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Cooler Master Mystique 632


Date
: 09/15/06 – 05:20:43 AM

Author
:

Category
: Cases

Page 1 : Index

Manufacturer: Cooler Master
Price: $119.99 USD Newegg

Does a manufacturer like Cooler Master really need to be introduced? Over the years, Cooler Master has made a place in many an enthusiasts' heart by consistently releasing quality, stylish components, including cases, power supplies, multi function panels, and various other accessories.

Today we are looking at the second case to appear in the Mystique series, the Mystique 632. With words such as fascination, attitude, and mystery being used to describe the identity of this new case, it is clear that Cooler Master feels that they have produced an elegant, sophisticated chassis. Let's go find out why.

Page 2 : Package

The Package?! Why do we even bother reviewing the package? Here at O� we like to consider all aspects from the view of the consumer. Anything you buy is, at some time transported, and without proper packaging, your new toy may arrive somewhat scathed. This is why we always take a quick peek to see how well protected any product is.

My review sample arrived in a plain brown box. I am most sure that the retail box will be less bland, with specifications and perhaps even a few pictures emblazoned against the cardboard.

Opening the box, we see that the Mystique 632 comes suspended between two slabs of Styrofoam,

and wrapped in plastic.

At this point I had noticed something thudding around inside the case, so I set out to discover the cause of the noise. Inside I found the manual and a loose box containing the drive rails and a bag of screws. I was disappointed about the loose contents inside the case until I found a strip of masking tape that had one point has secured the box against the floor.

Cooler Master has done an acceptable job on packaging their new case. Now let's go look at some specs.

Page 3 : Specifications

Here is how Cooler Master introduces the Mystique 632:

Here we have a list of specifications:

And to finish it off, a list of features:

The specs certainly seem impressive: An all aluminum construction, a built in air filter, and even prefabricated holes for water cooling kits. Now let's take a look at this case and see if its appearance is as impressive as its specs.

Page 4 : Exterior

Let's start off with a profile shot:

Indeed, the word elegant describes this case. The aluminum front panel does a lot to contribute to this factor.

The front panel works by way of gear systems on the top,

and the bottom,

working in tandem to allow for the panels to simultaneously slide left and right, out of the way.

And, of course, centered between there two panels we have an orange piece, with the words "Cooler Master" inscribed on the backside.

Turning to the left side, we see that Cooler Master has included an 80mm mount that can be used for a CPU duct, or an extra fan, and just below, a meshed area to aid in the cooling your GPU, and of course, a quick release handle.

At the rear we find a standard ATX PSU mount, a 120mm exhaust fan, 7 expansion slots, a standard I/O shield,

and the aforementioned prefabricated holes for water cooling purposes.

Looking to the right side, we see naught but more of that fabulous aluminum.

Peeking down at the top, we see that Cooler Master has chosen to locate the power/ reset buttons, as well as the I/O panel and the power/ HD activity LEDs.

To some, locating these items at the top of the case is a blessing, and yet to others it is curse.

It all really depends on where you plan to put your case, and how easily accessible these buttons and panel are from there.

And finally, we look at the bottom. Nothing too special here, just four rubber feet and an exotic gear system for an elaborate front panel.

Thusfar, I am quite pleased with the Mystique 632 and its dignified exterior. But like my mother used to say, "It doesn't matter how nice she looks, if she isn't good inside, things will never work out" How true. Let's peek inside this beauty to see if she's a consistent character, excellent through and through.

Page 5 : Interior

To get inside, we first need to undo two thumbscrews,

and pull the quick release handle.

Here we have our first glimpse:

Looking to the rear of the chassis,

we see a quick release mechanism for the seven expansion slots,

and a 120mm Cooler Master fan.

Looking to the front,

we see the drive rail system for the external four 5.25" and two 3.5" bays,

and the locking mechanisms for both,

as well as the drive bay system for the internal 3.5" bays,

which are actively cooled by another 120mm Cooler Master fan.

The motherboard tray is not removable, nor are any brass standoffs preset. This simply means that you will have to look at your motherboard design, and place brass standoffs at the correct locations before installing your motherboard.

And now let's take a closer look at some of those wires that are dangling about everywhere. Our first bundle contains the power connector for the front fan, and lights in the front panel, as well as the speaker connector cable.

Our second bundle contains the Molex connector for the rear fan, as well as connector cables for the power/reset switch, and the power/ HD activity LEDs.

And the last bundle contains all the necessary headers for the USB/ Firewire/ Audio ports located at the top of the case.

So far, the Mystique is turning out to be a true gem, beautiful inside and out. Let's get right to installing some hardware!

