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Best high end full tower case?

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im sorry i dont like plastic...

i think a case should be made from annodized alu, because:

1. Its lighter then steel and more durable then plastic.
2. It doesnt conduct electricity.
3. They look nicer then plastic.

But this is my personal reflection. So dont flame me on it... :\

Ive used cases which use plastic... and i probably will only use them on cheaper builds.

But, there is no way i could ever call a case which uses plastic anywhere near high end.

Now if its carbon fiber instead of plastic... then i'll shut up, as a carbon fiber case would own a alu case any day of the week.
 
Having reviewed the Cosmos II, this sounds like what you're looking for.

Massive, there's nothing bigger. Everything is solid, and aluminum is used generously. It allows up to 13 hard drives, with two hot swap bays which are lockable. There are a ton of other features (such as USB 3.0) which sound like what you're looking for. I have the Define XL sitting next to it, and it looks like a mid tower in comparison.
 
Inferno0032 said:
Having reviewed the Cosmos II, this sounds like what you're looking for.

Massive, there's nothing bigger. Everything is solid, and aluminum is used generously. It allows up to 13 hard drives, with two hot swap bays which are lockable. There are a ton of other features (such as USB 3.0) which sound like what you're looking for. I have the Define XL sitting next to it, and it looks like a mid tower in comparison.
Click to expand...

I am coming to the same conclusion...

Anyone know anything that it does not do... or do well ?

What's the downside of this product? Does it even have one?

Everything I seem to read makes me love it.
 
Mfusick said:
I am coming to the same conclusion...

Anyone know anything that it does not do... or do well ?

What's the downside of this product? Does it even have one?

Everything I seem to read makes me love it.
Click to expand...

The only downsides are these:
-It's pricey (but in the range you're looking for)
-It's very heavy (but you're obviously not concerned about that)

Other than that, it has every feature I could anticipate myself wanting, TONS of space, and, heck, it looks pretty good when it's all said and done also. You simply won't find a case that does as much out-of-the-box.
 
Inferno0032 said:
The only downsides are these:
-It's pricey (but in the range you're looking for)
-It's very heavy (but you're obviously not concerned about that)

Other than that, it has every feature I could anticipate myself wanting, TONS of space, and, heck, it looks pretty good when it's all said and done also. You simply won't find a case that does as much out-of-the-box.
Click to expand...

It is just a bit more than I wanted to spend.. but also looks worth the extra cost...

Compared to the HAF-X or the Obsidian Full tower... does anyone know if the COSMOS II lacks something they have?



I am kinda excited right now... cause I think I found my new case 🙂
 
Mfusick said:

It is just a bit more than I wanted to spend.. but also looks worth the extra cost...

Compared to the HAF-X or the Obsidian Full tower... does anyone know if the COSMOS II lacks something they have?



I am kinda excited right now... cause I think I found my new case 🙂
Click to expand...

Maybe a back brace, because once it's full that case will reach 100lb EASY 🙂

Buy it and post pics here, KTHX.
 
Mfusick said:
I am coming to the same conclusion...

Anyone know anything that it does not do... or do well ?

What's the downside of this product? Does it even have one?

Everything I seem to read makes me love it.
Click to expand...

Downside is easily the price. 350 is ludicrous for a case imo
 
HAF-X has a GPU air-duct for the side fan and wheels. But it obviously lacks a lot of stuff that Cosmos II has, like the large number of HDD bays, hot swap bays, fan controller panel, separate PSU and HDD compartment. But it is also $150 cheaper... ;/
 
Yeah... I have the R3 on my desk and I'm not sure if the Cosmos would even fit under the desk.
 
lehtv said:
Yeah... I have the R3 on my desk and I'm not sure if the Cosmos would even fit under the desk.
Click to expand...

There is no way I can get a 27.7" high case under my desk. Maybe CM will consider making an ATX version that is scaled down a little. I have no intentions of ever running anything more than dual card SLI/Crossfire and a single socket motherboard, so I don't need a case that will accommodate those huge motherboards and won't fit under my desk.
 
nitromullet said:
There is no way I can get a 27.7" high case under my desk. Maybe CM will consider making an ATX version that is scaled down a little. I have no intentions of ever running anything more than dual card SLI/Crossfire and a single socket motherboard, so I don't need a case that will accommodate those huge motherboards and won't fit under my desk.
Click to expand...

