Introduction
Introducing the Cooler Master HAF 700 mid-tower EATX case, billed as ‘the Berserker’, Cooler Master’s follow-up to the upmarket HAF 700 EVO and slightly less oversized HAF 500 cases released earlier this year. At an MSRP of US$299, Cooler Master has positioned the HAF 700 (H700-IGNN0-S00) squarely at those interested in running systems with the most extreme cooling requirements.
The HAF 700 is the third entry into Cooler Master’s reinvigorated High Air Flow (HAF) series. From the HAF 500, the HAF 700 borrows the modular design theme, the twin 200mm ARGB fans up front, the tilting fan mount, and the removable top panel. From the HAF 700 EVO, the HAF 700 inherits the ‘double-wide’, multi-chamber layout that supports up to four large radiators, including up to two 360mm (3x 120mm) radiators side by side on the top panel.
Further Evolution of the HAF Series
For the HAF 700, Cooler Master has worked to improve from the already high bar set by the HAF 500 and HAF 700 EVO. Up front, the two 200mm ARGB fans have been upgraded to SickleFlow performance models, with the RPM ceiling raised by 200RPM – from 800RPM to 1000RPM. To account for the increase in airflow, the front mesh panel has been updated to FineMesh V2, which maintains airflow while reducing noise using structural reinforcement at key points that limit potential resonance.
The fan mounts here are particularly unrestricted, providing a clear path for air to flow directly to system internals. To aid in cooling, Cooler Master added an intake SickleFlow 120mm ARGB fan on the bottom mount, which can support two additional fans, as well as two SickleFlow 120mm ARGB fans on the rear exhaust. This is the configuration that Cooler Master recommends for a traditional horizontally mounted GPU. For vertical GPU usage, Cooler Master’s recommendation is to move the bottom intake 120mm fan to a position on the top exhaust fan mount.
We’d like to note that all five fans used in the HAF 700 are PWM and that all fans include 5v ARGB support. Cooler Master additionally provides a powered fan and ARGB hub, as well as a USB ARGB controller. We opted not to use the ARGB controller as our MSI motherboard has this capability already, and that’s what we use for all of our reviews. Finally, on the subject of fans, no detectable whine was emitted – even from the 200mm fans spinning at 1000RPM. Just the sound of air moving.
The particular fan used here is one of Cooler Master’s SickleFlow 120 fans, in this case, a PWM version that lacks any lighting. It is also a standard-sized 120mm fan which means that it can be replaced if desired, though probably won’t be necessary as it does manage to push a good amount of air without generating much in the way of noise.
Beyond cooling, Cooler Master has been working to make PC builds, or perhaps upgrades and rebuilds, as easy as possible. With the HAF 700, aside from just increasing internal volume and thus clearance significantly, extensive use of tool-less design was employed. By means of an example, the only screws that required a screwdriver to install were those on the motherboard – eight, to be exact, as the typical ninth screw position on our MSI motherboard is obscured by an M.2 slot.
Highlights here are the PSU mount which uses two fixed pegs and two captive thumbscrews, the array of tool-less drive trays that can accommodate up to nine 3.5″ or 2.5″ drives, and to our surprise, an expansion card holder that is reassuringly solid – and a pleasure to use. Additionally, all drive trays can be removed without tools, along with the rear drive cage with four drive trays can be pulled out completely, and the rear cable channel cover as well as the tilting lower fan mount.
Packaging
For the HAF 700, Cooler Master took the packaging to the next level. More reminiscent of the boxes used for large monitors and televisions, the outer box is held in place by plastic inserts and is removed by lifting it up, off of the case.
Cooler Master HAF 700 Specifications
| Color | Titanium Grey |
| Materials | Steel, Plastic, Tempered Glass |
| Dimensions L x W x H (mm) | 666mm x 291mm x 626mm |
| Maximum CPU Cooler Height | 166mm |
| Maximum GPU Length | 490mm |
| Total Expansion Slots | 8 |
| Motherboard Size Support | SSI-CEB, E-ATX, ATX, Micro-ATX, Mini-ITX |
| Input / Output Panel | 4 x USB 3.0 Type A, 1 x USB 3.0 Type C, 3.5mm mic and headphone jacks |
| Power Supply Support | ATX, up to 200mm |
| Internal 3.5″ / 2.5” Mounts | Four with removable trays in HDD cage, five with screw + rubber mounts |
| Included Fans | 2 x 200mm ARGB PWM at front 2 x 120mm ARGB PWM at rear 1 x 120mm ARGB PWM on bottom |
| Front Fan Positions | 2 x 200mm |
| Top Fan Positions | 6 x 120mm / 3 x 140mm / 2 x 200mm |
| Rear Fan Positions | 2 x 120mm |
| Bottom Fan POsitions | 3 x 120mm / 3 x 140mm |
| Side Mount Fan Positions | 4 x 120mm / 3 x 140mm |
| Radiator Support | Top: up to 420mm or 2x 360mm Rear: up to 240mm Bottom: up to 420mm / 360mm Side: 420mm / 480mm |
| Filters | Bottom Right side |
| Warranty | Two Years |