Coolermaster Praetorian 730 / 732

[Deadalus]

Hi guys,

I was thinking of getting the Praetorian 732 and wondered if anyone had any opinions or experiences with the case - even though it is very new.

I have seen a couple of reviews:

http://www.hardwarezone.com/articles/view.php?cid=0&id=1677

http://www.barrys-rigs-n-reviews.com/reviews/2005/hardware/cmp730/cmp730_1.htm

They are mostly positive, with a few niggles. Although I can't say I know how well respected these reviewers are...

I love the design, but I am also looking for a good cooling solution. My current case just can't keep good enough airflow going for my FX-55 and 6800GT.

If I get the case, I would install a 120mm fan in the side opening and my PSU fan would be able to draw hot air away from the processor, which is fitted with an XP-120 and Panaflo fan.

My only concern is whether the 2x 80mm fans will be good enough exhausts without being noisy.

I'd also have the option of putting an 80mm fan as a top vent.

Any thoughts/suggestions and opinions are welcome.

Thanks.

 

[Bona Fide]

Sick case. I just ordered mine. I'll let you know how it goes once it gets here.

 

[Deadalus]

Thanks. That would be great!

 

[Sacraster]

i want to get the 732 but no store is carrying it. i wonder when the 732 will be release

 

[Deadalus]

If you are in the UK, you can get it from http://www.dabs.com/uk

 

[Bona Fide]

Alright, here comes my review.

Positives
- Stellar cooling. The front and side 120mm intake fans make for great overall cooling. I leave the door open while the computer is on, since the front panel is meshed, allowing more fresh air in. There is an 80mm fan mount on the top, but I didn't bother. With the dual 80mm in back running as exhaust, I have a nice wind tunnel inside the case. Cold air comes in through the front and goes out the back. The side provides a bit more cool air for my 7800GT and 4400+.
- Lightweight, but not flimsy. Coolermaster went the right way by using 2mm thick aluminum. It's not as flimsy as the other 1.2mm stuff, but it's just a little heavier. Also with aluminum you get the "increased heat dissapation" qualities. I have yet to see scientific proof of this, but whatever.
- Looks. Looks dead sexy, in my opinion. All of the included fans have LEDs, so when the computer is on, it has a nice glow, without being TOO tacky. Kind of like the Tsunami, but better. The 120mm I added to the side also has blue LEDs, so a little bit of light comes out the side as well. Very cool.
- Removable motherboard tray. Holy God was I happy to see this. It makes the whole installation process infinitely easier. The tray just slides out the back, fans, slots, and all, and you can assemble the motherboard components outside, then slide it back in. Then you just attach the hard drives and optical drives, and you're set to go.
- Good spot for I/O panels. If you don't want them or don't like them, it comes with an 80mm fan mount so you can replace the panel with a fan. I kept the panel in, since my case is on the floor, and they are very accessible.

Negatives
- Back fans. Instead of 2x80mm, I would have preferred a single 120mm. It would get the job done just as well, but would be a bit quieter. A small gripe, but thought I should point it out.
- No tool-free installation. Everything has to be screwed in. This has its advantages, seeing as screws are more secure than drive rails and plastic tabs. But it's a bit more time-consuming too.

Overall, I absolutely LOVE it. If you don't like the P180, I would suggest you look at this. Hell, look at this even if you do like the P180.

 

[Deadalus]

Great review thanks! Mine should arrive tomorrow.

I'll add my thoughts then.

 

[JBDan]

Looks like a sweet case to me.

 

[Mrvile]

Looks like a sweet case, but I liked the speckled look of the old Stacker more (which is why I chose a V1000).

 

[Deadalus]

Originally posted by: Bona Fide
Alright, here comes my review.

Positives
- Stellar cooling. The front and side 120mm intake fans make for great overall cooling. I leave the door open while the computer is on, since the front panel is meshed, allowing more fresh air in. There is an 80mm fan mount on the top, but I didn't bother. With the dual 80mm in back running as exhaust, I have a nice wind tunnel inside the case. Cold air comes in through the front and goes out the back. The side provides a bit more cool air for my 7800GT and 4400+.
- Lightweight, but not flimsy. Coolermaster went the right way by using 2mm thick aluminum. It's not as flimsy as the other 1.2mm stuff, but it's just a little heavier. Also with aluminum you get the "increased heat dissapation" qualities. I have yet to see scientific proof of this, but whatever.
- Looks. Looks dead sexy, in my opinion. All of the included fans have LEDs, so when the computer is on, it has a nice glow, without being TOO tacky. Kind of like the Tsunami, but better. The 120mm I added to the side also has blue LEDs, so a little bit of light comes out the side as well. Very cool.
- Removable motherboard tray. Holy God was I happy to see this. It makes the whole installation process infinitely easier. The tray just slides out the back, fans, slots, and all, and you can assemble the motherboard components outside, then slide it back in. Then you just attach the hard drives and optical drives, and you're set to go.
- Good spot for I/O panels. If you don't want them or don't like them, it comes with an 80mm fan mount so you can replace the panel with a fan. I kept the panel in, since my case is on the floor, and they are very accessible.

