Cooler Master has for years been known for selling aftermarket PC hardware, but they finally have their line of gaming desktops. The Cooler Master HAF 5 Pro in this review, is one of their midrange and most affordable offerings, and from the specs sheet, it looks like one that will easily compete with both the CyberPowerPC Gamer Xtreme and Skytech Nebula in performance, only that it sells for less money than the competition.
It bears all the hallmarks of a pre-built gaming rig, like an expressive case design with a glass side panel, lots of RGB fans, and user-replaceable dust grills.
Once you go beyond the all-familiar case design, the hardware tucked inside includes a 12th-Gen Intel Core i5-12400F processor, Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU, 1TB M.2 NVMe SSD, and 16GB RAM. You’ll even find a Wi-Fi and Bluetooth adapter on board if you don’t want to use the 2.5 GbE port on the motherboard.
In the midrange gaming PC segment, competition is fierce, so it will take some keen design and performance decisions to make a lasting impression on gamers. Did Cooler Master ace it? Let’s find out!
Cooler Master HAF 5 Pro Specs
| Processor | Intel Core i5 12400F |
| Memory | 16GB DDR4-3200 |
| Graphics | Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 |
| Storage | 1TB M.2 NVMe SSD |
| Case | Cooler Master HAF 500 |
| Networking | Wi-Fi and Bluetooth |
| Front Ports | USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C, 2x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, separate headphone and microphone jacks |
| Video Output (GPU) | 2x DisplayPort, 1x HDMI |
| Operating System | Windows 11 Home |
| Dimensions | ‎27 x 24.25 x 13 inches |
Design of the Cooler Master HAF 5 Pro
The HAF 5 Pro uses Cooler Master’s flagship HAF 500 case, which comes with two huge 200mm fans for maximum air intake and another 120 mm rear fan and there’s another 120mm fan on the Cooler Master Hyper 212 Halo Black CPU cooler. On all fans, there’s ARGB lighting support, but unlike those used on mainstream gaming machines like the MSI Aegis Series, Cooler Master doesn’t offer any preinstalled software for controlling the lighting. Instead of an app, there’s a button on the front of the tower that you can use to swipe through preset lighting patterns.
The HAF 5 Pro measures 27 x 13 x 24.25 inches (HWD). For comparison, the iBuyPower Y60 measures 18 x 11.2 x 18.2 inches, while the CyberPower Gamer Xtreme comes in at 16.54 x 8.66 x 19.09 inches.
Port selection is excellent with robust front-access and rear ports. On the front panel, there are a pair of USB-A ports, one USB-C port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. There’s also a power button shaped into a Cooler Master logo. On the Gigabyte B760 DS3H AC motherboard, there are lots of ports including one USB-C, one USB-A, four USB 2.0, one Gigabit Ethernet, and three audio jacks (line-in, line-out, and microphone).
On the RTX 4060 GPU, there’s an HDMI port and two DisplayPorts for multi-monitor setups. Also bundled into the package are a gaming mouse and keyboard combo; the monitor is sold separately; you can rope in something like the 24-inch Sceptre C255B-FWT240 with a 240Hz refresh rate and ample connectivity options including HDMI and DisplayPort support.
Gaming Performance
Although the Cooler Master HAF 5 Pro can be considered an affordable option, it certainly doesn’t compromise on gaming performance as much as you’d expect from a budget PC. Thanks to the inclusion of an Nvidia RTX 4060 graphics card, the HAF 5 Pro is capable of coasting through even the most graphically intensive games such as Cyberpunk 2077 and Total War: Warhammer III, consistently hitting over 60 fps on both titles on Ultra settings.
The obvious competition for the HAF 5 Pro is the iBuyPower 60 and CyberPowerPC Gamer Xtreme. The iBuyPower 60 packs an AMD Ryzen 7700X processor along with 32GB of DDR5 memory. On the other hand, the CyberPowerPC is powered by an Intel Core i7-14600KF processor and 16GB of DDR5; but both options come with a GeForce RTX 4060 Ti graphics card.
In gaming performance, the Nvidia RTX 4060 performs slightly behind the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, but it competes well with an AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT. It’s well suited for 1080p gaming range, and the performance is sometimes sufficient for 1440p gaming, as well, although older games are more suitable for this resolution. Also, some compromises in terms of graphical fidelity might be necessary for the latest games.
Running Shadow of the Tomb Raider is no sweat for the RTX 4060 graphics processor, which runs at 163 frames per second at 1080p on the highest graphics preset. Cyberpunk 2077, one of the most demanding games for PCs of the moment, runs at 90 frames per second (fps) on the highest preset in 1080p resolution – meanwhile, the frame rate drops to 26 fps when played at 4K resolution.
If you’re more of an esports gamer, you better have a high-refresh monitor to take advantage of the HAF 5 Pro’s speed. When playing a few rounds of Overwatch on 1080p Epic graphics settings, it averages 178 fps. Meanwhile, in Final Fantasy XIV, the framerate averages 195 fps for areas with few player characters.
Productivity Performance
Packing a 12th-Gen Intel Core i5-12400F processor, 16GB RAM, and 1TB NVMe storage, the HAF 5 Pro has enough pep to run the most demanding productivity tasks. If you frequently run some heavy creative tasks, you can pair it with a high-refresh monitor like the Samsung Odyssey G55A (1ms, 165Hz), and you’ve got a powerful; workstation that runs games on the side.
If you’re a professional creative or artist, a higher-end configuration is better. However, for the hobbyist who wants to game and stream, edit a few YouTube videos, or dive into 3D modeling, this midrange Cooler Master configuration is a perfect choice.
Cooler Master HAF 5 Pro Review: Verdict
The Cooler Master HAF 5 Pro is a great gaming machine for anyone just getting into PC gaming. If you’re looking to get into PC gaming, then look no further. Cooler Master is offering this gaming PC at a perfectly reasonable price and good gaming performance; in fact, you may struggle to find a better option than the Master HAF 5 Pro out there.
As an affordable and easily upgradeable mid-tier gaming PC, the Cooler Master HAF 5 Pro will serve you well now and in the future, with special emphasis on the 12th Gen Intel Core CPU and Nvidia RTX 40-Series GPU.
That said, if you’re looking for cutting-edge hardware, this might not be the best PC for you. While it certainly does most of the job, if not all, modern players looking to maximize their gaming configurations should explore other pricier options.
Overall, the Cooler Master HAF 5 Pro is a stellar, affordable gamer. Its hardware is powerful enough to run modern games at high framerates, its parts are standardized and easy to replace, and it’s a good value for its performance and built quality. Cooler Master nailed it with this one.
Recommended Configuration
Cooler Master HAF 5 Pro High Performance Gaming PC - Intel i5 12400F - NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060-16GB DDR4 3200MHz - 1TB M.2 NVMe SSD – WiFi - Windows 11 - Desktop Computer
The Review
Cooler Master HAF 5 Pro
The Cooler Master HAF 5 Pro marks one of the most affordable entryways into the competitive world of PC gaming with hardware that can easily reach well over 60 fps on most AAA games.
PROS
- Great value for money
- Stellar 1080p and 1440p gaming performance
- Noiseless, effective cooling
CONS
- Previous-gen CPU and SSD
- No pre-installed app for lighting control
Review Breakdown
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MSN SCORE
