Cooler Master and Thermaltake Continue to Expand

Even though Cooler Master and Thermaltake are two very different companies and very different brands, they compete in similar markets and much like Corsair and my waistline, they're expanding and solidifying their product lines.

Thermaltake showed off a Level 10 GTS enclosure designed almost exclusively for boutiques and OEMs who wanted the cachet of the Level 10 brand without the expense associated with it. At this point the Level 10 GTS is starting to feel so close to a regular ATX case that it may be worth giving up the ghost entirely, but it's still a fairly compelling product we hope to review soon. They also had the Armor Revo enclosure, with a hard disk dock on the top and integrated card reader, on display.  In the midst of those enclosures, they continued to strengthen their Thermalttake Sports peripheral line with new keyboards (one of which we have on hand), mice, and headphones, and their ToughPower power supply line has seen mild refreshes (bumps in wattage and efficiency.)

Meanwhile, Cooler Master had some bigger fish to fry. They showed off a prototype heatsink with two vertical vapor chambers along with a stack of heatpipes, but the big push was on the Cosmos II, a massive 50 pound enclosure we'll be reviewing within the next week or so.

The Cosmos II is a beast, but the more budget oriented enclosures were actually very compelling. One of my personal favorites, the Elite 360, is getting an upgrade, and they also showed off an enclosure targeted to internet cafes that features no 5.25" drive bays and a single 3.5" bay, producing a monolithic but shallow case that I found particularly interesting. Finally, the HAF lineup is going to see a couple of updates over the course of the year and we'll be reviewing those as they surface.

Cooler Master also continues to produce peripherals, but they're beginning to fold their Storm brand back into the standard Cooler Master label. They had a series of mechanical keyboards on display alongside gaming mice, tablet accessories (stands and keyboards), and power supplies, but the vapor chamber heatsink and enclosures are going to be what you want to look forward to in the coming year.

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Thermaltake Toughpower Grand 650 Watts 80PLUS Gold Cable Management FanDelayCool SLI-ready CrossFireX Certified TPG-650M (Black) (Personal Computers)

Thermaltake Toughpower Grand 650 Watts 80PLUS Gold Cable Management FanDelayCool SLI-ready CrossFireX Certified TPG-650M (Black) (Personal Computers)
By Thermaltake

Buy new: $155.60
12 used and new from $151.39

First tagged by Kenneth R. Liriano
Customer tags: cooling, cpu coolers, liquid cooling, accessories, cpu cooler, gaming, water cooling, computer

Product Images

Review & Description

Designed to meet the highest expectations and standards of today's extreme PC enthusiasts and system builders while pushing the limit of clean and reliable power delivery system utilizing advanced circuitry design that can only be found on Toughpower Grand series of high-efficiency power supplies. Smart cable management not only enables professional-looking system build, but also accelerates airflow through the computer case for highly efficient heat dissipation. And when it is time to upgrade or replace the power supply, all the modular cables can stay in place and connected to all components making the process effortless and fast (when upgrading to a higher wattage Toughpower Grand power supply, may not work with a different brand power supply). All of Toughpower Grand power supplies feature dedicated DC to DC voltage converter for 3.3V and 5V outputs for greater system stability and efficiency, proprietary Active PFC circuitry ushers in a new level of power efficiency and approval from 80PLUS Gold (90% or above efficiency in 50% load condition and 87% or above in 20% and 100% load condition), as well as industrial-grade Japan made electrolytic and solid-state capacitors. All of the above are achieved while enabling the Toughpower Grand power supply to deliver 650W of continuous power output even operating in 50C environment, making it the Toughest power supply on the block. Read more

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Thermaltake Toughpower Grand 750 Watts 80PLUS Gold Cable Management FanDelayCool SLI-ready CrossFireX Certified TPG-750M (Black) (Personal Computers)

Thermaltake Toughpower Grand 750 Watts 80PLUS Gold Cable Management FanDelayCool SLI-ready CrossFireX Certified TPG-750M (Black) (Personal Computers)
By Thermaltake

Buy new: $149.99
Customer Rating:

First tagged by Kenneth R. Liriano
Customer tags: cooling, video card, sapphire, cpu coolers, liquid cooling, h70, cpu cooler, water cooling, ati, hd 6870

Product Images

Review & Description

Designed to meet the highest expectations and standards of today's extreme PC enthusiasts and system builders while pushing the limit of clean and reliable power delivery system utilizing advanced circuitry design that can only be found on Toughpower Grand series of high-efficiency power supplies. Smart cable management not only enables professional-looking system build, but also accelerates airflow through the computer case for highly efficient heat dissipation. And when it is time to upgrade or replace the power supply, all the modular cables can stay in place and connected to all components making the process effortless and fast (when upgrading to a higher wattage Toughpower Grand power supply, may not work with a different brand power supply). All of Toughpower Grand power supplies feature dedicated DC to DC voltage converter for 3.3V and 5V outputs for greater system stability and efficiency, proprietary Active PFC circuitry ushers in a new level of power efficiency and approval from 80PLUS Gold (90% or above efficiency in 50% load condition and 87% or above in 20% and 100% load condition), as well as industrial-grade Japan made electrolytic and solid-state capacitors. All of the above are achieved while enabling the Toughpower Grand power supply to deliver 750W of continuous power output even operating in 50C environment, making it the Toughest power supply on the block. Read more

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Thermaltake Chaser MK-1 Case Review

Legit Case Reviews

Thermaltake Chaser MK-1

Thermaltake has around since 1999 and has been putting out cases, coolers, and power supplies for enthusiasts of all levels. Today we are looking at their newest addition to their case line up, the Galaxy Episode Chaser MK-1. It is what Thermaltake is calling “Extra Big ATX Tower.” Coming in at 22.4”, tall 9.3” wide, and 22.9” deep it's not the biggest case we have looked at, but it is larger than the average ATX full tower. With its size the Chaser MK-1 has room for CPU coolers up to 180mm tall and video cards up to 33cm or 13 inches in length. The Chaser MK-1 also has 8 expansion slots and a security lock for peripherals.

