56 of 59 people found the following review helpful
Great case for high-powered HTPCs and gaming machines
24 September 2013
By
Dima Spivak
- Published on Amazon.com
As a previous owner of the Cooler Master Elite 120 and a Fractal Design Node 304, I'm really fond of the mini-ITX form factor. In particular, I'm a big fan of cases that allow you to reduce the footprint of a computer while also permitting the use of high-end hardware and good cable management. The Elite 120 was great for this purpose, with the only problem being that its stylish brushed aluminum front limited the amount of air that could be moved by the included 120 mm fan. The new Elite 130 by Cooler Master fixes every problem from the previous iteration while somehow slightly reducing the case's size and adding in a few more features that computer builders will appreciate.
Installation:
Upon opening the case, it's impossible not to notice that a lot of thought went into improving things that people didn't like about the Elite 120. The most noticeable change is the inclusion of a sleek black mesh front. The front has seen a redesign with the 2:1 USB 2.0 to 3.0 ratio inverted; the front of the case now sports two USB 3.0 ports. Also new on the front of the case is a much sturdier and more stylish looking power and reset button combination. For those with precise vision, it's also worth noting that several centimeters have been shaved off of the dimensions of the case, though it's worth noting that the slightly-jutting bracket that allows for a full-size ATX PSU remains.
Inside the case, as in the previous version, Cooler Master has done a good job making it easy to get to all of the cables that will find their way onto your motherboard headers. Also bundled is a zip-lock bag with the standard fare that you'd expect for a computer case: motherboard standoffs, zip-ties, and screws. A nice touch is the inclusion of rubber vibration-reducing pads that can be screwed into a 3.5" HD or an SSD and then slid into the various locations that can house drives on this case. Also nice to see is that the previously-riveted drive cage can now be taken out altogether by removing three screws. This is great for those who value space and airflow over the ability to house multiple drives. Unchanged since the 120, I was glad to see that the tool-less 5.25" optical drive bay mount was kept around for this version of the case.
As strange as it may sound, I must say that cable management is a joy with this case. The aforementioned PSU bracket has a big part in this, giving valuable space at the front of the power supply that can be used to bundle cables and prevent them from interfering with the air blown through the case with the 120 mm fan in the front. This bracket has a nicely-appointed "TOP" engraved, giving builders the choice of whether to install their power supplies with the fan facing up (which allows ambient air to cool the PSU) or facing down (which lets the PSU fan remove warm air from over the top of the motherboard). Also present is an 80 mm fan at the right side of the cage, which helps cool the motherboard, but which can also be removed if it would be ineffective for a given motherboard setup. It's worth pointing out that both of these included fans only have 3-pin connectors, meaning that PWM can't be used. These fans come bundled with Molex converters (for easy plugging into any standard power supply) and are quiet enough that I barely hear them from more than 3 feet away. Once everything is put together, there are plenty of points at which cables can be bundled and zip-tied. After about an hour of work, I have a clear view from the front of the case to the back of the motherboard with nary a dangling cable present.
In terms of what else can be put into this case, Cooler Master advertises that full-size GPUs can be easily installed and I must concur. I had no problem sliding a GTX 660 TI into the case. If you are looking to use this as a gaming machine, rest assured that this case can both house most any card you might want to use, as well as provide enough air flow to keep it cool.
Conclusion:
If you're looking for a case with a small form factor, room for decent hardware, and cable management options for OCD computer builders, look no further than the Cooler Master Elite 130. For combining customizability with a sleek new design and a great price point, this case gets a 5/5 in my book.
20 of 21 people found the following review helpful
A little refrigerator for my mobo, cpu, gpu, hard drives etc. and I have an easy fix for the annoying blue leds on the front
18 May 2013
By
Colin Keenan
- Published on Amazon.com
Verified Purchase
What I love about it is that although not tiny by any means, it's small enough and attractive enough to put within eyesight of my TV which I'm using as the computer's monitor, but it also provides two case fans to add to the cpu cooler fan and power supply fan for a total of 4 fans keeping my computer cool and hopefully free of heat fatalities. The two case fans can be powered directly by the power supply, so no problem that there aren't enough fan connectors on my motherboard. Four fans going at once isn't silent, but the sound is pleasant to me and makes me feel like my computer is nice and refrigerated. The case fans pull air in from the front and right side of the case, while the cpu-cooler fan pulls air in from the top of the case. All that incoming air gets exhausted through the power supply out the top back of the case and I can feel a good strength wind coming from the power supply that's not really hot either.
