Today, we’re taking a closer look at the be quiet! Light Base 500 LX – a compact mid-tower that aims to blend clean design, strong airflow, and subtle RGB lighting. It comes with four pre-installed Light Wings LX fans, full support for modern back-connector motherboards and tempered-glass panels on both the front and side. In this review, we’ll see how it handles real-world builds – covering cooling performance, noise levels, and overall ease of use to find out if the Light Base 500 LX lives up to be quiet!’s reputation for silent, functional design.
Timestamps:
00:00 Start
00:56 Versions and Pricing
02:01 Overview / Fans
02:43 Size / I/O / Hardware Support
03:32 Panel removal
04:52 Cooling Support
06:28 Mobo / GPU / Cooler
07:05 Cable Management
07:54 A closer look / dust filters
09:11 The rear of the case
09:37 Right hand compartment / HUB
10:52 Drive support and various configurations
12:29 PSU Support
12:45 Accessories
13:28 Test System & Methodology
14:38 Noise and Thermal Performance
16:10 Cooling Performance and Closing Thoughts
be quiet! Light Base 500 LX Features:
- Comes with four pre-installed 120 mm Light Wings LX PWM fans (reverse-blade intake design side mount, one forward blade rear exhaust) for optimal airflow and visual impact.
- Supports high-end hardware, including up to 400 mm long graphics cards, radiators up to 360 mm, ATX motherboards including back connect, and up to 185mm tall CPU coolers.
- It’s equipped with an ARGB & PWM hub (supports up to six devices) plus a front-panel ARGB control button for synchronised lighting control.
- Designed to achieve clean builds and modern layouts with dual PSU positions (to accommodate back-connector motherboards), dedicated cable management channels, tempered-glass front and side panels, and side/bottom dust filters.
Specifications:
- Case Type: ATX Dual Chamber
- Dimensions (LxWxH): 432 x 305 x 436
- Net Weight: 9.5kg
- Motherboard Support: ATX / M-ATX / Mini-ITX
- Back Connect Motherboards: Yes
- Expansion Slots: 7
- Storage bays: 2.5” x 2 / 3.5” x 1
- Max GPU Length: 400mm
- Max CPU Cooler Height: 185mm
- PSU Type: ATX PS/2
- Pre-installed Fans: 3x Light Wings LX Reverse 120mm PWM (Side) 1x Light Wings LX 120mm PWM Black (Rear)
- Fan Support: 2 x 140 / 3 x 120 (Top) 3 x 120 (Side) 1 x 120 / 1 x 140 (Rear) 3 x 120 (Bottom)
- Radiator Support: 120 / 240 / 280 / 360 (Top) 120 / 240 (Side) 120 (Rear)
- Dust Filters: Side / Bottom
- Front I/O: 1 x USB 3.2 Gen. 2 Type-C, 2 x USB 3.2 Type-A, Combined 3.5mm Mic/Audio jack, Power/Reset/RGB Control Buttons
- LCD Screen: N/A
Thermal Performance Testing
To simulate thermal demand we run the Cinebench R23 multi-thread benchmark and 3DMark Speed Way stress test simultaneously in a loop for 30 minutes to load the system fully. This gives the CPU and GPU enough time to reach constant steady-state temperature. With this data, we can compare how the system handles the thermal demand and measure peak noise levels.
Thermal performance is measured with the case in various configurations, such as the default, with the tempered glass left-hand side panel removed and with the front panel removed to see how these configurations affect the CPU and GPU temperature. During testing, only stock case fans are used unless otherwise specified. All water pumps are set to maximum RPM and fans are set to a custom RPM curve by the Motherboard software/BIOS.
All temperature measurements are presented as Deltas – meaning the ambient temperature has been deducted from the CPU temperature giving us a Delta. Data shown in the charts represent the average component temperature over the length of the test as measured by HWiNFO and then the last 15 minutes of the data are calculated to get the average. The ambient temperature during thermal tests is between 19-20⁰C.
Test System Specification:
Thermal Performance Overview
We tested the case thermals with a 360mm AIO as the exhaust at the top and in several different configurations. The default configuration shown in the charts is with the 360mm AIO at the top, 3 x 120mm side intake fans, 1 x 120mm exhaust fan and with all panels installed.

In our thermal testing, the Light Base 500 LX shows strong and balanced performance. With the default configuration and floor intake fans installed, we recorded a CPU temperature of 55°C over ambient and GPU temperature of 49°C under sustained load.
Removing the glass side panel had almost no effect on CPU thermals and only raised GPU temperatures by a single degree, while taking off the top mesh or removing the floor fans saw both CPU and GPU temps climb to around 57°C and 52°C over ambient respectively. That small increase highlights how the floor intake helps feed cool air directly to the lower section of the case, improving overall cooling efficiency.
Overall, the Light Base 500 LX maintains stable and predictable thermal performance, with sensible airflow tuning that benefits both CPU and GPU cooling without introducing excess noise.
Noise Output

In our noise testing, the be quiet! Light Base 500 LX delivers consistent results. With the default configuration and floor intake fans installed, we measured 37 dB(A) at idle and 48 dB(A) under full load. Removing the glass side panel or the top mesh didn’t change those numbers.
Removing the floor fans increases noise slightly to 49 dB(A). This is due to the CPU running slightly hotter, which in turn causes the system’s fan curve to maintain slightly higher RPMs. It’s a small difference, but it highlights how the floor intake contributes to more efficient cooling, helping the system stay quieter under sustained load.
Overall, the Light Base 500 LX maintains steady, predictable acoustics with only minor variation between setups.
Closing Thoughts
The Light Base 500 LX is a compact, well-built chassis that carries over many of the premium design traits we expect from be quiet!. For the most part, build quality is excellent, while the ARGB fan integration is subtle without being overdone. The dual-chamber layout works well in practice, keeping the build neat and airflow directed where it’s needed. The inclusion of four pre-installed Light Wings LX fans also helps deliver strong cooling and low noise levels straight out of the box.
Thermal performance is consistent and predictable. The side intake supplies cool air effectively to both the CPU and GPU areas, maintaining good temperatures without excessive fan noise. It’s a well-balanced design that prioritises acoustic comfort and efficiency rather than chasing extreme airflow figures. Adding floor fans boosts GPU cooling, but it's not essential; however, the recessed floor fan mount provides a great, clean visual appearance.

There are a few minor drawbacks to note. The side fan bracket can be a little fiddly to remove, and the drive installation process could be smoother. However, these are small issues in what is otherwise a high-quality, well-designed chassis. For users in the market for a compact mid-tower that combines premium build quality, quiet operation, and capable cooling performance, the Light Base 500 LX is a case we would recommend.
The be quiet! Light Base 500 LX is available to purchase now from Scan priced from £126.98 for the white version HERE and £117.98 HERE for the black version.
Pros:
- Build quality is up to the usual high standard from be quiet!
- 4 x fans and RGB PWM hub included.
- Cooling works well; the angled side fans help direct airflow to key areas.
Cons:
- Installing storage drives is a bit fiddly.
- Removing/installing the side fan mount is tight and awkward.
- Fan hub takes up 3.5-inch storage drive space.
KitGuru Says: The be quiet! Light Base 500 LX is a compact, well-built dual chamber case with excellent acoustics and solid out-of-the-box cooling performance. A few small build niggles aside, it’s a refined, premium case that's worth buying.

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