I'm still using that case right now with a 9900K system. Here are some notes from my use of almost 10 years, in addition to what you've already covered: -I have the black, non-windowed, non-Advanced version and mine does have two extra fan spots on the side panel, more on them later. -Front drive bays are actually partially removeable and that lets you use a 240mm radiator at the bottom of the case. Not that I've ever done that. -The main reason I'm still using the case are those drive bays. It's so hard to find a case today that supports 6 3.5" drives (I have 4x HDDs and an SSD) -CPU cooler support is great if you're into giant air coolers. There's enough space to install pretty much anything made today, another are which most cases struggle these days. -Since mine has a fan slot for 140mm fans on the side panel, I can supply fresh air to the GPU and the NVME which is directly underneath. I prefer this to having a clear tempered glass or acrylic side panel. -I'm about to mod the front optical drive bay and install a 120mm or 140mm, feeding fresh air to the CPU. I have no plans to replace the case anytime soon since it looks great even today and performs just well. Having a hard time that'd support all the drives I have along with the tall cooler I have on the 9900K (Windale 6) also discourages me from looking for an alternative, just to get what? 1C drop in CPU temperature?
I've used the CM 690 II Advanced white for my 9600kf build, and it has not disappointed me! It has plenty of space for 3.5" and 5.25" drives which is essential for me and I actually rather like the looks despite my friends saying it looks like an air-con unit.
I still use optical drives, so yes it upsets me they are disappearing. I wish they would at least sneak in a slim ODD slot in some cases. Drive bays are also good for hot swap HDD cages, which I also use.
The only optical drives worth using in 2020 are BluRay drives. Why wast time and money backing up data on a puny 4.7GB DvD when you can back 50GB-250GB of data on one BluRay disc?
@@angrysocialjusticewarrior That not why most people use optical drives. They use them to playback pre-recorded media or they have a need to burn a music CD or Video to DVD. Just because you don't see the need for it doesn't mean that the rest of us don't.
Only seen the first 10 seconds, but I already like the case. Why? Because it still has 5.25" bays in the front. Perfect for adding extra USB and SD-card slot expansions. It is something I miss on many modern cases, especially with the built-in front IO getting more and more lackluster.
If you looking for a newish case with 5.25 drive bays, have a look at the Deepcool Tesseract. It has a decent amount drive bays of all sizes and they all tool less. Recently rebuilty dads pc in this case and he loves it and it was well priced here in South Africa
Mine is still going strong, having had 3 builds inside it! Dont ever plan on changing! I use optical drives day to do so this is one of the main reason for it!
Back in the day I actually enjoyed side panels with acrylic. As a poor guy just starting out in life, it felt good knowing that I could drop the panel by mistake and not have it shatter on me. And boy did I drop those panels more times than I care to admit...
I'm using one of the last cases with an acrylic side panel, before they started putting tempered glass everywhere, and also blocking airflow.. really happy with my mastercase 5 pro, and there really haven't been a lot of interesting new cases until recently
@@PureRushXevus I also had one of them... it's a great case! My first CM case was a Cooler Master Scout... not only it had acrylic on the side panel, it also had 2 fan slots on the acrylic!
@@DanielPereira-vc9ms The older cases with fans on the side panel were a bit of a mixed bag though, since airflow on some of them were really not thought through :P It was just "more fans = better cooling, right?"
10 years ago? My case was the Antec 1200 full tower with up to 9 drives capacity and I still use it to this day. Its being used as a just giant NAS server with 100TB of storage capacity.
Mine is still going strong since 2012 and running as a Windows 7 retro gaming machine but its a dust vacuum. Bought demciflex dust filters for the front intake which helps and fan controller so that I can turn off the top 2x200mm fans. Added Haf-932 Special Edition side panel window which helped modernized the look.
I finally replaced my CM Storm Trooper (silly name ik) with a p600s. Even though it's smaller, it has more room somehow XD. I like my new case so much.
I got my NVIDIA edition 690 about 6 years ago with a used old build. Originally had a i7 960 in it. Since then its had 4 different builds of mine. Now it has a 10900k 3080 build in it and it's as glorious as ever
I'm still rocking my Antec 900! Cable management is abysmal, but theres plenty of space and tons of airflow! I updated my hardware in March, but still havnt had a need or desire to change cases yet!
I still have one of these as well. I did a new build 2 years ago but I kept the Antec 900 to use for a home server since it has a good amount of 3.5 inch bays with great airflow for my hard drives. Not much room for cable management but its an older case so I don't really mind.
Dremel the thing. I did to mine. Flipped the psu upside down after I cut a hole in the bottom, drilled a few holes in the side, routed wires... Was perfect. Not a single cable out of place or in sight.
I'm still using the successor CM 690 III which I purchased as a result of the Hardware Canucks video review! My dad's PC also finds its home inside a CM 690 II Advanced. Gotta say, I'm still a (200mm) fan of these cases.
Yooo I'm still reppjng my CM690ii! I was just thinking of upgrading cause all the cool kids have nice cases. This was a nice reminder that it's still solid!
I built my first dreamer rig in a Cooler Master HAF 922. That was back in 2011 or so, cost me around $2600 back then. Asus P6X58D-E motherboard, i7 950, 24gb ddr3 ... I went all out (almost). 2 years ago I was gonna build a nice gamer and I searched for a nice case but I ended up just refreshing my HAF 922, didn't find anything to my liking to replace it. Case still looks like new, got a BlueRay writer, three hot swap hdd bays, and plenty of space for whatever I wanna throw inside. Of course the insides are kept reasonably up to date, i7 8700k, 32gb ddr4 3600mhz ram, z390 motherboard, Samsung 970pro NVME, a couple Samsung 860 ssds, three 8TB hdds, RTX 2070 Super and the case looks better than ever. Thanks for sharing, I enjoy your videos a lot.
The four 5.25" bays is totally legit from this era. You'd have two optical drivers for making copies of CDs/DVDs. Storage space was still a premium so doing a direct disc-to-disc copy was more common (and faster) than ripping one full image to disk and then writing it back out again. Then fan controller, & card reader make a case for the other two. Also keeping in mind it wasn't uncommon to throw in like a triple slot HDD adapter into those to fit another 5 or so HDD's in.
Thanks for this video, Dimitri. I have this case too and the modifications I made have made it up to date with today's standards. Thanks a lot for this review. Most other mainstream tech youtubers are trying to sell us the newer cases with more acrylic glass panels than the windows in my room. Appreciate the video.
@@j377yb33n unfortunately I don't think the masses agree or else (most) every modern case wouldn't have a glass side panel. I'm still running my Thermaltake Overseer.
@@zeke7515 i'm running glass on the side, but i made sure i had enough room to get a case with a front bay and space for airflow. I feel like there's definitely room to have more of a metal side panel in some cases, allowing side vents around the psu shroud where you could mount fans to pull even a bit of air up towards the gpu. there's no real need for every case to have an entire side with glass if there's a psu shroud.
They should make a tunnel so the bottom front fan that blows into nowhere under the psu shroud gets its air redirected to come out of the psu shroud and onto the GPU.
@@SpaceXplorer13 No but I feel compelled to buy extra crap or spend tons of extra time re routing the wires because I never like the way it looks. I'd rather side panels because I don't think about it if I can't see it. Needless to say. I have a windowed case with shroud. My GPU lights up with the MSI logo there are no extra LEDs anywhere. I actually feel ok but in the past, I always felt I had to buy LEDs and other crap.
I also prefer and miss the good old solid metal sidepanel. its simply lighter, more durable, easier to transport, less hassle with cables, more sleek looking. only Fractal and Be quiet offer solid panel options anymore, and its a travesty. Tempered glass is a pain to manufacture, to transport and drives prices up for unnecessary eyecandy. sure there are crap budget cases without but I want good build quality and internal features.
