| Cooler Master HAF-X Case RC-942-KKN1 |  |
| Reviews - Featured Reviews: Cases | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Written by Dan Ferguson | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sunday, 11 July 2010 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Cooler Master HAF-X Computer Case ReviewWith Cooler Master's recent release of the HAF-X the anticipation culminating since CES 2010 can finally be relieved. This new edition to Cooler Master's "High Air Flow" series is a full tower case truly meant for enthusiasts. Heavy-weight systems packing huge power need a heavy-weight case with mammoth cooling performance. Model RC-942-KKN1 builds on successful features from the past while incorporating some new ideas. The case was designed to do two things extremely well, hold lots of high performance parts and keep them cool. Read on while Benchmark Reviews evaluates the HAF-X. The HAF-X is the newest product in the HAF series. In 2009 Cooler Master released the HAF AMD and before that the HAF 932. This newest release is technically the HAF 942 but nicknamed HAF-X. As technologies mature their physical designs also morph. GPUs are getting more complex and require larger support boards as well as better cooling support. For example, due to the massive power output generated by Nvidia's GTX 400 series cards they recommend installing an additional fan to assist the integrated fans. In parallel with GPU expansion, SLI and Crossfire have matured to scale performance across more and more cards. The combined effect of these two developments has increased the physical footprint required to take advantage of the highest performance available. Thus motherboard and case designs must adapt to accommodate ever changing hardware.
So far what we've seen is a continuation of past trends. Motherboards have remained 2-dimensional expanding in both width and length. Cases have been expanding in all three directions to accommodate the motherboards and the multitude of support equipment (mainly cooling). Case designs remain extremely rugged while trying to make component installation easier; e.g removable panels, tool-less installation, cable-routing. These high performance cases also tend to include windows and hardware management features to wrangle a potential mess into something that can be put on display. Finally, IO panels have expanded to include more ports and features while retaining a small footprint. The HAF-X continues these themes with only slight variation. Cooler Master HAF-X Features
RC-942-KKN1 Specifications
About Cooler Master
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Comments
The HAF X is a "higher end" case with better cooling, but the 932 is still a great case if you're not running dual GTX 480s...
##evga.com/support/faq/afmmain.aspx?faqid=58719
Just because a case needs to hold a large motherboard doesn't mean it HAS to be huge and heavy. It is custom to spec the case height based on mobo + PSU + cooling, then spec the depth based on mobo + graphics + drives. For the HAF X this means the entire front of the case is nothing but drive bays that I'll never in my life fill, even running 4 SLI. To me that's wasted space. Maybe case layout is constrained by some other factors, but I'd like to see some new designs that are more space efficient.
A few people may actually use every single slot, bay and peripheral. And that's fine, you can have a different opinion than me.
That said, your criticisms of heavy are true, although I suppose it could be addressed by making the case with aluminum. This isn't something to carry to LAN parties - its best left fixed in a stationary place. It's meant for power users who have a lot of HDDs, expansion cards, and well, stuff.
Dan, could you also clarify what you mean by cooling loss on the bottom? I'm thinking about getting this case, although I am going to wait until a "v2" comes out with 4 full USB 3.0 ports on front. Perhaps the side fan would be best served by being replaceable with 4x120mm as before ... or they could always sell an extra accessory.
Other than that, good review as always.
Regarding cooling loss, a good portion of the bottom of the case is grated. The PSU covers some of that area. The uncovered holes allows air from the front fan to escape out the bottom. It is most noticeable when the PSU cable partition and wheels are installed. Cool air going out the bottom is air that could have been routed across the motherboard.
This case is a fair price for what you are getting. I suppose there may be one solution to the cooling loss - put a fan on the bottom, or the simply put a sheet of metal onto it. Either way, how severe should the cooling loss be? Hot air should be flowing upwards, not downwards anyways.
I disagree with the "cooling loss" at the bottom of the case. I really don't think it has any significant detrimental effects with the stock fan setup the way it is. You can cover up the bottom grate, and I would bet hard cash that your temps wouldn't go down at all.
The only real negative the case has IMO as a HAF-X owner, is that it only came with ONE 2.5" SSD adapter. I had to buy 2 more so for my system consisting of a Crucial C300 SSD boot drive and 2 Seagate Momentus XT drives in RAID 0 for my programs. EZ 2 Fix
number one (hideously unattractive)....CM could learn something from Corsair on clean lines and use of metal (why is the front bezel on a $200 case plastic...c'mon)
number two ...... don't offer unobtainable fan sizes (230mm front)....or at least offer the option of a Blue LED version (for those that care about that)....
number three ..... case feels flimsy and light, compared to the 800d and Lian-Li offerings...and before anyone says it's cheaper....I got my 800d for $230....so I would gladly pay $30 more for the HAF x if it made use of more metal....and yes I do understand the issue of weight....but c'mon this is for a high end build....is an extra pound or two going to kill someones back? (also the case has wheels)
I agree that it should be full metal. I think that we should all hold off, because we want something with 4 USB 3 ports in front (and until proper motherboard headers for USB3 come about). As said above, the other thing is that I hope for the side fan to be switchable with 4 x 120mm like on the HAF 932, which is really good for cooling the GPU. A final complaint would be if a person put a fan on the bottom - no dust filters where they're needed the most.
