Introduction

I would like to thank Cooler Master for supplying the review sample.


The MasterFrame is a brand-new series which—as the name implies—is based on a flexible frame design that can be seamlessly enlarged or reduced by Cooler Master in its overall size to offer bigger or smaller enclosures to complement the case family. The frame employs aluminium or steel depending on the model number, with even values denoting aluminium and uneven letting you know you are looking at the steel variant. The Master Frame in its first generation is not a fully modular case, meaning you can't take the frame apart and add or reduce it in size to your liking. Similarly, you can't go from a straight glass side panel to a curved one by eliminating a part of the framing and swapping out the corners. Instead, it is a framework which Cooler Master can use to dream up different variations while retaining consistent design and functionality. That said, as the image above shows, the exterior panels can easily be exchanged for different materials, or different purposes. These exterior pieces are only restricted by their required size, so things could get quite creative.

Packaging And a Closer Look

We received a pre-release variant that is close to what you could expect to see in retail, but Cooler Master has yet to finalize details and some tooling and will be showing off the chassis at CES 2025 to garner even more feedback. As such, it is literally labeled "Golden Sample" on our plain, empty packaging as well. As with most higher-end Cooler Master cases, the MasterFrame 600 uses a black cloth bag instead of a clear plastic one to protect it from scratches and fingerprints.


Out of the box, the chassis is not as heavy as you would expect it to be. This is certainly due to the aluminium, the steel variants will have more heft. Also, while Cooler Masters initial marketing materials and videos focus on the silver version we were sent the black one, so feast your eyes on it above.


The case has a lot of symmetry, which makes sense as it also means that there are not too many different lengths and sizes for the frame elements to manufacture and deal with. The case's depth and height is identical for example. Cooler Master has managed to infuse a bit of design branding by shaping the vents on the default front panel of our version to mimic that of their logo. As mentioned before, the case could ship with all kinds of panels, so it is not yet confirmed what the base configurations would be like and what other options there will be. Nor are there any specifics yet on how Cooler Master may sell other panels for you to freshen up the look of your case after your initial purchase. From a layout perspective the MasterFrame 600 has the usual layout as you can see when viewing it from the rear. This side of the chassis is made of three parts that are firmly riveted in place, consisting of the PSU, the expansion slot and cooling. By modularizing this, Cooler Master can reuse say the top and bottom portions, but offer a central piece that is smaller and can accommodate ITX or M-ATX boards specifically. Or, for their larger cases include a second PSU bay - all without having to redesign or retool whole parts of the enclosure.


Both side panels are held in place by magnetic force. Out of the box there is a glass panel as well as metal one with side venting. Again, due to the way these are attached, all Cooler Master would have to do is stick to the constraints and mounting functionality, but could otherwise offer anything from different materials designs.


In the top, the same trend continues, with the uniquely shaped vent to allow for that all important airflow for hot air to escape the chassis. This panel is split into two parts, with the vented one as well as a solid I/O piece that may also be removed. The one our golden sample came equipped with sports just a single USB-A port, which is odd, as there is plenty of space and reason to include that second one. Even with this component, Cooler Master could offer different variations for different purposes. For example, there could be one with a temperature display, or a built-in ARGB controller, while another could sport physical, multichannel fan controls.

The Interior

To gain access to the interior, you may simply pull the sides, front and top off the chassis. Each panel uses large magnets to keep things in place. On top of that the side panels clip onto two specifically placed screws for easy alignment. While removal of these panels is very easy and functional, modern cases in general already allow for the removal of exactly these panels. Where the MasterFrame 600 is different is the sheer accessibility once they are removed.


Our preview unit came with three all black, 140 mm intake units. These are mounted on a pair of removable rails, which are secured with screws at specifically drilled positions at the top and bottom, so you can accommodate 120 mm units as well. The side pieces of the frame have a row of mounting holes, while the top and bottom do not, that could be a distinct area of improvement, in combination with a redesign of the rails to be secured to those instead. That way, a user could really use this area as their canvas with the right components. Even with all the panels removed, as mentioned before, there is nothing you can remove in the rear as all pieces are riveted in place. Future generations of the MasterFrame idea may be a bit more flexible to allow the end user to change things up.


Looking inside the case it quickly becomes apparent that the MasterFrame concept is really meant to give you a basis to work in, with rails to provide a way to attach things like storage bays, cable routing & management, motherboard tray, fans and shroud to. All those components are removable and for some, like the HDD cage, there is room for you to add another one. It will be interesting to see what kind of accessories Cooler Master will offer within the MasterFrame ecosystem. Naturally the more choices a user has to customize things, the better.


In the top, you will find another set of the exact same rails as in the front of the case, with the exact same mounting design. This again, means that there are plenty of identical frame components to use as a base for these cases.