Cooler Master promises next-level airflow with its HAF II 500 PC case
Cooler Master unveils its HAF II 500 PC case
It’s official: Cooler Master is making a new HAF (High Air Flow) PC case, and this time they’re promising “unmatched airflow and cooling performance”. The HAF II 500 is coming, and it’s bringing together leading fan technologies and top-tier case design.
At the front of the HAF II 500 are two 220mm “Mighty40” fans, and at the rear is one 180mm “Mighty40” fan. This case is BIG, and it’s designed to maximise airflow and direct that airflow to where it is needed most. These “Mighty40” series fans use Liquid Crystal Polymer (LCP) fan blades to maximise rigidity and deliver strong airflow-to-noise characteristics. These fans are also 40mm thick, a design decision that should help maximise their performance.
The front of Cooler Master’s new HAF is designed to minimise airflow resistance. Chassis-induced interference is minimised. This maximises the amount of air entering and exiting the case. This design is intended to minimise case thermals, and make the most of the enclosure’s huge fans.
One downside of Cooler Master’s new design is that it lacks RGB lighting. Older HAF series cases utilised lighting to highlight their design. While LCP fans aren’t well-suited to RGB illumination (the polymer is opaque), it’s hard to believe that Cooler Master couldn’t find a way to effectively utilise lighting. We aren’t asking for this PC case to become a Christmas tree, but it makes us feel like there is a more premium HAF case on the horizon. However, if you like the case’s current, stealthy aesthetic, maybe the lack of RGB lighting is a good thing.
A big case for big hardware
Internally, this new HAF case can accommodate motherboards up to EATX (up to 310mm wide). This is a big case that can accommodate big hardware. This case is just as well suited to AI, rendering, simulations, and workstation use as it is to gaming. That said, performance-focused gamers are clearly the primary audience in this case.
Cooler Master plans to release its new HAF II 500 in July. Currently, the case is due to be released at a price between $179.99 and $209.99. Given turbulent global conditions, it has become hard for many brands to settle on prices. After all, one bad move overseas could see material costs skyrocket. Hopefully, we will hear the finalised pricing for this case soon.
You can join the discussion on Cooler Master’s new HAF II 500 PC case on the OC3D Forums.
