The CM 690 Case Thread

phelan1777 · 12-27-2007, 10:40 AM

hey guys, seeing as many are working on, have/own a 690, myself included.

Opinions on starting a 690 thread.

I am thinking similar to my Stacker thread.

My thinking is this, just to share pics/ideas so we won't have to search all over xs as there are more and more threads popping up.

I will be working on my case soon and it will be watercooled, though it will be my primary cruncher as my Stacker is my main use PC.

So, thoughts, opinions, pics also welcome?

pumpahhh · 12-27-2007, 11:02 AM

Well, i dont have one yet, but i am saving money to buy one!
When i first saw it, i liked it, really nice case!

Asgard_thor · 12-27-2007, 11:09 AM

I agree with this thread

m getting one soon
and will start modding it..but wont actually get a mobo, cpu and gpu for awhile :-/

phelan1777 · 12-27-2007, 11:43 AM

Well the thread is to be about teh case, so the rest of the hardware is not essential, though if a certiain piece of work, or mod does prove critical to a significan OC then by all mean post related information.

Ethelred · 12-27-2007, 11:53 AM

Alright so here is my plan.

All of the "lines" in the case will be black (ie the vertical rails for the hdd rack as well as the 5.25" bays. The Mobo tray and flat surfaces in the case will be gloss white. The outside will be gloss black. I'll remove all of the 'rivets' and replace with screws as well as cut off all the fan grills.

I've put spots of black and white to indicate the color the parts will be. So from the ouside it will be a solid black (I'll debadge as well) in in the inside it will be a mixe with the black accents. Fans will be a black bodies will white blades, white screws where visible otherwise black screws. Maybe a light blue or black sleeving not really sure.

Feedback? Plan will most likely change a little as I dismantle and decide which lines will work or whether or not the colors (shades technically) will flow into each other smoothly or not.

Picture taken from xcpu's review.

leoftw · 12-27-2007, 11:57 AM

Here is a updated pic. I plan to clean it up today and will post pics later. This is going to take up some hors of my day :P

The rest of these pics are old

http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/d...n/IMG_2585.jpg
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/d...n/IMG_2584.jpg
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/d...n/IMG_2501.jpg
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/d...win/cm6902.jpg
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/d...win/cm6901.jpp

Asgard_thor · 12-27-2007, 05:36 PM

anyone know when the side panel will be out? I WANT IT!

http://www.coolermaster.com/products...te=215&id=3169

EvilBellyLint · 12-27-2007, 10:20 PM

This case is so versatile with respect to cooling options,
what I'd really like to see is what different peeps have
settled on as their optimal fan set-up.

Also any mods that involve custom shrouds, ducts, chimneys,
etc... as there seems to be infinite possibilities for airflow
design with this case

I'll be starting a new build very soon with the CM690, and STILL
I'm see-sawing back and forth on a couple different airflow
set-ups I've been mulling over. Maybe once I get everything
tested and running, I'll do some airflow pattern tests and post
my results.

EBL

Death^Dread · 12-27-2007, 11:53 PM

I still can't decide what to do for airflow... I don't know what to do on the top that won't fight against my TRUE. I've held off on ordering fans until I decide what to do...

Burn · 12-28-2007, 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Death^Dread

I still can't decide what to do for airflow... I don't know what to do on the top that won't fight against my TRUE. I've held off on ordering fans until I decide what to do...

I'm ordering five of the 140mm Yate Loon's (high-speed versions). Will be building my own small footprint, low-profile PWM fan controllers for them and mounting them with actual screws and such ("Fan" screws look ugly and make nasty holes, I'll be using socket head cap screws with rubber grommets). Fan controller will be modular, probably mounted very close to the fans themselves or in a location which is easily accessible and looks "good".

Eventually will be cutting a side panel out, will retain both 140mm fans in the side panel and hopefully it'll show off the goods

I'm looking forward to what I'll be able to do with a dremel, grommets and a hole saw :p

Also will be drilling (as mentioned above) holes in the motherboard tray for grommets which will help with routing power cables and data cables (SATA). I am hoping to be able to make a really nice SATA cable routing plate which I saw in another thread, here:
http://www.overclock.net/case-mods-g...ml#post3055909

Except it'll be handling 6 SATA cables

Going to fill up the hard drive racks with 5 hard drives, as well as one SATA DVD burner.

My thoughts

leoftw · 12-29-2007, 02:31 PM

Vice · 12-30-2007, 12:03 PM

I bit on one of these cases, got it from newegg for $34.99 shipped AR.

Expect a build log soon.

daedra1 · 12-30-2007, 12:26 PM

clubit has it for $5.99 and with shipping it's only $20.00. Better hurry though I think today is the last day for the sale. This is the second one I have bought and I still can't believe how cheap there letting these cases go.

EvilBellyLint · 12-30-2007, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daedra1

clubit has it for $5.99 and with shipping it's only $20.00. Better hurry though I think today is the last day for the sale. This is the second one I have bought and I still can't believe how cheap there letting these cases go.

Me neither. They're worth paying MSRP for.

But something tells me Coolermaster may be having some
cash-flow issues... seems every one of their products has
been heavily rebated for the past couple months... they
may just need the cash more than they need the inventory.

EBL

Vice · 12-30-2007, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daedra1

clubit has it for $5.99 and with shipping it's only $20.00. Better hurry though I think today is the last day for the sale. This is the second one I have bought and I still can't believe how cheap there letting these cases go.

If you'll read my post above, ClubIT is sold out.