I think the reason why many like the old cases more than the new ones is because they are made for a purpose. It's kinda like looking at a race car where everything is aimed towards performance rather than a normal sportscar where spoilers etc. are more of a fashion statement. My first self-build/modified PC was using a old Supermicro Server case, basically just a big empty box after removing some proprietary nonsense inside. I still use it today, since it's kinda beat up and wouldn't sell, but it's most likely gonna get turned into a NAS or something, because it's too narrow for GPU power connectors at the front (looking at it from the open panel). For those that found the case interesting, you might also be interested in the "Stacker".
Still have mine. I've reorganized, added fans, all kinds of stuff. Excellent case. Just wish I knew where the front panel my disk drive replaced is. I'd totally put a fan there.
I built my first computer in a rather large Antec SX1030 case sometime in 2001. I won't bore you the specs but when I hit the power button for the first time, blue flame briefly shot out of the back of the power supply! That was a noise I'll never forget. None of the other components were damaged and the computer worked fine after replacing the power supply. The SX1030 was a humongous case which I used for nearly a decade before building a new PC in an Antec Skeleton about a decade later. The SX1030 is still being used by a family member today but will be retired soon while I'm still using the Skeleton.
i was a huge fan of the storm scout, Lian li dragonlord and p50 armorsuit. I remember the antec 900 and thermaltake armor being like some of the archetypes.
Hi, I am using the Cooler Master CM690 II Advanced USB3 for about 8 years & it is a great case. The ONLY issue with it in 2022 is that it has a max of 300mm space for a GPU.. I am looking to remove the top 2 3.5" drive bays to make more room... & yes I still use the 5.25" bays for a Blu-ray
Coolermaster cases from the mid 2000's were amazing. Not so fancy as now with little extra room, but fantastic air flow and plenty of expansion. I wish I could find a modern case that offered the drive bays(both 5.25 and 3.5) and the no frills full open front, and maybe a side intake or two.
Ah the nostalgia! My first case was the first CM 690, with the bare steel interior. It was such an amazing case. Built like a tank. Wish I still had it
I am still actively using my 690 with the bare steel interior, and it needs to be said that the non-metal components of the case have not aged well. Every single drive rack has shattered due to turning brittle with age, and so have all the blue plastic locks on the rear panel. Still using the original fan in the front though, still going strong, and the rest of the case seems to be just fine.
Being the computer guy in the family/ among friends, I find myself plugging in a lot of hard drives to test. That external sata port could really be handy.
One of my fav cases to build in back in the day! Good trip down memory lane! (my Youngest brother still has one that I have rebuilt a couple of times) Good review Demetri!
I like 5.25" bays, not just for having an optical drive just in case, but also because they can house many other things like watercooling, hot swap bays, fan controllers, and all those great things they made in the early 2000's like ashtrays, speakers, aquariums. Rocking a Corsair 500R myself, bought after HC review of course! (And modded with glass sidepanel and vertical GPU)
I build custom pcs all the time but I still use my cm690 for my personal builds. Best case I ever came across. A bit dated now, but for airflow, large gfx and e-sata it was the best in class. I don't use optical drives any longer but use 2 x 5.25" bays for hot-swapping SSDs and usb 3.0 hub. I'd instantly buy new version of this case that took on some of the modern changes. Specific things they could do - keep the bay space but have modular cages so you can use less than 4 x 5.25" bays if you want - maybe mount radiator or take extra long gfx. - indent mainboard panel for cable running and SSD placements - psu housing and cable management - easy magnetic filter replacement - upgrade the e-sata hotswap to latest version. This is a brilliant design idea and much needed on modern cases that use external SSD caddies which are limited by USB speeds.
Editor, what was the background song you used at the beginning? I tried to get it to pick up only music listening software and couldn't get it to register and really want to add it to one of my playlists.
The first computer case I built something in was a massive, beige full tower my father and I bought at CompUSA in the 90s. We lugged that thing all the way home. To this day I haven't seen a case that big outside of industrial or server environments. That case was a nightmare to work in. 100% steel, tons of edges that hadn't been de-burred or rounded off in any way. It was a relief to finally be done with that computer. It died during a power surge 7 or 8 years later.
My first build was in 2017 with an bitfenix aegis in red, which I bought used at a pc shop. It came with 4 red led fans. Loved its look, straight outta some sci-fi movie.
@@MemeScreen yea. True. I like the corsair carbide 200R - it's a pretty case (7 -8 years old too I guess) . But the Amazon seller isn't giving a fair prize
Tempered glass panels are disgusting. Who the hell needs a glass for a sleeper build anyway? I could even imagine somebody build a sleeper PC with vital RGB parts inside completely opaque PC lol.
my current workstation is STILL in my cooler master 690 II. I currently run a 3700x with 64gb ram, corsair hx1200i, use a noctua nh-d15 (which is still perfectly compatible with this case), and a 2080ti (because nobody is willing to sell me a 3090 it seems). the one additional thing that you didn't note about the solid side panel from the 690 II is the 2 additional side panel fan mounts. the top one is blocked by my cpu cooler, but the lower one I have a 140mm fan mounted which blows cool air directly in the path of my gpu which improves the airflow dynamics considerably. - I also have 2 140mm fans on top exhausting warm air, the stock fan in the front is still there and is still doing a great job, as is the rear. You don't really find too many cases that have a mesh front panel anymore. it seems that case manufacturers today really want to cut off airflow wherever they can in exchange for looks... solid glass side panels instead of a fan mount, solid front panels instead of mesh that you can pull air through... - and in terms of storage, I currently have 4 4tb hard drives, 3 2.5" ssd's, and an m.2 boot ssd. 2 of the 2.5" ssd's are in 2.5 to 3.5" adapters that came with them, one of them just kind of hangs out in the top sata bay, but i'm not beyond eventually mounting it with some double-sided tape to the bottom of the 5.25" bays. - speaking of which, I have a blu-ray/dvd-rw drive in the top bay that I use to rip purchased blu-ray movies to my NAS/plex server. this allows for SIGNIFICANTLY higher quality video playback than what you get with streaming services, so yeah, I still buy blu-rays. the only reason I could see upgrading my case at this point would be for custom liquid cooling, which I'd really like to do eventually... and yeah, tempered glass side panels can look really nice, but at the end of the day I'd much rather be using my sweet wicked fast computer than looking inside of it (not that they are mutually exclusive) *shrug* - I've actually had a difficult time recently finding reasonably priced tower cases that fit a large number of hard drives for building freenas/truenas servers. it's the most effective way to build an incredibly robust NAS at home these days.
I love old cases The new cases is not for me I rather get a older cooler master than rgb crap with glass and stuff Not even 5.25 bay Yeah you have a DVD drive card reader and a fan controller but thats it But eh you dont need a fan controller and dvd drive But i wouldn't say no to SD card reader reader and hot swappable hdd slot Thats what i want built in today replace esata with regular sata
This the case I 'worked up to' after I started building my own PCs in 2008. It still serves me well and has been home to several setups. I am getting the upgrade bug again and want to modernize but I love this old ship!
I ran my 690 for 10 years! Was my first full build as well. The one major issue with it was the offset mounting for the radiator and fans on top, but the top vent wasn't offset, so you literally couldn't close it properly with normal width fans on top. Such a silly oversight. I just built a new PC and went to a Phanteks P400A. Slightly smaller and arguably more aesthetically pleasing with equal or better airflow. I like the simple design and plenty of ventilation like the 690. Fun case to bring back!
