raysuave said:
I have boiled it down to two choices now, the Cosmos S or the HAF 932. I know the HAF is cheaper but that won't be factor in my selection.
I like the performance aspects of the HAF regarding big fans which equates to quietness and the tool less 3.5" and 5.25" drive install and swap out and the see through side panels, but the only thing thats making me hesitate is the fact that I think the case is kinda ugly. So I have to think about looking at this thing for the next five years.
I like the Cosmos S because of the physical appearance and the size along with the tool less aspects, but the 3.5" drive cage setup looks quite cumbersome and you have to use screws to anchor the drives in the cage. Also, even though the side panel has a fan, I'm not sure how hard it would be to see through the mesh protecting the side fan. From the pics, it looks like it would be very difficult. The touch power button is a minor turn-off also since this feature has a good chance of becoming defective or irritating. I also love the lever action side panel doors that fold down for extremely easy peeks at the hardware. The case I have now has the sliding panel similiar to the HAF and I hate trying to put it back on because the tabs never line up correctly until after ten minutes of fiddling.
Ultimately, I think I will base my decision on the amount of room inside the case which is tough to determine because I think the case specs take the overall case size and not the internal size. Just looking at these measurements, the Cosmos S is bigger than the HAF but thats probably due to the outside bars on the Cosmos S and the curvature being factored in. From eye balling, the HAF case looks wider. If you look at the cut out for the PSU on both cases, the HAF looks to have more metal on each side of the cut out. I've also read that the side panel fan on Cosmos S interferes with many CPU heat sink models............thinking about getting the Cooler Master V8 or a Zaleman 9900 series.
See spec sizes below, can anyone provide feedback on how to determine the inside dimensions? I may have to drive 30 minutes to MicroCenter and measure them.
Cosmos S: W 10.5" X H 23.5" X D 24.7"
HAF 932: W 9.0" X H 21.5" X D 22.7"
I've got the HAF and you don't have to worry about space at all it is HUGE and yes it is wider as well, However the see through sidepanel would be it's downside in your case, it's at the top and it doesn't reveal too much, don't get me wrong it's good you can see all the inside components but you have to look rather than just glance but if it's a factor in your decision I'd suggest maybe looking at the cosmos (don't know much about it) it depends whether you want the extra width and space vs the ability to clearly see the inside. Another thing I'd like to add is that it is very easy to whip open and tinker inside it, had to do so about 2 times a week for various reasons (none to do with the case) and it's a breeze to do.
Also I'd just like to add that the HAF is a beautiful case and you are wrong which isn't a biased opinion at all =]
I'll take some pictures of mine tomorrow for you when I'm back with it, it's at my dads house and I'm not there at the moment.