Review: Phanteks Eclipse P500A
Maximum mesh.
Phanteks offers a massive variety of PC cases, from hulking full towers to diminutive ITX boxes. Yet they’re still finding holes to plug within their own range, and that’s what the P500A does. It’s not the most expensive Eclipse case, but it’s still a large, premium case with space for E-ATX boards.
Airflow is the name of the game here. The entire front panel is carved from a single flat piece of metal and employs Phanteks’s “ultra-fine performance mesh,” with 1mm perforation that provides a large, flat surface for air intake. As any mesh-heads will know, mesh cases eliminate the need for removable dust filters, allowing for superior airflow.
Three 140mm D-RGB fans (or two plain black ones if you opt for the cheaper RGB-less model) sit behind that mesh panel. Connected to a software-less RGB controller inside the case, these draw in plenty of air to be vented through the rear and roof of the case. The P500A doesn’t come with a rear fan, but transplanting one of the front fans shouldn’t be hard. A single 140mm fan also isn’t that expensive.
Speaking of pricing, this P500A will run you around $220. It’s not the cheapest RGB mid-tower case we’ve ever seen, but the metal and tempered-glass construction here feel up to snuff for the cost. It comes with removable roof and base dust filters, and an accessory kit packed with extras.
This is something of a featureheavy case. The RGB fans are joined by a matching light strip that runs across the PSU shroud, all behind a hinged glass window utilizing a triple-fin rubber seal to reduce system noise. It’s not perfect, as the mesh front panel lets noise out, but it’s a welcome inclusion. There’s room for more fans or radiators, with up to 360mm of radiator space in the roof should you decide to liquidcool your build.
Storage is fully handled here, with mounts for up to three 2.5-inch SATA drives behind the motherboard, and 10 slots (six within the case cavity, four underneath the PSU drive) where HDD brackets can be mounted. The case comes with only two of these brackets included.
Similarly, a bracket to vertically mount your GPU is included, but the required flexible PCIe riser isn’t. And four drilled holes in the roof of the case allow for a secondary ITX system to be installed, but the bracket and miniature PSU needed are sold separately.
There’s a lot to enjoy in this case, though. For example, cables can be tidied using the sliding plates attached to the central mounting plate. They’re simple to use: Slide them open, feed your cables through, then slide them back into place and lock them with the attached thumbscrew. The D-RGB lighting uses colour and pattern presets that can be changed via two buttons on the front I/O, and the I/O also includes USB Type-C.
In short, this case has everything we’d expect. It’s hard not to like. Those HDD cages can hold 2.5-inch drives too, so there’s basically no case within this price range that can compete on a storage capacity level. We’ve seen better premium mid-tower cases, but they are also more expensive.
Solid value matched with solid construction makes this an attractive option for anyone looking to build a powerful gaming system or workstation. CHRISTIAN GUYTON
Excellent airflow; a solid construction; lots of features.