Cooler Master ACTS RC-840

ATCS 840 marks the re-make of the first-ever full alloy computer chassis, the ATCS line (Active Thermal Convention System), that Cooler Master introduced to world in 1999. ATCS 840 extends this legacy with the addition of today's latest advancement in ergonomics and system cooling. With a timeless design and unmatched attention to detail, the ATCS 840 is set to stir interest once again.

About the company: Cooler Master

Cooler Master was founded with the mission of providing the industry's best thermal solutions. Since its establishment a decade ago, the company has remained faithful to this mission, emerging as a world leader in products and services for companies dealing with devices where heat issues must be resolved.

In pursuing this mission, Cooler Master is absolutely committed to delivering solutions that precisely meet customer requirements for features, performance, and quality. Moreover, we strive to be a reliable long-term partner for our customers that they can truly depend on. It aims to be the first and foremost name that comes to mind for companies around the world seeking thermal solutions, and seeks to build such a reputation through outstanding technology, sophisticated design, and superior service.

Cooler Master's current business encompasses a comprehensive lineup of thermal solutions for a full range of applications. Its products range from heat sinks and fans to component housing, chassis, and ducting for computers, industrial machinery, telecommunications equipment, and many other devices.

CM RC-840 Features

Independent GPU cooling

• High-end graphic cards temperatures can be reduced by 3~5°C

Dual PSUs System

• PSU could be mounted on top or bottom for flexible installation or dual PSU configuration

Advanced Cooling System

• Front fan: 23030 mm x 1
• Top fan: 23030mm x 2
• Rear fan : 12025 mm x 1
• Bottom fan :120mm (optional)
• Air duct with 120mm fan
• HDD fan: 120mm x 2 (optional)
• Support high end CPU cooler (the cooler should be lower than 200mm)
• Support the radiator with three 120mm fans

Ergonomic Design

• Slide-out M/B tray
• Easy CPU cooler changing
• Top I/O panel
• Tool free 5.25" system
• Tool free HDD system
• Washable air filter
• Cable Management system for routing and neatness

RC-840-KKN1-GP Specifications

Closer Look: ATCS 840 Exterior

The most popular computer case designs get licensed out to other manufacturers all the time, so it's not surprising that Cooler Master has re-launched the ATCS 840 after their own previously modeled design. The full-tower RC-840 chassis is built on the principal of cooling performance, which is where it receives its name. ATCS stands for Advanced Thermal Cooling Solution, and the RC-840 has more than enough room inside to accomplish this task in short order. In this articles, Benchmark Reviews tests the black aluminum-alloy RC-840-KKN1-GP model and explores the various configurations gamers and enthusiasts can expect from this enclosure.

Beginning with the front view, Cooler Master has defined an attitude ATCS 840 last witnessed on their Centurion lineup. A stoic slate-black color scheme is accented by the silver ATCS 840 and Cooler Master logo's and some Allen-head bolts visible only from the front. A removable dust 'shield' rests attached to the lower portion of the front bezel, with six 5.25" drive bay plates above it.

Looked at from a different perspective, the ATCS 840 still shows evidence that 3.5" drive bays are extinct. If you're one of the many enthusiasts who utilize a flash media multi-card reader, or one of the few remaining users who need a floppy disk drive, Cooler Master has given one drive bay plate the ability to knock-out a 3.5" plate.

A side view of the RC-840 reveals that Cooler Master has enough cooling inside the ATCS without an additional side-mounted panel fan, ala Cosmos RC-1000. I'm rather thankful, since the Cosmos S had a 240mm side panel fan that I had to remove, which was a real chore on that side panel. There's really no need to be concerned with the lack of a side fan; at least not after you see how many fans are inside of the ATCS 840.

From the top-angle view illustrated below, it's apparent that Cooler Master wanted to keep the face of the ATCS 840 looking as Spartan as possible. All of the buttons and connections usually found on the front or side of the computer case are positioned at the top-front portion of the RC-840. This is fine for systems positioned below desk level, but anything taller will require extra effort to reach.

