Page 2 - Physical Look - Outside
With everything out of the box, the first thing you would notice about the Cooler Master MasterCase 5 is its clean lines and angles. Both side panels are made of SECC, while the plastic is painted matte grey, giving a great overall feel to the case. In the Pro version, you will receive an additional top panel and the side panel comes with a window. Furthermore, in the Pro version, there is an extra hard drive cage for added internal storage. As you can see from the photo above, we have the regular version of the MasterCase 5 in our hands. It is still based off the same frame though. It measures out to be 512 mm in length, 235 mm in width, and 460 mm in height. This is pretty standard for most chassis in this class, and is able to support ATX, mATX, and mITX motherboards. Sticking it on the scale, it weighs in at 10.6 kg or 23.4 lbs.
Generally speaking, the MasterCase 5 gives a great first impression on a solid build quality and exterior looks. It seems like Cooler Master's new mindset on product design is paying off. Nothing seems to feel flimsy when being handled. Dust filters have been placed in the appropriate ventilation spots, keeping the nasty stuff out, all while giving plenty of space to draw in cool air. Two 5.25" bays are situated near the top. This should be more than sufficient for housing most standard accessories. When not in use, you can always stick the cove back on, keeping the clean design. You will also be able to access two USB 3.0 ports, power button, reset button, standard 3.5mm audio jacks, and hard drive LED indicator.
Turning our attention to the back, we can see a standard layout for most mid-tower of this range. From top down, we have the standard rear 140mm exhaust next to the I/O opening for the motherboard. If need be, the 140mm fan can be swapped out for a 120mm fan. Moving downwards, we have seven expansion slots, extra ventilation holes, and the opening for the power supply. Thumbscrews can be seen holding in the front and back panels and the removable plate for the power supply, which emphasizes Cooler Master's direction into a more modular chassis.
The top features a removable plate coupled with a dust filter. This is held in place via four Philips-head screws. In the Pro version, a top panel comes along with your case, as aforementioned. Additionally, you will be greeted with two solidly built handles here, allowing you to carry your computer around with ease. Other than that, there is really nothing more to note here, physically speaking.
The bottom does not feature anything out of the ordinary, either. You will find a removable dust filter covering the ventilation for the power supply, and rubberized feet to allow cool air to flow from the bottom while dampening any vibrations. The feet provide a couple of centimeters rise over the surface it resides on. Finally, there is a slit near the front for ventilation, and also serves as a place to easily pull the front panel off for any reason. Generally speaking, the Cooler Master MasterCase 5 is a very good mid-tower chassis in terms of build quality. All the panels fit together well, with no excessive gaps between panels. The amount of attention to detail is noticeable, and that is always nice to see from Cooler Master. The only real concern, particularly for silent PC enthusiasts, is the MasterCase 5 does not include sound dampening material. It would have been great to have at least some material to keep sound emissions in check, but the MasterCase 5 is not designed for silent computing per se.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. Physical Look - Outside
3. Physical Look - Inside
4. Installation and Conclusion