There are a couple of issues though. First, the rubber feet don't grip well enough so that plugging anything into the front of the case or pushing a little too hard on the power button moves the whole computer. I fixed that with some thumb tacks behind the front feet. The other issue is even more annoying and I see it on so many new electronics - laser beam like blue led lights on the front of the case! I don't know about you, but that's distracting even in daylight. I'm using this on my TV as many people would do with a mini ITX computer.
At first I was fixing this by draping a neatly folded piece of toilet paper over the lights, but later realized there's a much better way to fix it. The front panel comes off just like any other computer case I've seen. So, I just took the front panel off, attached yellow stickers over the annoying blue lights, put the panel back on, and Voila! Lovely soft turquoise lights instead of blue lasers. It's wonderful and I can't imagine why the manufacturer didn't do something like that in the first place.
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Great case for HTPC and more
27 September 2013
By
Torako
- Published on Amazon.com
Verified Purchase
I decided to try my first Mini ITX and from the reviews of the Elite 120 I was lead to this case. Although it says 1-3 months wait on shipping, it took much less time and my case arrived 2-3 weeks after ordering! Thank you CM! The case is pretty solid and I like the look of it. I replaced the front 120 fan with a blue led silent one from CM with no problem as well as the side fan for more airflow. Both were easy to switch out. The case is full of air vents which seems good but I may cover them with mesh to prevent dust from getting in.
I am sad they took out the HDD cage with space for the extra 120mm fan inside. I would have liked the extra airflow inside as it looks like it may get pretty warm in there. Also I would warn potential buyers that you need to be very selective of your motherboard and CPU cooler because there isn't much space in there for them. I happened to purchase the Gigabyte H77 Mobo and everything is soo close that the Cooler Master GeminII M4 I got to cool my cpu wont fit with the EVGA GTX660. My own fault for not looking into that more carefully. I had originally considered liquid cooling but opted for this instead. Thankfully I have another tower that could use a good CPU fan.
I may go with the Cooler Master Sedion 120M that I originally bought for the tower. So hard to decide
Update (9/27/13)
Finished my build today and everything booted up well. First off here is the build I went with:
Gigabyte LGA 1155 DDR3 1600 Intel H77 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 Mini ITX Motherboard GA-H77N-WIFI
Samsung Electronics 840 Pro Series 2.5-Inch 256 GB SATA 6GB/s Solid State Drive MZ-7PD256BW
Intel Core i5-3570K Quad-Core Processor 3.4 GHz 4 Core LGA 1155 - BX80637I53570K
EVGA GeForce GTX 660 SUPERCLOCKED 2048MB GDDR5 DVI HDMI DP Graphics Card 02G-P4-2662-KR
G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Desktop Memory F3-10666CL9D-16GBXL
Cooler Master Silent Pro M2 - 620W 80 PLUS Bronze Power Supply with Modular Cables (RS620-SPM2E3-US)
It takes a lot of planning to get the cables managed well. To start off with, the control panel connectors had to be routed so they would fit really close to the motherboard 24 pin power cord. Also close by were the SATA wires. I ended up having to remove the side fan because there was no space for it with all those cables as well as the PSU hovering over them all. My PSU came with super long power cables, so I had to carefully route them around the inside. The PSU slid pretty far in and I had to remove and re-route many wires over and over to get them settled well. I stuck my SSD under the 5.25 drive bay upside down so I could get the cables to fit right as well. Still this is my 3rd built computer and 1st Micro ATX so I think it came out pretty well. I know I should have gotten a different CPU since I don't plan on overclocking and it doesn't match the board well but the initial board I had it for ended up being too costly for my build and I forgot to change the CPU before ordering.
