Cooler Master MasterCase 5 Case Review

From the factory the Mastercase 5 comes with two 140mm cooling fans located at the front and back of the chassis with support for an additional 5 or 6 depending on how you want to install them at the front of the case. 

All of the fan mounting locations are slotted so you can position the fans however you like.  The slots also support a greater variety of cooling options including radiators that don’t always follow conventions.

The top of the case supports two 120 or 140mm case fans but lacks the room to support a radiator and fan combo.  Much like the movable drive cages the top panel is also removable for easy fan installations or to be swapped for the radiator support bracket that comes standard on the Mastercase 5 Pro.

Case construction is quite good with the inner frame being constructed from quality SECC steel.  All of the corners are rivet reinforced with very clean locking joints indicating that the Cooler Master manufacturing process has only gotten better.  You will notice extensive venting along the back panel giving the case a decorated appearance that won’t sacrifice cooling performance. 

The side panels are made from very heavy gauge steel which is something I haven’t seen done in awhile. For those who like to cut custom side windows the heavier panels tend to work much better and will resist rattling, even when most of the material has been removed.

An interesting thing I have noticed is that the base chassis is also a perfect square.  While this may not seem like much it opens an interesting modding opportunity to rotate the case internals without impacting the external panels. 

Speaking of front bezel the angular shape is very unique for a gaming/modding chassis and moves the mesh panel well away from the chassis.  Some say this reduces noise while others see it as an opportunity for a larger radiator and fan combo.