Why is the cooler master Master Box Q300L such a joke of a case?
Posted by jonackman@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 25 comments
As the title asks, I'm curious why the masterbox q300L is such a joke of a case, it seems like it would have more than adequate air flow, and from my experience there was sufficient space for cable management in the back, while it definitely cheap for a reason, I just don't understand why it gets as much hate as it does
Scooter30@reddit
I have one,I hate the stupid power supply bracket. I don't know why they couldn't just have the PSU screw directly into the case like any other normal case.
musicwumusic@reddit
EUREKA!!! The screw pattern on the PSU bracket matches the hole pattern on the case. This means you could theoretically mount the PSU anywhere in any direction!!
musicwumusic@reddit
my suspicion is that they already had the v2 design with the corner IO while making the V1 and the recessed PSU would give you just enough room to mount the IO to that corner. However then they went ahead and didn't include the IO cutouts for that corner. Cooler master? More like idea master. great ideas: will they work? no one knows!
musicwumusic@reddit
I just bought the v1 and the v2 corner IO cutouts are there underneath the plastic covers. This means they designed two versions but released the v2 as a new and improved one for marketing purposes.
musicwumusic@reddit
I just bought the v1 and the v2 corner IO cutouts are there underneath the plastic covers. This means they designed two versions but released the v2 as a new and improved one for marketing purposes.
persondude27@reddit
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1MvauMy2Fw
Thermal testing shows that the airflow is fairly bad, and the mounting/compatibility are pretty minimal. It also doesn't have a PSU shroud, which is a big aesthetic thing for me.
It gets a lot of attention because it's basically the cheapest case you can buy new ($35 in the US). But honestly, I'd rather spent $15 and get a better case.
The Phanteks Eclipse G370A is $50 and comes with three fans. Versa H17 / H18, BitFenix Nova Mesh, and DIYPC ARGB-G5 are all $50 as well.
musicwumusic@reddit
do you have any other recs for cases that support horizontal config like this does though?
persondude27@reddit
What, specifically, does this case do that "supports horizontal config"?
Cuz my understanding is that "horizontal config" means "set it on its side".
musicwumusic@reddit
the side panel is flat and has feet, so it's presumed to be engineered to structurally support that configuration without long term issues.
It has no drive bays and mounts drives to the mobo panel. This way there's no front panel drives that will end up sideways and it allows for fan positioning in the area where drive bays would prohibit them. This allows the side orientation to face any direction and still have airflow any direction you want. The modular IO also allows that flexibility.
Now, the "traditional" horizontal config is htpc, most famously the Milo by Silverstone. But it is expensive, it's got a much bigger footprint because it puts the psu next to the gpu rather than under the mobo (which allows it to be shorter in that dimension), and it doesn't have a lot of venting options especially for the gpu which does not have its own intake due to the psu being next to it.
Give me another horizontal config like the cooler master that's the same price and I will definitely look seriously at it.
persondude27@reddit
Wow I had no idea that steel suddenly lost its long term structural integrity when turned 90 degrees. I'm glad no one else in the world has tried it because it would likely risk some sort of catastrophic event that might kill us all.
Actually here is another cheap case that doesn't doesn't spontaneously catch fire when rotated.
Dude I mean this seriously: yours is the dumbest single comment I've ever read. Go build a deep-sea submersible.
PlusBath2342@reddit
V2 went tempered glass, fixed the cable attachment for the io and plus added USB C and the location is better as well but cable management is the worst on it. I have both V1 and V2 but ya I will soon be transplanting to another cause not cause I need or want to more so due to a new GPU which is larger lol
Kaserblade@reddit
Terrible airflow, cheap plastic material and acrylic side panel. I mean it is a very cheap case but there are much better options if you pay like $10-$20 more.
itsforathing@reddit
The v2 has tempered glass but the rest is still true. Cable management isn’t great so it’s just an all round meh case for a very low price
PlusBath2342@reddit
Ya I was about to say lol I have both V1 and V2 which cable management is my biggest gripe about it all
lufasa@reddit
It’s not as bad as people say. It does have a cheaper feel and you do need to add fans but overall I’m happy with it. I bought it because it can sit horizontally and fit in my TV stand. My temps have been perfectly fine after adding some extra fans.
uhuhuhuhuhhu@reddit
I have it. Had no idea it was a joke of case. It fits everything and my temps are fine, even without adding additional fans. I have it out of sight and don't really care about the aesthetics or wire management. It was an easy way to save a couple bucks.
ekib@reddit
Idk dude it isn’t that serious. I’m not familiar with that case but at the end of the day it’s just a computer case lol.
Shidulon@reddit
Why even comment? Worse than no contribution, you actually contributed negativity.
Sometimes just remaining silent and moving on is the right move.
I catch myself doing this very often, then I stop, and discard the comment. I'm just as guilty, not trying to pick on you.
ekib@reddit
In my opinion you’re the negative one. I’m promoting anti-materialism. It’s a case. They’re aesthetically different yet all function nearly the same for vastly different prices.
Dragonday26@reddit
Idk dude it isn't that serious. I'm not familiar with negativity or not but at the end of the day it's just a random reply lol
jonackman@reddit (OP)
I'm neither for it or against it, I've just heard of so many people crapping on it for what seems to me like no good reason
ekib@reddit
Out of everything involved in a computer, the case is the most subjective to taste. Just buy what looks good to you. It could be the best case in the world for airflow and half of people would hate it if it’s white or doesn’t have a window.
Hero_The_Zero@reddit
Personally, I like the looks of it. But multiple review sites and techtubers have tested it, and the airflow is actually somehow quite terrible, much worse than its holey frame would suggest. It is a cheap case that looks decent (imo), but I personally wouldn't stick anything but 200W, maybe 250W worth of components in it, and there are $300 GPUs that are roughly that on their own (my old RX 6700 XT was $320 when I bought it new from Amazon).
If all you are sticking in it is a Ryzen 5 and a ARX 9060 or RTX 5060, it is probably fine. I wouldn't suggest going much higher than that.
SundownKid@reddit
Depends on your use case. It seems like an okay case for a very budget build, I myself used a Cooler Master case when I was building one such computer because they are cheap but decent looking. For a fancy build you may wanna look elsewhere due to cheap construction/airflow issues (the side panels having holes drilled in them but otherwise solid are a pretty massive flaw)
j_schmotzenberg@reddit
I used it for my HTPC until I moved it and other things into a small rack.
It certainly could have been a lot better, but it wasn’t the worst. The holes in the mesh are small and so the metal obstructs more than it allows air through.