Because of the large overall size (9.57" wide by 22.83" tall), the RC-840 can fit more components than most other computer cases. There are two different power supply locations available on the ACTS 840: one at the bottom (default) and an alternate location at the top. This also means that the liquid-cooling hose openings can be configured for the top (default) or bottom as well.

Cooler Master includes seven vented expansion bay blanks for each slot opening, so even the expansion slots can help cool the RC-840. A rear-mounted 120 x 25mm cooling fan (1200 RPM / 17 dBA) comes attached to the ATCS, and is joined by additional ventilation along the side of the expansion card slots.

In our next section, Benchmark Reviews gives a more detailed overview of the various exterior features on the Cooler Master ATCS 840 computer case.

Detailed Exterior Features

Now that the basic exterior features have been perused, it's time that we take a more detailed look at the Cooler Master ATCS 840. First and foremost, I must warn you that the RC-840 computer case is far larger in your hands than the images below depict. The ACTS 840 measures 9.57" wide by 22.83" tall, and has a depth of 24.80" for 5418 cubic inches of total chassis footprint. While the aluminum alloy panels might do their part to reduce the overall product weight, the RC-840 still weighs 29.21 pounds completely empty. Add your motherboard, expansion cards, and drives, and this computer case will likely see 40 lbs with ease.

It's not expected that mobile gamers will tote the ATCS 840 to a local LAN party, as there are plenty of better alternatives for the task. The RC-840-KKN1-GP is really intended for performance enthusiasts who work inside their computer case quite often. Follow along, and you'll soon find out why.

Cooler Master has disguised the front bezel trim plate as a dust shield for the 230 x 30mm cooling fan hiding behind it. The front intake cooling fan is removable from the inside, but the dust trap is easily cleaned from the outside of the case.

Atop the RC-840 is a retracting I/O panel that rests flush with the top portion of the ATCS and rotates upward with a push on the module. Cooler Master has loaded the ATCS 840 with four additional USB 2.0 ports, an audio input and output lead, IEEE-1324 Firewire, and an eSATA 1.5 Gbps port.

Directly in front of the I/O panel is the power and reset buttons, with two small LEDs indicating system status and data access. All of these connections (including the additional I/O ports) must tie into the motherboard for functionality, so ensure that your hardware will support the additional ports.

The ATCS 840 is much taller than most enthusiasts will require of their computer case. Even though many overclockers and hardware enthusiasts appreciate the extra room of a full-tower design, having six total 5.25" expansion bays is more than the status quo. The upside, however, is the lack of an irritating bezel door. It's about time manufacturers drifted away from the classic designs which often-times included a locking bezel door.

Because of the weight, Cooler Master decided to fit their flagship ATCS 840 computer case with stylish round home theater-style feet. A rubber insert keeps vibration to a minimum, although I suspect even an empty version of the RC-840 would be immune to these problems.

Pictured in the image above, you can see how Cooler Master has given the ATCS 840 both a PSU fan intake, along with a filtered bottom fan for this computer case. The PSU actually does have a filter unit, but it's accessible from the inside of the RC-840.

In our next section, we skim over some of the general details inside the Cooler Master RC-840-KKN1-GP full-tower computer case.

Interior Look and Pressure

When it comes to computer cases, I can be a very tolerant of the appearance so long as it features a sound design. This is where the Cooler Master ATCS 840 comes to shine for me, because while I am pleased with the general exterior appearance it's the interior design that really elevates my opinion.

In the image below, which is quite possibly my favorite picture of the RC-840, you can see for yourself that the ATCS is a completely researched and developed system. If we keep track of the internal air pressure the math becomes evident.

Starting from the top, the Cooler Master ATCS 840 exhausts heated air (since heated air rises) up and out of the computer case. Two 230 x 30mm cooling fans accomplish this task on the RC-840 (although they can be replaced with three 120mm fans), which give a combined 460mm of negative pressure for our tally.

The bottom vent is large enough to accommodate a 120mm intake cooling fan. Since Cooler Master does not include a fan for this position, I will consider this as 120mm of positive or neutral pressure. Not to overwhelm readers with complicated basic mathematics, but so far the tally is 460mm negative pressure with 120mm removed for positive (or neutral depending on your position) pressure, for a remainder of 340mm of negative inner-case pressure.

