Cooler Master N600 Mid Tower Review

By David Shields

Manufacturer: Cooler Master Co., Ltd.
Product Name: N600
Model Number: NSE-600-KWN1
UPC: 884102022234 EAN: 4719512043066
Price As Tested: $87.76 (Amazon | Newegg)

Full Disclosure: The product sample used in this article has been provided by Cooler Master.

One can easily say that Cooler Master is a household name among PC enthusiasts. With an absolute plethora of cooling products and chassis to choose from, Cooler Master boasts one of the largest product lines in the industry. With products such as the immensely popular Hyper 212 EVO CPU cooler and the HAF 932 chassis, one can generally expect good things to come from Cooler Master. Last year Cooler Master released the N-series cases, which includes the N200, N400, and N600 models. The N600 is the premier model in the series, designed to bring enthusiast features at a more affordable price point.

The Cooler Master N600 can mount dual 240mm radiators, is fully filtered at all intakes, and has plenty of 3.5″ and 2.5″ bays, all at an affordable price of $80.00. In this techplayboy.com article I will analyze the main features of the N600 and decide whether or not this chassis is a good buy today.

Model	NSE-600-KWN1
Color	Midnight Black
Materials	Polymer, mesh front bezel
Dimensions	207 x 455 x 520 mm / 8.1 x 17.9 x 18.9 inch
Weight	8.1 kg / 17.8 lbs
I/O Panel	USB 3.0 x 2, USB 2.0 x 2, Audio In & Out (supports AC97 / HD Audio)
Motherboard Support	microATX, ATX
Storage Options	3x 5.25″ 5x 2.5″ 7x 3.5″
Cooling Options	Up to 8x 120mm, or 6x 120mm w/ 2x 140mm
Compatibility	VGA card length: 336mm (w/ 2.5″ cages) 430mm (w/o 2.5″ cages) / CPU cooler height: 167mm, Standard ATX PS2

The N600 boasts a simple black design that appeals to people seeking a case that is attractive, but not so flashy it couldn’t fit in an office setting. The only real design accents to be found is the solid plastic strip on the front panel and the large tinted window on the side of the chassis.

The front panel is a black mesh with a solid plastic strip from top to bottom for all the I/O ports and switches. This strip accents the panel a bit, which is good for people looking for more than just a plain mesh panel. Cooler Master also includes a pre-installed 120mm case fan with white LEDs, and you can add another 120mm below it. The switch below the USB 3.0 ports controls the fan LEDs, but it can only control one fan at a time.

This side panel has an intake with a built in dust filter for the side 120mm mount, but because this mount is also supposed to be able to mount 240mm radiators it extends below the mount itself so both intakes are filtered. Removing the panel is just like most cases, simply remove the thumbscrews and pull the panel right off. Note the glossy black finish on the side that is part of the front panel. It looks great, but don’t touch it. Unless you like looking at your own fingerprints, because the finish attracts them like nothing else I’ve seen.

The N600’s other side panel features a large window for showing off your build inside. Nothing particularly special about it, although it’s worth noting the window is only available on this particular N600 model. Two other models exist that replace the window with a large fan mount that can accommodate up to a single 180mm fan.

The top panel features an intake/exhaust for dual 120mm case fans or a 240mm radiator. The dust filter is mounted under the panel and can’t be removed easily. Furthermore, when trying to install 120mm fans and a 240mm AIO cooler, I discovered the filter was not flush with the panel itself and was interfering with installation because the screws ended up being a bit to short.

The bottom of the case features four plastic feet alongside a removable dust filter that pulls out from the back. The bottom of the case can mount a single 120mm fan in front of the PSU, assuming you don’t have an HDD in the lowest 3.5″ slot.

Finally, the rear of the N600 features the standard assortment of seven expansion slots and dual water cooling tubules. At the top of the panel, above the motherboard I/O plate hole, is a two-speed switch for the case fans, but it is limited to controlling only two fans at a time. One non-led 120mm case fan is included as exhaust.

The interior of the N600, much like the exterior, contains little extra features, and is designed to provide a simple and clean building experience. Unfortunately, unlike the exterior, the interior does not fare quite as well in it’s design. Storage options are abundant with a 3.5″ cage in the bottom, two brackets that can be shifted to accommodate either 2.5″ or 3.5″ drives, and three tool-less 5.25″ bays. Rubber surrounds the cabling holes, and Cooler Master has left a large hole for the 24-pin power cable. The N600 can accomodate graphics cards of up to 336mm in length if the 2.5″ cages are intact, or 430mm if removed. CPU cooler clearance is a healthy 167mm.

