Cooler Master Launches New N-Series Cases
Subject: Cases and Cooling | May 8, 2013 - 03:43 PM | Tim Verry
Tagged: cooler master, n200, n400, n600, atx case
PC case and cooling manufacturer Cooler Master has launched a slew of new cases, including the N200, N400, and N600 cases. The new N series spans from Micro ATX to full tower cases. All three cases are black with mesh fan grills with front IO that supports two USB 3.0, two USB 2.0, and two audio ports.
The N200 is the smallest of the three cases. It is constructed of steel (with a plastic front bezel) and measures 202 x 378 x 445mm. The N200 case can host mini-ITX or micro-ATX motherboards, up to two optical drives, four SSDs, and three hard drives. The case comes with two Cooler Master XtraFlow fans, but it can also fit a thin 240mm radiator in the front of the case if you remove the SSD drive bays. A 120mm rear fan rounds out the cooling options. It supports CPU HSFs up to 160mm tall.
The N400 is a bit larger at 190 x 426 x 501.4mm. The mid-tower case can support full ATX motherboards, 320mm long GPUs, and up to eight 120mm fans. A maximum of eight hard drives and seven expansion cards are also supported. Cooler Master provides two XtraFlow fans with the case.
Cooler Master’s N600 rounds out the new case series. The case measures 207 x 455 x 520mm and is constructed of a plastic polymer. In addition to the included XtraFlow fans, the case can accommodate up to 8 more 120mm fans. It has a removable hard drive cage that allows gamers to use graphics cards up to 430mm GPUs. A 240mm water cooling radiator can be installed in the top of the case as well. The N600 has a large mesh front panel that allows for front intake fans.
According to TechPowerUp, the Cooler Master N200 will be available in Europe later this month for 33 Euros while the larger N400 and N600 cases will be available in June for 42 Euros and 67.5 Euros respectively. Those prices work out to about $43 for the N200, $55 for the N400, and $89 for the N600, though that could change a bit as there is no word on official US pricing yet. Personally, I'm not a fan of the aesthetics, but at least the prices aren't terrible.
Fractal Design Packs USB 3.0 Support Into Core 1000 USB 3.0 mATX Case
Subject: Cases and Cooling | March 5, 2013 - 07:57 AM | Tim Verry
Tagged: usb 3.0, mid tower, fractal design, core 1000 usb 3.0, atx case
Fractal Design has announced an updated Core 1000 USB 3.0 Micro ATX case that adds USB 3.0 support to the front panel. The new Core 1000 USB 3.0 chassis measures 175mm x 355mm x 420mm and weighs approximately 9 lbs (4.1 kg).
The micro ATX case supports motherboards of the Mini-ITX, DTX, and Micro ATX flavors. Further, it can support graphics cards up to 350mm in length and CPU coolers up to 148mm in height. Two optical disk drives, either three vertically mounted 2.5” SSDs or two 3.5” HDDs, and four PCI expansion slots round out the storage and expansion options.The hard drives feature anti-vibration grommets, and the fan spots include dust filters.
On the outside, the Core 1000 USB 3.0 case is flat black with a large mesh front panel and side panel vent. The right side of the case holds the front IO panel, which consists of:
- 1 x USB 3.0
- 1 x USB 2.0
- 2 x Audio jacks
- 1 x HDD activity indicator light
- 1 x Power button
- 1 x Reset button
The inside of the case is rather spartan. There are no cable routing holes, water cooling grommets, CPU cutouts, or other fancy features. It has an ATX power supply spot at the top of the case, motherboard standoffs, and drive cages. Just enough to get the job done, in other words.
Fractal Design includes a single Silent Series R2 120mm intake fan, but the case can actually support a total of three fans. There are spots for:
- 1 x 120mm (front intake)
- 1 x 92mm (rear exhaust)
- 1 x 120mm (side panel)
There is no word on pricing or availability yet, but expect it to run around $40-50. More photos and specifications are available on the Fractal Design website.
Fractal Design Integrates USB 3.0 Support Into New Core 3000 USB 3.0 ATX Chassis
Subject: Cases and Cooling | February 5, 2013 - 09:21 AM | Tim Verry
Tagged: usb 3.0, mid tower, fractal design, core 3000 usb 3.0, Core 3000, atx case
Fractal Design has taken its budget-friendly mid-tower Core 3000 case, and updated it with USB 3.0 support on the front IO panel. The new SKU is aptly named the Fractal Design Core 3000 USB 3.0.
The new case is essentially an upgrade to the Core 3000. It is a black case with white accents on the drive carriages and PCI expansion slots. The front panel of the case features two optical disc drive bays and a dust filter covered by a mess grill. The top of the case holds an exhaust port and a new front IO panel. The IO panel includes two audio jacks, power and reset buttons, power and hard drive activity LEDs, two USB 2.0 ports, and two USB 3.0 ports.
The Core 3000 USB 3.0 case has room for two 5.25” drives and up to six 3.5” or 2.5” drives (with the top drive cage being removable). Seven PCI expansion slots, a CPU cutout, and cable management/routing holes are all standard features of the Core 3000 USB 3.0 case.
On the cooling front, the mid tower chassis comes equipped with three Silent Series R2 fans out of the box along with a total of seven fan cutouts. By default, there is one 140mm 1,000 RPM intake fan in the front, one 120mm 1,200 RPM exhaust fan in the back, and one 140mm 1,000 RPM fan attached to the top of the case.
The available fan positions are as follows:
-
Front of the case:
- 1 x 120mm fan
- 1 x 140mm fan
-
Top of the case:
- 2 x 120mm or 140mm fans
-
Rear of the case:
- 1 x 120mm fan
-
Side of the case:
- 1 x 120mm fan
-
Bottom of the case:
- 1 x 120mm fan
The Core 3000 USB 3.0 case has a MSRP of $74.95 in the US. All in all, it looks to be a decent case for the price. You can find more information on the product page.
Fractal Design Launches Define XL R2 Chassis
Subject: Cases and Cooling | December 19, 2012 - 10:58 AM | Tim Verry
Tagged: pc case, fractal design, chassis, atx case
Fractal Design recently introduced a new model to its Define XL series with the Define XL R2 that comes in either Black Pearl or Titanium Grey. The new case supports motherboards as large as XL-ATX and is packed with features for a relatively cheap $130 price.
See more photos and specifications after the break.
Scythe Unveils ACB-TYPE3 Open-Air Acrylic ATX Chassis
Subject: Cases and Cooling | July 31, 2012 - 05:29 AM | Tim Verry
Tagged: scythe, open bench, open air case, atx case, acyrilic case
Scythe, a PC enthusiast hardware company popular for its line of fans and processor heatsinks will soon be launching a new open air case. The ACB-TYPE3 is a clear acrylic case that forgoes side panels for an open bench design.
The case weighs in at under 6 pounds, the case is constructed of 5mm acrylic and can accommodate ATX, Micro-ATX, and Mini-ITX motherboards. Additionally, it features three 5.25” drive bays, three 3.5” hard drive bays, and two 2.5” drive bays suitable for storing SSDs (solid state drives).
Another cool feature is that the open air case can hold tower coolers up to 190mm, which is not quite big enough for the 100W passive TwinBlock cooler but will be good enough for most any other high-end air cooler.
According to FanlessTech, the Scythe acrylic case will be available for purchase soon, and will cost around $85. It certainly seems like a neat option for benchmarking test beds and enthusiast’s that like to show off their computer hardware (nothing wrong with that!). You can find more photos over at the Fanless Tech website.
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