Cooler Master ATCS 840 Aluminium ATX Case

 

Starting with the basics, there is simply no denying that the ATCS 840 is one very good looking case. While some people have had their reservations about the shield-like plate on the front panel it is by no means a deal breaker, and from a personal standpoint I believe it to add character to what could have been an otherwise bland design. Other aesthetics such as the no-gimmick side panels and high quality power switches mounted atop the solid aluminium console all give the case a premium feel that picks up from where the ATCS series of yesteryear left off.

 

Moving on to cooling, it’s instantly apparent that Cooler Master have designed the ATCS 840 with the aim of making it the best cooled case on the market. With three 230mm fans and a 120mm fan factory installed, the case is not only deadly silent but also has more airflow than the back-end of a Boeing 747. Water-cooling has also been catered for too, with the inclusion of brackets to convert the dual 230mm fan holes into a mount suitable for a wide range of triple radiators.

 

Finally, installing a system inside the ATCS 840 is a breeze thanks to its removable motherboard tray and well placed holes for routing cables. It would have been nice for Cooler Master to include an SATA backplane for easy connection of hard disks along with the ability to ‘hot swap’, but this comment belongs more on the wish list rather than as a negative about the case.

 

To sum things up, the ATCS 840 comes very close to being our dream case. Not only is it one of the coolest cases we’ve ever tested, but it’s also one of the best looking. Expected to retail at around £200 when finally released in December, the 840 is at an acceptable price point for a case of its calibre and sits snugly between the likes of the Lian Li V1010 and PC-X500.