Beat the HAF: Cooler Master Storm Trooper Full Tower Review

Great review Steve, and I'd agree wholeheartedly with the conclusion.

Except for the unfortunate naming, the chassis is great value for money. The integrated handle makes moving the system around pretty easy.
Would have liked to see the side panel vents filtered, but for the price and the fact that for most builders who would orientate the hdd cages with the fans at the front of the chassis, it's a small point- and easily rectified by modifying a couple of magnetic framed fan filters.

I've put together a couple of rigs with this chassis- including one watercooled (XSPC Rasa 750). Very neat and tidy -esp. with the dual bay mounted res/pump.

Good work, TechSpot!

Now that, that is a nice case! I wonder if this is a worthy successor to my current case? Cooler Master Cosmos S?

Dear santa

Holy ****, now that's a beast! :O

I have to doubt your processor temperature reading on the stress test. It seems incredibly unlikely that it would vary from the previous model by 20~ degrees celsius just by turning the fans up.

I almost think that the fan speed on high should be removed from the results graph. If you installed a fan controller in any of the other cases, and cranked the speed up to unbearable volumes they would almost all certainly perform identically. At a glance it looks like the review is very biased towards the new enclosure, even though this may not be the case (no pun intended).

Great. I got the HAF X last year and thought I'd never have to buy another case again. Now I'm reconsidering it after seeing this bad boy.

That case looks GORGEOUS! If I was in the market for a new case, I'd be ready to put down $200 for that in a heartbeat.

What's wrong with you people and case design? Its ugly as hell, it reminds me of those rugged toughbooks... And what's with the handle? As if you're going to carry it around with you.

The NZXT Phantom case has a brilliant design and so many perks. Although the Phantom 410 would appear to be crap since they took a fantastic design for a big case and sized it down for a mid size case...bad idea.

Leaving aside that you are talking about looks, that are completely subjective, The NZXT Phantom? Do you keep it right next to your poster of Megan Fox?

Different class of chassis. The Storm Trooper is more an upgrade for the factory-mod style of cases (HAF, Sniper). The upcoming Cosmos II would likely be your chassis' natural successor:


You would get most of the functionality from the ST at a lower price point, but the Cosmos and ATCS 840 are more about aesthetics.

I've got the HAF X too, no plans to replace it any time soon. Still, great review and a very good performing case.

@dbz - Man that's a sweet looking rig.

Certainly is. MaximumPC's "Dream Machine" from earlier this year. The Cosmos II seems to "borrow" the Silverstone TJ-07's layout except that you don't have the ability to mount dual PSU's (or one on it's side).
The only drawback to the ST is that it isn't capable of using a triple radiator without some big compromises, and a dual rad -even a ~60mm deep one- is still limited in cooling area. Being able to mount two dual's internally (top and bottom) overcomes the cooling limitation to a degree (!) but tends to spoil the clean build look. Triple roof mounted radiator support would make the chassis damn near perfect.

Thanks for the feedback everyone.

If you bothered to read the review you would know that the CPU was passively cooled so air-flow makes a significant difference here. Also who said anything about to unbearable volumes? So the review "looks" very biased because we umm liked the case?

ROFL
I really cannot believe that by now you don't realize that as a reviewer, you are not allowed to like or have a preference for anything! :haha:

anyway, great look at this thing .

I know, but its 20% bigger?! I mean, the Cosmos S is huge! It sits, next to my desk, not under it as it simply doesn't fit! Although is very handy for water cooling.

The Cosmos S II is looking pretty freaking sweet! Didn't realise Maximum PC used it as part of the dream machine!

While that Cosmos may be painted a "true Lamborghini color", with modern esoteric materials, I can't help but remember the American auto industry went through its, "canary yellow is the hippest color in the world phase" decades ago........

Using the "hip" vernacular, I'd say...
Canary yellow = Chick's car
Citron Yella/Curious Yellow and Top Banana/Lemon Twist = Chick magnet

I would beg to differ though, Plum Crazy (FC7) I think is the king of high impact colours.

/biased. Owned one
//unrepentant mopar homer

can i install a push pull 4 fan corsair h100 on the top 2x120mm fan location ?

i'm very curious, cause the haf-x can take it nicely and still enough room for the motherboard clearance...