Master Fail! Cooler Master MasterFrame 600 PC Case Review
Conclusion
Cooler Master, we know you can do better than this
The Master Frame 600 is a disappointing case. While we believe that their FreeFrom 2.0 concept has merits, we are aware that Cooler Master can do much better.
In some regards, reviewing the MasterFrame 600 feels like revisiting a case from the past. This case evokes some serious Cosmos vibes, to the point where certain elements feel like they have been copied and pasted from prior designs. Had this case been released in 2016, it would have been an enormous success. However, the year is 2025, and it seems that Cooler Master has not taken into account how today’s premium PC builders construct their PCs.
While the MasterFrame 600 looks OK externally (if it was significantly cheaper), the inside of the case is uninspiring. Yes, it’s modular, and yes, it’s extremely moddable. Those are nice perks, but as-is, the MasterFrame 600’s internals are a mess. If you want to build a “hidden cable” PC, this case is not for you. There are too many places where cables are visible. Beyond that, this case’s Meccano skeleton isn’t the most attractive thing to look at.
Future Potential?
One key selling point of the MasterFrame 600 is its modularity. Now that the case has launched, we have a modular/customisable PC case that has no available parts. As it stands, we cannot buy new panels or other parts to modify this case. The MasterFrame 600 is a case that you’ll need to be happy with as-is, as you currently can’t buy any of the parts that Cooler Master has been teasing.
In the future, Cooler Master plans to extend its MasterFrame Range wth more case designs. You can see a few examples below. The wrap-around glass design will be of a lot of interest to PC builders. That said, if this case’s internals are unchanged, that may be a problem for Cooler Master.
If more parts become available and future MasterFrame/Free Form 2.0 cases arrive with better internals, Cooler Master can turn this concept into a success. As it stands, I think that Cooler Master has invested a lot into a “premium” case that feels incredibly dated.
Too expensive for what it is
Currently, Cooler Master’s MasterFrame 600 case is available for £169.99 at Scan Computers in the UK. As it stands, we feel that this case needs to be a lot cheaper than it is. We understand Cooler Master is aiming this case at premium PC builders. However, this dated design isn’t what premium PC builders want. At stock, this case is very basic. Its cable management isn’t great, and its customisable parts aren’t available yet. I can’t buy another windowed side panel. I can’t buy another top. Where is that funky vertical GPU mount from Computex (see page 1 of this review)?
The MasterFrame 600 feels basic, not premium. It feels more like a £80 case than a case that costs more than double that. Perhaps you could have lowered the costs by using a steel frame instead of aluminium? At the very least, this case needed to launch with its custom parts available and better cable management.
Cooler Master, you have a great team; listen to them
We’ve worked with Cooler Master for years. Tom Logan, the guy from the videos, has even met many of their engineers. We know that a lot of them wouldn’t like this case. It feels like this case was created within a bubble, without input from the outside (or even inside) Cooler Master. If that were the case, then people clearly were not listening to advice, nor to sense, and were mindlessly supporting a flawed design. If we were sent this as a prototype, we would send Cooler Master a detailed list of things to fix before production. Sadly, this is a Cooler Master production case, and it isn’t a great one.
The Cooler Master MasterFrame 600 is a case that’s too basic to justify its pricing. Aluminium was the wrong material choice. The externals are far too boring and dated. Worse, it’s a customisable case that has no spare parts or upgrades available. There aren’t even any 3D printable parts or design files available to help get modders started.
You can join the discussion on Cooler Master’s MasterFrame 600 PC case on the OC3D Forums.
