Cooler Master HAF 700 Temp and Noise Tests
A Note on Testing
For our 2022 case testing, we’ve updated our testing thesis and test methods. By selecting a set of air-cooled components that present a very high thermal challenge for cases under review, we have moved away from using thermal probes as a point of comparison.
Instead, our goal is to show whether or not a case enhances or inhibits performance, as well as the thermal and acoustic results recorded during testing.
Our primary focus is on the performance of the installed 2022 Review Rig, and our presented test results are taken under the following circumstances:
- All stock – CPU defaults on the MSI Z490, five Cooler Master case fans
- Overclocked – CPU set to 5.0GHz, GPU power raised to 150% (245w), four Cooler Master case fans
Our tried-and-true loading method is to use a combined load of Cinebench R23 multi-core and the default Furmark GPU stress test. With the CPU overclocked to 5.0GHz and the GPU power and fan limits raised to 150% and 100% respectively, the 2022 Case Review Rig is able to pull a steady 700w at the wall and produces 54dB of noise if all fans are run at their maximum.
How we interpret the results
Things to keep in mind:
- Lower power usage directly correlates to lower system performance
- Lower temperatures at the same power usage result from superior cooling
For the Cooler Master HAF 700, we found that the stock cooling was able to handle our overclocked 10900K without breaking a sweat, keeping it at 96c and 245w.
However, the major takeaway here is not temperatures, good as they are, but noise – or more specifically, the lack of it. The loudest component in the review rig, and likely in most systems configured for gaming, is the GPU. Our MSI card is capable of running all three of its fans up to over 2,000RPM. Cooler Master’s HAF 700 dropped that overall noise level to right at 50dB.