Cooler Master Elite 130 Case Review

[nextpage title=”Introduction”]

The Cooler Master Elite 130 is an inexpensive SFF (Small Form Factor) case for Mini-ITX motherboards, with one 5.25” external bay, two 3.5”/2.5” internal bays plus one 2.5” internal bay. The highlights of this product include the support for standard-sized ATX power supplies and dual-slot video cards and, therefore, targeted to users who want to build a compact gaming machine but don’t want to spend a lot on a case. Let’s see if it is worth picking this USD 50 case.

You can see the Elite 130 in Figures 1 and 2. It comes only in black.

Figure 1: Cooler Master Elite 130 case

Figure 2: Cooler Master Elite 130 case

Let’s take a closer look at the case in the next pages.

[nextpage title=”The Front Panel”]

The front panel of the Elite 130 is meshed at the center, with solid areas at the sides. At the left-hand side, there are two USB 3.0 ports and the traditional audio connectors for headphones and microphone. At the right-hand side, there is one USB 2.0 port, power and reset buttons, and the activity LEDs. There is a 5.25” bays at the top, and its cover uses the same pattern as the rest of the front panel.

Figure 3: front panel

The plastic front panel can be easily removed, revealing the front of the case structure and one 120 mm fan, model A12025-12CB-3EN-F1 (2,000 rpm, 82.9 cfm, 36 dBA).

Figure 4: front panel removed

The inner side of the panel is covered by a mesh that acts as an air filter.

Figure 5: front panel (inner side)

[nextpage title=”The Top, Bottom, and Rear Panels”]

On the top panel, there is an air opening with an air filter inside.

Figure 6: top panel

At the bottom of the case, there are no ventilation openings; only four small feet and the openings to secure one hard disk drive or SSD.

Figure 7: air filter

The rear panel and the interior of the Elite 130 are painted in black. The power supply is installed at the top of the case, above the motherboard. It can be installed with either its bottom fan facing up or facing down, so you can decide if you want the fan of your power supply pulling air from inside the case or from outside of it. As already mentioned, one of the highlights of the Elite 130 is the support for standard-sized ATX power supplies.

This case comes with two expansion slots with solid, reusable covers, secured by thumbscrews. Therefore, you can install dual-slot video cards in the Elite 130.

Figure 8: rear panel

Let’s now take a look inside the Cooler Master Elite 130.

[nextpage title=”Inside the Elite 130″]

The top and side panels form a single cover, which is attached to the chassis using three black thumbscrews.

Figure 9 shows the Elite 130 without the cover. There is no tray for the motherboard: it must be installed directly on the bottom panel, and there is no opening to access the solder side of the motherboard. The case supports only Mini-ITX motherboards.

There is a removable 80 mm fan at the right-hand side of the motherboard area. (No technical information for this fan was supplied.)

As the power supply is positioned above the motherboard, the Elite 130 supports CPU cooler up to 2.5” (65 mm) tall. The case supports video cards up to 13.5” (343 mm) long and power supplies up to 7.1” (180 mm) deep.

Figure 9: overall look

In Figure 10, we have a look of the front of the case. Here is the 120 mm fan, and you can replace it with a 120 mm radiator.

Figure 10: overall look

[nextpage title=”The Disk Drive Bays”]

The Elite 130 has one external 5.25” bay, shown in Figure 11. This bay uses a tool-free retention mechanism.

Figure 11: 5.25” drive bay

Under the 5.25” bay, there is room for a 2.5” drive, secured by two screws.

Figure 12: one of the 2.5” bays

There are two 2.5”/3.5” bays, one at the right-hand side and one at the bottom of the case. Those bays use a system where you attach four rubber pieces under the unit, and then slide them into place; those rubber parts help avoid vibration. You can also screw the drives in place directly, which is recommended if you plan to carry the computer around.

Figure 13: disk drive bays

If the 5.25” bay is unused, you can install one 3.5” or two 2.5” units there, as shown in Figure 14. So, you can install up to five 2.5” units (or three 3.5” drives) if no 5.25” drive is installed.

Figure 14: disk drive bays

The accessories that come with the case can be seen in Figure 15.

Figure 15: accessories

[nextpage title=”Main Specifications”]

The main specifications for the Cooler Master Elite 130 include:

• Style: SFF
• Application: Mini-ITX
• Material: zinc-coated steel (SECC) body
• Power supply: does not come with the product
• Available colors: black
• Side panel: meshed
• Dimensions: 8.2 x 9.4 x 15.7 inches (207.4 x 240 x 398.5 mm) (H x W x D)
• Net weight: 6.8 lbs (3.1 kg)
• Bays: one external 5.25” bay, two internal 3.5”/2.5” bays, and one internal 2.5” bay
• Expansion slots: two
• Maximum video card length: 13.5” (343 mm)
• Maximum CPU cooler height: 2.5” (65 mm)
• Fans: one 120 mm fan on the front panel and one 80 mm fan at the right-hand side of the motherboard
• Optional fans: none
• Extra Features: air filters for front fan
• More Information: https://www.coolermaster.com
• Average Price in the U.S.*: USD 50.00

* Researched at Newegg.com on the day we published this review.

[nextpage title=”Conclusions”]

The Cooler Master Elite 130 is a beautiful, high-quality, and inexpensive SFF case. It may not be as as compact as the Cooler Master Elite 100, but as it supports a conventional power supply and a long, dual-slot video card, it is an excellent option for whom is building a powerful gaming computer using a Mini-ITX motherboard.

Strong Points

• Low price point
• Good construction quality
• Good cost/benefit ratio
• Good ventilation
• Air filter for the and front fan
• Supports 120 mm radiator for liquid cooling systems
• Supports two 3.5” or three 2.5” devices (or up to five 2.5” drives if the 5.25” bay is unused)
• Anti-vibration mechanism for hard disk drives
• Support for standard-sized ATX power supplies up to 7.1” (180 mm) deep
• Support for dual-slot video cards up to 13.5” (343 mm) long

Weak Points

• Supports only Mini-ITX motherboards (obviously)