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I was extremely impressed with the Cooler Master Storm Trooper case, which I reviewed in November last year. It is a great looking case, and is well designed, inside and out. It also has formidable presence which suit an audience who yearn for something a little different from a surplus of generically styled cases available on the market today. I didn't think it could get much better than that to be honest … well until today.
The Cosmos II is without question one of the finest, most beautifully designed cases on the market, and has replaced the stunning Lian Li X2000 as my top choice high end enthusiast chassis.
The first thing you will notice when receiving the Cosmos II are the dimensions of the box. As I watched the courier struggle with the case from the van to the door I realized this is a without question a no compromises design. The photography for the review was the equivalent to a full work out in the gym as I had to move the case around the studio for several hours to get all the right angles for the gallery section. Using aluminum would have made the Cosmos II much more portable, but the cost of manufacturing would be significantly higher.
I have a feeling the construction density and subsequent weight will take a lot of people by surprise, because when I had finished the system build, the Cosmos II topped the scales at around 30 kg. Sure, it is built like a M1a2 Abrams tank, but it is assuredly not an ideal solution if you frequent lan events.
The more time you spend with the Cosmos II, the more rewarding the experience. There are deft, intuitive touches which enhance daily use. The side panel door locking system for instance might seem frivolous on first glance, but in practical terms it really works well. Yet again, the metal bracketing and attention to detail deserves a mention because you are under no impression that something may break after a few months use.
Internally we have no qualms with any area of the design. The lower compartment keeps the power supply isolated from the main system build and the front drive bay area is both practical, while offering plenty of space for complex system configurations. If you demand a profusion of hard drive storage then the Cosmos II is the case for you. With 385mm width support for graphics cards, there is plenty of future proofing for the years ahead.
In regards to cooling proficiency, the Cosmos II can handle the highest end components as our review today has highlighted. Even with an Intel Core i7 3960X EE @ 4.6ghz and dual GTX590's in Quad SLI the ambient case temperatures were class leading.
At time of publication we have not received confirmed United Kingdom pricing, but I would assume it will cost more than the £150 Storm Trooper chassis. We will update this page when we have more information.
Pros:
- Built to withstand nuclear fallout.
- Accommodates the highest specification systems.
- huge physical space inside.
- plenty of room for cable routing.
- side door mechanism is brilliant.
- integrated fan controller.
- proficient cooling capabilities.
- watercooling options at both top and bottom of the case.
Cons:
- Very very heavy.
Kitguru says: The finest case Cooler Master have made. If they can maintain this quality of construction in 2012, great things lie ahead.
