Introduction

The Centurion 530 enclosure is a mid-tower case that features elegant styling and quality construction similar to the popular, full-sized Cooler Master Stacker.

The new Centurion 530 enclosure from Cooler Master is a mid-tower version of their popular Stacker case.  The Centurion 530 features elegant styling and quality construction similar to the full-sized Stacker.  To help conserve drive bay space, the front I/O panel is built into the top of the 530’s front bezel and the two top 5.25′ drive bays even come fitted with stealth faceplates.

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Cooler Master Centurion 530 Mid-Tower Case - Cases and Cooling 25

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The Centurion 530 is targeted towards the price conscious consumer and uses an elegant front bezel design married to a standard steel chassis.  This hybrid construction has become very popular and offers a good balance between, aesthetics, structural soundness, weight, and cost.

Key Features

·         Stylish design, simple yet elegant

·         Excellent thermal management (case cooling)

·         Open mesh front panels and side vents provide superior airflow

·         120mm case fan openings, front and back (one fan included)

·         Two integrated stealth faceplates for CD-ROM drives

·         Top mounted controls and I/O panel for easy access

·         Very affordable, good value

Specifications (from the Cooler Master website)

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Note:  The front bezel is primarily plastic (not aluminum); only the two side posts are aluminum.  The rest of the chassis is SECC (Sheet steel, Electrolytic coated (zinc), Cold rolled, Commercial quality).

The Centurion 530 case is finished in matte black and trimmed with silver side posts.  The Cooler Master website lists versions available with a power supply (380W or 430W) and/or a side window.  (Our review sample does not include either of these options.)

First Impressions

The Cooler Master Centurion 530 mid-tower case arrived securely packaged between Styrofoam inserts inside a relatively plain cardboard box.  Packed inside the enclosure is a small box of accessories, which includes an Installation Guide, plastic HDD mounting rails, and a bag of assorted hardware.

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The build quality appears to be very good for an economy case — just what we have come to expect from Cooler Master.  The Centurion 530 enclosure feels sturdy and relatively lightweight for a mostly steel case.  The Centurion 530 tipped my digital scale to 7.9 kg (17.5 lbs), which is considerably lighter than the 10 kg listed on the Cooler Master spec sheet (?).

The included documentation is printed in six languages and covers the basic installation of hardware and lists the I/O cable pin-outs.  An 8.5′ x 11′ format version can be downloaded from the Cooler Master website, which is much easier to read … 🙂

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