From the image below you also get a very good look at the tool-less HDD racks. These racks can fit any standard 3.5" hard disk drive, and by using some screws you can also fit 2.5" drives (such as SSD's).

A well-vented drive rack allows a 130mm front intake cooling fan to draw air into the lower chambers, which adds additional positive pressure to the enclosure. Thus far, the RC-840 has been shown to be negative-pressure heavy in its construction, with the current inner-case pressure now at 210mm negative. There's still more ventilation, so things will balance-out (somewhat) eventually.

The last of the case ventilation on the ACTS 840 is found in the removable motherboard tray section. A single 120mm fan exhausts heated air out through the rear of the case, adding additional negative pressure to the enclosure. There's roughly another 120mm worth of open ventilation beneath this exhaust fan, which will act as positive pressure in the current configuration. Taken into account, the final estimation of our crude total is 210mm worth of negative inner-case air pressure. Considering my estimation gave neutral ventilation the same weight as active fans, this estimation could probably be doubled if we further scrutinized.

Negative inner-case air pressure is not something you want with most modern video cards, since they will have to work harder to draw air from inside the case to exhaust it out. Removing one or both the top 230mm fans might be a good idea, since finding a replacement for the front intake fan could be worth keeping them as spares.

One of my favorite features, and long overdue on computer cases in general, makes its first appearance on the Cooler Master ATCS 840. When looking at the open chassis from the motherboard side of the case, you can see a cut-out section where the processor mounts to the motherboard. Since I do an unbelievable amount of testing with CPU coolers, all of my previous cases were modified by hand to accommodate this. I assure you that this feature alone would be reason enough to purchase RC-840, because removing the motherboard just to change a CPU cooler is unreasonably unfair.

Detailed Interior Features

In this section, some of the optional configurations and features will be discussed. While most users stick the obvious layout that Cooler Master offers them right out of the box, there are a few creative configurations noted in the manual (of all places).

Cooler Master seems to go out of their way to teach you how to better organize your cables and components inside the ATCS 840. This comes as a welcome change for many, since most new computer cases offer unique features not first apparent to new builders. One such area is cable management, which on RC-840 gives a new dimension to static cable-feed points. Notice in the image below how the top I/O panel's wiring has been routed through the snapping "cable stays" in front of the motherboard tray. Additionally, power supply wiring can be fed up and through two small oval holes on the motherboard tray itself.

Packaged separately with the ATCS 840 was an optional external air duct unit. This air duct can be fitted with a 120mm cooling fan and attached over the expansion card slot grill to help create even more negative inner-case pressure, although in this case it would assist exhausting graphics cards with their duty.

By default, the RC-840 uses the lower location for mounting the power supply unit. However, if desired, you can outfit the ATCS 840 to use the more traditional upper position inside the computer case. This might be necessary for some power supplies, which have shorter cables and cannot reach the motherboard connections as easily.

Additionally, if you use all six drive bays to install a hard disk or SSD, you can use the optional mounting points to install two additional cooling fans to help force air over the components. Although most hardware enthusiasts average only two drives, there's an added benefit to having forced air cool your video card and motherboard with these fans, too.

For liquid-cooling enthusiasts, Cooler Master makes a special effort to accommodate your equipment without sacrificing space. If you remove the two top-positioned 230mm fans (as I recommended to equalize pressure), you can use the adjustable rails to install a radiator unit.

With so many different features integrated into the ATCS 840, I'm convinced that Cooler Master has aptly named this computer case the RC-840 Advanced Thermal Cooling Solution. At every step of our review, we found new ways to cool the most problematic hardware.

In the next section, I give my final thoughts on the state of computer cases... which might actually surprise you.

Computer Chassis Final Thoughts

Initially I had no plan of creating a stand-alone page for my final thoughts, but then I began to dwell on a few trends that seem to be circling the computer chassis industry without relent. For each and every year that I have been professionally involved with computers (which officially began around 1998), the same collective trends have repeated themselves over and over. Originally, beige computer cases were the de facto standard for enthusiasts wanting to construct their own IBM clone personal computer. The focus seemingly revolved around strength and capacity (usually for fans) while fashion and creature comforts were usually neglected.

