Page 4 - Installation and Conclusion
The computer building process was extremely enjoyable with the MasterCase Pro 6. It was really easy to work with, since everything was laid out in an organized manner. I first installed the power supply into the PSU chamber. The power supply used for this computer is the SilverStone Nightjar NJ520 520W, which features a fanless design. The pre-installed two 140mm fans in the case provide enough airflow for the PSU. For CPU cooling, a Scythe Mugen 5 cooler was mounted on my Gigabyte GA-H170-D3HP motherboard. The position of the motherboard tray opening of the MasterCase Pro 6 matches perfectly for the CPU position, therefore the heatsink can be installed without any trouble. If you like water coolers such as the NZXT Kraken X52, it can be mounted on the top panel.
Installation of the SSD was fairly easy. First, I just unscrewed the SSD tray using my bare hand to get it detached from the chassis. Then, the OCZ Trion 150 480GB was screwed onto the tray. As the final step, putting the SSD tray back in was also very easy. The thumbscrew could easily secure it into position. The rest of the installation process was really smooth. Since I did not have tons of 3.5" drives, the HDD brackets became very roomy. The cable management Velcro straps on the motherboard tray were very handy. All the cables can be fitted into the Velcro straps in my case. The MasterCase Pro 6 is quite friendly to users that may not have a ton of experience in computer building.
After everything has been installed properly, it is time to press the power switch. As you can see from the above photo, the included LED fan and the ambient light are blue. As for the LED strip, it is not from Cooler Master, but rather SilverStone, and it will be introduced in a future review. Since the MasterCase Pro 6 has a windowed side panel, it will not make any sense to not use interior lighting inside, as you can see in our photo above. If you do not like blue, you can buy a red edition from Cooler Master as well.
I am the kind of person who really cares about the noise level of my computer. In this build, I had three fans running in the case. As it turned out, my computer was really quiet, thanks in part to the sound insulation material applied to the case and the high quality fans. On the scale of 0 to 10, where 0 is totally silent and 10 is a jet taking off, I would rate my system at 3.5/10 regarding noise emissions. If you want to further bring down the noise level, fans with rubberized pads such as the Cooler Master MasterFan Pro series can be used.
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Coming back to the question I have proposed in the introduction of this review, how do I evaluate the uniqueness, practicality, and elegance of the MasterCase Pro 6? My short answer is they are all well-evaluated. The building process was generally smooth, and cable management was especially straightforward thanks to the large gap between the motherboard tray and the side panel. After a few days of using the computer I built out of the MasterCase Pro 6, I found myself really enjoying its unique design. All in all, 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 that may negatively affect the cleanness of the case is well hidden under those cover panels. Meanwhile, the poppable feature supplies great additional ventilation. The interior design of MasterCase Pro 6 is also pretty good. All of the components you need for building a computer can be nicely accommodated and kept cool. Tons of modular features are also provided for easy computer case upgrading. The paint job quality of the interior is great. However, the MasterCase Pro 6 still has room to improve. Here, I have two suggestions. One suggestion 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 heavy case. The other suggestion is to provide an optional translucent front cover panel, such that the LED fans can be used on the front panel of MasterCase Pro 6. To conclude this review, I would like to say the MasterCase Pro 6 is definitely worth considering if you need a clean and modular mid-tower with wide variety of FreeForm accessory choices. The MSRP of the MasterCase Pro 6 is $175 USD. I would not say it is a bargain, especially with all the plastic that has been used, but think about the high potential to further upgrade the case through FreeForm accessories, you can save a lot by just improving your computer case instead of buying new ones.
Cooler Master provided this product to APH Networks for the purpose of evaluation.
APH:Renewal Award | APH Review Focus Summary:
8/10 means Definitely a very good product with drawbacks that are not likely going to matter to the end user.
7/10 means Great product with many advantages and certain insignificant drawbacks; but should be considered before purchasing.
-- Final APH Numeric Rating is 7.7/10
Please note that the APH Numeric Rating system is based off our proprietary guidelines in the Review Focus, and should not be compared to other sites.
The MasterCase Pro 6 is an excellent case if you need a clean and modular mid-tower with wide variety of FreeForm accessory choices.
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Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. Physical Look - Outside
3. Physical Look - Inside
4. Installation and Conclusion
