500D SE Build w/ Top Glass Panel

Hi there,

I wanted to share a small mod for my Corsair 500D SE. Prior to this, I used to have a Hypersonic PC Wavemaster case painted in BMW red metallic, HAF-X NVIDIA edition case, followed by the Maingear Shift Limited Edition DIY chassis, and then currently the Corsair 500D SE. While my prior cases are very rare nowadays and sought after in some circles, I wouldn't trade any of them for my 500D SE. The 500D SE, in my opinion, is the most aesthetically-pleasing case I have used. Furthermore, I found the cable management options built within the case to be quite effective (I know this is controversial) and the magnetic glass door to be extremely convenient without any drawbacks.

My only criticism of the case was that I found the metal top panel "roof" of the case to disrupt the overall glass dynamic theme of the case. The flow of the 570X is more pleasing, however the 500D is an overall better case which led to my decision to purchase it. To improve my criticism, I decided to remove the metal panel and swap it with glass. I had a few pictures of this posted on Reddit and have had many inquiries, so I thought I would post some pictures and materials that I have purchased to make this happen.

You'll need the following:

1) When possible, including when modding my car, I prefer OEM products. Therefore, to transform the top panel from metal to glass, I made my purchase from Corsair. I purchased a replacement front glass:

https://www.corsair.com/us/en/Categories/Products/Accessories-%7C-Parts/PC-Components/Cases/Obsidian-500D-SE-Tempered-Glass-Front-Panel/p/CC-8900236

The superior and inferior plastic pieces are affixed with glue. Some heat from a hairdryer and a credit card were sufficient to easily detach the glass from the black plastic pieces.

The original metal piece on the top panel has a total of 4 screws, one in each corner affixing it to the case. It was a bit of a pain to remove them since my build was already complete, but it's definitely possible. I did have to remove my radiator from the front temporarily however. I also purchased these to help access some of the corners:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0016VAIBI/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000NY8OQU/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GNPRRVZ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

2) https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07CPQDWWK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I placed these silicone rubber pads on four corners of the glass panel. I stacked 3 of them on the front corners and 2 on the back corners. The reason for this is twofold. Firstly, I wanted to raise the glass a bit to help with air flow. Secondly, the suction effect from the plastic does a great job in keeping the glass in place. You can of course use glue, 3M double-sided fixing tape, etc to really attach the glass in place if you choose to. The rubber pads raise the glass just enough height to provide great air flow from the circumferential gaps, yet they are imperceptible and do not disrupt the aesthetic. This allows for a continuation of the glass theme from the top of the case to the front like the Obsidian 1000D and 570X.

My initial hesitance with this mod was that the top glass panel would cover the power button, however putting 3 stacked plastic pads in the front corners circumvents this by giving enough room to put your finger under the glass panel to easily press the power button.

3) Optionally, you can also cover the I/O panel with USBs for an even more homogenous theme. I accomplished this with 3M gloss black vinyl:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007EEU58W/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_image?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Obviously this will render the USB ports useless, so if you use them, I would opt out for this part. I personally don't use them and have a USB hub on my desk. Once I wrapped the 3M tape, I gently cut around the panel using an exacto knife. I did the same around the square power button and removed the piece of vinyl covering the power button so I can visualize the LED. Be very careful with the cutting.

Everything above is 100% reversible should you choose. However, I have enjoyed this mod for ~1 year so far and have no plans on going back. This mod has allowed me to accomplish the finishing touch to make this the perfect case for me. While I have not conducted any scientific experiments to compare thermals pre and post mod, however observationally I have not seen any differences at idle, gaming, or benchmarking.

I have yet to find a case on the market that is more aesthetically pleasing and hope to continue using this for years to come.

I hope this helps, best of luck, and happy modding.