Xvys · 01-01-2008, 05:10 PM

yep, you have to wonder about CoolerMaster selling this case for $5.99. Considering the heft of these units, it has to be worth at least that much in scrap metal value! And with their crummy Extreme power supplies (which they often discount to 1/3 of their MSRP), will surely tarnish their good name, so you have to wonder?

I hope some of you guys with your 690's pictured here realize, that the 120mm fans on most power supplies is an INTAKE fan, which exhausts passively out the front (and out of the computer). The manual suggests that you install these ps upside down, so the fan draws hot air out of the computer box. If you install it rightside up, the intake fan is pushed up against the case bottom and the airflow is probably being partially restricted, which may increase heat and reduce the longevity of your ps.

JasoN!!! · 01-01-2008, 06:28 PM

i want to paint the two side panels a different color should i sand it before painting it or should i take a spray can and just spray it

dkx64 · 01-01-2008, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xvys

I hope some of you guys with your 690's pictured here realize, that the 120mm fans on most power supplies is an INTAKE fan, which exhausts passively out the front (and out of the computer). The manual suggests that you install these ps upside down, so the fan draws hot air out of the computer box. If you install it rightside up, the intake fan is pushed up against the case bottom and the airflow is probably being partially restricted, which may increase heat and reduce the longevity of your ps.

Theres big rubber footing on the bottom of the case which gives it about an inch and a half of clearance and also if you haven't seen from (nude case) pictures, there are vents down there as well, so theres no air being restricted at all. The way its designed, the PSU will be pulling in cold outside air from the bottom and exhausting it out.

Jason, I'm in the process of painting my case right now. I just got done sanding the side panels down because they are sheet metal. I'm not sure if its necessary, but most of the guides recommend it. This is my first time tring to paint anything. For the front and top covers, they are plastic, so i just painted over it. I only put one coat on right now but it looks good so far.

Blasar · 01-02-2008, 03:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by leoftw

Can you close the side door with the fans mounted on?

It was easy to mount the tuniq in that board? I ´ve read somewhere that are some "issues" with the

Tuniq and the ASUS Maximus e P5E. Can you, please, clarify this to me?

TIA

LuckyNV · 01-02-2008, 04:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blasar

Can you close the side door with the fans mounted on?

It was easy to mount the tuniq in that board? I ´ve read somewhere that are some "issues" with the

Tuniq and the ASUS Maximus e P5E. Can you, please, clarify this to me?

TIA

only the VGA side fan will fit, tall heatsinks like the Tuniq, IFX14, TRUE etc... will not accommodate the CPU side fan

EvilBellyLint · 01-02-2008, 07:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Burn

I'm ordering five of the 140mm Yate Loon's (high-speed versions). Will be building my own small footprint, low-profile PWM fan controllers for them and mounting them with actual screws and such ("Fan" screws look ugly and make nasty holes, I'll be using socket head cap screws with rubber grommets). Fan controller will be modular, probably mounted very close to the fans themselves or in a location which is easily accessible and looks "good".

Eventually will be cutting a side panel out, will retain both 140mm fans in the side panel and hopefully it'll show off the goods

I'm looking forward to what I'll be able to do with a dremel, grommets and a hole saw :p

Also will be drilling (as mentioned above) holes in the motherboard tray for grommets which will help with routing power cables and data cables (SATA). I am hoping to be able to make a really nice SATA cable routing plate which I saw in another thread, here:
http://www.overclock.net/case-mods-g...ml#post3055909

Except it'll be handling 6 SATA cables

Going to fill up the hard drive racks with 5 hard drives, as well as one SATA DVD burner.

My thoughts

very nice, BTW

EBL

01-02-2008, 08:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xvys

yep, you have to wonder about CoolerMaster selling this case for $5.99. Considering the heft of these units, it has to be worth at least that much in scrap metal value! And with their crummy Extreme power supplies (which they often discount to 1/3 of their MSRP), will surely tarnish their good name, so you have to wonder?

they make money form the uk... 105$ for the CM690 on this side of the pond...

JasoN!!! · 01-02-2008, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dkx64

Jason, I'm in the process of painting my case right now. I just got done sanding the side panels down because they are sheet metal. I'm not sure if its necessary, but most of the guides recommend it. This is my first time tring to paint anything. For the front and top covers, they are plastic, so i just painted over it. I only put one coat on right now but it looks good so far.

Can i see picture and what grit of sand paper you used

khellandros66 · 01-02-2008, 03:53 PM

As far as airflow my results are great

Top 2x120 exhaust Scythe
Rear 120mm Exhaust Stock
Front Intake Stock
Bottom Intake Stock
Bottom Side 120mm Intake Scythe
Side 80mmx15mm Exhaust Zalman (slightly modded)
HSF 120mm Scythe (duh look at sig)
Nexus Controller to control rate of intake and exhaust for maximum performance.

Noise at 2m = 31dB A and 39dB C Weighted, yeah I am that good...

~Bobby

dkx64 · 01-02-2008, 11:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JasoN!!!

Can i see picture and what grit of sand paper you used

I just picked up an assorted sanding pack at Autozone, as well as the spraypaint, it included a 40, (2) 80 and 180grit sheets. The 40 was enough to get all the paint off and expose the sheetmetal. 80 will give it that shine, and 40 will smooth it out a bit. It had a brushed metal look to it, i thought it actually looked pretty good for a while, but since the top and front panels of the case are plastic, i couldn't pull off that whole look.