I know that the ACTS doesn't have HDD hot swap or USB 3.0 (not that there's a motherboard with the headers anyway & point less to go to the rear ports IMO. Just get a longer USB 3.0 cable). I just wonder about overall cooling - graphics cards AND CPU. Seems like the HAF-X just concentrates on the GPU(s).
Ideally CoolerMaster would release an updated ACTS 840, but not sure I can wait out for that.
Thanks.
As far as the ACTS, I have no idea. I just know the HAF-X is the best case I've ever seen out of many many cases.
I have gotten the highest temps of any case I have ever owned
have tried ever fan configuration you could imagine
HAF-X is NOT living up to the hype
the coolest running case I have ever had is still the Antec 900 (2 SE)
and the guy who says 7c above ambient has got to have a faulty sensor
unless his ambient temp is over 70c
only case i have had that was worse than the HAF-X was the Corsair 800D
Antec 900/1200 and Lian-Li pc80 are unbeatable for airflow
that has been my personal experience
Now just to further convince you, look at any HAF-X review online. Look at their temps. Here, I'll give you an example:
##hardwareheaven.com/reviews/1013/pg6/cooler-master-haf-x-case-review-test-system-temperatures.html
They got even lower temps than I have. You must be confused. You do know we are talking about air temp inside the case, not CPU temp, right?
Not sure how else to prove 2+2=4 to you. You can roll your eyes all you want, but you look pretty silly when your answer is 5.
Why is that so hard for you to believe? Try math: The HAF-X is 2.606 cubic feet of volume. The two intake fans are rated at 110/CFM each. That would give you a complete air change 84.45 times per minute. Of course unrestricted airflow of a fan (it's rated CFM) isn't what you see when it's in a chassis though. You have to consider resistance and pressure which makes the fan less efficient. Lets say it cuts it's efficiency in half which is a pretty acceptable efficiency average. That's still 42.23 times per minute. It's not called the "High Air Flow - X" for nothing you know.
go buy a decent multimeter with a k-probe...and then take the temp in a critical area (like around your first PCIe slot) and then rethink your argument.
you are the one who started off here trying to be sarcastic....who are you trying to prove these temperatures to??
like I said follow some realitic testing methodology and stop believing what your mobo sensor and program that read it are telling you
example....read your mobo sensor with at least 3 different programs....and then tell me the variance between the readings you get
you don't win arguments with sarcasm....try facts
if a manufacture was using an ISO or ANSI standard to measure ok I would believe it....
but you have essentially just quoted specs. from things you read on the internet....yet have no validation or measurments of your own....other than your "mobo" sensor.....
that is pedestrian and anyone with testing experience knows it....
you have taken an arbitrary reading...from an arbitrary sensor....in an arbitrary location....
then called it a ballpark fact
my GPU temps (measured on the back of the die with a fluke k-probe) in an Antec 900 were 48c.....the exact same GPU with the exact same measurement point and exact same hardware (load etc) in the HAF-x was 74c
welcome to science and personal experience
GPU temps were taken at idle with the exact same OC....
test sample was a gtx480
in case you want to do the research on your own....you might find what I am saying to be 100% accurate
I ask that you actually do some testing on your own, with precision instruments....rather than make ballpark statements like
"the HAF-x is only 7c above ambient"
7c WHERE!!!! honestly it's laughable.....do you even know where you mobo sensor that you were "reading" is physically located?
I don't mean in general....I mean exactly where is it located....and is that location relevant to anything going on in the real world
*shakes head*
I am posting validated results.....you are basically pissing in the wind and hoping none blows back on you
sorry if you are mad about reality, but that is the reality of the HAF x
Why are you measuring the backside of your GPU die? You are measuring your GPU temp when you do that, not air inside your case, duahhhh...
and don't tell me the rampage 3 was used for both intel and AMD chips...we both know that doesn't work out...like I said full of holes...
