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MasterCase Maker 5 by Cooler Master case review — decked out
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Review

MasterCase Maker 5 by Cooler Master case review — decked out

by March 29, 2017
Overview
Price

RM829

Positives

+ Velcro straps makes for excellent cable management
+ Supports up to two 280mm radiators
+ Support up to 190mm tall CPU cooler
+ Three 140mm fans included
+ Included LED Strip, LED and fan controller
+ USB Type-C port on the front panel
+ Good air ventilation
+ Good and solid material used for the case
+ Flexible and functional build
+ Modding-friendly
+ Accessories and custom part are available, with strong support from modders

Negatives

- Pricey
- Small cutouts for cable routing for the 2.5" drive trays

Pokde Scoreboard
Pokde Rating
Appearance
9.0
Features
9.0
Materials
9.0
Performance
9.0
Portability
4.0
Value
6.0
Bottom Line

The MasterCase 5 Maker gives you everything you need and more via the nifty FreeForm Modular platform, but is rather pricey compared to the basic option available.

7.7
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The MasterCase 5 is indeed a very modular case. In fact, Cooler Master has released multiple variants of the case, including the MasterCase 5, MasterCase Pro 5, MasterCase Pro 5 NVIDIA Edition and the one we have here, the MasterCase Maker 5, which is essentially the highest end of the lineup. Each of these cases have different levels of trim and accessories, so let’s take a closer look at what the MasterCase Maker 5 offers.

Unboxing

MasterCase Maker 5 by Cooler Master case review — decked out 21

Similar to the MasterCase Pro 5, the MasterCase Maker 5 comes with a full color print on the box. The only notable changes on between the printed image is the case has a front panel over the mesh intakes of the MasterCase Pro 5, and also an upgraded I/O panel.

MasterCase Maker 5 by Cooler Master case review — decked out 22

At the back, we have an exploded view of the MasterCase Maker 5 and additional information regarding Cooler Master’s FreeForm Modular System in multiple languages. If this is your first time hearing of the system, it lets you adjust the exterior structure and aesthetic via a range of replacement panels and modular accessories available for the ecosystem.

MasterCase Maker 5 by Cooler Master case review — decked out 23

To avoid from and scratches and damage, the MasterCase Maker 5 is wrapped in a foam bag and wedged between two massive blocks of Styrofoam.

MasterCase Maker 5 by Cooler Master case review — decked out 24

MasterCase Maker 5 by Cooler Master case review — decked out 25

The MasterCase Maker 5 uses a metal case to hold its little bits and pieces, and all the accessories is well labelled. This is reflective of its “premium” status, as the accessories that came with the MasterCase Pro 5 was only packaged in cardboard.

Appearance

MasterCase Maker 5 by Cooler Master case review — decked out 26

The MasterCase Maker 5 looks pretty much like the MasterCase Pro 5 I reviewed before. It has a windowed side panel and top cover, but on the MasterCase Maker 5, the top cover is now magnetically attached.

MasterCase Maker 5 by Cooler Master case review — decked out 27

On the front, the MasterCase Maker 5 comes with a beveled panel, increasing not only the aesthetic value but also preventing dust from build up quickly on its front intake vent.

MasterCase Maker 5 by Cooler Master case review — decked out 28

MasterCase Maker 5 by Cooler Master case review — decked out 29

What unique about this door panel is you need to pull it downwards to open it. There is enough clearance for DVD or Blu-ray players’ trays but for me it’s more practical to mount a fan controller in the 5.25-inch bay nowadays.

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MasterCase Maker 5 by Cooler Master case review — decked out 31

A rather significant upgrade from the MasterCase Pro 5 is the new front I/O here. The MasterCase Maker 5 now offers two USB 2.0 ports, one USB 3.0 Type-A port and also one USB 3.0 Type-C port, for future-proofing. We also find LED and fan speed control buttons flanking the ports. When you turn on the PC, the power button will light up in red.

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MasterCase Maker 5 by Cooler Master case review — decked out 33

The MasterCase Maker 5 pre-installed with total of three 140mm fans, so you can actually build your rig without having to buy extra fans. There are two at the front and one at the rear. Do take note as 140mm are usually quite expensive if purchased separately, so Cooler Master including them here is a godsend.

MasterCase Maker 5 by Cooler Master case review — decked out 34

MasterCase Maker 5 by Cooler Master case review — decked out 35

The innards of the MasterCase Maker 5 is understandably similar to the MasterCase Pro 5, as they share the same FreeForm modular platform. The internal layout is separated into two compartments to improve cable management and also simplify the PC building experience. It comes with two HDD cages, allows you to install up to five HDDs, with two bracket for SSD.

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The top cover is similar like the MasterCase Pro 5 but on the MasterCase Maker 5 it’s magnetic to hold it in place better. Here you can mount up to two 140mm fans, allowing for 280mm radiators to be mounted here.

