be quiet! Pure Base 500 FX · Snow White
Mid-tower
Fractal Design North
Walnut wood front · Mesh side · ATX
Fractal Design North takes it — here’s why.
In our weighted Specdex score, be quiet! Pure Base 500 FX · Snow White lands at 86 and Fractal Design North at 92. That puts Fractal Design North ahead by 6 points — a decisive margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.
Pick be quiet! Pure Base 500 FX · Snow White if…
- ✓Tool-less panels on most
- ✓Cable-management channels
- ✓Dust filters
Pick Fractal Design North if…
- ✓Real walnut wood front panel
- ✓Excellent airflow
- ✓Great cable management
Winner by scenario
Derived from the sub-score breakdown · not a separate testBuild
Fractal Design NorthCompared on the build sub-score
Fractal Design North leads on build (95 vs 84).
Airflow
Fractal Design NorthCompared on the airflow sub-score
Fractal Design North leads on airflow (92 vs 86).
Value for money
TieSpecdex score per dollar at MSRP
Effectively tied — similar score-per-dollar at MSRP.
Score breakdown
Specs side-by-side
| Spec | be quiet! Pure Base 500 FX · Snow White | Fractal Design North |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Mid-tower | — |
| Form | — | Mid-tower ATX |
| Dimensions | — | 447×215×469 mm |
| Front panel | — | Walnut + mesh side |
| GPU clearance | — | 355 mm |
| CPU clearance | — | 170 mm |
| Fan support | — | 7× 120 mm |
| Color | — | Charcoal Black, Chalk White |
be quiet! Pure Base 500 FX · Snow White
- +Tool-less panels on most
- +Cable-management channels
- +Dust filters
- −Fan inclusion varies
- −GPU clearance limits for triple-slot cards
- −Weight on glass panels
Fractal Design North
- +Real walnut wood front panel
- +Excellent airflow
- +Great cable management
- −Glass version pricier
- −No vertical GPU mount included
- −Front fans not RGB
FAQ: be quiet! Pure Base 500 FX · Snow White vs Fractal Design North
Which is better, be quiet! Pure Base 500 FX · Snow White or Fractal Design North? +
Fractal Design North scores 92 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 6. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.
Is be quiet! Pure Base 500 FX · Snow White worth the price? +
At $129, be quiet! Pure Base 500 FX · Snow White delivers a Specdex score of 86 — strongest in airflow.
Is Fractal Design North worth the price? +
At $139, Fractal Design North delivers a Specdex score of 92 — strongest in design.
Does be quiet! Pure Base 500 FX · Snow White or Fractal Design North last longer? +
Based on our long-term update and support ratings, both ship with multi-year support. Battery and reliability scores are visible in the breakdown above.
Which is better for build, be quiet! Pure Base 500 FX · Snow White or Fractal Design North? +
Fractal Design North — leads on build (95 vs 84). Compared on the build sub-score.
Which is better for airflow, be quiet! Pure Base 500 FX · Snow White or Fractal Design North? +
Fractal Design North — leads on airflow (92 vs 86). Compared on the airflow sub-score.