My main PC is housed in Thermaltake's original Core P5, an open-frame chassis that can be mounted on the wall (mine stands vertically on a desk). Since it came out, Thermaltake released a follow-up model, the Core P5 Tempered Glass Edition, which swaps out the acrylic window for a tempered glass one, and adds three more to the sides and top. Now there is yet another version of this case available, the Core P5 Tempered Glass T1.
The newest variant ditches the side and top windows for better cooling, leaving it with a single, large front glass panel. In that way, it's basically a tempered glass successor to the original Core P5 that I've been using for the past couple of years.
One of the concerns people often have with open-frame cases is cooling. Many of them do not offer any kind of active airflow, the Core P5 series included. However, unlike the Core P5 Tempered Glass Edition, the new T1 variant (just like the original P5) doesn't box in the components with panels on the sides and top.
It's not clear if Thermaltake released this latest revision based on customer feedback. Either way, I can say I'd be more confident building a PC inside the Core P5 TG T1 than its predecessor.
Cooling aside, the Core P5 TG T1 offers three placement options—on the wall, standing vertically, or laying down horizontally. It also features a bunch of modular parts, including an optional bracket to mount your graphics card vertically. Thermaltake includes a riser cable for this very purpose.
Out of the box, you have access to three 2.5-inch/3.5-inch drive mounts in the front and three more behind the motherboard tray. There are 3D printing schematics available to add more drive trays, along with other custom options, if you're into that sort of thing.
One thing about these cases is that they look best with a water cooling setup, particularly more elaborate ones that take up additional space. Otherwise, you end up with a lot of empty space on display.
Thermaltake didn't say how much the Core P5 TG T1 will cost, though over at Newegg, there's a third-party seller that has it listed for $169.99. As a points of reference, the original Core P5 is currently on sale for $119.99, and the Core P5 Tempered Glass Edition sells for $249.99.
Some online stores give us a small cut if you buy something through one of our links. Read our affiliate policy for more info.
