Page 2 - Physical Look - Outside
The MasterCase Pro 6 does not only inherit the retail package design from the MasterCase 5, but also the design principle. The whole case still features clean lines and angles, just like its old brother. With the help of the front and top cover panels, things such as the cooling bracket and ventilation filter mesh are all well-hidden underneath the cover panels. It is worth noting those two cover panels are not just simply put on the chassis; they are actually attached to the frame through magnetic mounts loaded with springs. Therefore, they can either be in a completely closed position or in a raised position for better ventilation. For the top cover panel, raising it up allows the hot air to be expelled out more easily, which could be a big plus for the cooling performance of any big closed loop liquid cooled radiator or fan in your rig. For the front cover panel, a similar mechanism is applied for the front mounted radiator or the air intake fans. The front cover panel can also flap forward for easy access to the optical drive. It is quite interesting to see a modern case with openings for optical drives. I believe this feature is attractive for those users with old games or movies stored on discs. Furthermore, both the top and front cover panels can be completely removed for filter cleaning.
As you may have noticed from the above photo, there is a large acrylic window on the left panel. The window is protected with a layer of plastic foil; hence it is not likely to have scratches on it out of the box. I think I will keep the foil on for a while, even though it may not look good, haha. The window also comes with a piece of black plastic plate at the bottom to cover the PSU chamber. The quality of the acrylic window is pretty good. It is thick enough to provide high rigidity, and there is no distortion as far as I can observe. The benefit of using a windowed computer panel is to have a good view of your gear inside. If you want to have an even better view, tempered glass for the MasterCase 5 can be used, thanks to the FreeForm technology. On the other hand, if you prefer to have steel panels on both sides, the MasterCase 5 all-steel left side panel can be your choice. Just be careful not to mistakenly buy the right side panel. For other FreeForm accessories of MasterCase Pro 6, you can enjoy shopping for them at Cooler Master’s official website.
When it comes to the measurements, the MasterCase Pro 6 is 235mm in width, 548mm in height, and 544mm in length. Comparing with the MasterCase 5, the width and the height are the same. The difference lies in the length, which is probably caused by the newly introduced detachable front cover panel. The computer case weighs at 11.74kg, which is heavier than the MasterCase 5. Considering the weight, I would expect the Cooler Master to keep the sturdy built handles of the MasterCase 5. Unfortunately, they are not available on the MasterCase Pro 6. Therefore, after fully built, the computer may be difficult to move.
To provide access to the front I/O ports and switches, a small hatch cover on the top cover panel needs to be flipped over. Under the hatch cover, the power switch and reset button, two USB 3.0 ports, audio jacks for headphone and microphone are lined up, respectively. The power switch is located right in the middle, and illuminates after power is turned on. The hinge of the hatch cover is a piece of rubber. Compared with a mechanical hinge, the rubber hinge allows for a lower profile and smoother operation. When the hatch cover is closed, the top cover panel is really sleek and clean. Normally, since the water cooler radiator may be installed at the top of the computer case, opening or mounting holes are unavoidable here. However, in this case, everything that may reduce the cleanness of this computer case are well hidden under the poppable top and front cover panels. Meanwhile, like I have introduced previously, better ventilation can be supported by popping cover panels up.
The back of the Cooler Master MasterCase Pro 6, like the rest of the case, is designed to be simple and clean. There are four major sections; namely, the power supply mounting place, motherboard I/O backplate, rear exhaust, and expansion card slots. According to the shape of the power supply mounting hole, the power supply is horizontally mounted at the bottom section of the chassis. Due to the computer case’s modular feature, the PSU is mounted on a removable plate. Thumbscrews are used to secure the PSU mounting plate to the chassis. Since the power supply has already taken this bottom position, the motherboard can only be located above it, meaning the I/O backplate opening is at the top. There are seven expansion slots available on the MasterCase Pro 6, which is standard for an ATX mid-tower. You may not be able to install a graphics card at the bottom slot though. Note the thumbscrews of the left and right side panels are hidden under the removable back cover. The back cover can also provide cable management to the wires coming out from the motherboard I/O connection. As for the rear exhaust, as you can see from the photo above, there is a 140mm LED illuminated fan included from the factory.
There are two plastic stands at the bottom of the case to support the heavy MasterCase Pro 6, and to rise the case up about 3cm on top of the resting surface for better off-road performance, I mean, ventilation performance. These stands are extremely strong. Four rubber bricks are provided to enhance the grip of the stands. These rubber bricks can offer enough friction to hold the case in position firmly, even though they are not big in size. You can also see from the above photo a washable filter is attached to the bottom grille of the chassis. The filter is reinforced by a hard plastic structure, and they are removable for cleaning as well. Note the power supply of this case is bottom mounted, therefore the ventilation area behind the filter is actually designed for the power supply. I have to say I like the stands of the MasterCase 5 more, since they are purely made out of steel instead of plastic. It would be nice if I can buy them as FreeForm accessories.
Overall speaking, the design of the MasterCase Pro 6 inherits the clean and smooth design principles of the MasterCase 5. Thanks to the poppable front and top cover panels and the removable back cover, everything may negatively affect the cleanness of the case is well hidden under those cover panels. Meanwhile, the poppable feature provides additional ventilation. The only suggestion I can make is to retain the MasterCase 5's handles in the MasterCase Pro 6, or at least make them available as FreeForm accessories, which would be helpful when moving such a heavy case.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. Physical Look - Outside
3. Physical Look - Inside
4. Installation and Conclusion
