Cooler Master Masterbox MB520 Mid-Tower Chassis Review

A Closer Look – Exterior

The first thing that catches my attention here has to be the side panel window. It’s a big sheet of perspex, and that’s fine. However, in this day and age, tempered glass is commonplace on chassis in this price range, so it’s surprising to see they went this route. Despite the material choices, the edge to edge window does look pretty fantastic, and the dark tint makes it look pretty mysterious too.

The thing that really stands out though is that richly coloured red trim on the top and sides of the front panel. It’s a design that borrows a little from their premium MasterCase series, and it works really well. The side-mounted ventilation allows for plenty of airflow, while keeping the front of the chassis looking less cluttered.

The front panel uses a shiny translucent black plastic. It’s got a mirror-like quality, but if you have some LED fans installed, they’ll shine through just fine. With so much plastic, it’s going to be a dust magnet though, so keep a cloth nearby.

On the right side, you’ll find a solid black panel. Nothing too fancy, but it gets the job done well enough. You’ll also notice more of those red flairs on the front panel too. Again, this is an affordable product, so it’s reasonable not to expect anything too outlandish in regards to features.

Around the back, everything is as you would expect. I am pleasantly surprised to see a height adjustable fan mount though, as they make AIO cooler installations a breeze. Furthermore, the use of reusable expansion slot covers, not those bloody-awful snap-offs that we often see in this price range.

Up on the top, another welcome bonus comes in the shape of a huge magnetic dust filter.

Behind it, you’ll find support for a pair of 120/140mm fans and similarly sized radiators; remember to check internal clearances first though.

Nothing drastic on the base either, but there is a clip-in filter for the PSU and reasonable ground clearance for airflow.