Cooler Master ATCS 840

Performance Analysis

After the fantastic build quality and feature set both inside and out, and the similarity in design to the HAF 932’s cooling setup, we have to admit, we were a little surprised at the ATCS 840‘s thermal results. The Idle and CPU load result are both entrenched mid table, with the CPU load deltaT value a full 6°C hotter than the current champ, the Cooler Master HAF 932.

The GPU load temperature fairs a lot better though, with the case’s large 230mm intake fan helping to post an impressive GPU deltaT value of 38°C, which is certainly nothing to be sniffed at!

We think the difference in performance between our top performers and the ATCS 840 has likely been caused by the sheer size of the case. All our other top performing cases, the HAF 932 especially, tightly surround the CPU and GPU with exhaust or intake fans, drawing heat directly off of, or blowing cool air directly onto the CPU cooler and our test set up’s passive GPU heatsink.

The problem is that the ATCS 840 has become a victim of its size; the primary 230mm cooling fans are placed comparatively far away from the core hardware and so have limited effect in directing airflow off of or on to the sources of heat.


Eagle eyed readers will have spotted that the internal case temperature in the ATCS 840 was constant throughout our testing, never differing from the external ambient temperature despite all our thermally intensive hardware under load. This demonstrates superb airflow through the case. The problem lies in the fact that the cooling fans are not as able to draw heat away from the sources of heat as directly as competing chassis, so performance has suffered a little.

Thankfully though, the ATCS 840 was fantastically quiet throughout all our testing and like the HAF 932, the only audible noise generated by the case is the low rush of air entering and exiting the chassis. It certainly seems that cases equipped with larger fans spinning at a lower RPM are able to strike the balance of cooling and noise better than those fitted with 120mm fans, and we expect to see more and more cases like this in the near future.

Value

It certainly seems that the ATCS 840 has a price tag to match its monster size - £185 is undoubtedly a lot to spend on a case, but we’d argue you’re certainly getting what you pay for in this instance. The build quality is fantastic throughout, as is the feature set available, and while the performance isn’t world beating, it’s still nothing to be sniffed at, especially when you factor in the whisper quiet noise levels.

At this price tag there’s plenty of competition, and ironically a lot of it comes from Cooler Master itself. Those looking for pure performance over style are undoubtedly better off picking up the excellent HAF 932, which matches much of the ATCS 840’s internal features and delivers fabulously cool performance for £120 – a bargain in comparison, but crucially lacking any dust filters.


There’s also the Lian Li V1110 - another extra large premium case which carries an even bigger price tag and similar feature set to the ATCS 840, but without the watercooling support and with slightly warmer thermal performance.

But if you’ve got £185 to spend on a case, you’ll be looking for quality above all else and this is where the ATCS 840 really delivers. The rock solid brushed aluminium chassis, fantastic removable motherboard tray and dozens of small touches throughout the design really do distance this case from the madding crowd in the quality stakes and make that steep price tag a whole lot easier to stomach.

Final Thoughts

While its performance isn’t world beating, the ATCS 840 is still undoubtedly one of the best cases we’ve seen for a long time - it has thoroughly impressed us during our time with it. Combining gorgeous looks, fantastic build quality and unmatched attention to detail throughout the entire design, Cooler Master has produced a case of the highest quality that thoroughly deserves your hard earned cash. It might be expensive, but it’s most definitely worth it!

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