5:10 Optical drive bays can be used for multicard readers for example. I've been searching for a compact-sh case that would have a single optical drive bay at the bottom, in front of power supply where it wouldn't interfere with fans that feed the CPU with air. Single internal device to write the memory cards and to use a smart card would be a blessing instead of several external ones I now have
The increased speeds of newer USB standards have probably played a huge role when it comes to case designs. A lot of things where we use external USB connected variants today previously had to fit inside the case. Things like HDDs, Optical drives, capture cards, sound cards etc. etc. all have external options today. When it comes to optical drives it's made the biggest difference as flash memory has replaced the use of optical media for media consumption and portable storage and even if you do still use an optical drive, like I do from time to time, you can just use an external drive instead.
CM 690 II Advanced with side window was case design far ahead of its time. With its high airflow design, X-Dock for hot-swapping SATA HDD/SSDs, loads of space for fans (I have 9 Noctua fans installed), LED fan light controls, space to install 6 HDD + 1 SSD (or 5 SSDs), not to mention USB3 and those 5.25" drive bays for your sensor control panel and other retro goodies - what more could you ask for! This case was my part of my primary PC build right up till 2018. Still using it today for a budget build sporting 1st gen Core i7-930 on X58 mobo with GTX980, which my 6 year old son used for WoT gaming with his older brother.
I just replaced my original first version 690 with a Meshify 2, yesterday. Something about the Meshify just reminded me of all the reasons I got the 690 all those years ago.
My very first case was the Corsair Obsidian Series 450D and I LOVED that case soooo much. I swapped it out for the Corsair Crystal 460X a little over a year ago to make my system fit the theme of more modern cases but it just doesn't scratch that same itch my 450D did. That's why I'm planning on swapping to the 4000D because it's the perfect 2020 refresh of my 450D with huge front mesh, tempered glass, a clean look and a nice PSU shroud.
Still have my 692 adv II from 2012 though my brother is using it, one of the best case I have ever owned, build like a tank even the USB ports.... Thanks for the great video, appreciate the hard work on this!
I build alot of "retro" PCs and I build in these big OG cases and I love them but also hate them. It is so cool to see what features stay and go and how much yet little cases change over the years!
I still have and still use my 690 II advanced in all black, ive done some mods to improve it over the years. I've cut out the entire bottom and added 2x120mm fans for bottom intake and moved the PSU to a front mount setup, Cut down the hhd area to the top 3 so the psu fits under it, shortened the length of the rubber feet to improve air flow intake for modded fan locations and added 4x L brackets in each corner and had a glass panel made up for it so i have the full glass side panel. Also re painted the 2 strips that run down the top and down the front to the bottom to a nice dark red to match my ring fans. I also use the hot swap spot as a USB/ SD card holder so i can always find them :) Its a really good base case for modders who want to tinker. i have looked at newer cases but i just cant find anythat that i'm 100% happy with, wether its a full panel front that restrics air flow, bad layout, or just something i dont like, they just dont seem to tick all the boxes anymore.
this type of video is really cool, tha advancements in case industry are not big and groundbreaking so they don't get that much attention. A video like this makes us realise how much it has grown.
I have the CM690 Centurion and after 13 years, I took my I5-650 build out for a R9 7900X build. The case is very robust, and still holds up to this day. It lacks the see through panels but there's plenty of mesh for LEDs and RGB fans. I have an LED strip on the way from Amazon and I have two more fans for the front mesh. It currently has 6 fans total and my Ryzen 9 7900X runs at 31 Celsius at idle temps. I'm happy with it.
The CM690 actually has been updated. The newest version is called the MasterBox CM694. Similar overall curved mesh front, and the internals also have lots of support for storage with up to 8 2.5" enclosures! I have the CM690 III with the side acrylic panel and I really like it, and was considering the CM694 for my new build.
Hey, this is the v2 of the 690, till this day, i am still using the v1 of the 690, it is my first "expensive" case that i have bought since 11 years ago. Kudos!
17 years here! I bought the old school 690 on Black Friday 2007 at a CompUSA before they went under. It has followed me through three builds. Currently serving as my media server. Would love to get my hands on the CM694, but that requires a tunnel to Canada right now.
Woah! I remember this one. I literally bought this case because of this channels review. Now I have a fractal design but this one gives me the nostalgia!
I had that case for 8 years and I just built my upgraded pc in it, with some mods: I attached some magnetic tape to the dust filters to make them easily accessible, built a power supply shroud out of plexy, and made some cuts and riveted some metal I order to fit three fans on the front. To me, still one great looking case. Also, the radiator compatibility is 240 on top (no 280) AND 240 in the bottom, with a short enough psu
I just replaced my 9 year old CM 690 II with a Corsair 4000D. It has served me well all those years, but I must say, I’m glad I upgraded to a new one. The features on the new cases are just so great, and it’s so easy to build in.
My 690 II Plus case with 2 3.0 ports on the front and back is still in use to this very moment. And thanks to this video, I don't think i'll plan on replacing it any time soon :D
I remember when a friend and I build our PC's at the same time, he went for a CM 690 II and I choosed a LianLi A71F. Good times. (still love my case and will keep it for many builds)
Cooler Master Haf-X in 2011. I had an Antec Lanboy in 2005 but a friend built that for me. The Haf-X was huge and roomy. Loved the massive fans it supported and loads of drive bays. Wouldn't use it again in 2020 as it didn't have AIO radiator support. The 5.25" drive bays and HD drive bays are dated. Like Dimitri said, I too have noticed that most manufactures don't support them anymore. For my next PC I am planning on ditching as much as possible on the inside to have the most options options available to me from case/cooling perspective. This has meant grabbing OWC's external 5.25" drive enclosure and connecting my 4k UHD drive to my PC via usb -- no big deal. Furthermore, I have focused on grabbing Nvme drives for fast storage (directly in the mobo) and external, USB connected drives for colder storage to get all of the HDDs and SSDs out of the PC chassis.
I'm still using my CM HAF 932 blue edition. I also still have my CM Centurion 534, only reason I still have it is, it was my first time MODing a case. I blacked out the inside and cut out a window in the side panel and used RTV 732 to attach a acrylic window. I used to be the poster child for Cooler Master until Corsair came out with the 760T witch also led to me installing my workhorse PC in a 750D. My oldest slowest PC lives in the CM HAF 932.
My first build was the Cooler Master HAF X. In fact that case still lives on in my friend's first PC build. He needed a case but didn't have a lot of budget, so I told him to take what he would spend on the case and put into better hardware and that he could have my old HAF X because I wasn't using it. It's still a damn fine case in my opinion and I would love to see a refresh.
Can't even remember what the brand of my first case was, all I remember is it was beige full tower case with terrible airflow. Cases have definitely improved in the last 18 years.
The 2020, you say.. They had a CM 694. The point is that that case has 2 5.25" bays, a huge amount of hard drive space, and bigger radiator support with a catch of being Japan-only. Go figure, right? Well it's because of data hoarding practices there, people still use a lot of physical drives and it's quite popular there afaik. It was revealed during CES 2019 iirc and it got some media coverage from Gamers Nexus and several other resources. The thread on reddit about it said that if there is enough interest, releasing it in the western market will be considered but no luck. Still rocking this case in the form of 690 II Advanced USB 3 edition, with 2 fans on the side panel helping with exhaust. What I want from an enclosure is support for big multiple radiators (360, maybe 420), slots for 3.5", and more than 2, preferably more than 4, decent IO with no less than 4 usb ports, and decent filters optionally. The only one that comes even near is O11 Air but that is simply not available ever in my region, and delivering it here doubles the price. This old chap.. it holds well enough for it's age imo. Currently only trouble I have with it is the useless 5.25" bays, lack of radiator space, and then inability to fit 140s everywhere / more than 1 120 at the front. Interestingly, with my edition of this case, you can put a 140 at the front, 2 140s on top, 1 120 in the back, 1 140 at the bottom, 1 120 behind the drive cage, yes, there is a mount on the drive cage. 2 120s on the side, and a 80 on the other side. ... and the noise will throw you off the earth. Also, rubber which they use for hard drive mounts dries and then just shatters after a while so it becomes a vibro-mount, not vibration-less :D
I recently upgraded to a white 4000d airflow from my old 760t that served me well thanks to the HC review of the others in the line. Very first case I built in was an Antec 1200 that is still going strong housing a modern PC for my brother. I am so glad I don't have to carry that thing around anymore lol.
every time when i saw he post a video on youtube, I just give him a thumbs up, one big reason is that he makes a super nice review, the camera angle and the lighting and editing are just amazing, the other reason is for Star Lord.