I powered it on today for the first time and got my BIOS working, did a USB boot of Windows and got my SSD working so I count this project a success! If you are going to get this case, check your specs carefully so you don't make mistakes for sizes. I still love this case! It looks awesome with the blue LED fans I stuck in.
Update 10/1/13
I am having some issues with the front 2 USB3 ports. I checked in my Device manager and they seem to be running fine. I think it may have to do with the length of the cords and the way I did the cable management. The two USB3 ports in the back work fine which is why I think it's a problem with the cable that connects them to the mobo. The cable from the front panel USB3 ports is long and a bit of a pain to get into the header on my board.
Update 10/2/13
I checked the USB connections for the front panels and there seemed to be no problem although I am still unable to use the USB 3 in the front. That is a big bummer. Went online and checked for mobo updates as well still with no luck. Perhaps I have faulty wires? According to my device manager all the USB3 ports are working fine. I did get one port to react to a USB3 drive but it said I needed to format the drive, which I did not need to do. Hmm.
Also I replaced the stock CPU fan with a Cooler Master Sedion 120 and flipped my PSU upside down to vent the rest of the air. Getting 10 degrees cooler CPU temps now. That liquid cooler fits very well in the case, even after I had fitted my cable management. Still love this case but I want to get those front USB3 working! I should send a email to Coolermaster...
Update 10/24
Had to re-install Windows 7 due to some USB problems in Windows. Took a day and it's all better. I have yet to check the USB in the front as I have had little time at home but I will check this weekend and post again.
One new development: I have noticed high temps on the mobo up to 60C during idle. I have been researching and comparing the same problem with my other computers and I am pretty sure it has to do with airflow. Considering that the case's only true airflow is coming from the front fan that is cooling my CPU. Also the PSU is venting my extra heat from the mobo but that means no airflow is getting to the mobo which might be why its is hot. The mobo forced me to remove the 80 mm fan from the side of the case which would probably be the airflow needed by the mobo. I will try to get that 80mm fan back in there for airflow and see if it is the cause.
Update 11/3
The mobo temps are better with an additional fan from the side. Also the 2 USB headers in the front are working now. Everything runs smoothly and I have been enjoying this case a lot!
12 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Half an ATX case
2 May 2013
By
Poopy Joe
- Published on Amazon.com
To be honest the case was bigger than I was expecting, it is the same size as an ATX case sawed in half. But it's not intended to be as small as other ITX cases. This case can fit a dual slot GPU, an Optical drive and several HDDs/SSDs. My only issue is lack of airflow options. The fans are virtually silent, but very little air is pushed. The case does have plenty of vents to passively eject hot air. I am just used to having multiple fans running to keep ambient case temps only slightly different than room temp. Store bought computers typically rely on the PSU to push out hot air, so it's not really an issue. If you do put in a beefy GPU I would just suggest making sure it vents out the back of the case.
The full size ATX PSU support is a bonus as you get to pick your own PSU from a reliable provider, many ITX cases either require an external PSU or are of questionable quality. I'd much rather have a slightly bigger case than a smaller one with a no-name PSU that I might not be able to replace or have problems replacing it if it failed.
Yes, there are smaller ITX cases. If you want a tiny computer case as small as possible, get those. If you want an ITX case that's smaller than an ATX case but big enough to hold a full-fledged gaming PC, or want to be able to use whatever PSU you want...get this.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Best ITX case
20 February 2014
By
BlackLotus
- Published on Amazon.com
Verified Purchase
I looked around and read a lot of reviews before deciding on this case for my small home server. I was torn between this case and the Elite 120, which can be found for very cheap regularly at many places. I am not disappointed that I got the Elite 110 instead. My needs were for a small home server, so keep this in mind. I'll try to extrapolate how this case could work using it for a more 'regular' system too.