Page 6 : Installation

First of all, remove the stock rear I/O shield,

and replace it with the one for your motherboard.

Next, you need to remove the front bezel, which is done by squeezing six tabs.

Looking at the rear of the front bezel, we now see how the front intake avoids getting clogged with cat hair. Cooler Master has created every single piece of the front bezel removable, with black foam on the rear.

Once the front bezel is off, remove the covers where you intend to place your DVD drive and your floppy drive,

and be sure the internal metal tabs are removed too.

Then slide the drives in,

secure the locking mechanism,

and pop the bezel back on. The tool less design makes this a quick and easy task.

Next, mount any internal drives, such as hard drives, onto the drive rails,

and slide them into position. You'll know you have it secure when it clicks into place. Just like with the external bay drives, this portion of the installation required no tools, and hardly any effort.

Installing the PSU is very easy, four screws and it's in.

The motherboard installation requires that you place brass standoffs at the correct locations before attaching it.

Just like the drive installation, the expansion card installation is an easy, tool less task. Just line up the card,

and pop down the latch.

All that's left now are some cables to attach. After a quick job, here is what resulted. With a bit more time and patience I could have managed the cables a bit better.

I had somewhat mixed feelings about installing the hardware in this case. While the architecture is well done, and the tool less design makes for a quick, easy install, I couldn't help but notice the lack of any noise reducing bits. I feel that Cooler Master could improve this by adopting a hybrid model like Antec uses: some tool less areas, but also noise reduction bits. I would have no problem needing to pull out a screwdriver if it meant that my Hard Drives would be mounted using rubber grommets so I don't hear them during access times. I would have no problem if the fans were mounted using rubber pegs to reduce vibration noise. I would have no problem with thin strips of foam on the inside of my side panels if it eliminated any rattling noises. But we will look at this all in more depth in the performance section. So let's go there.

Page 7 : Performance

Thermal Testing

First of all, the test rig:

Cases Tested:

Testing Methods:

StressPrime 2004 was run in blend mode for three hours to obtain load temperatures. At the end of three hours, the temperatures of the CPU, motherboard, and North Bridge were recorded as registered by Smart Guardian. StressPrime was then stopped and the system idled for one hour with only normal Windows services and Smart Guardian running. This provides us our idle temperatures. Once again, temperatures were recorded. The room temperature was maintained within 1 degree of 19 degrees C throughout testing.

And here are the results:

Impressive results from the Mystique. The ventilation areas on the side by the CPU and GPU really do make a difference, I believe this is why the Mystique outperforms the similar sized Antec case, which lacks such. With two 120mm fans and ample ventilation, overheating will not be an issue.

Acoustics

Currently I do not own any equipment to give you measurements in units like dBA's, but I can still describe to you what your ears will hear. I would consider the Cooler Master Mystique 632 a quiet case. Not silent, but by no means loud. The two 120mm fans seem to be pushing a decent amount of air, and they emit a slight "whoosh" noise. Not an abrasive, whining noise, just the sound of air moving. As noted earlier, the HDs are mounted on a hard plastic rail. While this makes for easy installation and easy access, it also makes for noise during access times. During normal use, such as Internet browsing, listening to music, there is no noise. But during high HD access times, such as during a disk defrag, or while opening CSS, there is a somewhat crunchy clicking noise. And even though the side panels rattle slightly while tapped with my knuckles, they did not rattle during HD activity or even while my DVD drive span up. Overall, it is an acceptably quiet case, but those who demand silence should look elsewhere.

Let's wrap things up on the next page.

Page 8 : Conclusion

One word. Elegance.

The Mystique 632 is stylish, dignified chassis that makes a statement. It is not a flamboyant case, nor is it meant to be. The Mystique 632's allure is in its subtle sense of sophistication. Several areas of this case really shine, including the distinctive front panel, the gorgeous aluminum, ease of use within the tool less interior, the prefabricated holes for water cooling kits, and the outstanding build quality. My only real criticism of this case is in the lack of any noise reducing features. Now, Cooler Master does not claim for this to be a silent case, so is it fair to comment on this? I feel it is. Every other aspect, such as looks, ease of use, expandability, and cooling have been well taken care of. Why skimp out on the acoustic niceties? Some dignity is lost when your system whirs to life instead of stealthily powering up. Some elegance is lost when your system clicks while you open an application. But overall, the package is spectacular.

Advantages

*Elegant style
*Quality
*Ease of use
*Prefabricated water Cooling holes

Disadvantages

*Lack of noise reduction

Overclockers Online would like to thank Cooler Master for providing the review sample