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One addition to the internals is the magnetic LED strip. It can be removed and placed almost anywhere you want in the case. The LED strip will only illuminate in red. There’s no RGB color option but you can replace the LED strip inside, just make sure the voltage is similar like the original ones. However this might void the warranty for the LED strip.

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The big CPU cutout for the casing is big, making motherboard and cooler back-plate installation much easier. There are three Velcro straps for organized cables management.

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Yet another addition to the MasterCase Maker 5 is a LED and fan controller hub at the back of the motherboard tray. This controller board supports up to six fans and four LED strips, allowing for high (12V) and low (7V) fan speeds and LED lighting control for either LED strips or fans with three modes (on, off and breathing effect).

MasterCase Maker 5 by Cooler Master case review — decked out 40

MasterCase Maker 5 by Cooler Master case review — decked out 41

MasterCase Maker 5 by Cooler Master case review — decked out 42

For this review, Cooler Master has provided me with three units of Silencio FP 140 PWM fans with red LEDs.

MasterCase Maker 5 by Cooler Master case review — decked out 43

MasterCase Maker 5 by Cooler Master case review — decked out 44

I replace the stock fans in the casing with the Silencio FP fans and connected all the fan connectors to the controller.

Specifications

Model Number MCY-005P-KWN00
Available Color Black
Materials Steel body, Plastic mesh bezel
Dimensions (LxWxH) All 528.6(L) x 235(W) x 548(H) mm
Motherboard Support ATX, Micro-ATX, Mini-ITX
Expansion Slots 7
Drive Bays 5.25″ 2
Combo 3.5″/ 2.5″ 5
SSD 2+5
I/O Port USB 2.0 x 2, USB 3.0 x 1, USB Type-C x 1
Audio in / out, fan & ELD button
Pre-installed Fan(s) Front 140mm x 2
Rear 140mm x 1
Fan Support Front 120mm / 140mm x 2
Rear 140mm x 1
Liquid Cooling Support Front 240mm / 280mm radiator, up to 40mm thickness without fan
Top 240mm / 280mm radiator
Rear 120mm / 140mm radiator
Clearances CPU Cooler 190mm
PSU 200mm
GPU 412mm
Cable Routing Behind Motherboard Tray 25mm – 35mm
Dust Filters Front, bottom
Power Supply Support Bottom mount, ATX

MasterCase Maker 5 by Cooler Master case review — decked out 45Hardware Configuration

Processor Intel Core i7-5820K
Motherboard ASUS X99 Deluxe
Memory Avexir Blitz 16GB DDR4
Storage Sandisk Ultra 240GB
Power Supply Cooler Master V850
Accesories Silencio 14 PWM by Cooler Master

User Experience

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MasterCase Maker 5 by Cooler Master case review — decked out 47

For this review, I’m using the Pokde benchrig with one full length graphics card and one SSD. As there are no hard drives used, I removed the drive cage. The window here has a tinted layer on the bottom part, which means you won’t have to get a PSU cover just for the sake of hiding your cables.

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The Velcro straps really help in cables management but with all the fans cable and LED strip cables connected to the controller, it can quite messy here.

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The cutout for the 2.5-inch drives are just like those in the MasterCase Pro 5, which means that they aren’t that convenient at all. If you are planning to install SSDs on this side, you should use straight-angle SATA and power connectors. I would suggest you to install your SSD behind the motherboard tray to avoid this issue though.

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The red LED emanating from the strip is spread evenly, but you need at least two strips, one at the base and the other at the top of the case for proper lighting. With the red LED lighting from the LED strip and Silencio fans, the best coolers to complement the overall look are the Cooler Master V8 GTS or the MasterAir Maker 8, both of which also have red LED lighting.

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Going full custom cooling with this case is a good idea too. As the MasterCase Maker 5 supports 240 or 280mm radiators at top and front of the case, and up to 140mm radiators at the rear, there really isn’t anything stopping you from loading it up with a custom watercooling loop.

Conclusion

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You might be thinking, “What so special about this case, it’s basically the same MasterCase 5 with additional accessories”. Well, it is actually just that. In fact, everything here is a part of the Cooler Master FreeForm Modular system, and you can easily purchase these accessories separatelu to upgrade your basic MasterCase 5.

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The MasterCase Maker 5’s build quality is excellent, highly customizable and holds a lot of potential in modding. The pricing is a little high when compared to the other variants of the MasterCase 5, but for those who want a complete high end case, the MasterCase Maker 5 is one of the choices available on the market. The MasterCase Maker 5 is priced at RM829 in retail, and if your budget is not a concern, do check out the MasterCase Maker 5t which is even sexier with a tempered glass side panel.

MasterCase Maker 5 by Cooler Master case review — decked out 54

I award the MasterCase Maker 5 our Gold Pokdeward, because it offers a lot more aside from just mere good looks. The ability to remove nearly everything from the interior cannot be overlooked. It makes modding easier, or even to make more space for huge components. Truly, this is a case you can easily #MakeItYours.

About The Author
Muhammad Firdaus
I love technology, so I love AMD.

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