Coolermaster Stacker 832 Vs 831 Vs Cosmos

Fry750

Fry750

Fry750

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Hello all.

Which of the three cases is best?

I was looking at the Cosmos but i'm not sure if it's as good as the Stackers at cooling however it does have sound proofing.

I think the only difference between the 832 and 831 is the door.

I've been after an 832 for ages but the Cosmos seems like a decent case and it's slightly cheaper.

Thanks
 
I do believe that the Cosmos is meant to advance the Stacker concept. Looking at dimensions it seems a little more roomy than the Stackers (only a little though).

Have a look at some reviews to make a better choice. I have a Stacker 831 and I am in love with it - fits my GTX in with loads of room to spare, it could fit 2 in SLI no problem. Also cooling is excellent. I don't see myself buying another case. The Cosmos looks lovely though, and there is a new one with EPA revisions (or something) that you should look out for. Check out some reviews for a better opinion. If you have any further questions please ask.

Also, between the stackers I would go for the 832 if I were you. Differences are minimal but you get the lates version.
 
Aye, the 832 because it's the latest and I prefer the door. What's the tool-less lark on your 831 like? I've heard it's plasticy and easily possible to break
 
You mean the removable doors and motherboard tray?

I take slight issue with the hard drive rack (it was a bitch to get the HDD in as it was my first build) - and from pics I have seen in the review of the Cosmos, the HDD rack there seems much better - but apart from that I find the build quality rock solid. I mean we are talking about an aluminium case (it looks beautiful - silver one at least) and it feels very sturdy. As long as you are sensible and not wrenching stuff about you should be fine. Many people have complained about the doors being difficult to remove, but once you get the knack of it you'll be fine.

Also the removable motherboard tray is a thing of beauty. It makes any work or modification of hardware so flawless and simple. Which part of the tool-less stuff did you hear is easy to break?

Here is a link to a thread about Cosmos Vs. Stacker. I am sure you will find loads like it all over the net.

Hope I answered your question :)

UPDATE: Another link about the same thing. Looks like the verdict is that its just a matter of personal preference. You can't go far wrong with either the 832 or the Cosmos. IMO, the Cosmos has some newer features. Check out Coolermaster's site and do a comparison on the product specs.
 
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Hi, I have the Cosmos.

Its beautiful to work with but be warned that hard drive cooling is barely adequate. I made a small mod to mine to improve that though.

Fry750 said:
And it was the tool less drive caddies I think that were easy to break
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They are solid enough.
 
It is quite likely yes.

The hard drives in the cosmos have no active cooling what-so-ever.

Having said that it should run the drives within their operating limits.
 
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Fry750 said:
And it was the tool less drive caddies I think that were easy to break
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I would not classify them as easy to break unless you were manhandling them or applying the wrong pressure on them. I have also heard about the hot hard drive on the Cosmos. No such problems on my stacker!
 
If you must buy a stacker, the original STC-T01 is the only way to go. The others are way overpriced for what is essentialy a few minor cosmetic changes (that fuglify the thing anyway).
 
I have a cosmos and my housemate has a stacker, personally I prefer mine, mini review:

Cosmos
+sound-proofing is awesome
+hard drive bays are well designed
+dust filters
+spacious and well built
-no removable mobo tray
-heavy

Stacker:
+lighter than cosmos
+mesh panels help cooling
-mesh panels and no dust-filters mean it gets dirty
-hard drive mounting system is annoying
+has wheels
+removable mobo tray

Overall the stacker has a removable mobo tray and probably slightly better cooling, but the cosmos is quiter has a better HDD system and much better solution for dust. Also I prefer mounting power supplies in the base like in the cosmos. Both quality cases. Plus the cosmos looks more pro!
 
I have to disagree strongly about the hard drive bay design. I have the Cosmos myself so I'm not just going off what I've read around the net (although a lot of reviews will back my argument).

The hard drive bays have no active cooling. The trays that house them have no direct contact with the hard drives as they are mounted through rubber grommets. This means that they cannot act as heatsinks as an alternative means to cool them down.

In addition their modular design does not make it any easier to mount/unmount them. First of all 4 screws are required to mount a hard drive into one of the caddies. A further screw is used to secure the caddy to the chassis. Furthermore you need to remove both side panels of the case to install the hard drives as cable access is via the non-business side of the case. Compare this to a regular bog standard case where you screw the hard drive into the hdd cage, have active cooling via a front-mounted 120mm fan, and have access to connect cables without removing the other side panel.

The weight of the case on the other hand I don't see as a con. Its a full tower case, so you shouldn't buy such a case if you need to transport it around frequently. I like my cases to be of a solid build quality and that's the impression you get with the materials used (and hence its weight) with the Cosmos. Its overall design and interior space makes it easier to work with than many lighter cases.
 
Imy said:
I have to disagree strongly about the hard drive bay design. I have the Cosmos myself so I'm not just going off what I've read around the net (although a lot of reviews will back my argument).

The hard drive bays have no active cooling. The trays that house them have no direct contact with the hard drives as they are mounted through rubber grommets. This means that they cannot act as heatsinks as an alternative means to cool them down.

In addition their modular design does not make it any easier to mount/unmount them. First of all 4 screws are required to mount a hard drive into one of the caddies. A further screw is used to secure the caddy to the chassis. Furthermore you need to remove both side panels of the case to install the hard drives as cable access is via the non-business side of the case. Compare this to a regular bog standard case where you screw the hard drive into the hdd cage, have active cooling via a front-mounted 120mm fan, and have access to connect cables without removing the other side panel.

The weight of the case on the other hand I don't see as a con. Its a full tower case, so you shouldn't buy such a case if you need to transport it around frequently. I like my cases to be of a solid build quality and that's the impression you get with the materials used (and hence its weight) with the Cosmos. Its overall design and interior space makes it easier to work with than many lighter cases.
Click to expand...

Each to his own I guess, The weight of the case does indeed make it nice and stable. I really like the way the HDD's are mounted, purely from a practical point of view and in direct comparison to the stacker it is a simple job that isnt that fiddly at all, whereas the stackers' system is really annoying, needs about three hands to hold the HDD cage steady while also holding the screw and screwing it in. Granted they are better cooled but do HDD's really get that hot? I dont know :confused:

Still stand by my overall view that the cosmos is the superior case, both are very good though.
 
Hard drives can get pretty hot yes and the Cosmos will test the thermal limits a bit. Ignoring that though its a lovely case and I would still recommend it to the majority of people.

A while back there was post after post where people were looking for recommendations on a new case and asking about the new stacker (myself included). Just about every reply said something along the lines of "poor build quality and flimsy" so I guess if that's what you're comparing the Cosmos to, it will certainly shine as its solid as a rock and damn easy to work with.
 
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