A jam-packed case
The CM690 is one of the smaller cases on show, as well as being one of the simpler offerings.
This isn’t a bad thing by any stretch — the CM690 does its job without bells and whistles. The chassis supports microATX and ATX boards (so no Extended ATX workstation users need apply) but still manages to squeeze in six hard disk drives and four optical drives. The case is almost entirely meshed, so keeping it cool shouldn’t be a hard task, but keeping it quiet certainly is.
The steel construction is to a good standard, there’s no sharp edges, but getting the sides off and on the case can be a chore, as with any steel case. Though there’s little in the way of fancy extras, the CM690 is a solid case with enough expansion room for whatever takes your fancy. Though it’s one of the plainer models here, it’s still well and truly up to date, including an eSATA port on the top of the case along with USB and audio connectors.
All in all, we like the CM690 — it’s unassuming, yet does its job perfectly. Sometimes keeping it simple does work. Just beware there’s nothing between those loud fans and your delicate ears.