Before Coolermaster released the original Stacker case back in 2004 (has it really been 5 years?) they had a line of cases called the ATCS (Advanced Thermal Cooling Solution). ATCS cases where all aluminum cases that at the time was a major change from the steel cases made by many of the other manufactures. With pc case styling going to the bigger is better look, the ATCS's went away in favor of cases like the Stacker. Recently they went back to their old designs and came up with the idea of bringing the ATCS back, but with updated features to compete with modern cases and a serious focus on making the case simple to use. They called the new case the ATCS 840; the 840 caught my attention as soon as I saw pictures giving me reason to contact Coolermaster about working with them on reviews. Because of that, I now have a chance to check it out, so let's get to it.
Review Sample Provided by: Coolermaster
Review by: Wes
Pictures by: Wes
Specifications
| Model | RC-840-KKN1-GP (black) RC-840-SSN1-GP (silver) |
| Available Color | Black, Silver |
| Dimension | (W) 9.57 x (H) 22.83 x (D)24.80 inches |
| Weight | Net Weight: 13.25 kg (29.21 lbs); Gross Weight: 15.75 kg ( 34.72 lbs) |
| Motherboards | Micro-ATX / ATX / E-ATX |
| 5.25" Drive Bay | 6 Exposed (without the use of exposed 3.5" drive bay) |
| 3.5" Drive Bay | 6 Hidden 1 Exposed (converted from one 5.25" drive bay) |
| I/O Panel | USB x 4, IEEE 1394a x 1, eSATA x 1, Mic x 1, Audio x 1 |
| Expansion Slots | 7 |
| Cooling System | Front: 230 x 30 mm standard fan x 1, 700 RPM, 19 dBA (included) Top: 230 x 30mm standard fan x 2, 700 RPM, 19dBA (included) (can be swapped for three 120mm fans) Rear: 120 x 25mm standard fan x 1, 1200 RPM, 17 dBA (included) Bottom: 120mm (optional) HDD Module: 120mm fan x 2 (optional) External Air Duct: 120mm fan x 1 (optional) |
| Power Supply | Dual Standard ATX PS2 / EPS 12V (optional) |
| UPC Code | 884102002458 (black) 884102002441 (silver) |
Features
-Elegant extruded aluminum bezel with CM nameplate
-Concealable I/O panel with brushed plate
-PCI-Slot meshed brackets for extra ventilation
-Meshed ventilation hole to provide a passive cooling
-Meshed top panel design for maximum ventilation
-PSU can be mounted on the top or bottom for a dual PSU system
-Removable HDD racks with anti-vibration pads for easy assembly and reduced noise
-Retaining holes for best cable routing and neatness
-Meshed top panel design for maximum ventilation
-Removable Motherboard tray sliding on the ball bearing drawer
-Dual 230mm top fans provide for improved exhaust airflow
-Dual or triple 120mm radiator can be mounted inside the top of the casing (radiator is optional)
-HDD module with dual 120mm LED to enhance internal airflow
-Independent air intake designed for bottom-mounted PSU
-Extra-added 120mm fan can be installed on the bottom pull cool air from the bottom of the case
-External air duct to upgrade cooling for your graphics cards
Packaging
With this being a throwback to the classic design, Coolermaster packed the ATCS 840 in an uncolored box. The front of the box has amazing artwork around a drawing of the 840. The back of the box has a full breakdown of the case along with a small list of notable features. Case packaging never changes, but it was great to see that they stuck with the classic style to match the case.
Our Test Rig
Abit IN9 32X-MAX 680i motherboard Intel Q6600 Quad core CPU B3 stepping at stock clock speed 4 gigs of A-Data G Series Ram EVGA 8800GTS Video Card 640MB In Win Commander 85watt Silver DVD Burner Running Vista Ultimate and XP Noctua NH-C12P
Installation and Setup
One of the biggest issues Coolermaster focused on when designing the 840 was simplicity. Features like the removable motherboard tray and the CPU access hole make this case the easiest I have ever worked in. If that wasn't enough I noticed right away that the motherboard standoffs are about twice the height. Short motherboard standoffs has been a complaint of mine for a long time, something as simple has 2mm can make a major difference in clean wire management. The hard drive trays in the ATCS 840 are easy to use once you figure out how to install a hard drive in them and the 840 includes the classic Coolermaster tool less 5.25"drive lockdown buttons that I have always been a fan of.
Installing our power supply in such a big case had me worried that I wouldn't be able to reach the 8pin connector all the way from the bottom of the case. Coolermaster already thought of this and included an extension for those who may need it. Putting the extension to good use, I was able to route the 8 pin behind the motherboard tray to keep the wiring mess down. Speaking of wiring mess, Coolermaster left included holes in the motherboard tray for any wires that you can think of. In the end, the 840 has better than normal wire management with my only complaints being a lack of places to hide extra wires due to the open case design and the large size can sometimes make wiring complicated.
Getting ready to install our Noctua NH-C12P I was very excited to try out the open access for installing the CPU backplate. That excitement turned sour quickly when I test fit the heatsink and it didn't clear one of the support bars of the case. This was a special exception due to the low and wide shape of the NH-C12P, the 840 shouldn't have any issues fitting even the tallest heatsinks.
Performance
With today's high-end CPU's and Video cards getting hotter and hotter it's very important that your case has good airflow to keep everything cool. This is something you won't have to worry about from the ACTS 840 due to the three 230mm fans (two up top and one on the front) and the 120mm fan on the back of the case. If for some reason that isn't enough for you, there are mounts for 3 more 120mm fans inside the case and Coolermaster included a fan box that can be mounted to the outside over the video cards. At 810mm the 840 has more cooling (in fan size maybe not air flow) than the Antec Twelve Hundred (800mm) with the possibility of up to 1290mm if you use the included mounts.
None of that cooling would do much good if you had to put earplugs in just to be in the same room. Lucky for us the large size (and low speed) of the fans in the ACTS 840 fan speed isn't means that fan noise is a non issue, In fact so much so that at one point I couldn't even tell I had a cable stuck in one of the top fans. With the fans out of the picture, the ACTS design has another major benefit. The lack of a full mesh front like most current case designs helps keep noise from DVD and hard drives down to a minimum. The 840 of course does not have sound deadening on its internal panels meaning it could have room for improvement although I think only the most sensitive ears will even consider that option.
If you are worried about the 840 being durable due to its aluminum construction, you have nothing to worry about. The 840 doesn't flex or bend at all as an overall case. The doors are thinner than the Cosmos S doors by a noticeable amount, but they are strong enough to not have to worry about them bending. The 840 does has a similar finish to the Cosmos S that I wasn't too big of a fan of. It looks amazing when its clean, but is rough enough that it rubs dead skin off of your hands every time you touch it. I also noticed discoloration rings on the door panel, the pictures show the rings more than in person though.
Overall
Sometimes you wonder if companies listen to what people are looking for in a case. The ATCS 840 is proof that Coolermaster is listening. With a pull out motherboard tray and easy backplate access, it is obvious that they understand how difficult it can be to work in some cases. The taller motherboard standoffs and 8pin extension show an attention to detail that is a welcome change in the world of PC cases. Couple that with the amazing cooling and classic style, I can promise you that once you work with the 840 you will have trouble finding any other case that can even hold a candle to it. The old ATCS cases were classic but the new ATCS 840 is iconic; if you don't consider this case for your next build you are crazy! I would like to see Coolermaster expand this lineup for people who are looking for a smaller case with a midtower version. It would also be great to see a Coolermaster made window to help show off the guts of this quality case.
