Customer Reviews

Cooler Master SGC-2000-KKN1-GP Storm Scout ATX/MATX/ITX Mid Tower Case (Black)

5 star:		(49)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

This case is hot off the new Cooler Master Storm line. I ordered it in anticipation of putting together a new $2k gaming rig. It has several features that make it worth the price:

-3 built in fans (front intake, top, and rear)
-Factory lighting on each fan (standard is red, blue is optional)
-Front panel ports: 4 USB 2.0, 1 eSata, 1 headphone & mic, kill switch for fan lights (stealth mode)
-Handle (sturdy for transporting a loaded rig)
-Mounts for two additional fans on the left panel for increased airflow
-Excellent cable management out of the box (tucked out of the way giving you room to work)
-Easy install screwless rails for your HDDs
-Extremely easy install of optical drives (also screwless)
-Screwless install of expansion cards
-PSU mounts on the bottom, giving you space for a large/custom chipset fan

Those are just the features I can think of right now. It also came with a handy little graphic to assist with mounting your mobo according to the correct form factor.

My only issue is that once I installed two GeForce GTX 285 cards (this card is double wide requiring two slots on the back panel), there is very little room left to access ports on the bottom of the mobo. That has nothing to do with the case design - but it is something you'll run into if you're installing twin double-wide graphics cards. They fit well but with little room to spare.

I don't particularly like the square front panel power button as it tends to get stuck on a corner rather than smoothly sliding up and down like a round power button - but this has not caused any problems - you just have to press it so it comes back up.

All in all, it's a great case and very well thought out. As a gamer, having the headphone & mic ports on the front panel is awesome. I can plug in my gaming headset with ease without having to mess with my HD audio 5.1 channel setup connected to the mobo.

I highly recommend this case so far - I've only had it for about a month, but as I said, it just came out. If I run into any problems specific to the case, I'll update my review. I doubt I'll need to though - this is a great fortress for my newest rig.

Ok, I commented on some of the low scored reviews of this case, only to find out that the reviewers were either first time builders, or never opened the instruction manual.

#1
Front panel comes off for easy installation of the CD/DVD/BD Drive. Again, it may be a little tough to push in, which is a poor design choice, BUT it went in for me. So don't complain about 'taking out the motherboard'. SMH.

#2
Clips that hold the video card, sound card etc, are NOT to be removed. They swing back when pressed on, so the card can be inserted easily.

Ok now for my real review.

This case is AMAZING. I actually considered this as an upgrade from my previous CM Stacker 830, which was also IMO the mother of all cases. This one met it in every aspect, and beat it in a few... The lack of a removable HDD cage is a HUGE plus to me, and removing and adding drives is SOOOOO easy!!! The interior is painted all black, there is a top rear 140mm exhaust fan, 2 120mm RED LED fans[front and back] with the ability of turning the lights off with the button in the front, and ESATA port in the front, a removable front panel which can be washed/dunked in soap water, clear side panel, AMAZING cable routing system, and the space in the back of the motherboard tray allows for easy installation of aftermarket heatsinks!!

Now the cons:
The LED on/off button is cool, but it's integration is a bit questionable... I will soon replace the RED LED fans and the function of the button for something cooler...

The Red LED fans have MOLEX power connectors..which SUCK.

the DVD Drive was hard to get in... but a little push did the trick.

Safeguard seems gimmicky, but someone may need it... somewhere.

and the worst one yet...

I have blue LED fans, and the case came with red ones. MY LIFE IS RUINED D=

Tips:

The largest heatsink that can be used is 165mm in height, and you won't be able to use the top 120mm side fan slot anymore. There is no fan there to begin with. My xigmatek dark knight fit perfectly, but I can't put a fan on the top of the side panel anymore. No biggy.

The largest video card that can fit is 270mm long. My HD 4850 fit fine with an inch or so to spare.

Have a lot of ties ready.

Corsair HX750 PSU fit fine, no extensions needed.

and the best tip I can give anyone:

READ THE MANUAL.

I hoped this helped =].

Like most of you I don't pay much attention to the computer cases that I buy when I integrate the parts for a new computer. I've been doing this for twenty years and my attention is focused on the motherboard, CPU, and drives. This time however, I needed something special in portability mixed with configuration convenience. I didn't want to be bothered with the older lock design that left the box locked when the key finally became lost after the second move.