My previous build was in an Antec 300 Illusion for years, until an unfortunate accident involving a teenager and a skateboard. So I used it with a smashed front panel for a few years until a friend of my son gave me a partial build he gave up on. It was just an NZXT S340 Elite with an Asus X370 mobo and an EVGA PSU in it and an old laptop hdd. I sold the mobo and PSU and slapped my old build in the S340. It now resides in the living room hooked to the TV.
The CS 601 was my very first tower, painted in metallic blue and with a frontdoor. Right after, this CS 601 became a legend in the 90's. Today; I still stick with my Black Raven big tower, with decent Polycarbonat side window and 180 degress turned motherboard for optimised airflow :-)
Nice review. I really miss the days, this type of case was the standard for Cooler Master. This is the best case series from Cooler Master. Ever. These things are like battle tanks. Sturdy, reliable, beautiful, simple but not too minimalistic. A classic. The 690 v4 is a beautiful case, but they just won't release it in white, they keep reducing the number of 5,25 bays. Why cant they just make a modular system where the user can just add more 5,25 drive cages and remove internal drive bays as he/she needs? Maybe we could make a petition and ask Cooler Master to make more versions of the 690.
I'm still using my trusty old HAF 932 that's housed my previous build for 11 years now (Yeah, I'm amazed how that setup lasted for ten years). Still works like a charm. Only downside with it is that the fan noise is a bit loud. I really noticed that a year ago after making my new build with the P400A, it's a lot more quiet. I used the original CM 690 for a build in about 2008/9, sadly enough that got stolen, but I remember I was quite satisfied with that case back then.
This was my very first chassis too. I bought it in 2010 and only upgraded to a Define R5 in 2017. Great case without great airflow for the time. It also looked smart and sleek. I still have her in my garage :)
I was cleaning my CM 690 II today after very long time and I was thinking again of upgrading to 4000D or similar one and now this video popped up showing both. Instant click! I'm glad to see I wasn't wrong with buying CM and actually today after about 9 years I even found out features I didn't know it had! 😁 But I have to agree, those colored cables are awful and there was a design and functionality improvement during last 10 years. I can't complain, it's a good case but I'll be upgrading all hardware once GPUs are back in stock, so I have to say goodbye 😞 and who needs optical drive? I used it only once for first Windows install, so that speaks for itself. As always, great video Dmitry! 👍 Love your content
I have made myself a NAS desktop pc with new parts today. The funny thing is that I purchased everything new except for the case. I re-used my old CM 690 Advanced II (USB 3.0 version). I was about to order a new case online but I couldn’t really find a decent cheap case with enough hard drive bays for storage and a build quality that equals the CM 690 II. So it got me thinking, what if I’d just use my old case. It’s got decent airflow even in 2021 and the external sata bay for 2,5” and 3,5” is super useful. I still love this case as much as I did when I purchased it! (November or December 2012)
First case was the Antec 900 and I loved that case for the time. I still have it out in my garage and when I see it I think about how much better the cases now are. I thought about doing something with it but we'll see.
I'm an old-fashioned soul. I am totally fine with ketchup and mustard cables, and acrylic side panels. I found a dusty stack of floppy disks the other day and it was a trip down memory lane in more ways than one when I plugged in a USB floppy drive and heard that springy click, the whirr-whirr-whirrrr... and that really satisfying tactile feel when you eject the disk and it shoots out and the disks are just the right shape and size that you can easily swap them out with one hand, and... Man. Good times. And then I checked after I finished copying everything to my laptop and it was only something like 15-20 MB across three dozen floppies, lol.
Dimitri, I first built my own PC in 2012 with a Rosewill knock off of the CM 690 II. My second system I built in 2018 has a Corsair 400C which is similar to the new 4000D. If I were doing a new build today I would very much likely use the 4000D Airflow though. The white really stands out and I like it a lot.
![Seungmin "그렇게, 천천히, 우리(As we are)" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/kAzmhLHePqU/mqdefault.jpg)
I'm still using that case right now with a 9900K system. Here are some notes from my use of almost 10 years, in addition to what you've already covered:
-I have the black, non-windowed, non-Advanced version and mine does have two extra fan spots on the side panel, more on them later.
-Front drive bays are actually partially removeable and that lets you use a 240mm radiator at the bottom of the case. Not that I've ever done that.
-The main reason I'm still using the case are those drive bays. It's so hard to find a case today that supports 6 3.5" drives (I have 4x HDDs and an SSD)
-CPU cooler support is great if you're into giant air coolers. There's enough space to install pretty much anything made today, another are which most cases struggle these days.
-Since mine has a fan slot for 140mm fans on the side panel, I can supply fresh air to the GPU and the NVME which is directly underneath. I prefer this to having a clear tempered glass or acrylic side panel.
-I'm about to mod the front optical drive bay and install a 120mm or 140mm, feeding fresh air to the CPU.
I have no plans to replace the case anytime soon since it looks great even today and performs just well. Having a hard time that'd support all the drives I have along with the tall cooler I have on the 9900K (Windale 6) also discourages me from looking for an alternative, just to get what? 1C drop in CPU temperature?
I've used the CM 690 II Advanced white for my 9600kf build, and it has not disappointed me! It has plenty of space for 3.5" and 5.25" drives which is essential for me and I actually rather like the looks despite my friends saying it looks like an air-con unit.
First watches Hardware Canucks.
Now hosts Hardware Canucks.
Livin' the dream!
Day 5 of replying to marco (twice today again)
I thought he owns this channel,,,
@@weslenne352 The owner is third person on camera (maybe Mike). But I thought this guy created it
I still use optical drives, so yes it upsets me they are disappearing. I wish they would at least sneak in a slim ODD slot in some cases. Drive bays are also good for hot swap HDD cages, which I also use.
Or 5.25” bay reservoirs. Still running a XSPC bay res D5 combo
The only optical drives worth using in 2020 are BluRay drives. Why wast time and money backing up data on a puny 4.7GB DvD when you can back 50GB-250GB of data on one BluRay disc?
@@angrysocialjusticewarrior Could be they just have existing media on DvD's instead of needing to back stuff up on them
@@angrysocialjusticewarrior That not why most people use optical drives. They use them to playback pre-recorded media or they have a need to burn a music CD or Video to DVD. Just because you don't see the need for it doesn't mean that the rest of us don't.
Why not just switch to external drives? I'm glad the drive bays are gone for airflow reasons.
Only seen the first 10 seconds, but I already like the case.
Why? Because it still has 5.25" bays in the front. Perfect for adding extra USB and SD-card slot expansions.
It is something I miss on many modern cases, especially with the built-in front IO getting more and more lackluster.
Can’t argue with that
yes exactly, the reason why i just cant have a 'modern' case
I als love 5.25“ bays in cases. Not only (but also) for more front I/O but especially for 5.25“ ODD‘s like a DVD or Blu Ray burner.
@@peterenis4107 Dvd? What year is it?
