Cooler Master Cosmos C700M Review: A Colossal Success

Features & Specifications

Buyers are too often forced to compromise when choosing a new chassis, but adages such as "you can't have everything" aren't necessarily the case when it comes to the Cooler Master Cosmos C700M. In fact, not only does this chassis have just about everything a person could want in a full tower chassis, it also offers special features that allow the end user to reconfigure the case at a later date for a completely new look. As one might expect, a premium chassis such as this comes at a price. The Cooler Master Cosmos retails for $440.

Specifications

Exterior

The Cosmos C700M is colossal in every sense of the word. Measuring a massive 651 x 306 x 650mm (HxWxD) and absolutely crushing the scales at over 52lbs (empty), this ARGB-lit chassis will no doubt be the centerpiece of any room it occupies. The frame of the chassis is steel, and the exterior is a mix of plastic, aluminum and tempered glass. To the casual observer, the Cosmos C700M bears a striking resemblance to the Cosmos C700P but, upon closer inspection, you will notice an array of improvements both cosmetic and functional on this new chassis.

Once such feature is the ability to reconfigure the internal components from a standard or inverted layout to a chimney effect that rotates your components 90 degrees and vents heat out the top of the chassis instead of the back. We will talk about that in detail later in this review. 

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The plastic top panel of the C700M is covered with with a very stylistic brushed aluminum insert. Two sturdy cast aluminum bars run the entire length of the top, allowing you to lift the case from above. Much like Cooler Master's own MasterCase H500M and the older Cosmos C700P mentioned earlier, the slanted area between the top panel and the front panel is home to four USB 3.0 and one USB 3.1 Type-C ports, headphone and microphone jacks, a hard drive activity LED, a fan control switch, an ARGB lighting controller and a reset and power button. Note that if you plan on utilizing all four USB 3.0 ports, you will need a motherboard with dual 3.0 headers or an adapter cable.

The front panel matches the top with its stylish brushed aluminum cover mated to the plastic front panel. Behind the front panel are a plastic mesh filter, a mounting location for a 5.25-inch optical drive or drive bay accessory and three 140mm fans.

Behind the lower portion of the integrated center panel are six metal pins that are mated to six corresponding contact points in the frame of the chassis. This system allows the embedded ARGB lighting to work with the rest of the system without the need for wires.

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Ventilation slots run from top to bottom along both sides of the front panel with dual-layer black metal mesh (a coarse perforated metal backed by fine metal screening material) built into the panel itself.

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The center portion of the front panel features a slotted hinge at the base that allows the panel to tilt outwards to allow access to the optical drive slot without having to fully remove the front panel.

The lightly tinted full-coverage tempered glass side panel was created using state-of-the-art technology to add the curved shape. The tempered glass panel, as well as the steel panel on the opposite side, are hinged in the rear.

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Both panels are interchangeable and can easily be removed by lifting the panels off the steel spring-loaded brackets. This is very handy when working on your system or installing components. Powerful magnets located in the leading edge keep both panels securely in place when closed.

In its default configuration, the rear of the chassis features eight standard expansion card slots, plus an opening to route cables for vertically mounted video cards, an opening for a bottom-mounted PSU and an exhaust-fan mounting location that supports both 120mm and 140mm fans. The exhaust-fan mounting location is equipped with slotted screw holes that allow you to adjust the position of the fan to fine-tune airflow or make room for system components.

There is also a removable plastic frame on the rear held in place by magnets. It should be noted that although the magnets do a great job holding the rear panel in place, the panel will pop off fairly easily if you attempt to use it as a handhold when lifting or moving the chassis.

A large plastic mesh filter that covers the entire bottom of the chassis is removable from the front. Two large flat cast aluminum bars (that match the top of the chassis) with rubber pads keep the case almost an inch off the ground.

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In addition to the dual-layer black mesh lining, the openings in the front panel and large removable plastic mesh filters that cover the length of the case's front and bottom, the entire top panel is filtered. Both the front and bottom filters are removable from the front, so there is no need to move this massive chassis for maintenance and cleaning.

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