I found everything I wanted to get in this case. First of all it has a well designed handle which makes for a large improvement in portability. This is a good thing because I have three large drives and a huge fan which raise the weight a great deal. Also, the internal cabling is routed below the motherboard mounting plate allowing for a much improved air flow. The front fan blows directly across the permanently mounted drives and into the power supply insuring a well regulated thermal environment to enhanse long life and stable operation in tight air enclosures. The low placement of the drives and power supply produces a low center of gravity which enhanses the stability of the computer. Case access is through popoff doors secured by a single thumbscrew, easily removed without the need of screwdriver or other tools, Finally, the tyrany of case keys is over.

There is a top back and top of case set of fans which act as highly efficient heat scavengers that keep my i7 motherboard as cool as if it was running in the open. Since I insist in some serious overclocking, this allows me to reach the limits of air cooled performance without having to switch to something drastic such as a water cooled environment. I have pumped my low cost i7 from 2.6 to 3.8 GHz without a sign of thermal overload and further tweaking should allow me to reach 4.0 GHz in an overclock setup.

I installed two cold boot removable drives to make backups very convenient and the case accepted them easily. They are integrated into the front panel seamlessly and allow me to retain the professional appearance of the case.
The front panel USB 2 set of four slots has been very convenient for testing numerous WiFi sticks, mice and external drives. Once I stabilize the setup, I will move the group of connections to the rear panel and be able to shut the desk drawer making this the most convenient case for testing and production use that I've ever had.

There were two small drawbacks to the case. The initial fan setup didn't allow the back fan to run and I had to fuss with the power connections in order to get it operational. The power connections to the fans in the cable were set for the three pin( direct connection to DC power ) and not the four pin connectors that connect to the motherboard. So I wasn't able to get fan speed control or monitoring for the top case fans. Note to Cooler Master, put in parallel cabling to do this, we'll be happy to pay the difference instead of finding adapters. A possible problem for LAN party customers was that the front panel switch to turn on the case lighting didn't function either. It's not a factor for me because my case is running mostly as a server, but do take note.

Overall, I have high praise for the design and implementation of this case. I am looking forward to buying another for my back room server or Myth TV installation. And it fits easily into the car for my out of town assignments. I'm looking forward to supplying this as an upgrade for all my friends who are looking for something better than their old small box with a pentium 4 motherboard or something for their children to take to college.

I have to say that it also looks mean and lean as well. When all of the parts are installed and the cables are routed it's good that the overall product looks like it has some serious capabilities. This case really does the job well.

Nice case, a bit on the small side, which is useful if space is at a premium.
Looks pretty sharp, and the carrying handle is really useful, even if you are not going to be attending a lot of lan parties.
It also lots of connectivity options on the front panel.

The inside of the case is a bit cramped, so if you have big hands, be prepared for some irritation. because of a large bundle of case wires, putting the CD ROM can be a pain. Also note that the rear case fan also lights up, and is not easy to replace. I wanted to use a Be-cool fan that shows the temperature, but the wiring is pretty well integrated into the case... a bit of a bummer.
The transparent side panel extends forward so you will be able to see your drives if you use the built in HD trays, but note that the sculpted bulges you see on the side of the case arent very deep, so you cant utilize it too much to route power. Also, the rear expansion slots use the plastic clips that you may have seen on previous CM cases. They do an OK job but you may want to put a thumb screw there also.

Overall an OK case.
FYI, I also have the Cooler Master HAF 922 mid tower, I think the 922 is the better choice.... a lot easier to work with, easy to replace fans, easy to route and hide cables.

I already had a fantastic PC case in the Antec Solo but I felt an itch to upgrade SOMETHING but wasn't ready to fork out the cash for anything major. Then I saw the CM Storm Scout ATX case and was immediately smitten by it's visual appeal and convenient I/O panel location. How did Cooler Master's gaming case stand up to the industry standard and leader in PC enclosures (Antec, Inc.)? Fantastic, less some trouble with support.

