haf | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net KitGuru.net - Tech News | Hardware News | Hardware Reviews | IOS | Mobile | Gaming | Graphics Cards Thu, 30 Mar 2023 14:02:07 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 https://www.kitguru.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/cropped-KITGURU-Light-Background-SQUARE2-32x32.png haf | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net 32 32 Cooler Master HAF 500 Review https://www.kitguru.net/components/cases/leo-waldock/cooler-master-haf-500-review/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/cases/leo-waldock/cooler-master-haf-500-review/#respond Thu, 20 Jan 2022 13:00:55 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=547027 Cooler Master is back with a new HAF case for 2022... kind of

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There is a good deal of history behind today's review of the Cooler Master HAF 500. When the MasterCase H500P launched in 2017 Dominic called it HAF (High Air Flow) as the heritage was clear. This became all the more apparent when the H500P gained a Mesh front panel in 2018 and shortly thereafter the H500M majored on the Glass and ARGB lighting aesthetic. And now we have the ‘new' HAF 500 that resembles a budget version of, yes, MasterCase H500.

Timestamps

00:00 Start
01:02 So what is the HAF500 all about?
03:04 Front I/O / storage
03:50 Removing the top panel
04:40 The hardware for the build
05:27 Putting the system together
07:57 Motherboard install / drive bay issues
09:44 Fans and cables / GPU install
10:33 AIO install
11:54 Leo’s thoughts on results
14:35 Closing thoughts

Specification:

  • Motherboard support: E-ATX up to 310mm, ATX, Micro-ATX, Mini-ITX.
  • Power supply support: ATX.
  • Expansion slots: 7.
  • Included fans: 2x 200mm ARGB front, 1x 120mm HDD cage, 1x 120mm ARGB rear.
  • Fan mounts: 3x 120mm/2x 140mm front/2x 200mm, 3x 120mm/2x 140mm front/2x 200mm roof, 1x 120mm HDD cage, 1x 120mm rear.
  • Radiator mounts: 360mm/280mm front, 360mm/280mm roof, 120mm rear.
  • 5.25-inch optical drive bays: None.
  • Internal drive bays: 2x 3.5-inch/2.5-inch, 2x 2.5-inch.
  • Front I/O ports: 2x USB 3.2 Gen 1 type-A, 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 type-C, audio.
  • Dimensions: 510mm H x 516mm D x 224mm W.

The emphasis is on an open chassis design with plenty of potential for cooling air flow. We have seen this hardware a number of times and the only novel feature is the fan mounted on the drive tower.

Building our test PC looked like it would be straightforward as the removable top panel gives amazing access to the interior of the case. Unfortunately the interference between the mounts for the fan on the drive cage and our E-ATX motherboard slowed us down. You can see the details of this SNAFU in our video.

Thermal testing

To put this case through its cooling paces we will be using a test system consisting of an Intel Core i9-12900K, RTX 3080 and an SSD. This system allows us to produce a substantial amount of heat and effectively test the Cooler Master HAF 500‘s cooling capabilities.

Test PC

  • Processor: Intel Core i9-12900K (16 cores/24 threads)
  • CPU Cooler: MSI MEG CoreLiquid S360
  • Motherboard: Gigabyte Z690 Aorus Master
  • Memory: 32GB G.Skill Ripjaws S5 DDR5-5200
  • Graphics card: Sapphire Radeon RX 6800 XT 16GB
  • Power supply: Cooler Master MWE 750W Gold
  • SSD: PNY 1TB XLR8 M.2 NVMe
  • OS: Windows 11

Thermal testing overview

Our test PC was drawing 625W at the wall socket under load with both CPU and GPU working hard. Despite that the combination of Cooler Master HAF 500 and MSI MEG CoreLiquid S360 did a decent job of keeping the hardware under control. Ramping the fans to full speed yielded a clear benefit however the noise levels were intolerable. We found a fan speed around 50 percent delivered both good results and very low noise levels.

Closing Thoughts

The most frustrating aspect of the HAF 500 is the pretence that it is something new, when it is clearly a version of MasterCase H500.

