Cooler Master HAF 932 Full-Tower

It seems that when looking at a chassis for that new build, the common mantra has become, “bigger is better”. Even with the slow-to-be-adopted EATX form factor, most manufacturers are building around it. Add to that the latest craze of 4+ hard drives and super-long high-end graphic cards, and you just can’t get enough free space.

For users craving such copious amounts of space, the name Cooler Master usually comes to mind instantly, partly in thanks to the old, but hugely successful, Stacker 830. The sequel to the Stacker is the Cosmos, which has also been very popular. Now entering the battle is the HAF 932.

HAF is an acronym for High Air Flow, and considering it is sporting 3x 230mm fans and an additional 140mm fan, it’s a safe bet there is plenty of air flow for even the hottest of parts.

The styling is best considered to be “love it or hate it”, but no one can deny the high-level of functionality and flexibility designed within. Made of steel, we’re not talking about a lightweight, although coming in at 30lbs empty for such a large chassis isn’t that bad. Add into that the amazing flexibility and reasonable price (~$160), and you have a recipe for one tasty new machine. Let’s tear into this beast and discern its worthiness.

Closer Look

First things first. Below are the HAF 932’s specifications straight from Cooler Master’s web site. Pay close attention to the cooling system mentioned, as it really gives you an idea of what CM is trying to accomplish here.

Cooler Master HAF 932
• Model RC-932-KKN1-GP
• Available Color: Black
• Dimension (W / H / D): (W)9.0″ X (H)21.5″ X (D)22.7″
• Weight: 29.1 lbs
• Motherboards: Micro-ATX / ATX / E-ATX
• 5.25″ Drive Bay: 6 (5 if an exposed 3.5″ bay is desired)
• 3.5″ Drive Bay: 5 hidden, 1 exposed (if converted from one 5.25″ drive bay)
  Cooling System
  • Front: 230x30mm red LED fan x1, 700RPM, 110CFM, 19dBA
  • Side: 230x30mm fan x1, 700RPM, 110CFM, 19dBA (support 120 x 25 fan x 4)
  • Top: 230x30mm fan x1, 700RPM, 110CFM, 19dBA (support 120mm fan x3 or 120mm x1 + 230x30mm x1)
  • Rear: 140x25mm fan x1, 1200RPM, 17dBA (support 120mm fan x1)
• Power Supply: Standard ATX PS2 / EPS 12V (optional)
• I/O Panel: USB 2.0 x 4, IEEE1394a x 1, eSATA x 1, Mic x 1, Audio x 1

Normally, I’d start off my collection of pictures with a dead-on front-view shot, but I feel I’d be remiss in my duties if I didn’t feature the artwork on the left-side that shows just how unique this chassis is.

Jumping over to the right side, the hardcore styling is nicely carried through. No graphics, just good ole matte black paint and some serious stamping for your pleasure.

On top, we can see the front facing I/O panel with 4 USB ports, a nice tray with a removable rubber liner and the top (and ultra-large) 230mm exhaust fan.

By removing the rubber tray liner we see one of the many features that are unique to the HAF… a hole pre-drilled for a water cooling fill-port. This is an excellent idea and it really should be standard on any case that claims to have water-cooling capabilities.

A closer shot of the top fan grating also shows that it is ready for your 240mm radiator to be internally mounted as well. There is even the capability of internally mounting a 360mm radiator inside if you so desire. You could even swap out the 230mm fan for dual 120mm units if you’d rather them.

Looking at the back of the case, we see another feature that I have yet to see on any other. You can mount the power supply in either the top or the bottom. The included grommets for passing water lines through the backside are also a good size accommodating up to 5/8″ OD tubing.

The bottom of the case continues to show us the amazing flexibility built in. You can mount a 240mm water-cooling radiator down low internally quite easily. For the dedicated air cooling fanatic, you can add a 120mm intake fan down here as well for even more airflow.

The side panel’s 230mm intake fan is very well placed to pull in more air over those superheated video cards and chipsets. If you look closely, you see that here you are able to remove the single large fan and mount up to 4 120mm fans or two 240mm radiators. Did I forget to mention this case is flexible?

For our initial look inside, you can see the tool-less design for the 5¼ ODD bays as well as the 3½ hard drive bays. Also worth mentioning is the front-mounted 230mm intake fan that has red LED’s for that devilish glow when powered up.

We’ll continue with our look on the next page, and then get into my personal thoughts with regards to the installation and design as a whole.