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Cases of the MasterCase Pro line occupy the main position in the updated range of Cooler Master. In terms of their capabilities, they are only slightly inferior to the sophisticated Maker, but are in a more pleasant price range for the buyer, representing a kind of “golden mean”. Like other new chassis from these lines, they are built around the concept of simplicity, versatility and modularity, that is, the ability to adapt the interior of the case to your needs. The subject of this review will be the MasterCase Pro 3 model, designed for assembling systems based on MicroATX motherboards.
Characteristics
| Model | Cooler Master MasterCase Pro 3 |
|---|---|
| Product page | coolermaster.com |
| Type of shell | Midi-Tower |
| Dimensions, mm | 505 (H) x 235 (W) x 476 (D) |
| Material | ABS plastic, Steel |
| Weight, kg | 9,1 |
| Color | Black |
| Form factor | MicroATX, Mini-ITX |
| 5.25″ devices | 1 |
| Devices 3.5″ external | – |
| Devices 3.5″ / 2.5″ internal | 2 / 2 (2.5″ drives can be installed instead of 3.5″) |
| Supported number of expansion slots | 5 |
| Fans | front – 2 x 120 / 140 mm (1 x 140 mm installed) upper – 2 x 120 / 140 mm (optional) rear – 1 x 120 / 140 mm (1 x 140 mm installed) |
| Interface connectors | 2 x USB 3.0, mic in and headphone out |
| Other | Modular design with the possibility of installing additional baskets for drives, side window. |
| Recommended cost, $ | 125 |
Packing and scope of delivery
The case box is beautifully made. The design is dominated by black. There are several images of the chassis from different angles, a description of its advantages and detailed technical specifications located on the sides of the package. In addition, carry handles are cut out on the sides, and internal protection against damage is provided by foam dampers, a bag and adhesive films on the side window.
The delivery set contains:
- leaflet with information about warranty obligations;
- case assembly instructions;
- two brackets for mounting a 5.25″ bay;
- ten disposable cable ties;
- two pass-through adapters from Molex to a three-pin fan connector;
- bracket and screw for a padlock;
- metal adapter for a Phillips screwdriver for mounting motherboard racks;
- six motherboard racks;
- two thumb screws;
- 12 screws for case fans;
- six long screws;
- four medium screws;
- four small screws;
- eight round-head screws for securing the motherboard;
- four small screws;
- four case screws for the power supply;
- eight screws for fixing 2.5″ drives.
Appearance
The body design looks underlined strictly and seriously. It’s all made up of slanted smooth edges, the front panel is a solid metal mesh, which should be good in terms of ventilation, but bad considering the speed of dust getting inside. The company logo is located in the center, at the bottom of the front panel, and all the main ports and buttons are collected on a polygonal plane at the top.
If you look from left to right, then on the top bevel we will see a dotted drive indicator, one USB 3.0 port (black), two audio jacks, another USB 3.0 port and a small square PC reset button. A small start button is located a little lower in the middle, it has a built-in system power indicator. The hole above the panel performs both a ventilation function and serves to carry the case, as a solid metal handle is built under the plastic arch.
The front panel mesh can be easily removed by pulling the tab on the bottom. On its reverse side there is a large honeycomb plastic grill, behind which a mesh of a good dust filter is pasted.
After removing the filter, we get access inside for easy replacement of case fans without the need to completely dismantle the front panel. The upper mesh insert can also be removed if necessary and one 5.25″ device can be installed in its place.
The entire left side panel is occupied by a large transparent acrylic window through which the entire inside of the case is visible. The door is equipped with a dismantling handle and is supported by two knurled screws that are fixed directly on it. It opens backwards and to the side, with the lower part first inserted into the guides.
Inside the door is equipped with massive stiffening ribs and is quite resistant to transverse twisting. The glass is fastened with metal clips, and another tinted opaque insert has been added to its lower part, the task of which is to cover the power supply compartment and the wires sticking out there.
The right side door is solid. It is also equipped with a handle and thumb screws.
Due to the absence of a cut-out for glass and the presence of strong stiffening ribs, this panel feels inflexible.
The top panel is plastic, made up of three sloping faces with a metal mesh on the middle of them. The back of it is a removable cover, which is held only by magnets and is dismantled with just one hand movement. It is also noteworthy that there is an air vent at the back of the panel, around which a metal handle is built. Thanks to this, carrying the case from place to place is carried out without problems at all, even if a heavy system is already assembled inside it.
The rear panel has an air vent at the top, a grille for mounting one 120- or 140-mm fan, five ventilated reusable PCI slot blanks. Moreover, the bottom plug is also a bracket for fixing peripheral cables, which increases their resistance to theft, for example, in computer clubs or at exhibitions. To the right of the slots, there is another large honeycomb ventilation grille.
The power supply can be installed in this chassis in either fan-up or fan-down orientation. For the PSU, a special removable mounting frame was made, which is held by four knurled screws (by the way, they are fixed on the frame itself). Under the block there is a high-quality retractable dust filter.
The legs in the lower part of the body are made in the form of large metal arches, organically integrated into the overall design of the chassis. These arches are removable, with rubber dampers glued on the underside. The total height of the legs is 33 mm, which should be more than enough for good ventilation of the power supply.
Let’s look at the internal structure of the case.
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