I thought this trend was going to phase itself out around the turn of the century, but there was still a dominant demand for large full-tower cases. Beige was still the only color you'd expect and nearly everything was built of steel. The most you could really expect out of higher-end computer cases around the Y2K era was a vast collection of colorful (usually purple) cages for smaller 60mm cooling fans (92mm in rare occasions). Case strength was still a marketing buzz word used in ads to show how much lumpy geek-weight could be supported by their case. Even though most of these products were anchored down to the floor due to their excessive weight, the marketing hype seemed to hypnotize the masses. This is all slowly bringing me to my point: which is that the more things change the more they seem to remain the same.

Personal Computers evolved out of the beige-syndrome condition sometime around 2002, when Thermaltake began shipping aluminum versions of their full-tower cases and Dell began shipping systems with a black contoured plastic shell. It would take a little while to catch on, but not much later we began to see colored plastic bezels and see-through side panel windows available on just about everything that could hold a motherboard. With the exception of a few minor tweaks here and there, computer cases remained the same item at its core.

So here I am in the middle of 2008, almost exactly ten years since I began breathing in bytes. The computer industry has changed to the point that I believe it could soon look entirely different from the landscape I joined into only a decade ago. But something tells me that with all the change, we'll inadvertently keep a few things the same out of habit. One of which, the one trend I've been harping on about, is the rugged durability of computer cases that seem to have evolved above and beyond what any normal consumer would actually require.

Since Benchmark Reviews was launched in March of 2007, I have personally reviewed dozens of computer cases. I sometimes think that I've seen it all, but then I browse the Lian Li website for world-class products and see a computer case shaped like a snail. It's a bizarre world for sure, but what can we leave behind as we evolve away from our ancient computing roots? Not all that long ago everyone seemed to want a full-tower computer with ten drive bays, and just a few years later they reduced their demands to almost half that amount. Heading into 2009, I have to wonder what it is we will really need from our computer cases.

The future of computer cases

Back in the day, having two (or more) optical drives was almost a requirement for anyone who wanted to work with the CD and DVD formats. Now, you can have one drive that reads and writes to CD, DVD, and Blu-ray Disc of HD-DVD. This makes anything more than two 5.25" external drive bays unnecessary. Next is the 2.5" external drive bay, which was used exclusively for floppy disk drives (once upon a time). Since your average CD-R or USB flash drive has replaced removable magnetic media for pennies on the dollar, I don't expect the 2.5" drive bay to get much attention anymore. Although a few people might still be using multimedia expansion bays (outfitted for a 5.25" expansion bay), I think that manufacturers have done an excellent job making I/O ports readily available on the front, top, and side of most cases we see produced. So far, there hasn't been real reason to have more than two or three external drive bays, but there's more fat to be trimmed.

The last hold-out is the hard drive cage, which has historically (if not traditionally) held between four and six hard disk drives. This made sense back at the turn of the century when capacities were on the level of 8 GB, but we live in a world of affordable Terabyte-size hard drives openly available to the retail market. So do we need all of this space? I don't think so, and it seems that enthusiasts are trying to make a slow shift towards compact computing. Small Form Factor (SFF) cases have been getting more popular over the past two years, and now make up a noticeable segment of the consumer market. Let's recount our basic needs: two external 5.25 drive bays and possibly two more internal 5.25" drive bays. With an open mind, you could even begin to see how a MicroATX motherboard might also make good sense for most of us since PCI slots are really a necessity of the past (for modems, sound cards, and network interface cards).

Which brings me into my final thoughts: are we really clinging to the past when we accept a new design? I don't know what each of you need out of a computer case, but I can begin to imagine that none of you will be using your PC chassis to support your body weight while you change a light bulb. Full tower cases, while still in demand for a tiny slice of enthusiasts, are about as necessary for home users as Cadillac Escalades. Mid-tower computer cases are a different story, and without some major change to power supply unit dimensions in a future ATX standard we will be seeing them for a long time to come. I think it's great that we can have all of this extra space, but personally I think we need manufacturers to begin to think outside the box and come up with product designs more in-line with our evolved hardware needs.

