CM Stacker

     This is a view of the inside/top of the enclosure. There is a very sturdy sub-frame where the [usual] primary power-supply would be mounted. Also in a good location is an 80mm exhaust fan complete with daisy chain Molex connectors.

     The rest of the motherboard tray has all the usual accouterments, save for one very interesting feature. Surely everyone has noticed the perforated slot towards the very right edge of the motherboard tray? This is where the Cross Flow fan will mount. The Cross flow fan is a 300mm blower which has been adapted to the CM Stacker.

     The Cross Flow Fan is an optional addition to the CM Stacker which Cooler Master has adapted to solve the problem of stagnant air hovering over the more critical areas of a motherboard. In a typical ATX configuration, the memory slots and CPU should receive a generous amount of airflow to help reduce the CPU heatsink from choking itself on the hot air it has just expended. Of course, for water cooled computers, hot-air recirculation is not as much of a problem but the additional internal-airflow is always welcomed. The entire Cross Flow fan kit includes; The Blower, mounting screws, 2 self-adhesive cable ties, a Molex "Y" cord, and a control unit. The control unit will mount into a rear expansion port and has a 4 way switch for OFF, LOW, MEDIUM, and HIGH fan speeds. Of course there is always the option of hard-wiring the blowers 3-pin power plug to an adapter and letting the blower run at full speed whenever the computer is powered up.

     Here's the only issue I found with the Cross Flow Fan. We have come to accept the matter of convenience that our 3½ inch hard drives will install into their tray from the rear. Since the length of the Cross Flow fan pretty much reaches from the top to the bottom of the enclosure, no matter where you mount the 3½ inch hard drive bay, there will not be enough clearance to insert a drive into the drive bay while it is installed in the chassis. Just something to think about during the final stages of computer assembly.

A look at the Cross Flow Fan installed