Archives for March 2022

Back in late January of this year, Cooler Master introduced three new cases. Normally, we would see such products introduced at the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada. But like last year, many brands pulled out for valid reasons. Of the three cases, the one we’re reviewing is the MasterBox TD300 Mesh case. This 2022 mini-tower case is the smaller sibling of the mid-tower MasterBox TD500 Mesh case  introduced the previous year. Available in two colors (Black and White), the TD300 Mesh case boasts premium features such as a polygonal mesh front (hence the name), dual Sickleflow fans, and an ARGB/PWM hub. The case is also compatible with MasterPlus+ customization software. With these premium features comes a premium price point: the TD300 Mesh has an MSRP of $109.99. Without further delay, let’s take a closer look at this Cooler Master TD300 Mesh case review.

Cooler Master TD300 Mesh Case Review

Key Features

• Polygonal shaped mesh front cover
• ARGB/PWM control hub
• Two Sickleflow 120mm PWM ARGB fans
• Tempered glass side panel
• Removable top and side panels
• Adjustable drive cage
• Lighting is customizable using MasterPlus+ software

Specifications

Product Name	MasterBox TD300 Mesh
Product Numbers	TD300-KGNN-500 TD300-WGNN-500
Colors	Black, White
Materials	Body: Steel, Mesh, Plastic Left Side: Tempered Glass
Overall Dimensions L x W x H	433 x 210 x 421 mm
Motherboard Support	Mini-ITX, Micro-ATX
Expansion Slots	4
Drive Bays	Two 2.5" SSD Two 2.5"/3.5" Combo
Input/Output Panel	Two USB 3.2 Gen 1 (USB 3.0) 3.5mm Audio Jack 3.5mm Mic Jack ARGB/PWM Hub
Fans (Pre-installed)	Two Sickleflow 120 ARGB (White or Black)
Fan Support	Top: Two 120mm or 140mm Front: Three 120mm or Two 140mm Rear: One 120mm
Radiator Support	Top: 120/140/240/280mm Front: 120/140/240/280mm Rear: 120mm
CPU Cooler Clearance	166mm
Power Supply Clearance	325mm (w/0 front radiator and drive cage) 140mm (drive cage in backmost position)
Graphics Card Clearance	344mm
Cable Routing	18-22mm behind motherboard tray
Dust Filters	Front, Top, Bottom
Power Supply Support	Bottom Mount, ATX

Construction and Design

As you can see from the photos and specs above, the Cooler Master TD300 Mesh case is one handsome, versatile case. The folks at Cooler Master describe its appearance as “postmodern elegance.” It’s hard to disagree with that description.

When I first saw images of the mesh front, I wasn’t that impressed. For years I’ve seen mesh offerings that I’ve considered low-quality. With respect to the TD300 Mesh, I can no longer say so. This mesh front cover is attractive, sturdy, and well assembled. Remove the front cover (bottom first) and you’ll see how well it’s fastened. I’d love to see a video on how it was manufactured.

Directly behind the cover comes two Sickleflow 120mm PWM ARGB fans. While this Sickleflow is a decent fan, I would have preferred to see the MasterFan MF120 Prismatic fan as part of this case. I think the lighting effect from the crystalline outer loops would have further enhanced the 3D effect of the polygonal diamond-cut mesh. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to make this change as the MasterFan MF120 Prismatic fan only comes in black. If I had the black TD300 Mesh case, you’d see photos of that build. I hope the folks at Cooler Master consider making the prismatic fans in white.

On the front frame, you’ll notice six sets of slots, three on each side, plus an extra set at the very top. Here you’re able to adjustably mount 120mm or 140mm fans to either side of the frame. You can also mount a radiator as large as 280mm to the backside. There’s one caveat here, if you want to use three 120mm fans, you’ll have to mount them on the backside of the frame, then forgo the radiator. Decisions, decisions. This is the very reason why I wish the case was an inch taller.

Making our way over to the top, we have the standard strip of inputs and outputs, see the Specifications above. This is followed by the removable top which is absent in the two photos below. Being able to remove this top makes a world of difference when assembling a build. The removable top comes with a large magnetic mesh dust cover that’s nearly the length of the case. It also accommodates two 120mm/140mm fans and a radiator up to 280mm.

