After reviewing a mid tower case I decided I needed something with a little more room inside, as well as some extra features on the outside. The GeForce 8800 GTS video card I have is about nine inches long and it can make the inside of a mid tower case rather cramped.

From as far back as I can remember, Cooler Master has always made good cases at a competitive price, so they were on my short list of companies to consider. While comparison shopping I checked out their newest mid and full tower cases, and found that I really liked the Cosmos model line. While I was considering the Cosmos 1000 model, Cooler Master contacted us and offered to send over the newest Cosmos case, the Cosmos S full tower, which was recently introduced at the 2008 CES convention.


Before taking a closer look at the Cosmos S full tower case provided for review, let's take a look at some published data taken from the Cooler Master website:

"When laying eyes on the COSMOS S for the first time, one is immediately drawn in by its sleek contours and exhilarating styling. Inspired by the some of the world's finest race cars, the COSMOS S exudes both speed and sophistication. From the meshed front and side panels to the brushed aluminum finish, the COSMOS S is pure lust, offering an enclosure fit for evolved sensibilities of the discriminating PC enthusiast."

Features:

» Intelligent user interface with concealable I/O panel featuring a built-in touch sensor
» Cooler Master's flagship aluminum alloy gaming chassis
» Design inspired by the sleek contours of the hottest dream race cars
» Sports version of COSMOS 1000

Specifications:

» Available Color: Black
» Dimension: (W / H / D) (W) 266 x (H) 598 x (D) 628mm
» Weight: Net Weight: 13.8 kg; Gross Weight: 17.8 kg
» Material: Chassis: Al. Appearance: Al (side panel: 1.5mm)
» Motherboards: Extended ATX, ATX
» 5.25" Drive Bay: 7(Exposed)
» 3.5" Drive Bay: 4(Hidden, converted from 3x5.25 inch drive bays)
» I/O Panel: USB 2.0 x 4, IEEE 1394 x 1, eSATA x 1, MIC x 1, Audio x 1(support Intel HD / AC 97 audio)
» Expansion Slots: 7 slots
» Cooling System: Front fan(intake): one 120x120x25mm, 1200 rpm, 17 dBA (included)
   » Top fan(exhaust): one 120x120x25mm, 1200 rpm, 17 dBA (included)
   » Top fan: 120mm x 2(optional)
   » Rear fan(exhaust): one 120x120x25mm, 1200 rpm, 17 dBA (included)
   » Side fan(intake): 200x230x30mm, 900 rpm, 150 CFM(included)
» Power Supply: Standard ATX PS2 / EPS 12V (optional)
» Optional Component:
   » Transparent side panel
   » Fan bracket
» Other:
   » Keep-out requirement for CPU cooler installation
   » At least 5.7 inch(145mm) separation between motherboard and the side panel of COSMOS S