I also notice that you give the HAF-x an almost perfect score on your review...but don't mention ANY problems that other reviews have...
go read some other reviews on the HAF-x....I am inclined to believe that you are biased towards the product...
and NO sensor on ANY mobo is going to be as accurate as a k-probe at a specific location....also you claim in your review that you can't make "comparisons" to other products....well that is the basis of my original statement....I am comparing the HAF to the Antec 900 and the Lian-LI pc80...
done arguing with you over nothing....enjoy your HAF...I am getting rid of mine for a case that performs well
This is your friendly online bartender reminding you of the rules in this establishment. Spirited debate is all well and good, but you two are making this personal. Not good...
Please turn down the volume, take it out to the parking lot, or say hello to the bouncer.
TIA. and yes, I DID delete your last post. It violated the TOS, and didn't really contribute much to the debate.
my experience with the HF-x is quite the opposite..
I have gotten the highest temps of any case I have ever owned
have tried ever fan configuration you could imagine
HAF-X is NOT living up to the hype
the coolest running case I have ever had is still the Antec 900 (2 SE)
and the guy who says 7c above ambient has got to have a faulty sensor
unless his ambient temp is over 70c
only case i have had that was worse than the HAF-X was the Corsair 800D
Antec 900/1200 and Lian-Li pc80 are unbeatable for airflow
that has been my personal experience
# RE: haf-x ? WW_Dagger 2010-08-22 14:34
@Ari - Solution: Plug in your fans
please not the origins of this debate...I posted an opinion..."dagger" finds the need to be rude...I am done arguing with him...I simply posted my opinions about the HAFx...thanks for the review
" Sarcasm, Inc (based in Michigan, USA) has come up with an innovative emoticon (if there can be such a thing). It's the SarcMark, which is designed to let people know when you meant something to be sarcastic. This new form of punctuation is like an unfinished circle (or squiggle, if I'm being honest) with a dot in the middle, and can be easily downloaded for "just" $1.99. "
It's somewhat evident in his reply's to his own "review"...which he linked in this thread...
It seems anyone that has a difference of opinion about the HAF-x is met with the same contempt as I was...
eh it hardly seems worth the effort...physically watching BOTH gtx480's run at 88c under 30-40 % load as I type this....*YIKES*
Please, read the first 10, 20 or even 100 reviews of the HAF-X you find, & you will see they all rate it with a 90% or higher score, & all of them emphasize it's great, enthusiast level airflow & cooling ability. I'm sorry your HAF-X is somehow hotter than most CPUs reach, but it's more likely you are confusing Celsius and Fahrenheit. I'm sorry your GTX 480s run at 88c under only 30% load. Mine runs at 75c under 100% load (OCCT GPU)and idle at 36c. I'm also sorry for doubting your claims, when the 100+ HAF-X reviews online do that for me. But for some reason, I'm now doubting you even own a HAF-X.
It seems you have issues but I assure you it's not bec. of the HAF-X.
CPU: Intel Core i7-930 (4.1GHz
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D14
TIM: MASSCOOL G751 Shin-Etsu
Motherboard: Asus Rampage III Extreme
Power Supply: Corsair 1000HX
Memory: Mushkin Redline 6GB 998805 (6-8-6-24)
GPU: ZOTAC GTX 480 AMP! (800MHz Core, 1010MHz memory, no voltage changes)
OS: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
HD 1: Crucial RealSSD C300 6Gbps SSD 256GB (Boot, OS & Main App Drive)
HD 2&3: Seagate Momentus XT 500GB Solid State Hybrid (RAID 0)(Game and Programs Drive)
HD 4: Samsung EcoGreen 1TB (Media & Storage Drive)
DVD Burner: LITE-ON
Keyboard: Logitech G15 Gaming Keyboard
Headset: Creative Labs World of Warcraft Wireless Headset
Display: Samsung Syncmaster P2770H 27" Widescreen 2ms Mini-HDMI to HDMI
Mouse: Logitech G5 Gaming Laser Mouse
Battery Backup: Cyber Power Smart App Sinewave PP1500SWT2 1500VA / 1000Watts Pure Sinewave, Full AVR buck/boost
LET IT GO my friend...
I am interested in buying the case for its cooling (and functionality.)
As an aside, do you think airflow can be demonstrated with smoke / coloured smoke to depict currents and indicate pressure?
Is a second top fan really necessary with dual SLI and the usual enthusiast components. This has bearing on the cooler. For example I have no intention for water cooling. However, the large push pull coolers I think are often too heavy for the board even with a backplate. Bump into the case / drag a chair into it and the inital jarring has potential for damage especially since Intel recommend a maximum weight which the large coolers normally exceed. Olin's points in the thermal paste review ring in my ears. A tall coler may well be mitigated by the upwards airflow? Perhaps, if the maching is good I can run with a CM 212 hyper and no second top fan?
Anyone else's experiences with cooling well after the intial review? Thanks.