PROS:
- Looks nice but not overly gaudy (like some NZXT cases)
- Interior painted all black to match the exterior
- I/O panel located at top
- Lots of open bays for a mid tower
- 3 fans included(2 w/red LED)
- Decent build quality (19.23lbs empty)
- Easy to use rails and device mounting options
- Not overly noisy
- Good price/value
- 2 year warranty

CONS:
- Poor documentation
- No fan control/monitoring built in
- Red LED fans weak on brightness
- Thumb screws initially difficult to turn
- Screwless expansion slots ineffective
- Lackluster customer support

Unboxing the CM Storm Scout was uneventful, though they used the cheaper (but lighter) styrofoam packing material whereas my Antec Solo came with a much sturdier foam insert for protection during shipping. Still, the case was intact without any visible defect or damage. Once I removed the Scout from the plastic bag and opened up the side panels, I was ready to begin transplanting my PC from the Antec Solo.

INSTALL
It took me about 3 hours to complete the transplant. I took my time, cleaned the dusty innards of my PC before placing them in the Scout. The motherboard standoffs were included as well as a ton of other screws for mounting items in the case. The Scout supports both ATX and micro-ATX boards. My Abit IP35Pro fit just fine and the stock cooler had ample clearance. When I upgrade my CPU in a few months, I plan to also install the Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 heatsink and think it should fit as well. After the mobo, I installed my Corsair power supply. It's refreshing to finally be able to install the PSU at the bottom of the case instead of at the top. I had ample room to install the PSU and motherboard considering the mid tower configuration. I had no problem plugging in all the panel switches and LEDs. I couldn't get the rear 120mm fan to work until I realized that the molex connector for it was located behind the right panel.

The expansion slots have a gimmicky plastic clip system for use without screws. Well, it doesn't work. It needs far more pressure to keep your video card and other expansion slot cards from moving around. Luckily, CM included black thumbscrews so you can go ahead and screw the cards in the old way. Unfortunately, I found all the thumb screws, including those for the side panels, to be very difficult to turn at first. But after a few turns on and off, they loosened up. The hard disks were super easy to install because the rails snap in rather than having to screw them in. I was skeptical that it would work, but hey, it did work! My DVD drive was even simpler. You just slide the 5.25" drive into the open bay from the front and then slide the lever in and lock it. No rails or screws! To remove the front part of the case, you simply hold the bottom and give it a quick, strong yank. No clips to undo from the inside.

Compared to the Antec Solo, the CM Storm Scout was much easier to install. It would have been even faster if not for the very poor documentation. Antec's documentation is superior to those from CM. Overall however, it was an easy and pleasant installation.

PERFORMANCE
The CM Storm Scout comes with 3 case fans-- 1 rear 120mm red LED fan, 1 front 120mm red LED fan, and 1 top 140mm non-LED fan. You also have the option of installing 2 additional 120mm fans on the acrylic window panel. Should you desire, you can also replace the top fan with a 120mm fan as CM has included mounting holes for both sizes. I was delighted to find that they are relatively quiet but somewhat disappointed that there was no way to control or monitor the fans out of the box. Still, the fans are quiet and do a great job keeping the case cool. Also, if you choose to install the side panel fans, do so in an intake config, rather than exhaust. I am not a big gamer or overclocker and have never been a fan of acrylic window panels or LED lights. That said, I admit I was just a little bit excited to see what it'd be like to have them. Well, unless it's very dark, the red LEDs are so faint, that you won't really notice them. It is subtle, so I think I do like them, but if you were expecting a bright red glow, you just won't get it with the included fans. It's also nice that CM included a toggle on/off switch for the LEDs on the I/O panel.

Speaking of the I/O panel, it was one of the main reasons I got the Scout. The whole panel, including power switch, reset switch, fan LED switch, eSATA, headphone, microphone, and 4 USB 2.0 ports is located at the very top in an angular configuration. Despite the description on Amazon.com, the Scout does not have a FireWire port on the I/O panel. I'm glad companies are realizing that most people put their towers under their desks and accessing anything at the bottom of the case is inconvenient. With the fan LEDs off, I like how the case looks very stealth-like. The only lights you'll see on the front is the tiny power light and the occasional HDD activity light.

SUPPORT
Unfortunately, I had an issue that required a replacement part. CM only provides support via chat, which was cool because I usually prefer chat support. However, I had a hard time getting hold of a rep. Also, I used their eRMA process but it sat in limbo for over 2 weeks. I was finally able to get a hold of someone again who assured me that the replacement part would ship the next day but it has been months. The experience was not very good and Antec's support is far superior though I've had my issues with their support as well.

