Cooler Master ATCS 840

[[cTx]SGT.Viper]

Cooler Master ATCS 840

The first computer case that pops into your head when you say classic, luxury, or high end, would be a Lian-Li or Silverstone. Not anymore. Cooler Master has been in the market for over a decade. They run lines of power supplies, CPU coolers, and computer cases. Popular lines include the Stacker, Cosmos, and the CM690. They were very popular for modding. Cooler Master seemed to lack a classic looking/high end case, until now. Clan Team Xtreme has the honor to review this Full Tower Premium Chassis. They call it, the ATCS 840. (Active Thermal Convection System)


Packaging


When the box arrived, it had your “minor” damage that the delivery people tend to cause. Luckily Cooler Master noticed this and made sure to package the case very well. The box is reinforced with double corrugated cardboard. The chassis is wrapped in a plastic bag, with Styrofoam on each end of the case to protect the corners from dents, scrapes, and the tossing and turning that occurs while shipping. The ATCS 840 package design is just what you would expect with a normal case. It includes the usual black text with descriptions, graphics, etc. After removing the packaging from the case there was no dents, scratches, or abnormal marks. I was surprised!











Specifications

Available Colors: Black and Silver
Case Material: Aluminum
Dimensions: (W) 243 x (H) 580 (D) 630 mm
(W) 9.57 x (H) 22.83 x (D) 24.80 inches
Net Weight: 13.25 kg (29.21 lbs)
Gross Weight: 15.75 kg (34.72 lbs)
Motherboard Type: Micro-ATX/ ATX/ E-ATX
5.25” Drive Bay: 6 Exposed (without the use of the exposed 3.5” drive bay)
3.5” Drive Bay: 6 Hidden
1 Exposed
I/O Panel: USB x 4, IEEE 1394a x 1, eSATA x1, Mic x 1, Audio x 1
Expansion Slots: 7 (vented)
Cooling: Front: 230 x 30mm fan x 1, 700 RPM, 19 dBA (included)
Rear: 120 x 25mm fan x 1, 1200 RPM, 17 dBA (included)
Top: 230 x 30mm fan x 2, 700 RPM, 19 dBA
Bottom: 120mm fan x 1 (optional)
HDD: 120mm fan x 2 (optional)
External Air Duct: 120mm fan x 1 (optional)




Features

I will proceed onto the features and design of the case, which was a very pleasant spectacle.

Front View



Side View With Panel



Top Fans With Grill On



To take the grill off, you just need to remove the two top thumb screws, and proceed to pull it straight backwards.



Inside of case when arrived



Transversally Mounted Hard Drive Bays



Push Button 5.25” Bays



Front Fan View/HDD Fan Mount



Vented PCI Slots



Top Power Supply Bay/ Water Cooling Holes



Back View



I/O Panel: This is another innovative design from Cooler Master. When pushed in, the I/O ports are concealed. After pushed in, it pops up, revealing all of them, nice for those who want a clean looking case when not using headphones, USB, etc.



Cables For Front I/O



Motherboard Tray: So, whats so special about this? Well, Cooler Master was brilliant enough to use ball bearings, 96 total, on the motherboard tray. This allows for effortless, smooth, sliding when removing the tray, and sliding in too! This also is nice because it prevents metal-on-metal contact. Very handy tool!



Ball Bearings



Tray When Removed



Continuing on for those who would like to know the size of this case compared to another, I have a CM690 side by side with it. As you can see, it is much wider, thanks to the 230mm fan located on the front of the chassis.



Accessories : The black pieces of plastic are the mounts for a 120.3mm radiator if you decide to liquid cool. This replaces the 2 top fans. Also included are 6 large zip-ties. 5 of them are in the accessories box, and one is already mounted on the case. Also included are a handful of small zip-ties, screws for the motherboard, a motherboard speaker, a power supply stabilizer bracket (if used on top bay), and a CPU 8 pin extension if your power supply doesn't cut it for length. A fan grill for the air duct is also included.



Air Duct Installed



The manual shows detailed info on installation if you need help.










My one gripe is this, which may have been missed when on the line, but nonetheless, its there. The case is missing a rivet on the top corner, which is probably the worst place to be missing one.



Overall, this cases design is well thought out, from little things such as the thick aluminum frame construction, to the ball bearing motherboard tray. Besides the missing rivet, I couldn't see any real design flaws. Let’s get to construction.

Construction

Building with the ATCS 840 was the easiest computer that I've ever assembled. The removable tray made installing various parts simple. I didn't have to worry about cramming my hands inside the case, although without a tray, I couldn't see that being a problem since the immense amount of room that this case has.







I could've and should have hid the I/O cables better, but the main cables, such as the CPU, ATX, and video card connectors were tucked away nicely behind the tray, and then brought back out to their destination. The holes worked very well.

Final Thoughts

Well, there's so much about this case that makes it competitive with Lian-Li, and Silverstone. Evidence such as; the removable motherboard tray, high airflow with the 3 monstrous fans, and the all aluminum construction, show that Cooler Master is back in the game, and with a huge bang. This case offers more features than Lian-Li's offering, and possibly even the Silverstone. Don't count out Cooler Master next time when looking for a premium chassis. I know I won't!

The Verdict

Packaging: 9/10 Frags: Double corrugated cardboard, and superb protection make up for the colorless design

Style: 10/10 Frags: Cooler-Master has taken a new path with this beautiful chassis, aluminum finish looks great

Design: 10/10 Frags: All aluminum construction puts it into the luxury dept. spacious interior room, plus a semi-compact overall size that still fits under a desk

Features: 10/10 Frags: No questions asked, the sliding motherboard tray, high airflow fans, and pop up I/O port sets a new standard for high end cases

Price: 9 Frags: Offers more bang-for-buck than its Lian-Li/Silverstone competitors


This Case Receives a 9.6/10 which makes it Clan Team Xtreme Approved!

Review Staff
Riggs Clough