Cooler Master Cosmos SE Case Review

First Impressions And 360° Picture Gallery

Cooler Master isn't kidding when the company claims that the Cosmos SE’s lines are designed to invoke the aesthetics of high-end sports cars. The top, in particular, makes me think of the fastback style still seen on the streets today. 

Carrying handles stand in for the Cosmos SE’s "spoilers", contributing to the case's striking appearance, which impressively isn't outdone by Cooler Master's larger Cosmos cases. And the handles aren't just for looks. They also work for carrying the enclosure around. That's a great attribute if you haul your PC around to parties or events.

Blue LED lighting built into the front fans can be switched on to make the Cosmos SE stand out even more (or turned off to keep it subdued). A wide blue hard drive activity light above the 5.25-inch drive bays adds a matching highlight. And so do the light-up strips around the control buttons up top. Even though the Cosmos SE isn't a small tower-style chassis, it doesn't have the big bulldozer look that bigger chassis tend to convey. Instead, it manages to maintain a sleek and elegant style.

Looking at and touching the Cosmos SE gives you a true sense of the case's build quality. There's a lot of plastic in the front cover and top, but you also see that, despite the material's reputation, it doesn't have to be cheap. The matte black surfaces are attractive and they fit together well. Fortunately, there aren’t any high-gloss surfaces, which would have defeated the Cosmos SE’s purpose as a portable gaming case. 

The enclosure stands solidly on rails, leaving us no caveats to report, at least at first glance. Let's continue on with a more detailed look to see if those observations hold up.