Stylish and sleek, management leaves something to be desired
Pros: Looks great, incredibly well built, handles make for easy moving, lots of room for large coolers and video cards
Cons: No cutout for backing plate, needs more space behind mobo tray
I bought the Cooler Master Cosmos S as a replacement for my Thermaltake Chaser MK-I, mostly because I was looking for something a little less... chunky. In style and build quality, the Cosmos S is outstanding. The handles are sturdy, the case feels well built, the finish on the side panels is to die for, and the latches to release them are slick. It is a beautiful case.
Inside, the quick release 5.25 bays are well designed, and the 4-in-3 drive bay works well enough, though I would have preferred something like the Scout's sideways bays, for easier installation and removal. There's plenty of room inside the case for my 2 560 Ti's, and before it was water cooled, I was using a Cooler Master Hyper N520, with at least an inch to spare. There are a huge number of fan spaces, and my RS360 rad fits inside the case with fans on the bottom, allowing me to place more in the rad tray on top if I ever feel I need to go to a push/pull setup. I also wish it had a cutout for the backing plate for easy changing of coolers / water blocks, but nothing a Dremel can't fix.
While the inside of the case is very roomy, the backside behind the mobo tray isn't. I have a non-modular PSU, and with my Chaser, I had no problem cramming all the loose cabling back behind there. In this case, I have to use the space underneath the HDD cage to hide those cables, the back panel simply will not go on if I try to put them behind the tray. Also, for the 8-pin on the mobo, I can't fit the connector behind the rail that the side panel locks onto, so I cannot use the cutout above the mobo.
Most people don't take apart their cases to paint them, but here at OCN that's a real concern. This case is difficult to take apart. I broke quite a few of the tabs that keep the plastic shells on the cage. However, it was a tight fit getting them back on anyway, and I don't think they're going anywhere.
In all, the case has served me well, and it is an absolute joy to look at. It's got ample space to fit all my goodies, plenty of excellent cooling, and is very well built. If you're a case modder or a fastidious cable manager, the Cosmos S might give you some grief, but it'll look good doing it. When it's time for a new case, I'll definitely be looking at it's successor, the Cosmos II. Hopefully they've fixed the few problems the case has.
Inside, the quick release 5.25 bays are well designed, and the 4-in-3 drive bay works well enough, though I would have preferred something like the Scout's sideways bays, for easier installation and removal. There's plenty of room inside the case for my 2 560 Ti's, and before it was water cooled, I was using a Cooler Master Hyper N520, with at least an inch to spare. There are a huge number of fan spaces, and my RS360 rad fits inside the case with fans on the bottom, allowing me to place more in the rad tray on top if I ever feel I need to go to a push/pull setup. I also wish it had a cutout for the backing plate for easy changing of coolers / water blocks, but nothing a Dremel can't fix.
While the inside of the case is very roomy, the backside behind the mobo tray isn't. I have a non-modular PSU, and with my Chaser, I had no problem cramming all the loose cabling back behind there. In this case, I have to use the space underneath the HDD cage to hide those cables, the back panel simply will not go on if I try to put them behind the tray. Also, for the 8-pin on the mobo, I can't fit the connector behind the rail that the side panel locks onto, so I cannot use the cutout above the mobo.
Most people don't take apart their cases to paint them, but here at OCN that's a real concern. This case is difficult to take apart. I broke quite a few of the tabs that keep the plastic shells on the cage. However, it was a tight fit getting them back on anyway, and I don't think they're going anywhere.
In all, the case has served me well, and it is an absolute joy to look at. It's got ample space to fit all my goodies, plenty of excellent cooling, and is very well built. If you're a case modder or a fastidious cable manager, the Cosmos S might give you some grief, but it'll look good doing it. When it's time for a new case, I'll definitely be looking at it's successor, the Cosmos II. Hopefully they've fixed the few problems the case has.
