Cooler Master V3 review: The best vertical GPU holder?

In my Cooler Master V3 review, I find out whether it is the best vertical graphics card holder for showing off your fancy polygon-pusher.

Despite the naysayers, mounting your graphics card vertically can add a touch of bling to your case without ruining your temperatures. At least, not enough to affect performance if you do it right – which is exactly what the Cooler Master V3 vertical graphics card holder aims to achieve.

As one of the pricier options, it seems like the Cooler Master V3 is expensive. However, upon closer inspection, it is clear a lot of thought has gone into the design. Not to mention it is built like a tank and comes with everything you need in the brightly coloured box.

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Riser to the occasion

Included in said box is a Cooler Master Gen 4 riser cable for PCIe 4.0 and 3.0, meaning faster performance than a Gen 3. A good quality riser cable with shielding costs at least £40 so the cooler itself works out at £20-odd. Not a bad deal.

You also get all the necessary screws, allowing you to proudly showcase your graphics card vertically as opposed to the usual horizontal arrangement. Even if you do not have a vertical graphics card slot. You just need a screw driver and a dose of patience.

What makes the Cooler Master V3 vertical graphics card holder stand out from its competitors are a few unique features. For starters, it can move back and forth up to 30mm on the X-axis so you can increase space between your side panel and graphics card. This reduces airflow constriction for lower temperatures.

Once happy with the position, a metal thumb screw lets you lock the sliding mechanism in place. It does not hold perfectly, however it is enough to resist any pressure from the sturdy riser cable.

Sliding action

Then there is the fact the Cooler Master V3 (available in black and white) can move left and right on the Y-axis by up to 65mm (2.56 inches). Two rubber rotating stoppers, which can be 3D printed, allow for toolless operation.

Apart from letting you position your graphics card however you want within an ATX or M-ATX case, it means have more room to run the HDMI and DisplayPort connectors through the rear PCI case slots.

In my mid-sized Anidees AI Crystal M, feeding potentially chunky cables through a PCI case slot can be a bit of a squeeze. Undoing them, meanwhile, can be even more problematic though this is not the fault of the Cooler Master V3 and you could always cut a hole in the case.

In terms of size, the Cooler Master V3 takes up six case slots at default, which is a lot for most cases. However, unlike its rivals, there is a removable top section of metal (via two screws) that reduces the mounting space required to four slots.

Of course, this does not necessarily stop the problem of blocking motherboard PCI slots. But the way it is designed means you could mount it higher in a case, freeing up any slots you may have underneath.

Usefully, the main mount and secondary movement-capable mechanism can be separated when the rubber stoppers are open. Meaning, there is no need to unmount the entire frame if you ever need to make any PC modifications. Or give your case a dust.

Screwed up

You are supposed to be able to screw-in the Cooler Master V3 to your PC case. However, for my Anidees AI Crystal M the screw threads do not line up. Fortunately, I have a sliding locking mechanism – your case may not.

Installation was otherwise painless. My 2.044kg RTX 4090 (up to 3.5kg is supported) is held firmly in place. Though the mechamism can flex a little – even when fully tightened – there is no fear of it straining the motherboard PCI-e x16 slot. Nor can the graphics card come loose from the Gen 4 riser cable as it sits on top.

Perfectionists will be sad to know the graphics card may not sit 100 per cent level (I think my inability to screw it in is to blame). I got around this by using the graphics card stand included with my Zotac RTX 4090 AMP Extreme AIRO. Something similar can be bought relatively cheaply (or even 3D printed) if you care about aesthetics.

As for the Cooler Master Gen 4 riser, which is 165mm (6.5 inches) in length, so far I have seen blissfully fast performance and zero stability issues. Quality wise, the noticeably sturdy cable housing and connectors seem built to last. Some may not like the black and purple styling, however in most cases you will never see it.

Cooler Master V3 review: Should I buy?

Though there are cheaper options available, the flexibility and reliability of the Cooler Master V3 make it the best vertical graphics card holder for just about any ATX or M-ATX case.

The fact you get a quality Gen 4 riser cable, one-year warranty and all necessary screws help to justify its higher price. It may not be a necessary upgrade, but the Cooler Master V3 comes highly recommended.

Read: Full PC specs