For cooling the Chaser MK-1 comes outfitted with 200mm Color Shift fans for front intake and top exhaust. There is also a 140mm rear exhaust, with room to add an additional 200mm top exhaust fan, 200mm side intake, and bottom 120mm intake. The top of the Chaser MK-1 can have the 200mm fans changed out for dual 120 or 140mm fans. You can also mount a dual 120mm radiator in the top.

Also in the top is a hard drive dock that can support both 2.5” and 3.5” hard drives. The front panel of the Chaser MK-1 also has two USB2.0 and two USB3.0 ports. Having USB3 on the front panel isn't too rare anymore; what makes the ports on the Chaser MK-1 rare is that they are internal USB connections. So no more running extension cables out the back of the case to the back of the motherboard. The downside is that if you don’t have a motherboard that supports internal USB3 connections then you can’t use the ports. On the other hand, you also have an excuse to upgrade your motherboard!

Features of the Thermaltake Chaser MK-1

• Command Center – With Chaser MK-1’s fan controller onboard, gamer and enthusiasts can appreciate the convenience of adjusting the fan speed or lighting effect of the computer system.


• USB 3.0 SuperSpeed – Tired of reaching to the back of the computer to connect a USB 3.0 device? Chaser MK-1 features latest USB 3.0 ports with internal header. Two USB 3.0 ports are conveniently located on the front of the case.


• HDD Docking Station – By adapting the world’s best selling BlacX Docking Station concept into a computer case, users can now effortlessly transfer large volume of data without the need for a conventional external storage device. Simply insert any 2.5” or 3.5” SATA hard drive into the docking station and start enjoying hot-swap capability and blazing-fast transfer speed through SATA interface.


• VGA TripleMax 33CM – All of today’s high-end and advanced graphic cards that are capable of delivering ultra-realistic, immersive and intense gaming experience have longer than usual form factor which means not all computer cases will fit them. Chaser MK-1 not only addresses this concern by supporting graphic cards up to 330mm in length, but also designed cooling surrounding the graphic card location to improve heat dissipation and reduce acoustic output.


• CableClear Cable Management - Dramatically improves thermal efficiency of the computer system by ensuring power cables do not get in the way of airflow.


• Enthusiast Water Cooling Ready - Spacious interior is only the bare minimum when it comes to water cooling. Chaser MK-1 features an innovative top removable panel that can be easily transformed to accommodate a high-efficiency 24cm radiator!


• Combat Headset Holder – Headset holder designed into the case allows gamers to store their gaming headset easily and securely.


• Heightened Foot Stands – High thermal efficiency case that addresses all common and uncommon issues. Heightened foot stands elevate the whole computer system enough to prevent rug or any other soft flooring material from blocking the air intake/exhaust found on the bottom of the case.

Specifications for the Thermaltake Chaser MK-1

• Case Type: Full Tower


• Model No.: VN300M1W2N


• Material: SECC


• Front Bezel Material: Combination of plastic and high air flow mesh


• Color


• Interior: Black


• Exterior: Black


• Side Panel: Swivel Door with Transparent Window


• Motherboard Support


• 9.6” x 9.6” (Micro ATX)


• 12” x 9.6” (ATX)


• Motherboard Tray: No


• 5.25" Drive Bay 4
  Ext.


• 3.5" Drive Bay By using 5.25" to 3.5" Converter


• Int. 3.5" Drive Bay: 6


• Expansion Slots: 8


• Front I/O Ports: USB 3.0 x 2, USB 2.0 x 2, eSATA connector x 1, MIC & Speaker (support AC’97 & HD Audio)


• Cooling System


• Front (Intake): 200 x 200 x 30 mm Colorshift fan x 1 (600~800rpm,13~15dBA) or 120 x 120 x 25 mm x 2 (optional)


• Rear (Exhaust): 140 x 140 x 25 mm TurboFan, 1000rpm, 16dBA or 120 x 120 x 25 mm x 1 (optional)


• Top (Exhaust): 200 x 200 x 30 mm Colorshift fan x 1 (600~800rpm, 13~15dBA); 200 x 200 x 30 mm x 1 (optional) or 140 x 140 x 25 mm x 2 (optional) or 120 x 120 x 25 mm x 2 (optional)


• Bottom (Intake): 120 x 120 x 25 mm x 1 (optional)
  Side (Intake): 200 x 200 x 30 mm x 1 (optional)
  


• Liquid Cooling Capable: Yes


• Liquid Cooling Embedded: No


• Power Supply Supported: Standard ATX PSI Power Supply


• Power Supply Included: No


• Dimension (H*W*D) 567.9 x 237.0 x 581.6 mm (22.4 x 9.3 x 22.9 inch)


• Net Weight: 12.3 kg (27.1 lb)


• Security Lock: for peripherals only


• Application: Suitable for gaming, enthusiast, DIY and modding

Next Page - Unboxing the Thermaltake Chaser MK-1

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