By: Aaron Lai
May 31, 2024
After a few bumps and bruises over the years, I realized it was time to replace my car, so I started the long and arduous process of car shopping. I am sure some people enjoy this, especially if they are into cars. However, while I do enjoy a fast vehicle, I think it is quite different when I am talking about my own. Last week, I took the first step of test driving some cars, which I generally find a bit overwhelming. My first stop was the local Toyota dealer, as they had a demo Prius Prime, a car I had been interested in for a while. I thought combining a small gasoline engine with an electric motor was an excellent idea. Sitting inside, it felt very much like a normal car with physical knobs and switches rather than just a large tablet in the middle. Driving around, I felt the faster acceleration and more sensitive brakes. On the other hand, there were a few things that I was not fond of, including the lower visibility all around. After I returned the keys and got back into my Chevrolet Cruze, there was a note of comfort and familiarity with my own car. You might call it Stockholm syndrome, but I cannot deny I have grown to like this car. Today, we have the Cooler Master MasterBox 600, which is also a hybrid of a case in some ways. On the exterior, there are many typical aesthetics. However, inside we have support for the rise of "cable-less" motherboards. These motherboards require extra cutouts to access the power connectors, which are located on the back. This is where the MasterBox 600 slots in, as it is one of the first cases to support this feature. How does this chassis support this change, and will we still have the same creature comforts as the cases of yesteryear? Let us read on to find out!
Today's review unit of the Cooler Master MasterBox 600 arrived from the company's offices in Claremont, California, USA. Traveling with FedEx and their International Ground service, this box arrived extremely well-packed and protected. First, we have lots of shrink wrap covering all the sides and edges. Each of the edges is protected with extremely hard cardboard that does not bend or twist easily. This creates a frame to protect the cardboard box the case is held in. Finally, we have several packing straps to keep everything together. As such, it arrived at our offices here in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, in excellent condition with very few bumps or bruises to be worried about.
Unwrapped, you can get a better look at the Cooler Master MasterBox 600's retail container. This is a standard corrugated cardboard box with text and images printed directly on the sides. We have an outline of the case in a scaled down format with the product name running down the left side. A tagline of "Bigger is Better" is also present. At the top, we have the Cooler Master logo, while the bottom corner shows four boxes to indicate what is inside. The MasterBox 600 comes in both Lite and ARGB variants, as well as black or white. The primary difference with the Lite editions is that you will have to provide your own fans for air movement. Additionally, around the edges of this box we have more features and specifications of the case inside.
If you are interested, I have grabbed the specifications from the manufacturer's website for your viewing pleasure:
Materials - Exterior: Steel, Plastic
Materials - Side Panel: Tempered Glass
Dimensions (L x W x H): 474 x 230 x 481mm (Incl. Protrusions)/ 465 x 230 x 465mm (Excl. Protrusions)
Volume: 49.73L
Motherboard Support: ITX, Micro ATX, ATX (Supporting Back-connector Motherboard), E-ATX (*up to 12"x10.9", 30.5cmx27.7cm motherboards, may impact cable management)
Expansion Slots: 7
3.5" Drive Bays: 2
Drive Bays 2.5" SSD: 2 (Max.6)
I/O Panel - USB Ports: 2x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type A, 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 x 2 Type C
I/O Panel - Audio In / Out: 1x 3.5mm Combo
Included Accessories: ARGB Fans Hub
Pre-installed Fans - Front: 3x 140mm SickleFlow140 ARGB PWM (650~1800 rpm)
Pre-installed Fans - Rear: 1x 120mm CF120 ARGB (650~1200 rpm)
Fan Support - Front: 3x 120/140mm
Fan Support - Top: 3x 120mm / 2x 140mm
Fan Support - Rear: 1x 120mm
Radiator Support - Front: 120mm, 140mm, 240mm, 280mm, 360mm, 420mm (Limit: 457*140*27mm)
Radiator Support - Top: 120mm, 140mm, 240mm, 280mm, 360mm
Radiator Support - Rear: 120mm
Clearance - CPU Cooler: 170mm
Clearance - PSU: 170mm, 210mm (w/o HDD Cage)
Clearance - GFX: 360mm, 410mm (w/o front radiator)
Cable Routing - Behind Motherboard Tray: 33-35 mm
Dust Filters: Top, Bottom
Power Supply Support: ATX
Warranty: 2 years
Series: MasterBox Series
Size: Mid Tower
Out of the box, the Cooler Master MasterBox 600 is placed between two stiff white foam brackets. These are not the most premium options of Styrofoam, but they are sufficient for transporting the case on its own. The case is also enclosed in a clear plastic bag to prevent surface damage, such as light scratches or debris. The side glass panel has a plastic wrap on both sides to provide additional protection against this type of damage. Otherwise, all of the accessories of the MasterBox 600 are inside the case in a plastic bag.
One additional accessory Cooler Master sent us as part of this review is their Atlas ARGB GPU support bracket. This packaged box was found inside the case, although customers have to purchase this separately from the MasterBox 600. The retail container is pretty typical for Cooler Master with its purple and teal color scheme. In the middle, you can find a scaled down image of the support brace.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. Physical Look - Outside
3. Physical Look - Inside
4. Installation and Conclusion