MISC
The large carry handle at the top is very strong and makes moving the Scout much easier than most cases. I don't attend LAN events so I don't foresee myself using it but those that do will find it useful. The plastic feet on the bottom of the case glide very well on carpet. I prefer the plastic over rubber or silicone because I use the case on carpeted floors. It might have been nice to include 2 types of feet (1 rubber, 1 plastic) for use on multiple floor types. The StormGuard system basically allows you to thread your USB peripherals (mouse, keyboard, wireless router, etc) through it to act as a deterrent for theft.

SUMMARY
I have been building computers for 15 years and each build is better and easier than the last. The CM Storm Scout is easily the nicest case I have ever used. It has great build quality and the fit and finish is pretty good, though I feel Antec is still better in this regard. Cooler Master's support was rather poor and unfortunately resulted in me having to return the case. The conveniences of the Scout are outstanding and the overall look is appealing without looking too gaudy. In the $100 range, the CM Storm Scout should be at or near the top of your list. Just keep in mind that you might not get the best support. The only other case I seriously considered was the Antec Nine Hundred Two.

As a computer Tech and I've been building systems for more than 11 years I was impressed by this case, the specs are awsome and the case itself is a great eye catcher. I've had quite a number of people want to build a machine like this one since bringing it in.

As for the build, it was touch and go there for a moment I will say this if you're not accustomed to building machines you may want to have someone else with more experiance build this for you, the reason I say that is this, the cable management system took a little thinking out and the installation of a full sized mobo was difficult so definately not for the inexperianced.

Now for the specs, with the increase of airflow I've found that my quad core is singing quite nicely, the heat disapation has been off the charts even when using the system at full throttle, which for me is great benifit as I live in the carribean and its hotter than hell here.

I would definately recommend this case to anyone that wants a high performance system with increased performace etc...just need to take installation slow and steady.

Very nice case except for one maddening thing. The USB ports in the front have caused shorts when I try to plug in a flash drive, which causes the PC to reboot. I called the manufacturer and they were aware of this problem. They sent out a new top with all the wiring. (Lots of wires) It took a lot longer to reinstall the replacement than it should have.

Everything was fine for a few months, then the reboots are back. All it takes is to touch the port with the flash drive and it shorts out. A piece of junk, IMO.

Good luck...

Update: 12-5-10
After replacing a second time, the case is STILL causing reboots when the USB flash drive touches the port. Not each time, but enough to cause severe problems. I again say...a piece of junk. (dropping stars to one)

I've been building comptuers for 13 years, for myself and friends, and this is one of the best cases I have ever used. I put in a Gigabyte motherboard, a 550W power supply, Intel Q9550, four 1 TB hard drives, 1 GB nVidia-based video card, and 8 Gig of RAM. It was a breeze to make it happen in less than an hour. The case is very cool and I have no issues with heat. I love the top handle, quietness of fans, internal cable runs, drive bays that don't need tools or screws, etc. They even provided raised areas in metal for cable ties. The only strangeness I encountered was an unneeded bump in the metal where you'd insert DVD-drives.

I'll likely buy the same case for some other systems I need to build.

The case is fairly pretty, but...

1.) You have to put the drives into the bays backwards from what I'm used to for them to fit. I.e. the plugs must face the back of the case. Not a big deal, but its confusing)

2.) The side panel wiring harness (under the motherboard) doesn't have enough space. There are full-size power connectors that must be hooked up for fans/front panel, but channels aren't deep enough for a standard power supply cable without it rubbing. Would be very easy to rip a wire closing the case up. Inspected my wiring when I had problems, but I didn't see any evidence that I had.

3.) Plastic tool-free latches break very easily on the expansion card hold downs. On the bright side, they give you extras.

But, the real problem:
System would randomly turn itself off. Not sure why. Pulled all the same parts out (power supply, motherboard, cpu, ram, optical drive, hard drive, video) and put them in the case I had been upgrading from, and everything worked fine again. My wiring was pretty clean - didn't see anything that would have obstructed the fans. Anyway, wasted too much time to spend much more troubleshooting this thing.

This was my first time ever building a computer, and I am very happy with the choice I made. The only disapointment was the handles on top are plastic not metal. Overall it is an excellent case, good air flow and easy to work in.