Having said we would also happily see the removal of that daft additional fan mounted on the drive cage as it delivered no benefit in our test PC while causing a minor problem. Putting those two points to one side, the HAF 500 is a perfectly decent product. It functions well, the specification has no gaping holes and the price is quite acceptable.

Clearly Cooler Master is looking for a cheap way to drum up interest in an elderly product so they cooked up a marketing scheme to leverage the trusted HAF name, and we think that makes perfect sense.

Indeed we said as much in 2017 when Cooler Master launched the MasterCase H500P, although we are a little sad it took them quite so long to come on board. If we reimagine the original MasterCase H500P as the HAF 500P then we can think of this case as HAF 500 Lite and everything falls into place.

We don't yet have a buy link but we have been told to expect the Cooler Master HAF 500 on sale for £139.99.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

Pros:

  • Top panel gives excellent access to the interior.
  • Air flow delivers on the HAF promise.
  • ARGB and PWM fan hub.

Cons:

  • GPU fan mount clashes with E-ATX motherboards.
  • Front panel clips are awkward to reach.
  • RGB in fans is rather basic.
  • Design looks tired and dated.
  • Cable management is uninspired.

KitGuru says: Renaming MasterCase H500 as HAF 500 looks like a non-too-subtle way of extending its life for another year or two.

Be sure to check out our sponsors store EKWB here

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Cooler Master launches H500P Mesh White https://www.kitguru.net/components/cases/matthew-wilson/cooler-master-launches-h500p-mesh-white/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/cases/matthew-wilson/cooler-master-launches-h500p-mesh-white/#respond Tue, 27 Feb 2018 18:59:30 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=365355 Back in October, we saw a spiritual successor to Cooler Master's legendary HAF case. This arrived in the form of the MasterCase H500P, which we reviewed positively at the time. Now this week, Cooler Master is expanding on the H500P line, with the new H500P Mesh White. As Dominic said in our initial H500P review, …

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Back in October, we saw a spiritual successor to Cooler Master's legendary HAF case. This arrived in the form of the MasterCase H500P, which we reviewed positively at the time. Now this week, Cooler Master is expanding on the H500P line, with the new H500P Mesh White.

As Dominic said in our initial H500P review, at its core, the H500P is a very user-friendly chassis thanks to the sheer amount of features put in place. Both front and top panels are removable, the tempered glass side panel attaches via a single latch mechanism, it has a two-piece power supply shroud that is also removable, a large cable management plate is included and let’s not forget about those two huge RGB fans. The new Mesh White version gives buyers a new color option, with a white exterior and interior.

If you can’t see the gallery above, then you may need to disable adblock. This has been known to interfere with our gallery tool.

The mesh on the front panel of the case has two layers, a steel mesh layer and a second screen to help protect the two large 200mm front fans from dust. On the interior, you get two additional PCI slots, allowing you to mount a graphics card in the case vertically, which is always a nice touch.

Like most high-end cases, this one is built with custom liquid cooling in mind, with room for 360mm radiators in the front and roof of the case. The H500P also has plenty of ventilation for optimal airflow and cooling.

The new Cooler Master MasterCase H500P Mesh White will be available within the next couple of weeks with a price tag of £149.99.

KitGuru Says: We really liked the H500P back when we first reviewed it and this new white model looks like a great second option. Are many of you planning to build a new rig soon? What do you think of the new white H500P?

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Cooler Master MasterCase H500P (2017 HAF) Case Review https://www.kitguru.net/components/cases/dominic-moass/cooler-master-mastercase-h500p-2017-haf-case-review/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/cases/dominic-moass/cooler-master-mastercase-h500p-2017-haf-case-review/#comments Mon, 09 Oct 2017 23:01:00 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=348982 Cooler Master's HAF series is back - is the H500P worthy of the name?

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Yes – HAF is back! After a long period in the metaphorical case wilderness, Cooler Master's fan-favourite High Air Flow (HAF) series makes a dramatic return in the form of the H500P. Considering the bold design – complete with tempered glass, RGB fans and modular elements – it seems the H500P is just as much about form as it is function. Could this be the defining case of 2017?

