Is it possible to create a much smaller PC using a regular ATX motherboard We weren't so sure, but after spending the past few days with Cooler Master's MasterBox Q500L chassis, our expectations of a compact mid-tower enclosure have been reset.

Available for £50; Much smaller than your regular ATX tower; Clever layout can accommodate high-end gear; Plenty of fan-mount locations; Desktop; tower or inverted orientations; Flexible perforated panels with full-size filters

Out-the-box performance not great; USB-C would have been nice; Acrylic side panel bends too easily

The Masterbox Q500L is a compact chassis that still allows for a full-size ATX board. However, that is not what makes it unique. That falls to how this case may be used as both a tower or desktop with the freedom to install fans or liquid cooling nearly anywhere and the ability to move the I/O...

Unique design with three perforated sides; Extremely compact; but can hold a full ATX board; No issues with installing long GPUs or 120 mm tower coolers; Built-in desktop mode; Dust filters on all three sides of the chassis; Freedom to install cooling and move the PSU bracket around slightly; I/O...

A third metal mesh cover for the best experience as a desktop would have been nice, Acrylic window vs; glass may put some people off, If you are not planning on using an ATX board, the Q300L offers more bang for your buck

The Cooler Master Masterbox Q500L is a budget-friendly and very compact chassis. Not many cases of this size can accommodate a full ATX system, but the Q500L takes one with pride, comfortably housing a full-sized ATX mainboard inside, along with a reasonably long graphics card.

Usually, when moving to a smaller enclosure, you often find yourself sacrificing features and customization. This isn't the case with Cooler Master's newest addition: the MasterBox Q500L. The Q500L sports a compact chassis that supports mITX, mATX, and even ATX motherboards.

To give a better idea of the space we installed an EVGA x299 Micro motherboard along with a Cooler Master MWE 750 Gold Power supply . This presents the optimal use of space saving but even a full ATX leaves enough room for a graphics cards up to 270mm with no conflicts.

Cooler Master are one of the longest standing case manufacturers known to the industry – they've brought to market some stunning enclosures over the years and although the market is packed with competitors, they continue to differeniate themselves from rivals with inventive approaches such as the Q...

+ Unique visual appearance; + Compact design; + Lightweight (Just 5KG; + No disposable PCI Express covers; + Multiple storage options; + Can house high-end kit; + Great for cable management; + Affordable