CM Storm Scout 2 Ghost White Chassis - Installation and Testing

Installation & Testing:

The CM Storm Scout 2 was a pleasure to work with and was very easy to do a system install.  You do not have to remove the front to remove the blanks covering the optical bays.  You can reach them from inside very easily, but if you decide to remove the front of the case - it is very easily removed by pulling straight forward.  The tool-less optical drive bays were simple to use and this made installing drives into these bays very easy.  The supplied fasteners and standoffs made finding the right screw a breeze.  After installing all my motherboard standoffs, my ATX motherboard went in without a hitch.  The Scout 2 can accept full size ATX motherboards along with mATX motherboards.  The only thing I had to do to complete my custom setup was to remove the factory mounted rear exhaust fan in order to mount my 120mm radiator.

After I had the board installed I moved on to the hard drives.  This was a very simple operation as well.  The HDDs slide into the drive rails and then slide right in the HDD rack.  Installing a SSD is a little harder, but is still a very easy operation.  If you want to do it right, you’ll have to remove the SSD adapter, find the correct screws, mount your SSD to adapter and then it will simply slide into the HDD rack.  After I got this all done I installed the bottom mounted power supply.  I routed the main wires through the whole in the motherboard tray in order to keep everything tidy.  I connected all of the wires except for the one of the video card.  I will plug that it once the graphics card is installed.  Once the card was installed and wired, the time has come to close it up and fire up this rig.

Conclusion:

I’ll break down the conclusion in a few areas so that you can better understand how it breaks down and fits into your next build.

Quality: The CMStorm Scout 2 Advanced Mid-Tower is constructed from high quality steel and plastic.  The plastic parts of the chassis are very sturdy and do not flex.  The side panels are the most rigid of any case that I have seen so far.  It has a flawless finish inside and out and has all interior edges rounded.

Accessories / Features: The case doesn't come with a lot of accessories.  That being said, it does come with everything you may need to install all your components.  It has some very nice features such as the front panel, removable intake dust filters, wire management grommets, a switch for LEDs in the intake fans and the integrated carrying handle.

Installation: As I mentioned before the CMStorm Scout 2 comes with everything you might need to install all you components.  All mounting screws were packaged in one bag along with some zip ties and a small motherboard speaker. It has tool-less optical drive bays that are very simple to use.  Mounting your HDD/SSD is just as simple with the supplied hardware.  The use of good thumb screws in the expansion slot was great. You don't have to worry about any components coming loose because something breaks due to poor quality construction.  I’ve seen this happen in other cases.

Performance:  The Scout 2 has good airflow straight out of the box.  It has places to install more fans, but I actually removed one 120mm fan at the rear – so I could install a radiator for liquid cooling.

Value: The CMStorm Scout 2 Advanced comes in two color schemes - Ghost White or Midnite Black.  The Ghost White version can be found on the internet for about $110 and the black version is a little cheaper at $100.  This puts it right in line with other mid-tower cases with similar features.

Overall this case is a very solid case.  The tool-less optical drive mounting system is user friendly and solid. There are more than enough areas to mount HDDs or SSDs.  The removable HDD cage is nice if you are using large video cards.  All internal edges are rounded, so getting snagged on a sharp edge isn't a concern.  The USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 panel up front is a nice feature that helps keep the peripherals you use most within easy reach.  I also like the appearance of this case.  It’s slick and the integrated handle is a plus if you plan on packing this around to a LAN or two.  The unique security system on back will help you keep all your peripherals around when you are at a LAN party and this is something that is often overlooked on a gaming chassis.  If you are in the market for a case for your new build, the CMStorm Scout 2 is a great choice.  This is why the CMStorm Scout 2 Advanced is receiving the Gold Wrench Award!

• Unique Design
• Good Air-flow
• Native USB 3.0 Ports
• See Through Window
• Security System

• None

I would like to thank the people at Cooler Master for sending BCCHardware this sample for review and I look forward to seeing any of their future products.  If you have any question or comments, please feel free to leave them at the link below.