If you looking for a newish case with 5.25 drive bays, have a look at the Deepcool Tesseract. It has a decent amount drive bays of all sizes and they all tool less. Recently rebuilty dads pc in this case and he loves it and it was well priced here in South Africa
Mine is still going strong, having had 3 builds inside it! Dont ever plan on changing! I use optical drives day to do so this is one of the main reason for it!
Just had to replace my 690 case a few weeks ago... after almost 12 years of use. I could have kept it longer but the rattle was getting a bit loud...
No longer using it, still have the 690 in my room. One day I'll do something with it again like a budget build for someone.
Back in the day I actually enjoyed side panels with acrylic. As a poor guy just starting out in life, it felt good knowing that I could drop the panel by mistake and not have it shatter on me.
And boy did I drop those panels more times than I care to admit...
I'm using one of the last cases with an acrylic side panel, before they started putting tempered glass everywhere, and also blocking airflow.. really happy with my mastercase 5 pro, and there really haven't been a lot of interesting new cases until recently
@@PureRushXevus I also had one of them... it's a great case! My first CM case was a Cooler Master Scout... not only it had acrylic on the side panel, it also had 2 fan slots on the acrylic!
Fuck glass... Glass is glass and glass can break
@@2muchjpop And costs more, weighs more.. :p
@@DanielPereira-vc9ms The older cases with fans on the side panel were a bit of a mixed bag though, since airflow on some of them were really not thought through :P
It was just "more fans = better cooling, right?"
CM690 (2007) is a legend!
Gonna put an RX6900XT
That's the one I'm still rocking :) love that case
I recently retired my original 690
I had the 590, I wish they made a 590 II that thing was awesome
Still rocking my CM690 hoping to upgrade my GPU first 🔥
10 years ago? My case was the Antec 1200 full tower with up to 9 drives capacity and I still use it to this day. Its being used as a just giant NAS server with 100TB of storage capacity.
cool no one asked
@@Cinadel cool, no one important replied.
It was a great big case! And great option the side intake fan, to cool down the gpu.
My first case was a Corsair 600t, but it was 2012.
Loved my antec 300. The antec series were great
@@Cinadel no one has to ask for it to be said.
My HAF X is still going strong. It is getting replaced soon though, I am doing a completely new build in February.
Half 912 here. 9 years and still going strong, although the mesh front which is metal has rusted. Airflow and temps are still phenomenal!
Mine is still going strong since 2012 and running as a Windows 7 retro gaming machine but its a dust vacuum. Bought demciflex dust filters for the front intake which helps and fan controller so that I can turn off the top 2x200mm fans. Added Haf-932 Special Edition side panel window which helped modernized the look.
I finally replaced my CM Storm Trooper (silly name ik) with a p600s. Even though it's smaller, it has more room somehow XD. I like my new case so much.
That was my dream case back in 2013 when I was looking for new cases. Eventually went with a Corsair 750d though.
@@WyattOShea - oh yeah, I remember Corsair were like the fancy cases back then, elegant and with good features.
I got my NVIDIA edition 690 about 6 years ago with a used old build. Originally had a i7 960 in it. Since then its had 4 different builds of mine. Now it has a 10900k 3080 build in it and it's as glorious as ever
I'm still rocking my Antec 900! Cable management is abysmal, but theres plenty of space and tons of airflow! I updated my hardware in March, but still havnt had a need or desire to change cases yet!
I still have one of these as well. I did a new build 2 years ago but I kept the Antec 900 to use for a home server since it has a good amount of 3.5 inch bays with great airflow for my hard drives. Not much room for cable management but its an older case so I don't really mind.
I have one too its the best case for airflow I have seen personally. Mine is an OG model from 2006.
Dremel the thing. I did to mine. Flipped the psu upside down after I cut a hole in the bottom, drilled a few holes in the side, routed wires... Was perfect. Not a single cable out of place or in sight.
I had the black version also, used this case for over 10 years, fantastic case. I went with a Cooler Master case again for my new build. Great video
I'm still using the successor CM 690 III which I purchased as a result of the Hardware Canucks video review!
My dad's PC also finds its home inside a CM 690 II Advanced. Gotta say, I'm still a (200mm) fan of these cases.
Didn't know this channel has been active for over 10 years. Excellent.
Yooo I'm still reppjng my CM690ii! I was just thinking of upgrading cause all the cool kids have nice cases. This was a nice reminder that it's still solid!
Same here haha!
Don't give in to the square rectangle case meme
Me too :))))
I could have built my new PC and used my 690, but wanted to keep my old build together. Went to a Phanteks P400A which I prefer overall.
I built my first dreamer rig in a Cooler Master HAF 922. That was back in 2011 or so, cost me around $2600 back then. Asus P6X58D-E motherboard, i7 950, 24gb ddr3 ... I went all out (almost). 2 years ago I was gonna build a nice gamer and I searched for a nice case but I ended up just refreshing my HAF 922, didn't find anything to my liking to replace it. Case still looks like new, got a BlueRay writer, three hot swap hdd bays, and plenty of space for whatever I wanna throw inside. Of course the insides are kept reasonably up to date, i7 8700k, 32gb ddr4 3600mhz ram, z390 motherboard, Samsung 970pro NVME, a couple Samsung 860 ssds, three 8TB hdds, RTX 2070 Super and the case looks better than ever. Thanks for sharing, I enjoy your videos a lot.
The four 5.25" bays is totally legit from this era. You'd have two optical drivers for making copies of CDs/DVDs. Storage space was still a premium so doing a direct disc-to-disc copy was more common (and faster) than ripping one full image to disk and then writing it back out again. Then fan controller, & card reader make a case for the other two. Also keeping in mind it wasn't uncommon to throw in like a triple slot HDD adapter into those to fit another 5 or so HDD's in.
Thanks for this video, Dimitri. I have this case too and the modifications I made have made it up to date with today's standards. Thanks a lot for this review. Most other mainstream tech youtubers are trying to sell us the newer cases with more acrylic glass panels than the windows in my room. Appreciate the video.
I miss side cutouts for fans. Of all the time to need fresh air on your GPU....
side cut outs and expansion bays are still missed
@@j377yb33n unfortunately I don't think the masses agree or else (most) every modern case wouldn't have a glass side panel. I'm still running my Thermaltake Overseer.
@@zeke7515 i'm running glass on the side, but i made sure i had enough room to get a case with a front bay and space for airflow.
I feel like there's definitely room to have more of a metal side panel in some cases, allowing side vents around the psu shroud where you could mount fans to pull even a bit of air up towards the gpu. there's no real need for every case to have an entire side with glass if there's a psu shroud.
@@zeke7515 You say that like we even have a choice
They should make a tunnel so the bottom front fan that blows into nowhere under the psu shroud gets its air redirected to come out of the psu shroud and onto the GPU.
Yup..back in the day. *Looking at my black CM 690II still housing my main pc* Those where the days
Solid side panels are getting hard to find. I miss those. Everything is now windowed whether you want it or not.
Privacy issues for the components?
@@SpaceXplorer13 No but I feel compelled to buy extra crap or spend tons of extra time re routing the wires because I never like the way it looks. I'd rather side panels because I don't think about it if I can't see it. Needless to say. I have a windowed case with shroud. My GPU lights up with the MSI logo there are no extra LEDs anywhere. I actually feel ok but in the past, I always felt I had to buy LEDs and other crap.
I also prefer and miss the good old solid metal sidepanel. its simply lighter, more durable, easier to transport, less hassle with cables, more sleek looking. only Fractal and Be quiet offer solid panel options anymore, and its a travesty. Tempered glass is a pain to manufacture, to transport and drives prices up for unnecessary eyecandy. sure there are crap budget cases without but I want good build quality and internal features.
I think the reason why many like the old cases more than the new ones is because they are made for a purpose.
It's kinda like looking at a race car where everything is aimed towards performance rather than a normal sportscar where spoilers etc. are more of a fashion statement.
