The Lazy Days of Summer Case Review

Coolermaster Centurion CAC-T01

The CAC-T01 is part of Coolermaster's push to reach the value and system integrator market segment.

Coolermaster is known for some of the most luxurious and high-end extreme cases that are available for purchase today. So when Coolermaster shipped us the Centurion, we were not sure we had received the correct case. The Centurion marks a unique value proposition by Coolermaster, and certainly Coolermaster has needed to add a more value oriented case for some time. With the introduction of the Centurion CAC-T01, Coolermaster is squarely going after two markets: system integrators looking for a Coolermaster branded product, and value oriented consumers who are looking for an economically priced case that looks more expensive than it is.

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Number Of Internal 3.5" Bays 4
Number Of External 3.5" Bays 2
Number Of External 5.25" Bays 4
Number Of Case Fans Supported 2 80 mm
Construction Material Steel
Power Supply Included No
Special Features Front mounted USB/ audio/ 1394
Size (HDW) 432 x 464 x 193 mm(17" x 18.25" x 7.6")
Sample Case Provided By www.coolermaster.com
Estimated Cost $89 US
Cooling Potential Rating 7
Construction Quality Rating 6
Overall Case Rating 6

After taking the Centurion CAC-T01 out of the box and looking at the front bezel of this case, you find that it is a very attractive case. However, after opening the case, the inside tells quite a different story. Coolermaster's ultimate strategy with the Centurion appears to be to reel buyers in with an attractive, aluminum-looking front bezel that could easily be mistaken for that of more expensive Coolermaster cases. Once we removed the side panel, we were in for quite a shock.

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After a look at the inside of the CAC-T01, it is obvious that Coolermaster has made a few tradeoffs with this case. Its rather bland retro configuration is surprising, when compared to some of the more progressive offerings within the Coolermaster family.