Case spec - disappointed with Coolermaster Cosmos

Skidder · 12 Oct 2011 at 12:20

My current main machine is in a Coolermaster Cosmos and I've been pretty disappointed with it given how costly it was. My machine puts out a lot of heat trisli 8800gtx but I have had to add a lot of extra fans and side window with fans to get reasonable cooling out of case (Q6600 at 3.6 with an off the shelf watercooling loop).

I am going to use the mobo, ram and CPU and one or more of the GPUs as a media PC and since my media equipment is now in a closed but ventilated cupboard I have the option of just whipping out the bits I want to retain and keeping it all in the cosmos and getting a new case for my main rig.

The Cosmos was expensive and disappointing in terms of cooling and noise and I am looking for something cheaper and more simple.

I will either air cool or simple loop again. I quite like full tower as I have a lot of drives (6) and may end up with multiple GPUs again.

What are some good, lowish cost options. I guess up to £125 but lower the better since premium didn't really impress me with the cosmos. preferably full tower

Thanks to bulldozer being pooh it will either have a 2600k or 2500k in it.

mp260767 · 12 Oct 2011 at 12:41

have you had a look at the Corsair Obsidian 650D ?

Skidder · 12 Oct 2011 at 12:59

mp260767 said:
have you had a look at the Corsair Obsidian 650D ?

that does look good, looks like a very tidy build would be possible in there (unlike the cosmos)

Rofflay · 12 Oct 2011 at 15:08

It looks awesome as well i wish i owned one.I have a HAF 912 plus sitting here pre braided and kitted out with apache blacks and its waiting for about £1500 worth of gear and i feel ashamed of it due to the sex of the 650D which was not around when i went to build.HAF X was king back then.

Next time i build im waiting until i am ready and not getting a case on offer 3 months premature

+1 for 650D though.Nice and easy to measure for custom Demcfilters too.A good case requires good dustfiltering as once its in its a bitch to get out!!

PhilipPalmer85 · 14 Oct 2011 at 08:44

The cosmos was clearly designed for watercooling not air.

I'm surprised it was too noisy though as the acoustics were one of its main selling points.

If its performance air cooling you want HAF / Corsair Graphite 600T / or Silverstone Fortress (from what I've heard)

Myself, I love the look of the cosmos 2 soon to be released! It looks like it will be better for air cooling with vents on the sides and fan intakes at the front.

Skidder · 14 Oct 2011 at 10:05

PhilipPalmer85 said:
The cosmos was clearly designed for watercooling not air.

I'm surprised it was too noisy though as the acoustics were one of its main selling points.

If its performance air cooling you want HAF / Corsair Graphite 600T / or Silverstone Fortress (from what I've heard)

Myself, I love the look of the cosmos 2 soon to be released! It looks like it will be better for air cooling with vents on the sides and fan intakes at the front.

My CPU is water cooled and with a double radiator and that's always been fine. The problem with the cosmos for me was GPU cooling, it basically forces you to watercool GPUs and with trisli I didn't want to deal with costs and hassle of that, so had to add fans in the case side which meant removing much of the noise insulation (which also acted like loft insulation!) Yes trisli is extremely hot and the cosmos just doesn't deal with it very well. Great case for some people and I will continue to use it (as a media PC) but it didn't work very well for my application.

With 6 HDDs and several 5.25 bays used up there is a lot going on in the case and I needed a lot of fans to keep air coming to the GPUs.