Cooler Master MasterBox NR200 Mini ITX Case Review

These days it takes quite a bit to impress me when it comes to computer cases and while most are still decorated boxes there is some true innovation out there, you just have to find it.  The Cooler Master MasterBox NR200 is a really interesting case due to its small form factor size and the amount of features it comes with. 

For those looking to build something small you cannot go wrong with Mini ITX motherboards.  They fit in EVERYTHING and when matched with a proper computer case they can be the genesis for a super small and highly powerfui computer build.  On the surface the NR200 is just a shrunken tower, the motherboard is installed vertically and video cards can be installed parallel or perpendicular to the motherboard.  To keep the size down the power supply has been relocated internal to the chassis and shrunken down to the SFX form factor.

Normally a SFX PSU normally indicates a low power machine however the Cooler Master V850 SFX can handle everything a normal sized PSU can do and takes up way less space.

In terms of build quality, the MasterrBox NR200 is extremely solid.  Both side panels, the bottom panel and front panel are all constructed from high-quality steel and offers some weight that would rival many full tower cases.  The top panel is a typical injection molded plastic with a mesh cover and space to hold two 120mm fans.  The venting was done to promote cooling however if anyone installs the top mounted fans it Is in their best interest to also block the hexagon holes to force air to actually move through the case.

Overall, the build went extremely well, the Aorus motherboard was installed without a hitch along with every other accessory.  I did determine that cable management “is” a problem but not “the” problem when it comes to wiring.  If you are the type that must have their cables controlled it is worth your time to acquire a custom cable kit with individually sleeved wires.  Reason being, you cannot hide them in the NR200 and the flat ribbon cables are a bit stiff to tuck away without massive amounts of cable ties.

I liked how you are given choices when building in the NR200.  If you want a vertically mounted GPU, you can do that and even get a tempered glass side panel to show off your work.  Or, if you have a larger GPU you can mount it traditionally and still get a bracket for mounting a 240mm AIO.  Of course, there are drawbacks to every option and the case will look and perform great with each one.

Small Form Factor
Great Build Quality
Multi Options for Builds
Supports Vertical GPU
SFX and SFX-L PSU Support
Great Cooling
Tempered Glass Side Panel Included
Good Metal Construction

Limited modding options
Lots of venting
No real cable routing options