Negatives
- Back fans. Instead of 2x80mm, I would have preferred a single 120mm. It would get the job done just as well, but would be a bit quieter. A small gripe, but thought I should point it out.
- No tool-free installation. Everything has to be screwed in. This has its advantages, seeing as screws are more secure than drive rails and plastic tabs. But it's a bit more time-consuming too.

Overall, I absolutely LOVE it. If you don't like the P180, I would suggest you look at this. Hell, look at this even if you do like the P180.

What can I say? You hit the nail on the head with all your comments... I totally agree with all of them. My fears about the 2x 80mm fans were unfounded. Noise-wise, it it quieter than my old Lian-Li case that had dual 120mm fans and it is running 10ºc cooler!

To sum up:

Pros -

[*]Cooling is excellent. I added a side 120mm fan, but left the panel connectors at the top instead of another 80mm fan.

[*]Motherboard tray is excellent.

[*]Very good looking and sturdy.

Cons -

[*]Hard-drive noise. My Raptor is pretty noisy when screwed into a case. I'm going to look into silencing it.

[*]Plastic front-door catch. Although it is strong, I am still concerned it is a weak point. It should be easy to replace though.

I'll post some pics when I next get a chance.

I LOVE it too! Best case I've bought.

 

[Bona Fide]

Glad to see you like it. I'll post up my pics also, when I get the chance.

// For the hard disk problems, pick up some rubber grommets if you want.
http://www.svc.com/840556055457.html

Of course, that's the whole kit, with fan mounts, disk mounts, and even ties. So it's a bit more expensive.

 

[Deadalus]

You can check out some pics here (56K Warning):

Praetorian 732 Pictures

The flash really made my finger-prints show up, I need to clean the case. Also, I'm going to need to buy some shorter SATA cables because they're quite messy at the moment.

Cheers guys.

 

[l Xes l]

gotta luv cooler master

 

[Corporate Thug]

i dont know, the original looked better to me

 

[HKSEvo8]

Looking good :thumbsup: I was thinking about upgrading to the Praetoriam 732 and XP-120.

I've got a few questions though.

1) How come you didn't have the XP-120 blowing over the heatsink for the heatpipe and MOSFETs? I thought it'll help keep heatsink cool with the XP-120 blow over it.

2) Would the XP-120 block the DIMM slots if I had the heatpipes pointed toward them?

3) I'm going to have the XP-120 blowing over the heatpipe and MOSFET heatsink meaning that the XP-120 will be very close to the back of the case. I don't want to have the fan on the XP-120 blocking the rear case fans. How high is the XP-120 with the fan? Does it look like it'll block more than half od the rear case fans?

 

[Deadalus]

Originally posted by: HKSEvo8
Looking good :thumbsup: I was thinking about upgrading to the Praetoriam 732 and XP-120.

I've got a few questions though.

1) How come you didn't have the XP-120 blowing over the heatsink for the heatpipe and MOSFETs? I thought it'll help keep heatsink cool with the XP-120 blow over it.

2) Would the XP-120 block the DIMM slots if I had the heatpipes pointed toward them?

3) I'm going to have the XP-120 blowing over the heatpipe and MOSFET heatsink meaning that the XP-120 will be very close to the back of the case. I don't want to have the fan on the XP-120 blocking the rear case fans. How high is the XP-120 with the fan? Does it look like it'll block more than half od the rear case fans?

If I had mounted the XP-120 the other way around, it would have prevented me from being able to get to the 1st RAM slot after installing it. There should be a good amount of heat being drawn away from the heatsink by the rear case fans and PSU fan. Since I can run Prime 95 for 6+ hours without errors, I figure if it ain't broke...

I'd be interested to know how you get on with it mounted the other way.

As for the fan, mine comes to just about half-way, as you might be able to see from this pic: XP-120 Position

If you have a larger fan, such as a Panaflo, it will likely cover more than half. I'll have a proper look next time I open the case. Which sould be tomorrow as I'm installing rubber washers on my HDDs to lower vibration.

 

[HKSEvo8]

Do you notice if the MOSFET heatsink and heatpipe gets hot since it's not being cooled by anything?

 

[Bona Fide]

Originally posted by: HKSEvo8
Do you notice if the MOSFET heatsink and heatpipe gets hot since it's not being cooled by anything?

Mine doesn't either because of the dual-80mm exhaust in back. All the hot air is pulled through the back of the case, so no worries about the MOSFETs.