My first self-build/modified PC was using a old Supermicro Server case, basically just a big empty box after removing some proprietary nonsense inside.
I still use it today, since it's kinda beat up and wouldn't sell, but it's most likely gonna get turned into a NAS or something, because it's too narrow for GPU power connectors at the front (looking at it from the open panel).
For those that found the case interesting, you might also be interested in the "Stacker".
Still have mine. I've reorganized, added fans, all kinds of stuff. Excellent case. Just wish I knew where the front panel my disk drive replaced is. I'd totally put a fan there.
I shoved a 140mm rad where the optical drive once went in my CM690II
I drilled the drive cage out of mine D:
It was worth it much better air flow.
I built my first computer in a rather large Antec SX1030 case sometime in 2001. I won't bore you the specs but when I hit the power button for the first time, blue flame briefly shot out of the back of the power supply! That was a noise I'll never forget. None of the other components were damaged and the computer worked fine after replacing the power supply.
The SX1030 was a humongous case which I used for nearly a decade before building a new PC in an Antec Skeleton about a decade later. The SX1030 is still being used by a family member today but will be retired soon while I'm still using the Skeleton.
This was the ultimate case when I first started this hobby in 2009.
i was a huge fan of the storm scout, Lian li dragonlord and p50 armorsuit. I remember the antec 900 and thermaltake armor being like some of the archetypes.
Hi, I am using the Cooler Master CM690 II Advanced USB3 for about 8 years & it is a great case. The ONLY issue with it in 2022 is that it has a max of 300mm space for a GPU.. I am looking to remove the top 2 3.5" drive bays to make more room... & yes I still use the 5.25" bays for a Blu-ray
Coolermaster cases from the mid 2000's were amazing. Not so fancy as now with little extra room, but fantastic air flow and plenty of expansion. I wish I could find a modern case that offered the drive bays(both 5.25 and 3.5) and the no frills full open front, and maybe a side intake or two.
So much nostalgia. The CM 690 II was my first case as well. It was used to house a Phenom II x4 955, 8gb of DDR3 and an HD5770.
Is it bad that I still use my same pc?
I still demand at least one optical drive bay in my case
Love you bud. Thanks for the years of commitment and HARD work❤ forward we move!
I still own the black one, BEST CASE EVER.
So silent, so clean, so sober.
Ah the nostalgia! My first case was the first CM 690, with the bare steel interior. It was such an amazing case. Built like a tank. Wish I still had it
I am still actively using my 690 with the bare steel interior, and it needs to be said that the non-metal components of the case have not aged well. Every single drive rack has shattered due to turning brittle with age, and so have all the blue plastic locks on the rear panel. Still using the original fan in the front though, still going strong, and the rest of the case seems to be just fine.
Being the computer guy in the family/ among friends, I find myself plugging in a lot of hard drives to test. That external sata port could really be handy.
You guys do the best tech reviews. My favorite youtube tech channel. Thanks!
Gonna tell my kids he's Chris pratt
Dmitri is far way better actor than Chris Pratt
Star lord, crossed with the immortal iron fist
@@danburycollins yes
One of my fav cases to build in back in the day! Good trip down memory lane! (my Youngest brother still has one that I have rebuilt a couple of times) Good review Demetri!
I like 5.25" bays, not just for having an optical drive just in case, but also because they can house many other things like watercooling, hot swap bays, fan controllers, and all those great things they made in the early 2000's like ashtrays, speakers, aquariums.
Rocking a Corsair 500R myself, bought after HC review of course! (And modded with glass sidepanel and vertical GPU)
Wait, aquariums??? Where? 🧐
I build custom pcs all the time but I still use my cm690 for my personal builds. Best case I ever came across. A bit dated now, but for airflow, large gfx and e-sata it was the best in class. I don't use optical drives any longer but use 2 x 5.25" bays for hot-swapping SSDs and usb 3.0 hub. I'd instantly buy new version of this case that took on some of the modern changes.
Specific things they could do
- keep the bay space but have modular cages so you can use less than 4 x 5.25" bays if you want - maybe mount radiator or take extra long gfx.
- indent mainboard panel for cable running and SSD placements
- psu housing and cable management
- easy magnetic filter replacement
- upgrade the e-sata hotswap to latest version. This is a brilliant design idea and much needed on modern cases that use external SSD caddies which are limited by USB speeds.
Editor, what was the background song you used at the beginning? I tried to get it to pick up only music listening software and couldn't get it to register and really want to add it to one of my playlists.
Seconding this!
The first computer case I built something in was a massive, beige full tower my father and I bought at CompUSA in the 90s. We lugged that thing all the way home. To this day I haven't seen a case that big outside of industrial or server environments. That case was a nightmare to work in. 100% steel, tons of edges that hadn't been de-burred or rounded off in any way. It was a relief to finally be done with that computer. It died during a power surge 7 or 8 years later.
I'm still rocking my CM Storm Scout 2. 😅
My first build was in 2017 with an bitfenix aegis in red, which I bought used at a pc shop. It came with 4 red led fans. Loved its look, straight outta some sci-fi movie.
Ditch glass panels and aesthetics. We need more 5.25 inch bays
I want to buy them but only old overpriced stock is available.
@@MemeScreen yea. True. I like the corsair carbide 200R - it's a pretty case (7 -8 years old too I guess) . But the Amazon seller isn't giving a fair prize
@@nandulalkrishna923 I decided to go all out and got a 4u rack-mount case. Has 7 of them. Even if the design is old least they are still manufactured.
Tempered glass panels are disgusting. Who the hell needs a glass for a sleeper build anyway?
I could even imagine somebody build a sleeper PC with vital RGB parts inside completely opaque PC lol.
@@MemeScreen great. I too have a special place for rack mount cases and gears in my heart .
Couldn't find decommissioned enterprises gear in my place
Got a 690 ii. Cable management is nightmare but the rest is so good that I think it'll remain with be for,I guess, next 30 years.
Give me good airflow, side panel fans, and less RGB and tempered glass.
I cannot give you more than one upvote unfortunately... :/
I'm also sick of tempered glass panels.
Guess I am pro-RGB, anti-tempered glass person.
my current workstation is STILL in my cooler master 690 II. I currently run a 3700x with 64gb ram, corsair hx1200i, use a noctua nh-d15 (which is still perfectly compatible with this case), and a 2080ti (because nobody is willing to sell me a 3090 it seems). the one additional thing that you didn't note about the solid side panel from the 690 II is the 2 additional side panel fan mounts. the top one is blocked by my cpu cooler, but the lower one I have a 140mm fan mounted which blows cool air directly in the path of my gpu which improves the airflow dynamics considerably. - I also have 2 140mm fans on top exhausting warm air, the stock fan in the front is still there and is still doing a great job, as is the rear. You don't really find too many cases that have a mesh front panel anymore. it seems that case manufacturers today really want to cut off airflow wherever they can in exchange for looks... solid glass side panels instead of a fan mount, solid front panels instead of mesh that you can pull air through... - and in terms of storage, I currently have 4 4tb hard drives, 3 2.5" ssd's, and an m.2 boot ssd. 2 of the 2.5" ssd's are in 2.5 to 3.5" adapters that came with them, one of them just kind of hangs out in the top sata bay, but i'm not beyond eventually mounting it with some double-sided tape to the bottom of the 5.25" bays. - speaking of which, I have a blu-ray/dvd-rw drive in the top bay that I use to rip purchased blu-ray movies to my NAS/plex server. this allows for SIGNIFICANTLY higher quality video playback than what you get with streaming services, so yeah, I still buy blu-rays. the only reason I could see upgrading my case at this point would be for custom liquid cooling, which I'd really like to do eventually... and yeah, tempered glass side panels can look really nice, but at the end of the day I'd much rather be using my sweet wicked fast computer than looking inside of it (not that they are mutually exclusive) *shrug* - I've actually had a difficult time recently finding reasonably priced tower cases that fit a large number of hard drives for building freenas/truenas servers. it's the most effective way to build an incredibly robust NAS at home these days.
