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The CM 690 II case arrives in a stylishly designed box with an angled shot of the case and the name highlighted on the side panel.
Inside, the case is protected between two heavy duty polystyrene pieces and it is wrapped in a plastic covering to protect against scuffing during shipping.
The Cooler Master case looks fantastic from the front – we love their trademark shape and mesh panels. The chrome strips down the sides also give it a very elegant appearance. The case weighs 9.8kg so it is quite heavy for the modest size, due to the steel chassis with moulded plastic edges in matte black. Obviously, using steel instead of aluminum helps to keep down the cost.
There are four 5.25 inch drive bays at the front and Coolermaster supply a 3.5 inch to 5.25 inch adapter as well as twin bracket rails for installation.
In the middle of the front mesh section is the Cooler Master logo which is modestly sized so it doesn't take over the design ethic. The case is supplied with two 140mm and a single 120mm fans preinstalled. If this isn't enough, the case does support up to ten 120/140mm fans and it can also accept 80mm fans.
At the front is a 140mm fan (intake) that can be moved to cover any four of the six internal 3.5 inch drive bays, this is protected with a dust filter. Cleaning the dust filter means you have to remove the front fascia of the case, it simply unclicks to remove. At the top of the case is another 140mm fan which is used as an exhaust.
The top panel at the front has two USB 2.0 ports, headphone and microphone connectors, and a handy eSATA port. There is also a reset and power button on the far right. We like the fact that the USB 2.0 ports are a distance apart, to ensure that even the fattest devices can plug in without blocking the other port.
Behind these ports is a glossy plastic door which slides open to reveal a sata and power connector. You can slide in a 3.5 or 2.5 inch drive here for backup and extra storage if you wish. This was a feature we liked on the Antec Dark Fleet DF85.
The rear is neatly designed with two watercooling holes at the top. Underneath is a 120mm fan and 7 expansion slots. The PSU is installed at the bottom. Underneath there are rubberised feet which keep the case very steady indeed and these are designed so as not to cause marks on sensitive surfaces. The feet raise the case about 2-2.5cm above the ground surface ensuring good airflow for the power supply.
The side panel is very cleverly designed as it can take both 120mm and 140mm fans (and others) with the seperate mounting holes. It is a pity to see these not populated out of the box, and while I appreciate they would add a little extra cost, they really do need to be populated to give the case a finished appearance.
