| Cooler Master CM Media 280 Convertible HTPC Case
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Internal Assembly:
Assembling the components is straight forward, but two observations may make things even easier. Be sure to install the power supply first. I found it more difficult than usual to install the power supply after installing an optical drive. Second, inserting the motherboard I/O port key is a little difficult, especially right below the 120mm exhaust fan, but it is possible.
Installing up to five hard drives is very simple thanks to the removable hard drive cage. Once you slide your drive into the cage, use the included screws to secure it through the yellow vibration dampeners.
The image below shows a completed installation using a Micro ATX motherboard, so there is a large amount of free space. I opted to install the power supply "upside down", so the intake fan on it will have access to fresh air.
Testing:
To test the cooling performance of the Cooler Master CM Media 280 Convertible HTPC Case, I installed the following components:
; Intel P4 478 2.8GHz
; MSI PM8M-V uATX Motherboard
; VisionTek Radeon 1950 Pro VGA Card
; 1GB (2x512) Generic Samsung DDR memory
; 1x 250GB Western Digital 7200 IDE hard drive
; Memorex DVD/CDRW
; Thermaltake Purepower Power Station 520W
; AverMedia Purity 3D MCE 250 Dual Tuner TV Card
; 1 80mm Side/Top Intake Case Fan
This same basic setup was used in two other cases for comparison purposes, and all three were installed in the same home theater rack system for testing. Case temperatures were monitored using a digital thermometer with the thermal lead was placed in the middle of the case, not in the direct line of a fan or next to a high heat device. The load conditions were obtained by running the Sisoft Sandra 2007 Burn-In Wizard and Folding@Home for several hours. After the load testing, the computer was allowed to idle for an hour before taking the idle temperatures. Each reading was repeated several times, and the averages are listed below.
The table above indicates that of the three cases tested, the CM Media 280 provides the best case cooling performance.
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