Isn't their ATX version just the Haf X? 🙂
 
lsv said:
Isn't their ATX version just the Haf X? 🙂
Click to expand...

Certainly not in terms of appearance...

edit: Really, they could just tweak the Cosmos S to make it what I want. Add the extra grommets on the inside so the cables don't have to reach as far if you have an ATX motherboard, paint the inside black, and definitely keep that big fan in the side panel.

top6.jpg


and make the front so the drive bays are covered. The Cosmos S looks great, until you install an optical drive...
 
Last edited:
Mfusick said:
I want an HAF X but with the size and features of a COSMOS II
Click to expand...

LOL! I want a case with the Cosmos 2 look and features, but the size of a HAF X.

I actually almost bought a HAF X about a year ago. The styling isn't really my thing, but it has some really nice features.

The guy in this (long) Cosmos 2 video review makes some really good points at the end about CM really raising the bar in 2012 with the Cosmos 2.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=wkQ5Y6RlAwU

I imagine there will be some interesting cases that come along in the future. CES 2012 is next week. So you can expect to see what the big players have planned for the coming year.
 
Mfusick said:
seems like way less than you get with the COSMOS II for more $
Click to expand...

The TJ 11 is over priced, but you get different things over the Cosmos 2.

- Almost 100% aluminum compared to steel, plastic, and aluminum accents
- Much better air flow
- room for a 4x140mm radiator

The TJ 11 is also more of a modder's case than the Cosmos 2. Everything is held together with screws(no rivets) so it can be easily disassembled. There are nine 5.25 bays, which is an insane amount of room for just about anything you want to put up there. There are no built in fan controllers or anything else like that. The TJ 11 is more of a blank canvas of an enclosure that lets you built it how you want. The Cosmos 2 is more of a predefined system for setting up your components with built in fan controllers and very limited options in terms of the 5.25 bays. I don't think one is necessarily better than the other, just different.
 
nitromullet said:
The TJ 11 is over priced, but you get different things over the Cosmos 2.

- Almost 100% aluminum compared to steel, plastic, and aluminum accents
- Much better air flow
- room for a 4x140mm radiator

The TJ 11 is also more of a modder's case than the Cosmos 2. Everything is held together with screws(no rivets) so it can be easily disassembled. There are nine 5.25 bays, which is an insane amount of room for just about anything you want to put up there. There are no built in fan controllers or anything else like that. The TJ 11 is more of a blank canvas of an enclosure that lets you built it how you want. The Cosmos 2 is more of a predefined system for setting up your components with built in fan controllers and very limited options in terms of the 5.25 bays. I don't think one is necessarily better than the other, just different.
Click to expand...

I agree with most of the stuff you said except for better airflow.

One of the reviews in the youtube video specifically said it had better airflow...

Usually CoolerMaster's have enough airflow generally ...
 
I was waiting for the Cosmos 2, but upon hearing it was going for 350, i went and bought a Coolermaster Storm Trooper for 150 instead. Forget about Haf X, Storm Trooper has all the features you could want, equivalent airflow, better styling, and much better portability and strength. (This thing is a tank) The included 6 speed fan controller works perfectly, at lowest setting this thing is quieter than my p183 v3.
 
Mfusick said:
I agree with most of the stuff you said except for better airflow.

One of the reviews in the youtube video specifically said it had better airflow...

Usually CoolerMaster's have enough airflow generally ...
Click to expand...

Look at the layout of the cosmos 2 compared to the tj11... there is no way the cosmos can have better air flow than those two 180mm fans blowing straight over the motherboard. The front 200mm fan is obstructed and by adding 120mm fans on the side panel you might see an improvement but 120s are going to much louder than 180mm at the same cfm.


Silverstone stack cool is awesome. All of their cases with the 90 degree mother board + ap181 fans top pretty much all the cooling charts.
 
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