Cooler Master recently provided us with one of their mid-range desktop chassis with the request that we review it. Given the fact that Cooler Master caters to all spectrums of the power user, from the hardcore overclocker all the way to people like us, the hardcore gamers, we happily accepted. The Centurion 534 model was recieved soon thereafter. After using this case for about a week, as well as using it for reassembling an entire computer several times, we've come up with a complete review on the case and have reached a recommendation.

Design


The Centurion is built from the ground up to be a case that has no gaudy thrills. However, this is not to say that it is an ugly case. From the Centurion perspective, less is more. It's a style that works with Antec and Lian-Li cases, and it works for this case as well. The sides and top of the case are painted solid black, and the finish is very smooth. This contrasts sharply with the front of the case, which is composed almost entirely of brushed aluminum. The front bezel and side panels are joined through a pair of quarter-cylindrical grills. The power button, restart button, and activity LED's are all arranged vertically down the center of the bezel. Unfortunately, the top of the front bezel ruins the overall feel of it by having a cheap plastic mount with Cooler Master's logo on it. Aside from this complaint, the overall look of the case is quite impressive. Its imposing presence is one that anyone should be happy with.

Build quality


This case is solid. When taking it out of the box, it didn't give at all on any of its panels. Even with both panels taken off, it could be picked up, spun around, and even knocked over without anything bending in the slightest. The internals feature 4 hard drive bays which are mounted perpendicularly to the rest of the system, a single external 3.5" bay, and five 5.24" bays. It also features a built-in 120mm fan that is located between the hard drive bays and the bezel. Air can be circulated into the case from any point along the bezel's side grills, which is a nice change of pace from many cases that allow air in at only one spot. The back of the case has mounting holes for another 120mm fan. However, it doesn't come standard. Finally, the side panel has two grill-covered openings on it. One is an 80mm opening that comes standard with an air tunnel which is on top of the usual CPU location. The air tunnel can easily be replaced by a fan, if so desired. The second opening is a rectangular grill that is placed above the standard graphics card area. The system isn't without its quirks however. For starters, I can't understand why Cooler Master doesn't include a second 120mm fan for exhaust. Fans are relatively inexpensive, it would make drastic improvements on the airflow. The air tunnel is also more of a hindrance than anything else to the power user. Replacing it with an 80mm fan is highly recommended. My second gripe is more of a personal pet peeve. One thing that I personally demand from a case is a power button that is solid. I hate power buttons that wiggle when you press them; it seems unprofessional to me. Unfortunately, the Centurion, like many other cases, has a wiggly power button. The most annoying aspect of the case, though, was the grill. It merges perfectly with the bezel, but when it wraps around those 90 degrees, it sticks out about 1/8" from the sides of the case. However, in spite of these minor problems, the build design is very good, and very stable.