CM Storm Scout 2 case review

Cooler Master is a well-known name in the hardware industry, and the original Scout managed to impress critics and consumers with its dependability and value for money. Is the Scout 2 just a reheated clone of the original, or has Cooler Master found room for improvement? And more importantly, have they managed to maintain that attractive price tag?

Design and build quality

Right off the bat, the Scout 2 impresses with a very sleek design. It manages to look like it can kick your ass without overdoing it with bright lights and shiny panels.

The front side sports a honeycomb design covered in a black metal mesh, with the bottom half also acting as an air vent for those wanting to install extra fans. The rest of the case was done in black as well, but there is also a gunmetal grey option.

The case itself felt very sturdy and well built, with the only exception being the somewhat flimsy sliding panel on top, which reveals audio inputs and USB ports. Above that panel you’ll find some large but understated power, lighting and reset buttons.

Along the right hand side you’ll find two decent-sized air vents, as well as a large viewing window for those who like to pimp out their rig with LEDs and other customisations. The vents were thoughtfully placed at the bottom, for maximum airflow over powerful graphics cards.

On the top you’ll find the same honeycomb design as the front, although this time the black wire mesh sits underneath. Cooler Master has also included good-sized handle for moving the case from LAN to LAN, which has been thoughtfully covered in a rubber grip – a nice touch. The handle is reinforced with steel, so even the most stacked systems can be transported without concern.

There are a lot of these finishing touches throughout, and it’s obvious Cooler Master has put a lot of consideration into the design. For example, both sides of the Scout 2 extrude slightly, this is to allow for cable management on the motherboard side and space for large aftermarket coolers on the other side. They’ve also included rubber openings in various spots throughout the case for water cooling and/or cable management.

Features

This is a case specifically targeted at gamers who like hardware-heavy setups, and Cooler Master have catered for this perfectly. The inside is spacious enough to accommodate even the most enormous of graphics cards, and should be fine for those wanting to run dual-GPU setups. Cooler Master has even allowed you to remove the top drive bay to make extra space for very long cards.

The sliding panel covering the I/O section on top has four USB ports, two USB 2.0 and two USB 3.0. Having the more faster USB ports at the front is great, and including four means you’re unlikely to ever be on your hands and knees trying to plug in a flash drive.

Cooler Master have only included one fan, an all-clear 120mm with red LEDs embedded in it, but they’ve allowed a lot of space to install additional fans (nine in total), so getting the amount of cooling you need (within reason) shouldn’t be an issue.

The space for the PSU is found at the bottom, and above it are eight expansion slots which should be more than enough for all but the craziest of hardware enthusiasts.

Installation in the case has been made pretty easy, with thumbscrews used throughout to save you fiddling around with a screwdriver. Hard drives can easily be slid into the included bays, and optical drives can be secured with the Scout’s lever locking mechanism.

Conclusion

Overall, Cooler Master have done very well with Scout 2. It’s sturdy, well put together and loaded with features. My highest praise for this product is the attention to detail, the small touches such as the reinforced handle and the extruded sides which really make all the difference.

This is a case that will suit a hardware enthusiast or just an average gamer who wants a solid option that also turns heads at a LAN.

Best of all, the Scout 2 is very competitively priced. At an RRP of R1049.00, you’re getting relatively high-end quality on a budget, and this makes it very easy to give the Scout 2 a solid recommendation.