Other Tell us what do you think the Cooler Master brand represents?

CM is wondering what our readers think its brand represents?

Hardcore, enthusiasts, gamers, casual etc.?

What do they do well?

What are they missing?

I've sent this thread directly to them so they will be reading.

 

To me, Cooler Master represents almost any of those categories and more. I have their HAF922 and love it. The system looks the part (that's subjective, but I like it), is brilliant for cooling and has loads of space. I've also bought their 200mm fans because of the good reliability and noise levels.

Cooler Master to me can't be put into a specific category like hardcore or gaming. They simply make good products that are reliable and can be used in a variety of situations. The only downside I have with them is that some of their parts can only be ordered from their .nl store

 

its a general brand to me as well as they offer a range of products from cheaper average joe stuff to high end gaming/enthusiast parts across different components.

They have been for me realiable and always good quality.

ive mainly used PSUs and cases from them for the company i work for (PC based CCTV).

 

+1

They make quality, well designed stuff thats good for a mod or two. Attempting to pander to any specific group will backfire imo. I know antec probably got a lot out of suddenly making "gamer cases" but that association has polarized people's opinion somewhat, and the range's success has been more due to finding a real sweet spot in performance, quality and price, coupled with a then refreshing, now ubiquitous design.

 

I've got a 830 stacker case and a mate's got the cosmos 1000 both are really good quality.

 

I mainly think of (generally decent) enthusiast gaming cases these days. Unfortunately I can't quite remember one that's been best in class and utterly desirable for some time - other than the cosmos on the high end.

I think there's plenty of very decent almost-great coolermaster products but I just can't think of many that win outright ... The V8 cooler looked awesome and performed well for instance, but compare that with the fenrir of today - that's a product that everyone loves and talks about.

Doesn't feel like the brand quite has the clout it once had. Feels like they need a couple of spot-on headline products to bring the buzz back.

 

The first things to come into my mind are the hyper-ventilated and butt-ugly HAF-cases and the fiddly V-series coolers.

After the first thoughts it's a fine brand, generally reliable products all across the field. As special mention some of the cases are truly superb. (The CM Storm Sniper is my favorite large "gaming" case, and I'm about to find if the Elite 430 can beat the previously fave Antec 300 in the budget segment)

 

I love their cases, none of their designs have been off since the Stacker 830, and even that wasn't too bad.

IMO they've shifted a bit away from the hardcore and enthusiast side to find a more happy median.

Thanks for the Storm Scout, wonderful case.

 

When I think of CM, I think of pimpin' cases.

 

I love CM with a fiery passion (heh) because their support forum is great and they are the only big name international brand with a good presence in India. Their distributor has great support, the only thing lacking is timing (we have to wait 2-6 weeks for new stuff to get there) and availability of certain (admittedly niche) stuff like replacement side panels and case parts.

If I had to think of things I'd like to see from CM, it would be more 'classy, elegant' cases like the ATCS 840. Also, fully modular power supplies - everyone's jumping on this wagon, so should you.

I'm not a huge fan of the gamer cases (CM Storm) but I know that after the cheaper Elite range, they're the most popular cases back home. One must do what one can to make money, I suppose.

 

I've got a mate who does reviews for another hardware site, and he seems to rate CM quality very highly.

Personally, I've never been that attracted to CM - their power supplies seem good, but other than that, I find their budget cases rather ugly/tacky, and their high-end cases a bit unaffordable. I've owned a CM fan controller which was actually very good (was the one with analogue dials) however I broke that whilst trying to "mod" it

Personally I love the Antec 300, as it feels well built, looks classy and (when I bought mine) was as cheap as £35. The CM alternative (which I think was the CM Elite 330 - one of the tackyist looking cases I've encountered! - however it was CPC recommended..)

Coolermaster case fans don't seem to be particularly well recommended.

However, I think the CoolerMaster brand does carry a lot of confidence & honesty - you always know what you're going to get.

A bit of a mixed message maybe (my post) but tbh its friday lunch time, I'm barely making it through the day

 

Seeing a CM case makes me think "Hmm, someone didn't wanna stump up for Antec, huh?"

I've only limited experience with CM PSUs (the 460W model in my server), but I do remember the Real Power 1000W blowing up in Custom PC's testing at 990W. Which is a shame, really - I don't know many of the people here who'd run a PSU at 99% load.

They've always seemed to be the "jack-of-all-trades, master of none" company to me. Prime example is the HAF 922 - not quite as good as the Antec 900 according to reviews, but if you stuck a big fan in the side, it was better, but ended up working out more expensive.