Over on the backside, there are plenty of holes for ventilation and the placement of a single 120mm fan and radiator. My case has adequate cooling so I’ve gone without the use of a 120mm fan.

The left and right sides are what you typically see with cases today, see the three images below. Looking from the front, the left side incorporates one piece of smooth tempered glass covering approximately 75% of the height of the case. Now, this is a deviation from the MasterBox TD500 Mesh case. That case has tempered glass from top to bottom with a handful of etchings that didn’t quite work for me. There the designer must have gone a bit too artistic. I’m glad the etchings didn’t make it to the TD300 Mesh. Furthermore, I’d love to see an updated TD500 Mesh mid-tower case without the etchings for 2022.

Upon removing the back panel, you notice the 5-port ARGB/4-port PWM hub as well as plenty of cutouts and the adjustable drive tray.  I no longer use internal 5.25″ drives so I removed the drive tray in its entirety. Cutouts and mounting holes are well protected with rubber grommets. This is where I mounted my solid-state drive. I could have also mounted an SSD or two onto the power supply cage just below the motherboard. But this configuration is a little tricky due to the lack of space.

The left and right panels are easy to remove and put back on. Wiring and cabling were also easy to work with and maneuver.

MasterPlus+ Software

Should you have a motherboard introduced in the past four years, then you should all but certainly be able to utilize Cooler Master’s MasterPlus+ software to control a variety of lighting options within the TD300 Mesh. Unfortunately, my five-year old system utilizes an Intel X99 motherboard design. It is not capable of fully interfacing with the ARGB/PWM hub. So no matter how many Cooler Master MasterFan or Sickleflow fans I incorporate into my build, I won’t be able to control the lighting with the MasterPlus+ software. It sucks but I was able to adjust the fans manually with the use of the front panel reset button. I noticed 14 unique lighting patterns you can adjust by using the reset button.

I won’t have to wait long as my next build is in the works for late summer/early autumn. I’m looking forward to building an AMD AM5 system. Then I can incorporate a Cooler Master AIO CPU Cooler such as the MasterLiquid ML240 Illusion.

Conclusion

Over the past year, I’ve had the pleasure to review many of the latest offerings from Cooler Master. To be completely frank, I continue to use the MM711 mouse and SK653 keyboard since the time of their reviews. I’m not necessarily trying to keep my hardware within the Cooler Master ecosystem, which by the way has its advantages. I just happen to enjoy using their latest offerings that much.

There’s a downside to reviewing cases. When you come across one that perfectly or near-perfectly meets your needs, such as this TD300 Mesh, you can’t use it for very long. There’s always another case review around the corner. In my case, no pun intended, I’ve got three more to review with one of those being from Cooler Master.

If a mini-tower is what you’re looking for in 2022, please take a long look at the Cooler Master TD300 Mesh. I believe you’ll be very happy with it

The Cooler Master TD300 Mesh case is available for purchase at the Cooler Master Store website for $109.99. At the time of this writing, it was not available at Amazon or Microcenter. I attribute this lack of availability to the supply chain problems that we all hear or read about daily.

This well-designed mini-tower case has earned a 4.5 out of 5-star rating.

What do you think of this Cooler Master TD300 Mesh case review? Do you agree or disagree with our verdict? Let us know in the comment section below or via social media. We’re eager to hear your thoughts.

Don’t hesitate to head over to the Cooler Master website or their Discord page to see their latest products and peripherals like their CPU coolers, fans, keyboards, and mice. To learn more about service and support, click here for their Support section at the bottom of their website. The Cooler Master TD300 Mesh case comes with a 2-year limited hardware warranty.

FTC Disclosure: Cooler Master provided Beantown LLC with one (1) Cooler Master TD300 Mesh mini-tower case sample for review purposes. This writer’s opinion is 100% his own and not a paid product ambassador.

All photographs, charts, and diagrams are the copyrighted property of Beantown LLC or Cooler Master Technology Inc. © 2021-2022.