10 yrs old PC Case? How Dimitri keep all his cases?? Wow 🤣
Coolermaster lent him the case.
My first building experience was in my (still) current case; the Phanteks Enthoo Pro. It was actually you're review that made me buy it.
Similar story! I think mine is the Pro M, if that's even any different?
I love old cases
The new cases is not for me
I rather get a older cooler master than rgb crap with glass and stuff
Not even 5.25 bay
Yeah you have a DVD drive card reader and a fan controller but thats it
But eh you dont need a fan controller and dvd drive
But i wouldn't say no to SD card reader reader and hot swappable hdd slot
Thats what i want built in today replace esata with regular sata
Well mod your case. Plenty of old cases with hdd bays
@@keibohow69 i already have a cooler master haf 932 and I don't think i will upgrade any time soon
I even painted it
This the case I 'worked up to' after I started building my own PCs in 2008. It still serves me well and has been home to several setups. I am getting the upgrade bug again and want to modernize but I love this old ship!
10years ago cases were more functional...now only glass for aesthetics. My acutal case is 2011 cooler master stryker
i'm 31 and i know trust me ;)
I ran my 690 for 10 years! Was my first full build as well. The one major issue with it was the offset mounting for the radiator and fans on top, but the top vent wasn't offset, so you literally couldn't close it properly with normal width fans on top. Such a silly oversight. I just built a new PC and went to a Phanteks P400A. Slightly smaller and arguably more aesthetically pleasing with equal or better airflow. I like the simple design and plenty of ventilation like the 690. Fun case to bring back!
not first :)
Quite true
5:10 Optical drive bays can be used for multicard readers for example. I've been searching for a compact-sh case that would have a single optical drive bay at the bottom, in front of power supply where it wouldn't interfere with fans that feed the CPU with air.
Single internal device to write the memory cards and to use a smart card would be a blessing instead of several external ones I now have
The increased speeds of newer USB standards have probably played a huge role when it comes to case designs.
A lot of things where we use external USB connected variants today previously had to fit inside the case. Things like HDDs, Optical drives, capture cards, sound cards etc. etc. all have external options today.
When it comes to optical drives it's made the biggest difference as flash memory has replaced the use of optical media for media consumption and portable storage and even if you do still use an optical drive, like I do from time to time, you can just use an external drive instead.
CM 690 II Advanced with side window was case design far ahead of its time. With its high airflow design, X-Dock for hot-swapping SATA HDD/SSDs, loads of space for fans (I have 9 Noctua fans installed), LED fan light controls, space to install 6 HDD + 1 SSD (or 5 SSDs), not to mention USB3 and those 5.25" drive bays for your sensor control panel and other retro goodies - what more could you ask for! This case was my part of my primary PC build right up till 2018. Still using it today for a budget build sporting 1st gen Core i7-930 on X58 mobo with GTX980, which my 6 year old son used for WoT gaming with his older brother.
I just replaced my original first version 690 with a Meshify 2, yesterday. Something about the Meshify just reminded me of all the reasons I got the 690 all those years ago.
My very first case was the Corsair Obsidian Series 450D and I LOVED that case soooo much. I swapped it out for the Corsair Crystal 460X a little over a year ago to make my system fit the theme of more modern cases but it just doesn't scratch that same itch my 450D did. That's why I'm planning on swapping to the 4000D because it's the perfect 2020 refresh of my 450D with huge front mesh, tempered glass, a clean look and a nice PSU shroud.
Still have my 692 adv II from 2012 though my brother is using it, one of the best case I have ever owned, build like a tank even the USB ports....
Thanks for the great video, appreciate the hard work on this!
I build alot of "retro" PCs and I build in these big OG cases and I love them but also hate them.
It is so cool to see what features stay and go and how much yet little cases change over the years!
Seriously would like to see a review of the NZXT Phantom 820 - Its old but still keeps up with modern cases. Modded it looks sweet!
This is awesome, im still rockin my CM 690 Nvidia edition. Such a solid case.
Same here
I still have and still use my 690 II advanced in all black, ive done some mods to improve it over the years.
I've cut out the entire bottom and added 2x120mm fans for bottom intake and moved the PSU to a front mount setup, Cut down the hhd area to the top 3 so the psu fits under it, shortened the length of the rubber feet to improve air flow intake for modded fan locations and added 4x L brackets in each corner and had a glass panel made up for it so i have the full glass side panel.
Also re painted the 2 strips that run down the top and down the front to the bottom to a nice dark red to match my ring fans.
I also use the hot swap spot as a USB/ SD card holder so i can always find them :)
Its a really good base case for modders who want to tinker.
i have looked at newer cases but i just cant find anythat that i'm 100% happy with, wether its a full panel front that restrics air flow, bad layout, or just something i dont like, they just dont seem to tick all the boxes anymore.
this type of video is really cool, tha advancements in case industry are not big and groundbreaking so they don't get that much attention. A video like this makes us realise how much it has grown.
I have the CM690 Centurion and after 13 years, I took my I5-650 build out for a R9 7900X build. The case is very robust, and still holds up to this day. It lacks the see through panels but there's plenty of mesh for LEDs and RGB fans. I have an LED strip on the way from Amazon and I have two more fans for the front mesh. It currently has 6 fans total and my Ryzen 9 7900X runs at 31 Celsius at idle temps. I'm happy with it.
I am still using the exact same case! I wish I got the window sidepanel version though.
The CM690 actually has been updated. The newest version is called the MasterBox CM694. Similar overall curved mesh front, and the internals also have lots of support for storage with up to 8 2.5" enclosures! I have the CM690 III with the side acrylic panel and I really like it, and was considering the CM694 for my new build.
Hey, this is the v2 of the 690, till this day, i am still using the v1 of the 690, it is my first "expensive" case that i have bought since 11 years ago. Kudos!
17 years here! I bought the old school 690 on Black Friday 2007 at a CompUSA before they went under. It has followed me through three builds. Currently serving as my media server. Would love to get my hands on the CM694, but that requires a tunnel to Canada right now.
Nice, will you be reviewing the meshify 2?
I still got Coolermaster 690 III. This video made me wanna keep it for another few years.
Woah! I remember this one. I literally bought this case because of this channels review. Now I have a fractal design but this one gives me the nostalgia!
I had that case for 8 years and I just built my upgraded pc in it, with some mods: I attached some magnetic tape to the dust filters to make them easily accessible, built a power supply shroud out of plexy, and made some cuts and riveted some metal I order to fit three fans on the front. To me, still one great looking case.
Also, the radiator compatibility is 240 on top (no 280) AND 240 in the bottom, with a short enough psu
I'm still rocking the OG Cooler Master CM 690
I just replaced my 9 year old CM 690 II with a Corsair 4000D. It has served me well all those years, but I must say, I’m glad I upgraded to a new one. The features on the new cases are just so great, and it’s so easy to build in.