If the CM guys are reading this, and I sure hope they are, then, in my opinion, it's all about getting the balance right. Features, performance, and value. If the ATCS840 was shortened a little, made a little less tall, built with a mix of steel and aluminium, and dropped some of the gimmicky extras (dual PSU support and that flappy front panel spring to mind), you'd probably be shaving enough off of your costs to give other case companies a BIG run for their money. The Bit-Tech review here says the case is a victim of its size, with the big fans not giving enough cooling to the hardware due to distance. A slightly shrunk update with a lower price tag could see off the competition!

 

Due to a current fixation with cases (and I STILL haven't decided), when I think of CM at present it is about the ATCS 840 and the CM 690 II Advanced. I wish they made a case similar in style & function to the ATCS 840 that didn't double as a solution to the UK's housing problem!

I also think that they could improve their silent and elegant case offerings as there is a a real market that they haven't really tapped into.

I think the CPU coolers, fans and PSU's need a bit more attention, they are not what you think of when you think of CM, despite some excellent products (e.g. the Hyper 212 & the V8).

My tuppence worth...

 

As a brand, I don't think they have a terribly strong "identity". Certainly, the name is known primarily for cases. But while the 840 is undoubtedly a superb, premium product. It's just that, a product. Again the 690II is a well constructed and thought out product. I just don't think that every product for them is representative of a cohesive brand image. Especially the cheaper ones.

Antec - easy. Cases and PSUs. Good ones at that. 300 may be cheap, but it's part of a cohesive brand which espouses quality across price points.

Seasonic. Excellent PSUs - period. Everyone knows what they're about. That's a powerful brand.

Corsair. They've diversified over the last few years, but pretty much every PSU is a shoe-in recommendation to the uninitiated. There RAM is everywhere.

These are what I would call "brands". CM is just a manufacturer to me and their products have to stand on their own, individual merits.

The last Cooler Master product that lived up to the name for me i.e. was a master at cooling, was a HSF I had on my Barton core Athlon. Genuine innovation and impressive performance. The HAF range are obviously good products, but I don't necessarily see them as congruent with the rest of CM.

They seem to have drifted a little, hence my initial assertion that I don't think they have a strong identity.

 

Coolermaster is among the high end but with value in mind. They will compromise aesthetics but not performance. Their cases might not be brushed aluminium but they are top performers and for a respectable price.

 

I agree with Fingers66. However, overall, I feel that Coolermaster, as a whole, make good quality, reliable, reasonably priced products to suit the needs of virtually all enthusiasts. However, a case more aimed at silence would be nice, and the designs could be heading more towards the classy side, like the ATCS 840, for example, which is one of the most gorgeous cases out there IMO. A mid-tower case that had the design of the 840, I'd buy in an instant.

With a bit of work, they could be even more competitive than they already are in the cooling sector. The Hyper 212/Plus are both fantastic coolers, probably the best value out there, but a bit more work and they could be competing with the very best of the market in terms of performance.

The power supplies overall seem to be getting there I think

Overall, I'd say that the products that represent CM the best have to be the CM690, the 690 II, and the Hyper 212 and the 212 Plus. They're all probably the best cases amongst their competitors, and they combine great features with style and pretty good quality, at a great price.

 

Cases, in competition with (amongst others) Antec who I went with this time. Reason: no dust filters on the 932 (a must for any case, let alone a gamer case).

(Am I getting paid for this consultation?)

 

I generally look at CM as quality gear, The Cosmos is a quality case (my mate has quite a few) that's ripe for modding.

The green fans that come with the Aquagate Max give a nice (not too bright) glow in the case and linked up to the Aerogate in the front of my case are hardly audible. Oh yeah the Aquagate Max is still going strong over a year after installing it.

 

CM products are good quality and are generally good value for money. For me, they are more well known for their cases than anything else despite having a variety of different products.

What's missing? I'd like to see them produce more ITX related stuff as that's my area of interest. AFAIK they have one ITX case and that's it.

 

Hmm i see CM as a pretty good brand, that offer a wide range of products. There products tend to fall into the above average area (i.e light enthusiasts) with a few products deep into the extreme enthusiast . Prices are OK. I hate there power supplies though. Unfortunately most power supplies last many years, and the good news is my CM power supply is still running very well after 4 years & supports my overclocking, so full marks there. but its housed in an Antec-P182 and despite that, its very, very, loud (PARDON?!) I SAID ITS ****ING LOUD!!!!

Unfortunately i cant afford to buy a new one as i'm a student*sniff*.

I still rate them as a very good company who's parts ill always consider in a new PC i think.