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Product:
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Cooler Master Centurion BTX-B540 Case |
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Price:
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$70 (CAN) / $60 (U.S)
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Supplied By:
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Cooler Master
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Author:
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Hi-TEK
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Date:
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October 17th, 2005
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Rating:
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Click image for larger view
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Click image for larger view
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The bottom portion of the Cooler Master Centurion BTX-B540 Case features a internal 3.5" drive cage that is completely
removable. The drive cage is capable of housing two hard drives and uses a drive rail system. To fully understand
how the drive rail system works, you must attach the appropriate rail to the designated component. The rails fit
into the default mounting holes on a hard drive. Once the rails are attached a hard drive can fit easily into the
removable drive cage ready for use.
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Click image for larger view
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Click image for larger view
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Behind the front mounted mesh grill sits an optional 120mm fan mount and an air duct for improving
thermal performance. Once a 120mm fan is mounted any air circulated into the case from the front
intake is pushed towards the direction of the CPU to assist with additional cooling. The Cooler
Master Centurion BTX-B540 Case includes standard motherboard header pins for Power LED, HD LED,
Power switch and Reset switch which can be easily connected to a motherboard. Additional connections
exist for mounting 2 USB cables internally as well as headers for the Audio cables and Firewire port.
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Click image for larger view
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Click image for larger view
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To emphasize tool-less key entry, all PCI/AGP slots use a quick release plastic lever that keeps all
peripheral cards in place. Consumers no longer have to use traditional thumbscrews in this area. All
that is required is to lift the lever, install the required peripheral card and then snap the lever
back into place. Due to a strict review deadline I was unable to secure a m-BTX motherboard in time
to test the installation of the BTX-B540. To get a rough idea of motherboard placement and component
installation I did a mock installation using a mATX based motherboard.
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Click image for larger view
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In order to get a general idea of component installation I have included a reference diagram taken directly
from Cooler Master Centurion BTX-B540 documentation which highlights the features of this case. A important note of
reference is the location of the m-BTX motherboard which is positioned directly in the air circulation path
of the front mounted 120mm fan with duct and rear dual 80mm exhaust fans. There is no additional cooling that
has been extended to the drive cage area or peripheral card area. Since the center portion of the case acts
as a thermal zone, any heat generated from the HD or peripheral card area will be sufficiently exhausted out
of the case by the rear dual 80mm fans. When you add in components to both external drive bays as well as a
full size PSU things start to get a little cramped. The upper portion of this case will make management
issues difficult to deal with since there are no areas to route or hide cables for a clean interior.
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Conclusion:
The Centurion BTX-B540 can be classified as a solid case offering for the emerging BTX form factor.
On the positive side, Cooler Master includes a brushed aluminum front bezel that adds to the already
aesthetically pleasing design. The Centurion BTX-B540 scores points for great functionality in
terms of the tool-less design, removable drive cages, built-in washable fan filter, sleek front bezel
and stock fan mounts for good air circulation. While there is a big feature list, one of the biggest
problems most consumers will face is the cramped interior once all your components are installed.
It would have also have been nice if cooling were extended to the internal drive cage and peripheral
card location. From a price comparison standpoint, the Cooler Master Centurion BTX-B540 is very
affordable under the $70 U.S dollar mark. By far the hardest part of the Centurion BTX-B540 is finding
the right m-BTX motherboard since the selection currently on the market is very slim with small
offerings only available from Intel, A-Open and Gigabyte. Aside from a few minor issues, I'm rating this
product a 8 out of 10. If you have any
questions regarding this review be sure to visit the Cooler Master
website for more information or discuss them in our forums.
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Pros:
- Aesthetically pleasing design
- Built-in washable fan filter
- Removable drive cages and detachable front bezel
- Great stock cooling features
- Tool-less design options
- Front mounted USB, Firewire, and Audio ports
- Price
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Cons:
- Non-removable motherboard tray
- Very cramped case interior
- Limited availability of m-BTX motherboards
- Additional cooling should be extended to internal drive cage and peripheral card areas
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