With the recent release of the C700P – Cooler Master's Cosmos refresh – and now the return of the HAF series, Cooler Master is definitely looking to breathe new life into old favourites. With the H500P coming in significantly cheaper, at £134.99, than the C700P, it is also likely to have much wider appeal, so just how good is it?

Specification

  • Materials: Outlook – Plastic, Steel, Mesh. Body – Steel. Side panel – Tempered Glass, Steel.
  • Dimensions (LxWxH): 544x 242 x 542mm / 21.4 x 9.5 x 21.3 inch
  • Motherboard Support: Mini-ITX, Micro-ATX, ATX, E-ATX (support up to 12″ x 10.7″)
  • Expansion Slots: 7 + 2 (Support vertical graphics card installation)
  • Drive Bays, 5.25″: 0 (2 optional via bracket). 2.5/3.5: 2. 2.5 SSD: 2
  • I/O: Port USB 3.0 x 2, USB 2.0 x 2, Audio In & Out (supports HD Audio)
  • Pre -installed Fan(s): Front 200 x 25mm RGB fan x 2, 800RPM. Rear 140 x 25mm fan x 1, 1200RPM
  • Fan Support: Top – 120/140mm fan x 3 or 200mm fan x 2. Front – 120/140mm fan x 3 or 200mm fan x 2. Rear – 120/140mm fan x 1
  • Liquid Cooling Support: Top – 120mm, 140mm, 240mm, 280mm, 360mm (maximum thickness clearance 55mm). Front – 120mm, 140mm 240mm, 280mm, 360mm. Rear – 120mm, 140mm
  • CPU Cooler Clearance: 190mm/7.5 inch
  • GPU Clearance : 412mm/16.2 inch
  • Power Supply Support: Bottom Mount, ATX PS2

At its core, the H500P is a very user-friendly chassis thanks to the sheer amount of features put in place. Both front and top panels are removable, the tempered glass side panel attaches via a single latch mechanism, it has a two-piece power supply shroud that is also removable, a large cable management plate is included and let's not forget about those two huge RGB fans.

Such an array of features – some new, some we've seen before – make building in the H500P very satisfying. My favourite feature is undoubtedly the cable management plate at the rear of the case – it is simply a slab of metal which covers up the cable mess, but it makes the overall build look so much cleaner. No more faffing around with cable ties or anything like that – just stick a sheet of metal over the rat's nest and call it job done.

One feature that I didn't mention in the video is vertical GPU mounting. The H500P has two vertically oriented PCIe slots, so there is clearly scope to add a GPU in that way. However, there does not seem to be any way of actually supporting the card once its installed, and a PCIe riser card is not included anyway, so I was not able to put this feature to the test.

Moving on, and as I mention in the video, I can only find one real issue with the H500P, and that is its use of plastic panels and acrylic windows. For a case of this price I wouldn't expect an all-aluminium frame without any plastic – it is just the plastic used is quite flimsy and creaky. It looks perfectly fine from an aesthetic point of view, I just don't think the plastic could withstand much force. For instance, if you were to try and pick the case up by the plastic panels, I am sure you would end up in a very sticky situation.

There are other minor annoyances – such as the need for a 4-pin RGB header to enable the RGB fans to light up, when I would've preferred an integrated case controller – but by and large the H500P is a pleasure to build in. It looks great and has definitely brought the HAF family right into 2017.

Testing

To test the H500P, I installed the following components:

  • Ryzen 7 1700
  • Gigabyte AX370-Gaming 5
  • Cooler Master MasterLiquid 120
  • Nvidia GTX 1080 Ti
  • 16GB Geil Super Luce DDR4
  • Sandisk SSD PLUS 120GB
  • Seasonic PRIME 650W Platinum

Thermal dynamics

Ambient: 21C

As you can see, thermal performance of the H500P is excellent. The two 200mm fans clearly deliver excellent airflow to all areas of the internal chassis and our core components definitely demonstrate that.

Acoustics

The noise levels of the case fans are similarly impressive. While thrashing the system with Prime95 and Fire Strike stress test, the loudest component (by quite a distance) was the graphics card – the two front fans spin at a mere 800rpm so emit very little noise. Great airflow + very low noise levels = one very happy reviewer.

