Cooler Master is breathing new life into its High Airflow (HAF) line of enthusiast chassis with the launch of the HAF 500.
Priced at $149, the latest addition to the range places a greater emphasis on graphics cooling courtesy of a 120mm fan aimed squarely at whatever resides in the seven expansion slots. Attached to the top of a drive cage, the fan can be rotated to an angle that suits graphics cards of varying lengths, and at the very least ought to help channel airflow from the large dual 200mm front intakes.
A 120mm rear exhaust completes line up of bundled fans, and only the GPU blower is missing lighting; the other three offer aRGB support in unison with a bundled controller.
Can an additional 120 make much of a difference behind those vast front intakes? We’re not so sure, and the assembly, atop a front-facing drive cage, isn’t the most elegant solution. Still, Cooler Master could be eyeing the growing number of enthusiasts who game by day and mine by night, and in those scenarios an extra targeted fan could be beneficial.
In terms of overall specs, the chassis measures 516mm (L) x 224mm (W) x 510mm (H) and can accommodate up to an E-ATX motherboard (max. 305mm x 358mm), a CPU cooler standing 167mm tall, graphics cards measuring up to 410mm in length, and up to a 180mm PSU. Four drive bays are split across two 2.5/3.5 trays in the front cage and a pair of dedicated 2.5in mounts behind the motherboard tray. Radiator support extends to 280/360mm in front and up top, while the top I/O panel has been bolstered with the addition of USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C.
We’re of the opinion Cooler Master’s exterior styling is due a refresh – the HAF 500 doesn’t look as modern as, say, the rival Fractal Design Torrent – but High Airflow fans eager to see how the newcomer performs can check out reviews at The FPS Review and Kitguru.
