Turning your next PC build sideways
You’d be forgiven for not noticing that Thermaltake’s $169.99 CTE E550 TG is a new PC case model. It shares so much with the previously reviewed CTE E600 MX that you’ll have to be paying close attention to spot the differences, as the size and shape are identical between models. The E550 TG uses the same unusual motherboard orientation—rotated 90 degrees off ordinary—with your I/O ports exiting the case top. But the CTE E550 TG amps up the glass factor with a bit more interior visibility, and makes for a stunning showcase box to complement your ATX build. Just know that we have one of the same bones to pick that we had with the E600 MX: You want to be sure your graphics card will operate well in this case’s default orientation (straight up and down). If you’re not, factor in the cost of a riser cable, not included here, and expect the out-the-door cost of this case to exceed $200. Design: For Your Viewing Pleasure
The CTE E550 TG shares its predecessor’s “face down” design. (That is, the front edge of the motherboard faces the bottom of the case, and the «rear» I/O panel is at the top.) However, this chassis gives PC builders a bit of Thermaltake’s aesthetic from its The Tower series by replacing the rear radiator mount with a glass panel for three-sided viewability.
Thermaltake also rearranged the connector holes on the motherboard tray’s periphery to match the rear-facing connector placement of MSI Project Zero and Asus Back to the Future (BTF) boards in both ATX and MicroATX form factors. Plus, several of the holes that face the side radiator bracket have been enlarged to more easily route EPS12V/ATX12V and fan-cable ends to the motherboard’s usual «top» edge—which now faces forward, since the motherboard tray is rotated 90 degrees clockwise.
The CTE E550 TG looks identical to its E600 predecessor from the rear oblique angle, apart from the new version’s rear glass and its Gravel Sand two-tone color scheme, which wasn’t available when we reviewed the older case in its now-outdated Hydrangea Blue. (That blue was a special color scheme for 2024; these days, Thermaltake issues certain limited colorways annually.) Beyond Gravel Sand, Thermaltake offers versions in black, Snow (white), and Matcha Green.
Carried-forward features include the two full-length vented sections on the right side panel (see the photo below), the upper passage for peripheral cables that (primarily) reach the graphics card and motherboard I/O panel, additional passage for any internal cables or coolant lines that you might want to exit above the power supply, and the full-size mount for your power supply.
The forwardmost side vent serves the side radiator/fan bracket, whereas the CTE E550 TG’s front-panel ports are located on the top panel, right above it.
