Introduction

I would like to thank CaseKing.de for supplying the review sample.

CaseKing is one of the few companies out there, which will not just sell anything. They only offer hardware that performs well and is of high quality. The shop carries quite a few exclusive parts and devices from all around the world and it is also the official distributor for a long list of well known manufacturers. Their assortment has grown substantially in recent years, while great service and support is still a very important part of the shop philosophy. The website may be in German, but due to great demand, an English version is in the works.


CaseKing has kindly sent us the Gladiator 600, which is one of the newest mainstream cases from Cooler Master. The name "Gladiator" is closely tied to the Centurion theme, which is the company's past family of mid-range cases. The question is, if Cooler Master managed to continue the success and great price / performance ratio with the new Gladiator.

Specifications:

Model:	Cooler Master Gladiator 600
Case Type:	Mid tower
Net Weight:	7 / 8.5 kg ; 15.4 / 18.7 pounds
Dimension (W x H x D):	202 x 440 x 485 mm ; 8 x 17.3 x 19.1 inches
Material:	SECC (case body) ; Mesh (front bazel) ; Electroplate (I/O Panel)
Color:	Black
Cooling System:	Top: 140 x 25 mm fan x 1 / 1200 RPM / 17 dBA (support 120 mm fan)Front: 120 x 25 mm Blue LED on / off fan x 1 / 1200 RPM / 19 dBA (support 140 mm fan)Side: 120 / 140 mm fan x 2 (optional)Rear: 120 mm fan x 1 (optional)
Motherboards:	Micro-ATX/ATX
Drive Bays:	5 x 5.25" Exposed (without the use of exposed 3.5 inch Drive Bay), 5x 3.5" Hidden & 1x 3.5" Exposed (converted from one 5.25 inch Drive Bay)
Front I/O:	USB2.0 x 2; eSATA x 1; Mic x 1; HD Audio+AC’97 x 1
Expansion Slots:	7 + 1

Packaging

The Gladiator 600 ships in the mainstream package from Cooler Master. This box has a white backdrop with a purple square in one corner. The front holds an image of the chassis, while the rear goes into greater detail with a few close-up shots. You will find the case specifications on one side and another image of the case on the other. Holes on both sides of the box should help you when carrying the enclosure home.


Cooler Master secures the Gladiator 600 with fairly solid Styrofoam spacers and further protects it with a thick plastic bag. This is what you would expect to see from a mainstream chassis.

Contents

You will get a black 5.25 inch to 3.5 inch adapter with the case. While this is a nice addition, the unit looks different than the metal mesh front covers of the Gladiator 600. A small bag with screws, zip ties a mainboard microphone, rails for the HDD bays and a dust filter to be used anywhere within the case, as long as you use an 80 mm fan. The most appropriate use for this piece is under the power supply, to protect it from dust during operation.