My 690 II Plus case with 2 3.0 ports on the front and back is still in use to this very moment. And thanks to this video, I don't think i'll plan on replacing it any time soon :D
I remember when a friend and I build our PC's at the same time, he went for a CM 690 II and I choosed a LianLi A71F. Good times. (still love my case and will keep it for many builds)
Cooler Master Haf-X in 2011. I had an Antec Lanboy in 2005 but a friend built that for me. The Haf-X was huge and roomy. Loved the massive fans it supported and loads of drive bays. Wouldn't use it again in 2020 as it didn't have AIO radiator support. The 5.25" drive bays and HD drive bays are dated. Like Dimitri said, I too have noticed that most manufactures don't support them anymore. For my next PC I am planning on ditching as much as possible on the inside to have the most options options available to me from case/cooling perspective. This has meant grabbing OWC's external 5.25" drive enclosure and connecting my 4k UHD drive to my PC via usb -- no big deal. Furthermore, I have focused on grabbing Nvme drives for fast storage (directly in the mobo) and external, USB connected drives for colder storage to get all of the HDDs and SSDs out of the PC chassis.
I'm still using my CM HAF 932 blue edition. I also still have my CM Centurion 534, only reason I still have it is, it was my first time MODing a case. I blacked out the inside and cut out a window in the side panel and used RTV 732 to attach a acrylic window. I used to be the poster child for Cooler Master until Corsair came out with the 760T witch also led to me installing my workhorse PC in a 750D. My oldest slowest PC lives in the CM HAF 932.
My first build was the Cooler Master HAF X. In fact that case still lives on in my friend's first PC build. He needed a case but didn't have a lot of budget, so I told him to take what he would spend on the case and put into better hardware and that he could have my old HAF X because I wasn't using it. It's still a damn fine case in my opinion and I would love to see a refresh.
The first case I built in a system, excellent for the time, and we're still using the top hot-swap bay in a couple of systems we have around at work
Can't even remember what the brand of my first case was, all I remember is it was beige full tower case with terrible airflow. Cases have definitely improved in the last 18 years.
The 2020, you say.. They had a CM 694. The point is that that case has 2 5.25" bays, a huge amount of hard drive space, and bigger radiator support with a catch of being Japan-only. Go figure, right? Well it's because of data hoarding practices there, people still use a lot of physical drives and it's quite popular there afaik. It was revealed during CES 2019 iirc and it got some media coverage from Gamers Nexus and several other resources. The thread on reddit about it said that if there is enough interest, releasing it in the western market will be considered but no luck.
Still rocking this case in the form of 690 II Advanced USB 3 edition, with 2 fans on the side panel helping with exhaust. What I want from an enclosure is support for big multiple radiators (360, maybe 420), slots for 3.5", and more than 2, preferably more than 4, decent IO with no less than 4 usb ports, and decent filters optionally.
The only one that comes even near is O11 Air but that is simply not available ever in my region, and delivering it here doubles the price.
This old chap.. it holds well enough for it's age imo. Currently only trouble I have with it is the useless 5.25" bays, lack of radiator space, and then inability to fit 140s everywhere / more than 1 120 at the front.
Interestingly, with my edition of this case, you can put a 140 at the front, 2 140s on top, 1 120 in the back, 1 140 at the bottom, 1 120 behind the drive cage, yes, there is a mount on the drive cage. 2 120s on the side, and a 80 on the other side.
... and the noise will throw you off the earth.
Also, rubber which they use for hard drive mounts dries and then just shatters after a while so it becomes a vibro-mount, not vibration-less :D
Still rocking a black CM 690, and filled it to brim with hard drives.
Now I can't find anything with as much drive bays 😕
I recently upgraded to a white 4000d airflow from my old 760t that served me well thanks to the HC review of the others in the line.
Very first case I built in was an Antec 1200 that is still going strong housing a modern PC for my brother. I am so glad I don't have to carry that thing around anymore lol.
every time when i saw he post a video on youtube, I just give him a thumbs up, one big reason is that he makes a super nice review, the camera angle and the lighting and editing are just amazing, the other reason is for Star Lord.
Really good video. I like the whole then & now aspect. Maybe do some other brands?
I love that they always show off these cases to have a tiny little plant hat on them
My previous build was in an Antec 300 Illusion for years, until an unfortunate accident involving a teenager and a skateboard. So I used it with a smashed front panel for a few years until a friend of my son gave me a partial build he gave up on. It was just an NZXT S340 Elite with an Asus X370 mobo and an EVGA PSU in it and an old laptop hdd. I sold the mobo and PSU and slapped my old build in the S340. It now resides in the living room hooked to the TV.
Man this makes me feel old. (first build was in a beige box, in the era of in-person computer shows held in fairgrounds. 5x86!)
The CS 601 was my very first tower, painted in metallic blue and with a frontdoor. Right after, this CS 601 became a legend in the 90's. Today; I still stick with my Black Raven big tower, with decent Polycarbonat side window and 180 degress turned motherboard for optimised airflow :-)
Nice review. I really miss the days, this type of case was the standard for Cooler Master. This is the best case series from Cooler Master. Ever.
These things are like battle tanks. Sturdy, reliable, beautiful, simple but not too minimalistic. A classic.
The 690 v4 is a beautiful case, but they just won't release it in white, they keep reducing the number of 5,25 bays.
Why cant they just make a modular system where the user can just add more 5,25 drive cages and remove internal drive bays as he/she needs?
Maybe we could make a petition and ask Cooler Master to make more versions of the 690.
I'm still using my trusty old HAF 932 that's housed my previous build for 11 years now (Yeah, I'm amazed how that setup lasted for ten years). Still works like a charm. Only downside with it is that the fan noise is a bit loud. I really noticed that a year ago after making my new build with the P400A, it's a lot more quiet. I used the original CM 690 for a build in about 2008/9, sadly enough that got stolen, but I remember I was quite satisfied with that case back then.
Please consider doing more of these, Cooler master scout and trooper (then and now)
I still have mine. I still use it. It's actually had several roles but for the past 3 years it's been housing my FreeNas backup system.
This was my very first chassis too. I bought it in 2010 and only upgraded to a Define R5 in 2017. Great case without great airflow for the time. It also looked smart and sleek. I still have her in my garage :)
I was cleaning my CM 690 II today after very long time and I was thinking again of upgrading to 4000D or similar one and now this video popped up showing both. Instant click! I'm glad to see I wasn't wrong with buying CM and actually today after about 9 years I even found out features I didn't know it had! 😁 But I have to agree, those colored cables are awful and there was a design and functionality improvement during last 10 years. I can't complain, it's a good case but I'll be upgrading all hardware once GPUs are back in stock, so I have to say goodbye 😞 and who needs optical drive? I used it only once for first Windows install, so that speaks for itself. As always, great video Dmitry! 👍 Love your content
I have made myself a NAS desktop pc with new parts today. The funny thing is that I purchased everything new except for the case. I re-used my old CM 690 Advanced II (USB 3.0 version). I was about to order a new case online but I couldn’t really find a decent cheap case with enough hard drive bays for storage and a build quality that equals the CM 690 II. So it got me thinking, what if I’d just use my old case. It’s got decent airflow even in 2021 and the external sata bay for 2,5” and 3,5” is super useful.
I still love this case as much as I did when I purchased it! (November or December 2012)
First case was the Antec 900 and I loved that case for the time. I still have it out in my garage and when I see it I think about how much better the cases now are. I thought about doing something with it but we'll see.
I'm an old-fashioned soul. I am totally fine with ketchup and mustard cables, and acrylic side panels. I found a dusty stack of floppy disks the other day and it was a trip down memory lane in more ways than one when I plugged in a USB floppy drive and heard that springy click, the whirr-whirr-whirrrr... and that really satisfying tactile feel when you eject the disk and it shoots out and the disks are just the right shape and size that you can easily swap them out with one hand, and... Man. Good times.
And then I checked after I finished copying everything to my laptop and it was only something like 15-20 MB across three dozen floppies, lol.
Dimitri, I first built my own PC in 2012 with a Rosewill knock off of the CM 690 II. My second system I built in 2018 has a Corsair 400C which is similar to the new 4000D. If I were doing a new build today I would very much likely use the 4000D Airflow though. The white really stands out and I like it a lot.