Product Listing

Cooler Master CM 690 III - Never Judge A Book by Its Cover

By Wong Chung Wee - 2 Oct 2013
Launch SRP: S$139

Introduction

Cooler Master CM 690 III: Never Judge A Book by Its Cover

The Cooler Master CM 690 III mid-tower chassis is positioned as a successor to the popular CM 690 II series. We reviewed the older Cooler Master CM 690 II Plus and found it a decent mid-tower casing, with options to mount up to 10 cooling fans. Some may find that it's an overkill; while others may like the abundance of choices.

The CM 690 III sports a very similar look as the older CM 690 II and CM 690 chassis. However, we find the newer chassis' facade appears smoother as the mesh drive covers are pushed out, rather than set into the recess of the front cover.

Speaking of cooling fans, the model of the CM 690 III that we will be reviewing is the CMS-693-KKN1. This new successor supports 9 cooling fans, one less than the CM 690 II Plus. At the same time, the company claims that the new chassis sports an interior that has been completed redesigned. One of its unique selling points is the presence of a drive enclosure that has the flexibility to install 2.5- or 3.5-inch drives. Let us delve deeper to see if the claims of the company hold true.

Cooler Master CM 690 III Specifications
  Cooler Master CM 690 III
  Cooler Master CM 690 III
Launch SRP
  • From S$139
Casing Dimensions and Specifications
  • Dimensions: 230mm x 507mm x 502mm (W x H x D)
  • Material: Steel / Polymer
  • Case color: Midnight Black
  • Weight: 8.7kg
  • MB support: ATX, mATX
Drive Bays and Expansion Slots / Ports
  • 3 x 5.25-inch drive bays
  • 4 x 2.5-inch bays (from HDD/SSD enclosure)
  • 3 x 2.5-inch mounting points
  • 3 x 3.5-inch bays (from 3.5-inch HDD enclosure)
Case Cooling
  • Front: 1 x 200mm fan or 2 x 120/140mm fans (1 x 200mm fan, pre-installed)
  • Side: 2 x 120mm fans or 1 x 180/200mm fan (optional)
  • Top: 2 x 120/140mm fans or 1 x 180mm fan (optional)
  • Bottom: 1 x 120mm fan (optional)
  • Rear: 1 x 140mm fan (pre-installed)
  • HDD Drive Bay: 1 x 120mm fan (optional)
Power Supply
  • Takes in standard PS2 ATX PSUs (optional)

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8.5
  • Aesthetics 7.5
  • Functionality 9
  • Usability 8.5
  • Value 8.5
The Good
Drive enclosures and trays able to accommodate either 2.5 or 3.5-inch drives
Excellent ventilation options
The Bad
Flexible drive trays do not make installing SSDs any easier
Drive trays feel a bit flimsy
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