Page 3 - Physical Look - Inside
Getting into the Cooler Master MasterBox 600 should be a tool-less affair, as the thumbscrews at the back holding the panels in place can be removed by hand. However, from the factory, these screws are quite tight, so you may need a screwdriver to open it up. The tempered glass panel has one thumbscrew at the top, while the steel panel has two. Unfortunately, none of these screws are captive.
Once the screws are removed, the glass panel can be popped off the ball-and-socket joints. It has a steel frame on the top and bottom with protruding ball joints. Thankfully, once the panel is removed from the joints, it remains balanced and slightly wedged open until you pull it out. The 4mm thick pane is tinted, which will obscure visibility inside the case unless the interior is illuminated. Unfortunately, there is no padding between the side panel and the rest of the MasterBox 600, but at least the glass does not make direct contact with the steel frame. The frame around the glass has a black border, allowing you to handle the panel in this area without leaving visible fingerprints on the inside. The steel panel on the other side is removed by taking off the two thumbscrews and sliding off the panel.
The front panel of the Cooler Master MasterBox 600 can be removed by pulling from the bottom. This panel is held in place with plastic joints. As mentioned earlier, this panel is a mesh filter with no other type of filtration behind it. This means that cleaning this area is relatively easy by simply pulling off the entire front panel.
Behind the front panel, you will find the pre-installed Cooler Master SickleFlow 140mm ARGB fans. According to the manufacturer, these fans are tuned to a higher speed, capable of spinning up to a maximum of 1800RPM. Therefore, the standard specifications for the retail versions of the SickleFlow 140 do not apply here. Nonetheless, it is nice to see three fans included. These are all PWM-controlled fans with 4-pin headers and standard addressable headers for ARGB LED lighting control. All of these fans are connected to a controller at the back, which manages both their speeds and lighting effects.
Looking inside, the Cooler Master MasterBox 600 features a typical open-concept design with one primary division inside. This division separates the power supply and drive area basement from the rest, making it only accessible from the back of the case. The interior follows the black exterior, and the paint on these panels does not scratch easily, which is reassuring.
From here, you can see the motherboard area. Cooler Master supports E-ATX motherboards up to 10.9" or 27.7cm wide. As usual, there is also one large opening to allow users to access the back of the motherboard for third-party cooler installations, which might be necessary to change the mounting backplate. Additionally, some motherboards have M.2 drive bays at the back, so this access allows for quick SSD swaps. There is another large cable routing hole at the top of the case.
At the very top of the case, you can see mounting rails and ventilation for installing cooling options. You can fit up to three 120mm or two 140mm fans in this area, or install a radiator up to 360mm in length. At the back, there is a 120mm fan included. Unlike the front SickleFlow fans, this is a 3-pin CF120 ARGB fan, similar to the one found in the TD500 MAX It spins up to 1200RPM, but no other specifications are provided. It is a bit unusual to have a voltage-controlled fan here, especially since there is already a fan controller to manage the other fans.
At the back and bottom of the Cooler Master MasterBox 600, we find the expansion slot covers. There is a total of seven, which is typical for a mid-tower case. As mentioned earlier, these are punch-out slots, the most cost-effective method for implementing slot covers. As we have already mentioned, there are many additional holes behind the motherboard designed to facilitate any back-facing plugs. Initially, I was concerned about the structural integrity of the case. However, my fears were quickly dispelled, as the motherboard tray does not easily flex under pressure. At the bottom, there are more routing holes for the front I/O cables and PCIe power cables to the graphics card. This thoughtful design ensures that cable management remains tidy and efficient.
At the front, we have a clear view of the three pre-installed front fans. They are mounted on rails, allowing users to install additional cooling options. This includes up to three 120mm or three 140mm fans. Additionally, users can install a radiator up to 420mm in size. It is important to note that both 360mm and 420mm radiators at the front are limited in thickness to a maximum of 90mm. If more space is needed, the fans can be moved to the other side. Furthermore, there are rubber grommets and holes to pass cables through. All the holes either have grommets or are rounded to prevent accidental cuts. This design feature ensures that cables are managed safely and efficiently, minimizing the risk of damage during installation and maintenance. It also plays a benefit in increasing the strength of the motherboard tray.
On the back of the case, we have another typical-looking area. All of the black I/O cables are tied together, most of them being flat cables except for the USB 3.0 header. The front I/O pins are also grouped together into a single header for easy plugging and unplugging. Additionally, there is a flat USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C header. There is approximately 27mm of space between the back of the motherboard tray and the side panel. Interestingly, this is slightly less than the 33 to 35mm mentioned by Cooler Master, but it should still provide enough room to fit and route cables where needed.
As for storage, there are three sets of four holes down the front and another two sets underneath the primary opening of the motherboard. This provides five slots to install 2.5" drives. Additionally, another drive bay can be found underneath in the basement. This bay is removable and can hold up to two 3.5" drives with side sleds and an additional 2.5" drive on the top. In total, we can install up to six 2.5" and two 3.5" storage options. Cooler Master only provides mounting hardware for two of each size, so you will need to obtain more separately if needed, but at least the space to add more is present.
At the top, there is a fan and lighting controller with just enough headers to control everything. To use this controller, SATA power is required. It is a nice feature addition to see here, but there are some things to keep in mind. Firstly, while it powers the fans, it does not provide fan control unless connected to a header on your motherboard. Thus, it serves more as a hub to connect all the fans to a single header. Without the motherboard connection, the fans will spin at maximum speed. Secondly, to synchronize the lighting effects with the motherboard, you will need to connect the addressable header. The controller can function on its own without this connection, but the effects are limited to the controller itself.
At the bottom, we have a large area reserved for the power supply. Four metal risers ensure there is ample space for the unit to intake air. However, there is no padding, so any vibrations between the power supply and the rest of the case may be audible. Nevertheless, all the cables can be neatly hidden in this basement area and routed as needed.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. Physical Look - Outside
3. Physical Look - Inside
4. Installation and Conclusion
