Installation
Ready for full install pictures? This is the hardware used:
- Gigabyte Z77X-UD4H
- Intel i7 3770K
- Evercool Shark Cooler
- Patriot 2x4Gb 1866mhz Viper Memory
- Asus Radeon 3870×2
- NZXT 550w power supply
- 30GB OCZ Vertex
- Cooler Master HAF XB
Installing the system components was quite effortless on the top level. Once you install the motherboard and everything on the top it can be quite a pain in the butt if you need to make changes on the bottom level and you happen to have anything but small hands. Accessing hard drives and the power supply is a bit cramped and certainly not a pleasure to deal with.
Cable management could use some work. There are holes for cables to pass through but no gromets or plastic webing like other case makers are using these days. Everything has a tendency to be a big mess on the bottom level due to the hot swap drive bays being so close to the end of the power supply. Those with a very long power supply might want to watch out since the cables can push straight against the PCB for the hot swap bay.
Tower heatsinks fit just fine in the HAF XB and every air heatsink I have come across should fit in this case with ease.
One thing I found intersting was the claim from Cooler Master that the HAF XB could be used as a test bench kind of rig. I put that to the test and found mixed results. If you are planning on using it as an ambient cooling test bench it should be fine. If you are looking at using it for extreme cooling I would greatly suggest getting a bench without bars that run across the top since it can make pouring Ln2, adding dry ice or even working with components a pain. It is much more like a full fledged case than it is like a test bench. If you are looking at going for a watercooling or air cooled test bench it should be fine just don’t expect to use it for any sort of subzero cooling.
Time for a rating, don’t you think?
