Conclusion:
The Cooler Master iTower 930 ATX Case is a definite winner. It provides attractive styling, good system cooling, extremely quiet operation, mostly tool-less installation features, and high quality construction. These are all things you expect from a Cooler Master case, and they are what makes them one of the premier brands in the business.
They then take things to a new level by adding the four extremely useful hot swap SATA drive bays. Cooler Master didn't cut any corners with the integration of the drive bays, as they are easy to use, do not impact drive performance, keep drives cool, and just look really sharp in the process.
Although the overall impression made by the iTower 930 is extremely positive, there are a few issues that could be improved. The main issue is that the CPU air duct just isn't useful with the bulk of CPU coolers that most computer enthusiasts might own. Things like the stock coolers from AMD or Intel might work, but other than that only low profile units will fit. The other main issue is that the motherboard area is rather cramped, and features such as the solid steel PSU box and the SATA drive cooling fan may interfere with some of your other components. Other than these two issues, my only wish list item would be for another location or two where a user could mount a fan. Cooling in the case is good, but there is no true intake fan, and having one might make things even better.
A search of PriceGrabber shows that the iTower 930 will set you back just over $140 (US). This is by no means cheap, but considering the overall quality and nice features, it is definitely worth it. Then consider the inclusion of the four hot swap SATA bays and the price really becomes appealing. We have reviewed several Icy Dock drive enclosures, including three drive and five drive internal SATA devices, and checking PriceGrabber for the four drive version shows that it will set you back about $120 (US). Even if you're just looking to setup four hot swap drives in an existing system, it really does make sense to just buy a whole new case (the iTower 930) that includes everything you need.
Given everything the Cooler Master iTower 930 ATX Case has going for it, it easily earns the "Highly Recommended" award. For those looking to set up a server/system with multiple hot swap SATA drives, this is also quite an economical way to do so, and helps it to also earn the "Good Value" award.
 
Pros:
» Stylish appearance
» Well built
» Mostly tool-less
» Good cooling
» Economical way to setup a server/system with 4 hot swap SATA drives
» Quiet operation
Cons:
» CPU air duct is only usable with stock or low-profile CPU coolers
» Only room for one 120mm exhaust fan and one 92mm hard drive fan
» Rather cramped motherboard area
Special thanks to Cooler Master for providing the Cooler Master iTower 930 ATX Case to Bigbruin.com for review!
Please drop by the Bigbruin.com Forum and feel free to post any comments or questions.
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