Please continue on as I conclude my review of the Cooler Master ATCS 840 computer case and give a final rating for the RC-840.

RC-840-KKN1-GP Conclusion

The following information is a constructive conclusion and rating for the Cooler Master ATCS 840 computer case. The views and opinions expressed in this review, as well as the rating given, are the solely the authors. The remarks and score delivered in this article may not match your own opinion, which may be shared in our Discussion Forum.

Consumers are becoming more and more sensitive towards 'Green' packaging and are aware of the environmental effects of product packaging. It used to be that retail boxes could not be made to look good with recycled paper products, but I believe that most people discard their packaging once the product is up and functional. Cooler Master isn't going to impress too many window shoppers with their brown cardboard box with black graphics, but I'm sure the cost of reduced printing and packaging will filter down to the consumer. Nevertheless, Cooler Master doesn't waste the opportunity to share some line art (below) and a myriad of product specification and features. This should keep the comparison shopper happy as they have most questions answered right outside the box.

Appearance is going to be divided between the two possible finishes: anodized black aluminum alloy, or brush silver aluminum alloy. In our review of the black ATCS 840 computer case, the literally mono-toned RC-840-KKN1-GP never really bothered me like other similarly finished products have. I believe it was the various curved shoulders and lack of pure right-angle edges that persuaded me to accept a single-colored finish, but the brushed aluminum texture also helped disguise the simple elegance. Overall, I am fond of the finish and appearance, but I cannot say that my feeling would be the same for the silver (RC-840-SSN1-GP) version.

Computer cases are intended to be one thing above all else: constructed well. The factory staff at Cooler Master must have been on strict orders to polish their work for the ATCS 840, because it certainly showed. The RC-840 is an extremely well-constructed enclosure with a solid chassis capable of sustaining the worst accidents without warping the chassis. While the panels are not 6mm alloy and seams were not welded, the ATCS survives the most harsh handling.

One particular area of interest that really impressed be was product functionality. I'm completely sold on the motherboard tray cut-out which allows me to remove the backplate of a CPU cooler without having the remove the entire system. Even without this feature, the sliding motherboard tray would make for a decent second-favorite. Using 230mm cooling fans in three different locations of the RC-840 is a guaranteed way of ensuring Advanced Thermal Cooling, but the negative inner-case pressure might add-up to be too much for some exhausting video cards (such as high-end NVIDIA and ATI products). Tool-less drive bay trays and clips make installation a snap, and the removable fan filters should keep the innards nice and shiny.

Value is tough to detail at this point, primarily since Cooler Master won't launch the ATCS 840 until November 25th (next week). To my surprise however, our price comparison tool already lists a few retailers with the RC-840 for $279.99. Just as soon as NewEgg makes this product available, I will link to the preferred price. At this early point before the official launch, I can speculate that the RC-840 is certainly worthy of a premium price tag... just maybe not this high.

Pros:

+ Motherboard tray cut-out for CPU cooler backplate removal
+ Constructed with 100% aluminum alloy
+ Available in elegant black and refined silver finishes
+ Convenient top-mounted flip-up I/O panel with audio input and eSATA
+ Low- or high-mount PSU location thermal isolation
+ Anti-vibration silicon-rubber pads for all drives
+ Full tower design offers six 5.25" and six 3.5" bays
+ Excellent cooling fan placement for optimal airflow channel
+ Liquid-cooling compatible rear ports or top mounted radiator
+ Direct cooling drive cage design
+ Tool-less side panels, bezel, and drive bays
+ Incredible attention to detail
+ Fan and vent openings have cleanable lint filters

Cons:

- Heavy-weight product despite all-aluminum construction
- Negative inner-case pressure may weaken video card exhausting
- No sound dampening material
- Very expensive premium product
- May be too tall for any location other than floor

Ratings:

• Presentation: 8.50
• Appearance: 9.50
• Construction: 9.50
• Functionality: 9.75
• Value: 7.75

Final Score: 9.0 out of 10.

Excellence Achievement: Benchmark Reviews Golden Tachometer Award.

Questions? Comments? Benchmark Reviews really wants your feedback. We invite you to leave your remarks in our Discussion Forum.

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