Size/looks - these are the main reasons I purchased this case. It looks good and is half mesh so that'll help with cooling. The size was the main reason - it's pretty much a cube and I needed it to fit under the bed in my spare room/office. It fits with ease and can stay out of the way, but still be near my main work station and modem/router if any issues come up. Also with the size, this case can hold multiple fans, up to 4 storage drives, water cooling, a double slot GPU (or other expansion cards such as audio cards). The construction of the case is nice - average I'd say, but no reason to deduct any stars. It has thumb screws that come off easily to get into the case. No sharp edges I noticed when putting anything in. It does have the little hump on the back using a full-sized PSU, but this is a fine trade-off for being able to use a reliable and quality power supply. It's small, but you can fit a regular GPU in here, even a dual slot one. Some of the higher end cards do even come in a 'short' version, so no sacrificing a higher end card in this case.
Cooling/Fans - This case as stated is half mesh. It seems to provide enough air for any regular system. I'm not doing a gaming system, but even with extra heat, it shoudln't be a problem. This case can hold a 120mm or 140mm fan in the front - or you can use it for a 120mm water cooling radiator if you wish. This is one of my few gripes about the case - the 120mm fan is attached with push pins instead of screws - not fun to me. Those things break, etc. and screws keep stuff planted. Many fans these days have anti-vibration mounts included, so you can use those too. You can also mount 2, regular sized 80mm fans. I wouldn't suggest these if you're running a bigger GPU in this case because it may mess up air flow for cooling. With a home server or work station, I put 2, low RPM (read: quiet) fans here to keep this puppy cool as it sits under a bed with low ventilation. As Cooler Master's claim to fame, you have many options for keeping this case cool and you can use all or none of them - depending on your budget, needs, etc.
Storage - this case holds up to 4 storage drives. You can use a comination of 3.5'' and 2.5'' drives to get there. I had some extra drives around to use for both sizes - all work well. Also, if you don't feel like shelling out cash for an SSD that typically comes in a 2.5'' size, remember regular laptop HDDs are typically 2.5''. They are priced about the same as regular HDDs for similar storage sizes (much cheaper $/gb than SSDs). Sure, many notebook HDDs have worse specs - lower RPMs, less cache, etc. but for a home server - most of this doesn't matter. Clearly, if you're building a gaming set-up or a higher end workstation, you can put many SSDs in here too - no worries. The drives do sit on the outsides of the frame (side and top) so you have to be creative in cable management - which I'll talk about soon. Overall - if you need more than 4 internal drives for your set-up, this ITX case and the ITX form factor may not be for you in general.
Cabling/space - This case is a tight fit all around, which should be obvious. You can fit all the stuff mentioned in the specs and my review, but the more you add, the harder it will be to work with it all. I don't know how easy this case would be with all the drives, fans, GPU, water cooling, etc. - but you CAN do it. Cable management in this case is average for this form factor - I'm somewhat guessing here. A: I've never built an ITX system and B: I'm bad with cables according to many. It has many holes and some channels/bars to guide cables along so someone who is good at cables or has time could make it work well. There isn't much space for a big CPU cooler, I just used the stock one for my CPU (Intel - no idea what AMD's stock cooler looks like so measure first). There are many cheap and expensive low-profile coolers that will work in this case. If you get a liquid cooler, make sure you can move/bend the tubes well as you don't get room in here for anything that isn't flexible.
Overall - It's an excellent small case. It fit my needs well for a home server. You could put a respectable gaming rig in this case too, if you take the time and think it out. I'll close with why I picked this over the Elite 120/130 a bit more. Those cases aren't very small - go look at one if you have the chance. It's the same length as a full sized tower and width, so you're only getting a decrease in height. This alone was enough for me to not consider those. Many other ITX cases have similar size problems in one way or another (If they are smaller in length, the height was too much, etc.). The other Elite cases also didn't hold any significant amount storage drives over this to consider them. Most people these days don't need a 5.25'' bay for optical drives (some may for HTPC or you can use it for a card reader, fan controller, blah blah - a small server/work station doesn't need any of this). Also, the other Elite cases don't hold regular 80mm fans - they have 1, it has a bracket, and it's a slim fan that isn't easy to find. This was another big reason I purchased the Elite 110. If you're on the fence about this case - just buy it. You won't regret it. Just remember, any ITX build is going to take some planning, thought, and patience.