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Here we present some pictures of our fully-built system, as well as a discussion of the pros and cons of building in the MasterCase Pro 6.
Overall, I was pretty happy with how things turned out (from the front, at least – more on that later.) The rubber grommets keep things looking nice and clean, and I also removed the front-mounted drive cage to make things look a bit tidier.
However, one big issue I had – and I think this is a oversight on Cooler Master's behalf – was to do with my choice of CPU cooler. I wanted to install the MasterLiquid Pro 280 – a brand-new AIO from Cooler Master themselves. I did not want to remove the front fans so I was going to mount the AIO in the roof as the case's spec-sheet lists support for roof-mounted 280mm radiators. However – there is a length limit of 297mm, and this actually excludes Cooler Master's own MasterLiquid 280. I just find it bizarre that Cooler Master would launch a brand-new case that does not support their brand-new AIO cooler.
Update 17/2/17: Cooler Master got in touch and have provided the following instructions which shows you how to mount a larger 280mm radiator in the roof of the MasterCase. It is still far from ideal but it does make roof-mounting a larger 280mm AIO possible. You can read the instructions HERE.
Moving on, though, the PSU shroud has plenty of cut-outs which help keep your front-panel connectors tidy. I also used one of these cut-outs to route the PCIe power cable for the GPU.
One negative aspect of the case, though, is the empty space at the front of the chassis. There is simply nothing there – this makes the front fan cables very visible, while it also feels like wasted space. I would have liked to see a blanking plate of sorts here to hide the cables coming from the front fans. This is something NZXT do very well with their cable management bar that features in the S340.
Round the back, I was not overly happy with how things turned out in the end, thought it is far from terrible. I found I was not able to route all my cables as tidily as I would have like due to a lack of cable tie-down points – there are about 5 or 6 at the back but they are spread out quite a bit which makes things difficult. In particular, the bottom edge of the motherboard tray has just a single tie-down point, and this is the place where I think there should be the most tie-down points.
One great feature, though, is the PSU mounting system. The power supply mounts on a raised pair of feet which ensures the PSU is not making direct contact with the case's floor – this ensures no vibrations will occur, a nice touch.
What is up with Cooler Master at the moment? It’s like the design team picked up a catalogue from the early noughties. Steel, Acrylic windows that scratch when you look at them, 90 degree angles everywhere and I don’t know if you mention it in the video but in the second page the 4th picture is absolutely covered in fingerprints like you’ve just been working in a McDonalds. Mid way through the year I would not be surprised if they launch onto the market a revolutionary new range called the HAF for case builders who like to dust every other month.
It’s such a competitive marketplace now that £140 can get you some seriously nice cases from Corsair, Phanteks, NZXT and even the Bequiet Dark Base 900 if you shop around, I know what I’d rather have.
Personally I like the aesthetics but I agree – £140 can get you some cases with a real ‘wow’ factor, something I feel the MasterCase Pro 6 lacks. you’re 100% right about the steel being a fingerprint magnet though
Coolermaster had their time. the Mastercase line is all overpriced and under-featured and relies on DLC style accessories that take forever to release. top still limited to dual rads, bulky plastic exterior panels at $170 USD? this case is no different internally than the Pro 5, so what’s the point of it? it’s like the Corsair 570X being taller than the 460X, yet not mounting any additional radiator size really. at least that has a bunch of glass panels. is this just the Mastercase 5 with a more sealed up exterior? wow.