Build an easy-to-carry gaming PC on the cheap in this flashy chassis
The compact-to-the-max mini-ITX PC case form factor is unbeatable at what it does best. These systems allow for chassis designs far smaller than the ATX or MicroATX competition. Many mini-ITX builds in slightly larger cases can host a graphics card, while the smallest expect you to rely on integrated processor graphics. (See, for example, our review of the In Win B1.) One thing these PC cases don’t always do well, though, is cooling and cable management, as packing lots of wiring and hot components into a tight space tends to stymie airflow. There’s not much you can do about that (it’s the nature of mini-ITX), but Cooler Master had a go at alleviating the problem with its MasterCase H100, which sports a giant, RGB-glowing 200mm fan. Quite affordable as mini-ITX cases go ($69.99), it makes for a cheap-and-cheerful chassis option for a compact gaming-PC build. The Design: Well, Aren’t You Cube? The overall look of the MasterCase H100 is reminiscent of several other cases in Cooler Master’s MasterCase product line. The case comes in black or a multi-tone gray color scheme. Both versions have sections of black metal mesh on the top and front. The chassis isn’t quite a cube, but the dimensions approach one, at 11.9 by 8.5 by 12.3 inches (HWD). The depth is extended by a protrusion of the power supply out the back (more on that later). Discounting the protrusion, it’s 10.9 inches deep. On the chassis top, in a recess, is a highly useful feature that we don’t often see on cases of any size: an integrated handgrip! This makes moving the case around exceptionally easy, though the case’s small size and balanced dimensions make it fairly easy to lug around even without it. Meanwhile, the aforementioned, oversize 200mm fan comes pre-installed on the case’s front. Its RGB lighting can be controlled via an included RGB controller. Optionally, you can wire up the case’s reset button to control the fan’s lights if your motherboard doesn’t work with the controller. Given this large 200mm fan, the case appears to be a candidate for excellent cooling, but it actually may not be any better off than many competing cases, depending on what you install. Oddly enough, the MasterCase H100 has only one location where a fan can be mounted—the front face—which is already filled by the 200mm fan. (It can take a 120mm or 140mm fan in its place, though that might make for an odd look through the front mesh, which is designed for the 200mm spinner.) You can’t add fans anywhere else on the front, top, rear, or sides. The 200mm fan itself will push more air than most smaller fans, but many other mini-ITX cases support multiple fans, so it raises the question whether this single slow-rotating 200mm fan can beat out multiple fans on the competition closer to the sources of heat. This design also is a disincentive to adding liquid cooling to the system. Technically, you can mount a single-fan radiator on the front of the case in place of the 200mm fan.
