Cooler Master HAF XM Case Review

1. Introduction2. Cooler Master HAF XM (Exterior)3. Cooler Master HAF XM (Interior)4. Test Methodology and Results5. Closing Thoughts6. View All Pages

Cooler Master are a highly respected brand within enthusiast circles, having amassed a huge following over the years. A portion of their success is due to their innovative cooling solutions ranging from CPU coolers to High Air Flow (HAF) cases as well as stand alone fans.

Today we are looking at their HAF XM which is a mid-tower chassis based on the HAF X design, offering an uncomplicated combination of striking looks and ample cooling.

Official Specification:

• Available Colour – Black
• Materials – Appearance: Mesh, Synthetics; Case body: Steel
• Dimensions (H*W*D) – 252(W) x 530.5(H) x 579(D) mm
• Net Weight – 10.5kg / 23.1 lb
• Motherboard support – Micro-ATX, ATX, E-ATX
• 5.25″ Drive Bay – 3
• 3.5″ Drive Bay -8  (Hidden x 6, X-Dock x 2)
• 2.5″/3.5″ Drive Bay – 9 (2 from X-docking, 6 converted from 3.5″ bays, 1 behind motherboard tray)
• I/O Panel – USB 3.0 x 2, USB 2.0 x 2, Audio In and Out (LED Switch for front intake fan)
• Expansion Slots – 8+1
• Cooling System – Front: 200mm Red LED fan x 1 (converted from 120/140mm x 1)
• Top: 200mm fan x 2 (1 is optional: Converted to 120/140mm fan x2)
• Rear: 140mm fan x 1 (Converted to 120mm fan x2)
• HDD: 120mm fan x 2 (optional)
• PSU Support – ATX PS2 / EPS
• Max Compatibility – Graphics card length: 354mm/ 13.9inch (with HDD cage)
• 463mm / 18.2 inch (without cage)
• CPU cooler height – 196.0mm/ 7.7 inch

Upon opening the box you will immediately notice the industrial styled front panel buttons, a small opening with a rubber mat and two huge vents which support either 2x 200mm fans or a single 280mm radiator (2x140mm).

Both side panels have a extruded section which allows for additional cooling support via 2x 140mm fans. There is also additional space for cable management – much needed for users with cable extensions or a lot of unused cables that are stored out of the way behind the motherboard tray.

The front panel is impressively featured, sporting 2xUSB 2.0 slots, 2x USB 3.0 slots in addition to the standard headphone and microphone jacks. Close by is a hexagonal front fan LED toggle, with Power & Reset buttons.

Taking a closer look at the front intake ventilation, a large chromed Cooler Master logo is embedded into the mesh which hides a 200mm fan. This provides most of the airflow into the case while ensuring that the drives inside are adequately cooled.

Moving towards the rear of the case, we find three rubber grommets for water cooling support (though the middle hole is noticeably smaller than the other two). Below them is a vent with an internally mounted 140mm fan, however the mounting system also supports a 120mm variant should you want to swap it.

In order to gain access inside the case,  Cooler Master have implemented a latch system similar to that of the Corsair 600t. That said, in this case it is only a single handle and is additionally supported by two thumb screws at the rear.

After removing the side panel you will notice the case is all black inside, this is almost an industry standard design decision in 2012. There are several routing holes with rubber grommets for system cables. These make cable management easy for the end user who wants to achieve maximum air flow and clean aesthetics.

In addition to the cable holes, the power supply cover tray also comes in handy to hide cables routed to the rear of the motherboard tray. It also features a small cut out on the top where the front panel cables can be easily routed to achieve a minimalist look.

Storage drives can be installed easily as the HAF XM uses a tool less bracket system for mounting the drives. The brackets feature a design that fits both 3.5″ and 2.5″ drives. The mount itself has four small holes which can be used for securing a 2.5″ HDD. Standard 3.5″ drives are mounted by the popular side locking clips found in each corner of the mount.

Just above the drive bays is a discreet PCB which features two SATA connectors and a Molex connector. This is a hot swappable bay should you frequently need to remove and add drives to the system.

Test setup:
CPU: i5 2500k
CPU Cooling: Gelid Tranquillo
Motherboard: Gigabyte Z68XP-UD3
Power Supply: Corsair TX 650w
Memory: 2x2GB ADATA 1600mhz memory, 2x2GB Corsair 1600mhz memory
Primary Storage: Crucial M4 64GB SSD
Graphics Card: ASUS GTX 580 Matrix

In order to see how well the case supplies cool air to the internals we tested the cooling performance with a heavily factory overclocked GTX 580 and a standard CPU cooler. CPU stress tests will contain a 10 minute run of Prime95 (blend) at stock speed and again at 4ghz with a small voltage increase whilst the GPU results will be after a 5 minute run of Furmark.

Running the tests for this length of time is sufficient enough for the temperatures to plateau and has a low risk of damaging hardware should an issue arise.

This GTX580 is a hot running video card under Furmark load so the temperatures are not a reflection of the cooling of this case. The 2500k is held under 60c at load, even when overclocked to 4ghz.

The Cooler Master HAF XM is a very capable and attractive chassis that remains faithful to its bigger brother – The HAF X. It incorporates a plethora of features such as a tool less design, front panel USB 3.0 and a fantastic internal layout.

The HAF XM also features a array of cooling options should you desire a large CPU cooler, such as the ever popular Noctua NH-D14 or the ThermalRight Silver Arrow.

The extruded side panel provides more than enough space to accommodate them with room to spare, while providing support for a respectable water cooling loop with a 280mm top mounted radiator.

Despite its industrial rugged looking exterior, the case is a pleasure to build inside, with first class cable management.

I was particularly impressed with the power supply cover and the made-for-purpose cutout at the top of motherboard tray which allows easy routing of the CPU 4/8pin cable to the back of the motherboard tray.

The HAF XM is a well designed chassis with no glaring issues we can mention. The use of multiple, large, high grade fans means that the system pushes a lot of air while maintaining a low noise threshold.

The Cooler Master HAF XM is available on preorder from Overclockers in the UK, for £109.99 inc vat.

Pros:

• Toned down aesthetics compared to its bigger brother.
• More than adequate cooling performance.
• Very spacious interior.
• Excellent cable management.

Cons:

• No shortage of competition at this price point.

Kitguru says: Another quality chassis design from the Cooler Master team. Fantastic.

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