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be quiet! Pure Base 501 vs Fractal Design Pop Air: Comparison
be quiet! Pure Base 501 vs Fractal Design Pop Air: the gpu clearance difference
There is no decisive spec gap here. Gpu clearance splits them by a margin most buyers will never feel, be quiet! Pure Base 501 368 mm against Fractal Design Pop Air 360 mm. They differ on typical price too, 90 USD on the be quiet! Pure Base 501 versus 95 USD on the Fractal Design Pop Air. They differ on dimensions too, 450 x 231 x 449mm on the be quiet! Pure Base 501 versus 464 x 210 x 475mm on the Fractal Design Pop Air.
Which should you buy, be quiet! Pure Base 501 or Fractal Design Pop Air?
Buy the be quiet! Pure Base 501 for noise-sensitive builds and home office or shared-room PCs, though it is the wrong buy for high-wattage GPU airflow builds and showcase RGB aesthetics. The Fractal Design Pop Air is the one to take for first-time builders on a budget and airflow-first builds under $500 total, though it is not built for showcase RGB builds and E-ATX motherboards. Our rating of the be quiet! Pure Base 501 (7.5/10): A solid, unfussy silent case for people who want lower noise more than they want RGB or max airflow. Our rating of the Fractal Design Pop Air (7.5/10): A dependable budget airflow case, just don't expect the design flourishes of Fractal's pricier lines.
Which is cheaper, be quiet! Pure Base 501 or Fractal Design Pop Air?
The Fractal Design Pop Air asks 6% more, $95.00 against $90.00 for the be quiet! Pure Base 501.
Frequently asked questions
Do the be quiet! Pure Base 501 and Fractal Design Pop Air differ on cpu cooler clearance?
Yes. CPU Cooler Clearance reads 178 mm on the be quiet! Pure Base 501 versus 170 mm on the Fractal Design Pop Air.
Is the Included Fans the same on the be quiet! Pure Base 501 and Fractal Design Pop Air?
It is. Both are listed at 2, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
Brand
- be quiet! Pure Base 501
- be quiet!
- Fractal Design Pop Air
- Fractal Design
Motherboard Support
- be quiet! Pure Base 501
- ATX, Micro-ATX, Mini-ITX
- Fractal Design Pop Air
- ATX, mATX, ITX
Case Type
- be quiet! Pure Base 501
- Mid-Tower
- Fractal Design Pop Air
- Mid-Tower
Model
- be quiet! Pure Base 501
- Pure Base 501
- Fractal Design Pop Air
- Pop Air
Panel Type
- be quiet! Pure Base 501
- Steel side panel, solid front with sound-dampening mats
- Fractal Design Pop Air
- Mesh front, tempered glass side
GPU Clearance
- be quiet! Pure Base 501
- 368 mmBest
- Fractal Design Pop Air
- 360 mm-2%
Typical Price
- be quiet! Pure Base 501
- 90 USD
- Fractal Design Pop Air
- 95 USD
CPU Cooler Clearance
- be quiet! Pure Base 501
- 178 mmBest
- Fractal Design Pop Air
- 170 mm-4%
Included Fans
- be quiet! Pure Base 501
- 2
- Fractal Design Pop Air
- 2
Radiator Support
- be quiet! Pure Base 501
- Front 360mm, top 240mm, rear 140mm
- Fractal Design Pop Air
- Front up to 360mm, top up to 240mm
Front USB-C
- be quiet! Pure Base 501
- Yes
- Fractal Design Pop Air
- Yes
Dimensions
- be quiet! Pure Base 501
- 450 x 231 x 449mm (L x W x H, excl. stands)
- Fractal Design Pop Air
- 464 x 210 x 475mm
Which one should you pick?
Choose be quiet! Pure Base 501 if you want the higher GPU clearance (368 mm vs 360 mm), the higher CPU cooler clearance (178 mm vs 170 mm) and the higher included fans (2 vs 2).
Choose Fractal Design Pop Air if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.
Price comparison
| Retailer | be quiet! Pure Base 501 | Fractal Design Pop Air |
|---|---|---|
| be quiet! Store | $90.00 View on be quiet! Store | |
| Amazon | $95.00 View on Amazon | |
| Newegg | View on Newegg | |
| Fractal Design Store | View on Fractal Design Store |
Disclaimer: The price and specification of the given product may differ from the actual product. Please confirm on the retailer's website before buying.
Verdict
be quiet! Pure Base 501
7.5 / 10 Expert Rating
A solid, unfussy silent case for people who want lower noise more than they want RGB or max airflow.
Fractal Design Pop Air
7.5 / 10 Expert Rating
A dependable budget airflow case, just don't expect the design flourishes of Fractal's pricier lines.