The writing was on the wall, but the news doesn’t go down any easier: Cooler Master has confirmed the NR200, the mini-ITX case that launched numerous pandemic PC builds, will soon be no more.
When Cooler Master announced the NR200P V2 at CES 2024 last week, I thought the NR200 could stick around as the standard version of the case. It would’ve served as the more flexible version that still accommodated horizontal GPU configurations (a huge complaint about the new NR200P V2, judging by internet comments)—and saved a little extra cash for those who didn’t want the option of a tempered glass panel.
Alas, no. That ideal future is not to be. When asked, a representative for Cooler Master said that the NR200 has reached “EOL” (end of life).
If you don’t follow small-form-factor building, this may not seem like the death of anything major, since the NR200P V2 will arrive in February. But this newer version makes some key changes that kill two of the NR200’s most beloved aspects. First, the price—the NR200 launched at $80, while the original NR200P variant (with an extra tempered side glass panel) was $100. The V2 will be sold for $140. Second (and touched on above), the NR200P V2 only supports vertical GPU mounting. SFF fans really do not like that change.
Honestly, neither do I. SFF builds became much more popular in large part to the NR200, and it remained one of my top recommendations when friends asked me for mini-ITX case suggestions. Don’t get me wrong—there are still wonderful SFF cases out there being made by big vendors, like the Lian Li x Dan A4-H20 and Fractal Terra. They’re still more affordable than boutique options, but they don’t balance out the sticker shock of a mini-ITX motherboard the way the NR200 does did.
I’ve inquired further about the reasons for the retirement, but for now, it appears that the NR200’s about to become a collector’s item. If you want one for yourself, you’ve got a limited time for them being still in stock.
