First review of Coolermaster STACKER

[azndelite6983]

If you have any interest in this beast of a case (I love it and would buy it if my lian-li weren't still so new) check the link.

http://www.hardwarezone.com/articles/view.php?cid=22&id=1121

sells for $300 tho!?!?! seriously....

 

[beatle]

Looks like a winner to me, but dang, $300 is a lot, even for a Coolermaster. My ATC-201SX was half that!

 

[darkswordsman17]

Newegg is selling this case for less than $200.

$182 shipped to be more precise.

Cooler Master CM Stacker

 

[jswjimmy]

when you sayed stacker i thought it was a case based on a lego. the case does look good but its to much $ for me

 

[Corporate Thug]

dont really see the need to 10 5.25 bays

 

[Cerb]

Exhaust on top, looks easy to close if needed, big bottom intake--somebody's been reading about what us quiet types are doing , front USBs and such in a moveable bay, awesome looks (reminds me of a Cylon Centurion), cooling...looks like a pain for a desktop (that gets modified often), but file server and firewall heaven.

 

[Runner20]

That thing has about 40 bays. Dayum.

 

[HardWarrior]

If anyone's interested, they have them here for $169. I'm not sure why the big discount.

 

[decade2000]

According to this review this case does not cool well despite all these features.

 

[darkswordsman17]

Well if the one at FrozenCPU.com has the cross flow fan than it probably is the better deal, if not, then I think Newegg edges it out (shipped prices are about the same, a couple of bucks difference). Newegg doesn't put the crossflo with the case, its an add on.

Hmm, hopefully AT will review this case soon, I'd like to see how it performs. Thanks for the secondary review decade2000.

 

[Dasterdly]

That thing is huge! I doubt if it would even fit under my desk

 

[FiberoN]

I was going to get that but I decided to go WaveMaster. It seems like it can cool well but it has too many bays. Btw, the WaveMaster costs less so I got it.

 

[gordanfreeman]

frozencpu says optional cross flow cooling, so im not sure they send the cross flow w/ it.

sweet looking case though... seems to me it is one of the most versatile cases on the market.

 

[Cerb]

Originally posted by: decade2000
According to this review this case does not cool well despite all these features.

Looks fine to me. I sure didn't see enough details about the cooling (that I could decipher) to indicate they tried different fan setups or changing of fan speeds. That should make quite a difference with the CPU, PSU, and exhaust fans so close together. Need AT or SPCR to review one of these things

 

[MikePanic]

its not a bad looking case but 2 things stand out:

1) i would never pay $300 for a case
2) having usb ports at the top is the dumbest thing... then you have cables hanging down in front of your drive bays all in the way

 

[Cerb]

Originally posted by: MikePanic
its not a bad looking case but 2 things stand out:

1) i would never pay $300 for a case
2) having usb ports at the top is the dumbest thing... then you have cables hanging down in front of your drive bays all in the way

1. Not $300, $182 shipped. For $300, it should have at least a redundant PSU .
2. Looks like the top thing can be relocated to any drive bay.

Given how ideal is is for a file server, I'd suprised it has front ports at all.

 

[gordanfreeman]

not to mention it doesnt take a whole lot of effort to guide the usb cables to fall to the side of the case. with my current setup, i would rather have usb ports at the top actually. the way it is now my usb mouse cable can get in the way of my drives opening if i dont move it to the side as the ports are below the drive bays.

and i do believe that the review said that the control panel can be moved anywhere on the front, just like the rest of the bay covers.

 

[HardWarrior]

Being that the Stacker is one of the first hybrid cases, and that it includes a slightly different approach to cooling, I wouldn't expect it to be without issues. And yeah, I'd spent $300 for a case if I felt it was worth it.

 

[MikePanic]

i guess if you keep a case under your desk top mounted usb cables do make more sense... but its much cleaner ontop of the desk, provided you have room

 

[Cerb]

Originally posted by: MikePanic
i guess if you keep a case under your desk top mounted usb cables do make more sense... but its much cleaner ontop of the desk, provided you have room

Actually, even then, it can be a hassle, as often USB cords are longer than they need to be, and handheld devices can have the cords in the way (like a gamepad). But the ports can be movedf, so moot point anyway.

 

[azndelite6983]

Anyone who has the case or know anyone who does, feel free to chime in.

This case is at the top of a short list for my next rig...the amount of available space alone makes it worthwhile, and the future compatibility is just icing on the cake.

 

[Mellman]

i keep posting after you azndelite....can you say stalkage?

This case looks interesting, i've been looking for a server case, and mostly have been eyeing the YY cube or Chenbro echo/ultra cases, because I have 10 HDD's would also appriciate any review from someone who has it

EDIT : I like the Mesh drive bay covers...if nothing else it gives me ideas for modding my case...but in the end after reading through the link...im not overly impressed for it as a server case...a true server case the concept of a doublewide just seems more efficient for cooling.

 

[Odeen]

Does anyone know how the 6x USB connectors are handled exactly? If there's a total of ONE mobo header and an internal 2-into-6 USB hub, that's, as the kids put it, "leet."

On the other hand, if there are THREE sets of mobo USB headers, no one save for a few Albatron board users will be able to take advantage of all the ports. I, for one, find non-functioning holes on a computer unacceptable - if it looks like it works, it SHOULD work, otherwise, it shouldn't exist.

 

[Cerb]

Don't know how it works, as nobody has pics yet. IMO, it should be three sets for three mobo headers. It's not hard to get four extra ports onboard these days, and if you want, you can easily find boards with six.

 

[Odeen]

The only boards with three sets of USB headers seem to be Albartons that have 8-USB southrbridge chipsets, yet still use a "standard" ATX backplate layout, with the horizontal audio jacks and a game port.

I'd prefer to have 4 in the back and 4 on headers, or even 6 in the back and a single 2-port header.. It's irresponsible, IMO, of Coolermaster to equip a front panel most users can't use..