The placement of the internal 2.5″ bays are possibly my biggest gripe with the interior design. Firstly, they are removable. but in order to do so required not only removing six screws but also a significant amount of brute force to push them out. This might not seem like a major problem, except that in order to install an additional 120mm fan in the front or install a radiator in the side, you have to remove the cage. And in order to accommodate the tubes for a radiator, you can’t use the cages at all, which reduces you to installing one SSD only.

The rear of the N600 has an ample 15mm of space for cable management, and provides plenty of tie down points. A single SSD mount is built into the back, but I found that my Crucial 120GB SSD was to large to fit into the mount.

This mount is for a side 120mm fan and/or 120mm/240mm radiator. To install either you have to remove the bracket, install the fan, then re-install the bracket. Cooler Master states that you can fit full radiators for custom water cooling, but Hardware Canucks has discovered that it isn’t possible to fit a full rad with fans. However, it is possible to install 120mm or 240mm AIO systems with a bit of wiggling and if you completely remove the 2.5″ cage to accommodate the tubes.

Another design decision I find confusing is the installation of the I/O circuit board. It is mounted in such a way that it covers several screw holes for the front 120mm fans, and in order to access each hole you have to remove three screws from the board and lift it off the front. This adds further unnecessary complications to installing additional front fans, arguably the most popular mount for intakes.

At the time of this article, the N600 has already been on the market for more than a year. While still remaining a solid product for the price, other cases have been released that can provide better options in the same price range. One that springs immediately to mind is the Phanteks Enthoo Pro. Newegg sells the non-window version at the same price as the N600 and the windowed version for just $10 more. Overall, what keeps the N600 from being a top choice for a chassis is the poorly thought out interior design and the aforementioned competition from more recent releases.

Cooler Master set out to create a case that featured better water cooling than competitors at a budget price tag, and in that it succeeds well. With the ability to mount up to two 240mm radiators and a 120mm, you can’t get better options in a mid tower case for the same price.

If you’re looking for a cheap mid tower that looks good without going overboard, the N600 is for you. The glossy finish on the front panel sides can detract a bit, but beyond that its a good case for someone who wants a chassis that will blend in with its surroundings. Also, having the option of such a large side panel window is nice to see.

The exterior is a sturdy mix of plastic and metal, but the interior leaves me questioning what the designers were thinking. Flaws such as front mounts being obstructed by the 2.5″ bays and the I/O panel, the top dust filter not being flush with the top panel, the SSD bracket being to small, and the difficulty of mounting AIO radiators, could have all been fixed with very simple changes prior to release, such as moving the I/O and 2.5″ mounts to a slightly different spot. I also think the back plate could have included a second 2.5″ bracket.

As discussed before, building in the N600 can be something of a headache. The front mounts and the side mounts, along with other issues such as the filters and the SSD mounts, reduce the overall functionality of the case. Also, if you plan on installing water cooling in the side you forfeit being able to install more than one SSD. Given the fact that the N600 can mount so many fans, I’m also disappointed in the LED and fan speed controls, as they can only hook up to one and two fans respectively.

As of July 2014 the N600 sells for $87.76 at Amazon, or $89.99 at Newegg with a $20.00 rebate that drops the price to $69.99.The rebate is necessary, because at full price the N600 faces stiff competition from popular cases such as the Antec Nine Hundred, Raidmax Smilodon, Enthoo Pro, and Cooler Masters own HAF 922 and Storm Enforcer. It’s only advantage is it’s liquid cooling options, which are better than most cases in this price range.

When released more than a year ago, the N600 was a solid case that offered more options for liquid cooling than comparable cases in the market. But now it’s somewhat outclassed, again in particular by the Phanteks Enthoo Pro, which offers superior cooling options at the same price. The main difference for people would likely be size and installation. Do you want a smaller case with a more complicated build, or a large case in which building your system is a breeze and you have additional expansion options?

With the $20.00 rebate offered by Newegg, the Cooler Master N600 is a solid case that is easily recommended to builders on a tight budget who want to build their first water cooled system, but otherwise it shows its age against some of the latest cases in the industry.

+ Clean, attractive design.
+ Plenty of water cooling options.
+ Good cable management.

– Poor design hinders fan / radiator installation.
– Limited functionality of fan / LED switches.
– Filtered ventilation, but only the bottom filter is removable.
– Potentially better options at full price.

• Performance: 8.75
• Appearance: 8.75
• Construction: 8.25
• Functionality: 8.25
• Value: 8.50

Recommended: Benchmark Reviews Seal of Approval.