which includes 2x USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A, 2x 3.5mm jacks for audio and microphone, power button, reset button, and power and hard drive indicator LEDs.

Moving to the right side area, we can see the typical steel plate with rear anchoring by 3 screws and front fastening tabs. The PSU area has a dust filter grille, which is integrated into the plate itself.

In the front area, we see a honeycomb metal grille with a particle filter and covered little holes that give it a unique touch. It is installed on a rigid plastic frame, which can be removed by pushing from the side corners of the top part, but it may be challenging at first. After this element, we find a second black metal frame that integrates with the wedge-type bottom edge.

Moving to the top area, we see a large opening with a honeycomb grille integrated on a plastic frame that can be removed by loosening the two rear screws. The thickness of the frame allows for fans on both the outer and inner faces, and the washable particle filter is easily removable.

At the rear area, we have a standard format with a 140mm fan at the top next to the port area, a bottom panel with 7 expansion slots, and a bottom PSU area. The slot panel allows for a 90º rotation, allowing vertical placement and installation of a GPU without thickness limit. An additional frame is available to install the PSU, which can be inserted from the back or the cable area with ease.

Finally, the bottom area has 4 anti-vibration surface legs and a large longitudinal opening from end to end protected with a plastic frame particle filter. The filter is removable and washable, and it is fixed by rails, making it easy to remove by simply pulling it back.

Interior and capacity

Upon removing all the covers of the Thermaltake Ceres 500 TG ARGB, we can access the spacious interior compartment that is compatible with Mini ITX, Micro ATX, ATX, and E-ATX motherboards. If we install the latter format, the two holes with rubber caps for cable routing will be covered, but we can use the 3 lower holes, which also have rubber covers.

The I/O panel cables are routed through the front area, and there is a hole behind the motherboard for easy access to the socket and cooler without removing the motherboard. Just above it, there is another relatively large opening to route fan cables or CPU EPS. We also have small holes stuck to the front where we can route fan cables.

In the PSU compartment, a vertical graphics card holding system is installed as standard, but no cable riser is included. There is a grille to allow air to pass from the bottom area, which makes sense when complemented with the grilles on each side. The space to install the cooler on the front is quite tight, which forces us to install or maintain the fans on the outer face.

The thickness of 245mm in this chassis allows for a spacious interior space, which can accommodate air coolers of up to 185mm maximum height and graphics cards up to 425mm maximum length. However, the length of the graphics card is limited to 395mm if a cooler is installed on the front. These measurements are allowed both vertically and horizontally, thanks to the rotatable slot panel that enables the installation of practically any thickness, making it ideal for high-performance GPUs that measure up to 70mm.

Cable space and storage capacity

Moving to the cable area, we find approximately 25mm of free space necessary for installing storage units. The I/O panel cables are perfectly routed through the central area by means of Velcro loops. The fan cables are also well routed along the top and front edges.

On the plate that holds the motherboard, we find two large metal brackets fixed by two tabs and a screw, which can accommodate either 1 3.5″ HDD each or 2 2.5″ SSD/HDD in each element. In the main compartment area, we also find a third bracket with exactly the same design as the previous two. Additionally, there is a hard drive cage located in the PSU compartment with space for 2 3.5″ or 2.5″ units, provided with removable plastic trays. The cage can be removed if not needed, accommodating power supplies up to 220mm.

Cooling capacity

The Thermaltake Ceres 500 TG ARGB has a generous capacity for ventilation elements, allowing for the installation of custom liquid cooling systems. The front and rear areas already have four pre-installed Thermaltake PC CT140 ARGB 140mm fans that support PWM control, enabling synchronizable lighting with motherboards via 5VDG headers.

The fan space available is:

Front: 3x 120mm / 3x 140mm
Top: 3x 120mm / 3x 140mm
Rear: 1x 120mm / 1x 140mm

Regarding radiator space:

Front: 360 / 420mm
Top: 280 / 360mm
Rear: 120mm

Looking at the front space, it’s possible to install radiators up to 420mm. However, due to the PSU cover’s limited space, fans must be installed on the outer face if the radiator is larger than 240mm. Therefore, Push & Pull configurations are not supported unless a 240mm radiator is used.

The top space can accommodate radiators up to 360mm, but additional extensions of the 420mm units would exceed the limits of the available space. From the installation we have completed, it appears that the space is adequate and won’t interfere with the motherboard. There is about 55mm of clearance for both 120mm and 140mm widths. Push & Pull configurations are possible since fans can be installed on the outer face.

With proper management of water inlets, it’s possible to install up to two 360mm radiators at the same time. This feature makes it an excellent choice for custom liquid cooling systems, as almost any type of water reservoir can be used.

Conclusion about the Thermaltake Ceres 500 TG ARGB

For users with demanding hardware, the Thermaltake Ceres 500 TG ARGB offers optimal airflow with grilles on the front, top, bottom, and side. Additionally, all grilles come equipped with washable particle filters. The spacious interior allows for the installation of custom RL systems with up to two simultaneous 360mm radiators.

While the design may be considered somewhat generic, it does have some nice details, such as the easily removable front and top areas, and compatibility with the Thermaltake LCD screen kit on the left side panel. It also features a 3mm thick tempered glass door.

Installation is convenient, and the inclusion of four fans as a starting cooling configuration, which are compatible with speed control, is appreciated. However, it would be beneficial to have a PWM/RGB controller included at the chassis price or incorporate a cable riser for GPU installation.