by dwdallam » Mon Oct 25, 2010 4:44 am
This is actually the first case since the CoolerMaster Stacker series that has gotten my attention. I really like the use of 230mm fans, as 120mm fans are where 80mm fans used to be when 120mm fans started getting popular. It's just that you can move as much air or more with lower RPMs, and that means a quieter environment. As far as dust filters on the front panels, so as to push air over the hard drives, this is just old thinking. It's really stupid to think computer fans with relatively low static pressure can push air over obstructions like hard drives, their enclosures, and all the metal and plastic surrounding them with much cooling effect. Put your hand in the case behind the drive bays and feel all that cold air blowing past--not. Fans are most efficient SUCKING and not pushing, and this goes for industrial fans too.
In other words, you can move more air pulling than pushing, especially when using low static pressure fans. So the "blow air over the hard drives" thinking was ok in 1999 when a wimpy airflow was considered all you needed anyway, but for high airflow designs, the thinking isn't compatible with the term 'high air flow." I turned my front fans around years ago to provide MORE airflow by using the front fans to exhaust over the hard drives (No, this isn't going to heat up your hard drive dude). Turn all your fans inward, including the CPU exhaust fan, except the top and front, and you will simply move a more air through yuor system. The static pressure is now high enough that the front fans can really do their real job--exhausting air.
The side cowling fan mounts is a brilliant design, although they could have created a sleeker cowl. I agree, this case is very functional, maybe The most functional to date, but the design makes me think--lumpy, man, lumpy. In any event, for 100 bucks it's superb.
Gigabytte X58 Extreme UD5
Core 920 @ 3.8
Cooler: Cogage True Spirit
RAM: OCZ DDR3 PC3-12800/1600MHz Gold XTC x12
Power: Kingwin 1000 modular
HD: x2 WD Black 640 RAID 0
Case: CM 832 Stacker w/6 120mm fans (Gentle Typhoon 1850 x2, Gelid Silent Tc x1, Gelid PWM x1, Cooler Master 120mm x1, Arctic Cooling PWM x1)