Cooler Master Elite 431 Plus - An Entry-level Stalwart
Cooler Master is breathing new life into their entry-level mid-tower line-up with the new Elite 431 Plus. We take a look to see if Cooler Master delivered on their promise of bringing premium features to entry-level casings.
Introduction
Cooler Master is one of the biggest manufacturers of computer chassis and they often update their products with refreshes. The Cooler Master Elite 431 Plus can be seen as an improved version of the Elite 430 that we reviewed in late 2010. Let’s see if Cooler Master has made any significant improvements to this entry-level chassis.
The Elite 431 Plus is the latest entry-level update from Cooler Master.
External Design
Aesthetically, the new Elite 431 Plus looks similar to the older Elite 430. Both are completely decked in black and have roughly the same design scheme.
However, the new Elite 431 Plus does boast a couple of new features worth highlighting. First and foremost, the revised chassis now boasts a single USB 3.0 port that is enabled via a proper USB 3.0 header. It also gets an X-Dock which is a feature that lets user hot swap 3.5-inch devices. This is a relatively new feature seen on pricier Cooler Master chassis and we are pleased to see that it has made it to the entry-level Elite 431 Plus.
What’s not so good, however, is that the new Elite 431 Plus is still made from a combination of 0.5mm SECC steel and ABS plastics and as such it feels just as flimsy as the older model.
A side window panel lets its users show off their components.
The Elite 431 Plus has been updated to include a single USB 3.0 port. Along with it, it also gets two USB 2.0 ports, the usual power, reset buttons, and headphones and microphone jacks.
The rear panel is as you'd expect from an entry-level chassis. There's two grommets for liquid-cooling setups and there's provisions for a rear exhaust fan. Really though, a rear exhaust fan should have come as standard.
Internal Design
The old Elite 430 prided itself on offering enough space to swallow even the longest graphics cards and the new chassis follows this same philosophy. Considering its positioning in the Cooler Master hierarchy, the Elite 431 Plus does have a cavernous interior and could easily accommodate our 11-inch long Radeon HD 3870 X2 with plenty of space to spare. The size of this card is equivalent to even the latest graphics cards like the Radeon HD 7970 and the GeForce GTX 680.
On the installation front, little has changed. The 5.25-inch and 3.5-inch drive bays still employ the same tool-free mechanisms, while the expansion slots still require you to bash the slots open first. It’s not the hardest chassis to install components in, but Cooler Master could and should probably have improved things here especially with the expansion slot covers - replaceable covers are greatly welcomed.
However, our biggest misgivings with the chassis is the complete lack of space behind the motherboard tray to allow us to do any decent cable management. This was a problem highlighted in the older Elite 430 model and it is disappointing that Cooler Master hasn't alleviated this problem. Of course while we would like to see such improvements, one has to bear in mind that this is an entry level case so it could be asking too much for its price point. Still, it's no excuse for the Elite 431 Plus to come with only a single front-side intake fan like its predecessor, which we doubt will be sufficient.
5.25-inch devices can be installed simply by sliding them into the drive bay and pushing the switch into the "lock" position.
The 3.5-inch drive bays for your hard drives are also tool-free. Unfortunately, there's a corresponding 'clip' on the other side, which means you will need to remove both side panels to install 3.5-inch drives.
A look at the Cooler Master Elite 431 Plus with the major components installed. Clearly, the chassis is not short on space and can easily accommodate an 11-inch long graphics cards (such as the latest Radeon HD 7970 and GeForce GTX 680) with much space to spare.
Conclusion
The new Cooler Master Elite 431 Plus is mixture of good and bad. While we are happy to find that Cooler Master has kept with times and included a USB 3.0 port and the hot swappable X-Dock, we were disappointed that overall build quality hasn’t improved much and that Cooler Master did not make any improvements to allow for easier cable management in this new chassis.
Despite the shortcomings however, at S$79, the Cooler Master Elite 431 is affordable, represents decent value for money and anyone hunting for a simple, entry-level chassis should definitely check it out.
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