Closing Thoughts

On the whole, the H500P is an excellent case from Cooler Master. It brings the HAF series right into 2017, with tempered glass, RGB fans and even some modular elements about the case.

Its looks and features are definitely its two strongest suits, with the cable management vanity plate being a very simple yet effective way to achieve a clean PC build.

The plastic panels are disappointing and let the case down, though, as the overall premium feel is lessened somewhat by the creaky and relatively flimsy top and front panels. If Cooler Master released, say, the H600P with aluminium and glass panels we would be all for it.

As it is, I still thoroughly recommend the Cooler Master H500P. It looks great and is a pleasure to build in – just don't try and pick it up by its plastic panels.

You can buy one from Overclockers UK for £139.99 HERE.

Pros

  • Looks great.
  • Two 200mm RGB fans deliver excellent air flow and lighting.
  • Lots of nifty features in all departments.
  • Nice and quiet.

Cons

  • Plastic front and top panels are a disappointment.

KitGuru says: The H500P heralds the return of a forgotten hero – HAF is well and truly back.

Be sure to check out our sponsors store EKWB here

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Win a case in new KG Cooler Master support forum https://www.kitguru.net/components/cases/jon-martindale/win-a-case-in-new-kg-cooler-master-support-forum/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/cases/jon-martindale/win-a-case-in-new-kg-cooler-master-support-forum/#respond Tue, 26 Nov 2013 16:17:55 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=164492 To celebrate the launch of the new official Cooler Master support forum, nestled in the warm confines of our own, we're teaming up with the long time case manufacturer to off you a brand new HAF Stacker 935 and Stacker 915. All you have to do to be in with a chance of winning the …

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To celebrate the launch of the new official Cooler Master support forum, nestled in the warm confines of our own, we're teaming up with the long time case manufacturer to off you a brand new HAF Stacker 935 and Stacker 915.

haf

All you have to do to be in with a chance of winning the cases, is do the following:

That might seem like a fairly long list of chores, but considering it'll take you less than two minutes and you could win cases worth collectively over £200, it's not too much to ask is it?

KitGuru Says: Of course you can also post any support queries you have for Cooler Master right there in the forum. Even if you don't care about entering, go say hi, be friendly. 

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Cooler Master HAF 932 Advanced Case Review https://www.kitguru.net/components/cases/henry-butt/cooler-master-haf-932-advanced-case-review/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/cases/henry-butt/cooler-master-haf-932-advanced-case-review/#comments Tue, 04 Oct 2011 07:49:54 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=61056 Cooler Master are one of the longest established brands in the computer case sector and as such they have a huge range of products to choose from.  For example, the Silencio cases are designed for those who want the quietest possible system.  The HAF or ‘High Air Flow' series of products, which we will be …

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Cooler Master are one of the longest established brands in the computer case sector and as such they have a huge range of products to choose from.  For example, the Silencio cases are designed for those who want the quietest possible system.  The HAF or ‘High Air Flow' series of products, which we will be looking at today, are designed for enthusiasts who require excellent cooling when overclocking their system.

Today we are going to look at the latest product in the HAF series, the 932 Advanced which is essentially an updated version of the original HAF 932 case that was released back in 2008.  There are only a few minor tweaks here and there, though, which bring the old case into the modern era by adding features such as USB3.0 on the front panel.

Specification

  • Dimension (WxHxD): 243 x 560 x 564mm
  • Weight: 13.4 KG
  • Motherboard Support: Micro-ATX, ATX, E-ATX
  • Expansion Slots: 7
  • 5.25″ bays: 5 (excluding external 3.5″ bay)
  • 3.5″ bays: 5x internal, 1x external
  • Front fan: 230 x 30 mm Red LED fan (700rpm, 19dBA)
  • Side fan: 230 x 30 mm Standard fan (700rpm, 19dBA)
  • Top fan: 230 x 30 Standard fan (700rpm, 19dBA)
  • Rear fan: 140 x 25mm (1200rpm, 17dBA)
  • I/O Panel: 2x USB3.0, 4x USB2.0, 1x IEEE1394a, 1x Mic, 1x Audio
  • Power Supply: Standard ATX PS2/EPS 12V (optional)
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