[nextpage title=”Introduction”]
Cooler Master has just released their most inexpensive HAF case yet, the HAF 912. With an overall looks similar to HAF 922’s, the new HAF 912 promises to blow away the competition at only USD 60. Let’s see if the new HAF 912 has the same quality of more expensive units.
The new HAF 912 resembles a lot the HAF 922, but in order to cut costs the manufacturer reduced the number of 5.25” bays from five to four and also reduced the size of the side mesh. While on the HAF 922 you can install up to two fans on the side panel, on the new HAF 912 you can only install one 120 or 140 mm fan there.
Figure 1: Cooler Master HAF 912 case
Figure 2: Cooler Master HAF 912 case
The front panel of the Cooler Master HAF 912 can be seen in Figure 3. This case has four external 5.25” bays and you can transform any of them in an external 3.5” bay through the adapter that comes with the product. The bay covers are meshed and have air filters attached to them.
Figure 3: Front panel
The HAF 912 comes with two USB ports and the traditional audio jacks, located on the top part of the front panel.
The reviewed case comes with one 120 mm fan (1,200 rpm, 17 dBA, model DF1202512SELN) installed on this front panel, featuring an air filter. The case supports one additional fan on its front panel, or you can replace the 120 mm fan with a 200 mm fan. The front fan that comes with HAF 912 uses a three-pin power connector, so you can install it on your motherboard in order to monitor its speed, or you can install it directly on the power supply, using the provided adapter. This fan cools down the hard drive cage or the video card, if you remove the cage (more on this later).
Figure 4: Front fan
[nextpage title=”Introduction (Cont’d)”]
The top panel of the Cooler Master HAF 912 can be seen in Figure 5 and, although it doesn’t come with a fan pre-installed, it supports two 120 mm fans or one 200 mm fan. According to Cooler Master, the HAF 912 allows you to install a radiator with two 120 mm fans outside the case, attached to the top panel. This piece may also be installed inside the case, but installation will depend on the location of your motherboard components.
Figure 5: Top panel
The bottom panel has a mesh to match the power supply fan, featuring an air filter that is accessible from outside the case.
Figure 6: Bottom panel
The rear panel and the interior of the Cooler Master HAF 912 aren’t painted. Of course we prefer when all the case is painted black, but being a USD 60 product we can’t complain.
The power supply is installed on the bottom part of the HAF 912. The case comes with seven expansion slots, but the slot covers aren’t vented. At least these covers are removable, not being of the type that needs to be broken out. An additional slot is available above the expansion slots for you to install a blower (a type of fan that removes hot air from inside the computer), and this slot features a silver thumbscrew. Three holes protected by rubber covers are available for hoses of liquid cooling solutions.
One 120 mm fan identical to the one used on the front panel is available on the rear panel.
Figure 7: Rear panel
Let’s now take a look inside the Cooler Master HAF 912.[nextpage title=”Inside the Cooler Master HAF 912″]
While the left side panel is fastened to the case using silver thumbscrews, the right panel is fastened using regular screws. This is another place where Cooler Master saved a bit in order to present a cost-effective case. In Figure 8, you have an overall look at the inside of the HAF 912. The motherboard tray has a big hole around the area where the CPU is installed, allowing access to the backplate of the CPU cooler, so you can replace the cooler without having to remove the motherboard. The motherboard tray also has several holes for you to route cables behind it. The motherboard tray doesn’t go all the way to the front panel, meaning that there is a communication between the area behind the disk drive bays and the back of the motherboard tray, allowing you to easily route and hide cables. The tray also has several clips for you to fasten cables using cable ties.
Figure 8: Overall look
Figure 9: A view behind the motherboard tray
In Figure 10, you have another overall look inside the case. Expansion cards are fastened to the case using regular screws. As already mentioned, the case may support a radiator with two 120 mm fans depending on the location and size of the motherboard components.
Figure 10: Overall look
This case supports video cards up to 10.6” (270 mm) long, but if you remove the hard drive cage the case will support video cards up to 15.4” (390 mm) long. The HAF 912 supports CPU coolers up to 6.9” (175 mm) tall.
Note that the power supply 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 p
ulling air from inside the case or from outside of it. The HAF 912 supports power supplies up to 7.9” (200 mm) long.
Figure 11: Power supply compartment
[nextpage title=”The Disk Drive Bays”]
The Cooler Master HAF 912 comes with four external 5.25” bays, six internal 3.5” bays, and two internal 2.5” bays. Any of the 5.25” bays can be transformed into an external 3.5” bay using the provided adapter, while any of the internal 3.5” bays can be transformed into an additional 2.5” bay using an adapter.
Figure 12: Disk drive bays
Only the top-most 5.25” bay comes with a screwless retention mechanism, and this was done, again, to save costs. On the other hand, all 3.5” bays use screwless mechanisms based on rulers that need to be installed on the side of each drive. The 2.5” bays require the use of regular screws.
Figure 13: The 2.5” bays
Four of the six internal 3.5” bays are available inside a removable cage. As explained in the previous page, this cage can be removed if you want to install longer video cards. If you remove the hard drive cage you still have two 3.5” and two 2.5” bays.
Figure 14: Hard drive cage removed from the case
Figure 15: Accessories that come with the product
[nextpage title=”Main Specifications”]
The main specs for the Cooler Master HAF 912 case include:
- Style: Mid-tower
- Application: ATX and smaller form factors derived from this one
- Material: Zinc-coated steel (SECC)
- Power supply: Doesn’t come with the product
- Available colors: Black
- Side panel: Meshed
- Dimensions: 18.9 x 9.1 x 19.5 inches (480 x 230 x 496 mm) (H x W x D)
- Net weight: 18 lbs (8 kg)
- Gross weight: 21 lbs (9.6 kg)
- Bays: Four external 5.25” bays, six internal 3.5” bays, two internal 2.5” bays, one external 3.5” bay by converting one 5.25” bay, and one additional internal 2.5” bay by converting one 3.5” bay
- Expansion slots: Seven
- Fans: One 120 mm fan on the front panel and one 120 mm fan on the rear panel (both 1,200 rpm, 17 dBA)
- Optional fans: One 120 mm or 140 mm fan on the left panel, one additional 120 mm fan on the front panel, one 200 mm fan on the front panel (removing the existing fan), two 120 mm or one 200 mm fan on the top panel
- More Information: https://www.coolermaster-usa.com
- Average price in the US*: USD 60.00
* Researched at Newegg.com on the day we published this review.
[nextpage title=”Conclusions”]
The Cooler Master HAF 912 is an amazing product for its price tag, and will please all users looking for a good-quality, inexpensive case. The “weak points” listed below are just a list of what is missing in the reviewed case; we know that the features listed can’t be added without increasing the price.
Strong Points
- Air filter for the front fan
- Air filter for the power supply fan
- Meshed bay covers with air filters
- Space for installing up to four optional fans
- Support for liquid cooling radiators with two 120 mm fans
- Support for very long video cards (up to 15.4”/390 mm)
- Two (or three, if the included adapter is used) 2.5” bays
- Screwless mechanisms on all internal 3.5” hard drive bays
- Holes with rubber covers for liquid cooling solutions
- A hole in the motherboard tray for accessing the backplate of the CPU cooler
- Holes for routing cables behind the motherboard tray
- Nice overall looks
Weak Points
- No air filter on the side mesh
- Slot covers aren’t vented
- No eSATA port
- No screwless mechanisms in all 5.25” bays
- Interior and rear panel aren’t painted black
- Could have come with thumbscrews for fastening expansion cards
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