I just got the HAF922 from Amazon! As always, it arrived fast and best of all shipping was free to Hawaii! :)
I did a lot of research before I pulled the trigger on this case, since I am in Hawaii and we tend to have a higher ambient temp than most others. I was debating on a Antec 900, but since I used an Antec 900 for a friends build just the week before, I knew that the HAF922 would be an easier case to work with and also I wanted something different. Don't get me wrong, the Antec 900 is a great case and you can't go wrong with either the Antec 900 or HAF922.
Now, just a fair warning, this case is big! Bigger than any mid-tower that I have worked on. Pro and con of this is that, pro: lots and lots of space to work with! Con would be the sheer size of the case. It's 2"-4" longer and about an inch wider than most mainstream cases, so make sure you measure the area you're planning on setting this up.
All the design elements are nice... from the tool free drive bays to the cable management! The mb cutout is especially a nice feature for those of you planning to upgrade your cpu cooler later and need to add braces. Although I traditionally like to screw mount my drives with a silicone washer to limit noise/vibrations, the tool free design works very well. The 90 degree turn on the 3.5 drive bays is great for cable management.
I didn't have too much trouble with the front panel USB port as another poster said, but I haven't used it all that much. Also, the quality of the case was top notch with no loose areas or missing parts. The side panels do need a little umph to open, but no big deal. I would rather have a tighter case to limit vibs anyway.
The little improvements that CM could make for this case is to add LED to the top fan as well as the front fan, add filters (more on that later), paint the interior of the case for added protection and maybe add taller footing for better air flow.
Now the need for a filter. The amount of airflow on this this is amazing, however, the vent holes are huge... they are meant to be huge to maximize airflow. Now adding filters may reduce the airflow but at the same time will cut down on the dust collection. It would have been nice if they included a filter kit, but then again, if you're buying this case, you know what you're getting. I added a filter from an old CM elite to the bottom of the case and will be adding a filter to the side panel as soon as my side fan comes in. Those two (2) little adjustments will help tremendously without impacting performance.
I am also thinking of painting the inside of the case, but that's for another day..... :)
Well, if you decide on the HAF922, you won't be disappointed. Great case!!!
Customers also viewed these products
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
Customer reviews
4.2 out of 5
We don’t use a simple average to calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star. Our system gives more weight to certain factors—including how recent the review is and if the reviewer bought it on Amazon. Learn more
307 global ratings
Reviews with images
Cooler Master haf Series
I own two of these cases. One is the red LED version (this product), and the other the blue LED version with the plexiglass side window.The case comes with 3 fans total. A single 120mm exhaust fan at the rear and two 200mm fans, front and top. All of the fans are 3 wire so variable speed control is possible if supported by your MB or if using a fan controller.There are 10 tooless bays for peripherals, and holes for an external water cooling system. The case offers plenty of room for full size vid cards in SLI or Crossfire setups. Case is also deep enough to accommodate just about any aftermarket Cpu cooler. The exception being if you added a 4th fan on the mesh side "red LED version" panel and had an extremely tall cooler. Easy enough to determine.The best feature of this case is its airflow. It's just unsurpassed here. There are several options depending on which case you choose and the type of cooling you decide on. Of course with increased airflow comes the introduction of dust. To combat this, I removed the front panel of the case and lined all of the intakes with furnace vent filter material. It's thin and cheap, but offers exceptional protection by keeping dust from getting into your case. A pack of 12 filters lasts more than a year and will cost you about $3. I've looked for black foam, but haven't found it. The white filter doesn't bother me or detract from the case one bit.The "red" version of the case comes with one LED fan on the front of the case. It can be turned off and on using a switch on the outside of the case. An LED fan for the side panel is optional.My "blue" version was different. All 3 of it's fans are LED. The top and rear can be turned off or on using switches inside the case. The front fan's LED has a switch on the outside like the "red" version. In my opinion, the "blue" version of this case is the better of the two. Primary reason is the side window, second is the LED fans, if this is important to you. Since the "red" case sits under a desk, I put filter material on it's side panel mesh intake. Cooler Master sells the case siding with the plexiglass window as an option.Bottom line: Excellent value. Lots of case for the money. Overall I recommend!
