| CM Storm Trooper Computer Case |
| Reviews - Featured Reviews: Cases | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Written by David Ramsey | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tuesday, 27 September 2011 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
CM Storm Trooper Computer Case Review
Manufacturer: Cooler Master Full Disclosure: The product sample used in this article was provided by Cooler Master. Most computer enthusiasts have only a single card in their systems: the video card. That being true, most of us could easily get by with a micro ATX motherboard in a small form factor case. But there are those who have multiple video cards, or water cooling setups with separate reservoirs and pumps; who have lots of hard drives and 5.25" bay devices, or need an XL-ATX motherboard to run a triple or quad video card system. They may represent a tiny section of the market, but they need a full tower case, and Cooler Master's shown before they're willing to address this need with cases like their HAF series. In this review, Benchmark Reviews looks at their latest full tower effort: the Cooler Master Storm Trooper. Cooler Master came onto the enthusiast radar a decade ago with a line of elegant (and expensive) all aluminum cases. Since then, they've branched out and now have a complete line of cases ranging from micro ITX through small and mid-tower cases up to a line of full tower cases. Benchmark Reviews has had the opportunity to review a number of Cooler Master cases and we've been impressed with all of them. The number of people, even enthusiasts, who actually need the extra space in a full tower chassis represent a tiny portion of the market...which makes Cooler Master's committment to it all the more impressive. All of Cooler Master's previous Storm line of cases have been mid tower designs; the Storm Trooper is the first full tower Storm case. 
Storm Trooper Features
SGC-5000-KKN1 Specifications
Let's take a look at this new Cooler Master case in the next section. Closer Look: ExteriorCooler Master's Storm line of cases has always used military-sounding names like "Scout", "Sniper", and "Enforcer". That said, the use of "Trooper" is perhaps unfortunate due to the negative connotations of "Storm Trooper".
The Storm Trooper is a very large case. While the interior's about the size of the HAF series, represented here by the HAF 932 AMD Edition to the right, the top is several inches taller, and it's much larger than a mid-tower case like the Corsair Carbide 400R on the left. As a steel-bodied full tower case, it's no lightweight, coming in at just over 30 pounds empty. While not quite as dramatically styled as Cooler Master's HAF series cases, it still has presence.
Looking at the left side of the case, we can see the handle on top and the ventilation panel in the side. The handle is metal with a ridged rubber underside, and is attached directly to the steel frame of the case, so you can use it to lift even a fully loaded system: Cooler Master says the handle's good for 95 pounds! Although it's not obvious in this image, there's a second handle at the rear of the case you can slip your hand into. The side panel has internal mounting points for two 120mm fans.
At the rear of the case we see the tab for the pull-out filter for the top 200mm fan (which is odd, since the fan blows out through the filter), three grommetted holes for water cooling hoses, a 140mm exhaust fan, nine card slots, Cooler Master's cable security slot (above the card slots in this image), and the mounting area for the power supply. You can remove the cable security device from the extra slot and use it instead to mount things like fan and light controllers without taking up a motherboard slot position. At the far left of this image you can see a slot in the very top of the case-- this is the secondary handle you can slip your hand into to use in conjunction with the top handle. As with the top handle, the rear handle is steel and connected directly to the steel case chassis.
The right side of the case is similar to the left side, although the meshed area is smaller. The "indented" side of the case will provide extra room for cables on the back side of the motherboard tray.
At the front of the case are nine 5.25" bay covers, although only the top three are actually available for 5.25" devices in the standard configuration. The lower six bays are occupied by two 3.5" drive cages, but you can remove one or both of the cages to free up more 5.25" bays. Note that the bottom bay cover has a removable panel for 3.5" devices.
Let's take a closer look at the details of the exterior in the next section. Detailed Exterior FeaturesThe sturdy, rubber-padded handle dominates the top of the Storm Trooper. Behind the handle is a meshed area covering the top of the case and providing exhaust airflow for the included 200mm top fan. The fan can be removed and replaced with a 2x120mm radiator. The front and top of the case are covered in a soft-touch, rubber-like material.
A giant illuminated power button with the Storm logo dominates the I/O panel at the top front of the case; below it are buttons for the built-in fan controller, which can control the lights of three fans and the speed of four fans. By pressing the "-" and "+" buttons, you can choose between six different fan speeds, with LEDs above the switches visually indicating the chosen speed. There are also power and hard drive activity LEDs, microphone and headphone jacks, a reset button and ESATA port, and four widely-spaced USB ports. The wide spacing of the USB ports will minimize the chance of "fat" USB devices interfering with adjacent ports. There is no FireWire (IEEE 1394) port, but this is falling out of use anyway and most users won't miss it. The two SuperSpeed USB 3.0 ports are connected to a cable terminating in a USB 3.0 header, which is only useful if you have a recent motherboard that has one of these headers. Surprisingly, Cooler Master does not provide a USB 3.0->USB 2.0 adapter cable, so if your motherboard doesn't have a USB 3.0 header, you won't be able to use these ports. One odd thing is that Cooler Master doesn't supply a power light header for your motherboard's front panel connector; instead, the power LED gets its electricity from the same 4 pin Molex connector the fan controller does. While this works, it means you don't get a blinking power light when you put your computer to sleep.
The bottom of the case has two pull-out filters. The smaller filter on the right is for the power supply intake, which the larger filter on the left would presumably be for a radiator mouted there. As delivered, there's nothing above the larger filter except a parts drawer.
The parts drawer is behind the Storm badge below the lowest drive bay cover. It's secured by two screws, so to open it, you have to pop the badge off and get a screwdriver...not too convenient. But it's there if you need it, and discreetly hidden should you lug this monster case around to LAN parties.
The Storm Trooper includes a subtle "X Dock" docking slot for a 2.5" device just above the top 5.25" bay. While this is certainly handy, I'd prefer a dock that could handle the much more common 3.5" drives, as Cooler Master includes on some of their other cases like the Cooler Master 690 II Advanced. 
The accessories pack is somewhat Spartan: eight 3.5" drive caddies, an EPS-12V extension cable, a pair of mounts for putting a 3.5" devices in a 5.25" bay, and a large bag of different types of screws, all mixed together. Cooler Master includes eight long fan screws you can use to attach 120mm fans to the side panel.
Now let's take a look at the inside of this case. Closer Look: InteriorAfter removing the left side panel, we're greeted with the immense, fully painted case interior. The two fans at the right of this image each cool a removable 3.5" drive cage that can accomodate up to four drives, and are also the only LED-lit fans on the system. If you prefer, the drive cages can be removed and rotated so the fans are in front of the case, blowing towards the rear. While it's nice to have this option, the design of the drive cages means that the fans can only blow down the length of the drives, so my preferred setup of "drives mounted sideways for neat cabling, fans at the front for best airflow" isn't possible. My disappointment in this was offset by the sight of the nine card slots this case supports.
The area behind the motherboard tray shows the 3 large grommetted cable routing holes, as well as a large number of tie-down points (I count 18). The hole for CPU cooler backplate access is huge.
Looking into the drive bay area, we can see the three 5.25" bays at the top of the case, with the first four-drive 3.5" cage directly below. Removing a 3.5" drive cage-- a simple matter of unscrewing two thumbscrews-- will open up three 5.25" bays.
To install 5.25" devices, you simply pop off the bay covers and slide the devices in. Since there are no latch mechanisms, you'll secure your devices with screws. Frankly I prefer this method since even with a latch, the drive is only secured from one side and always needs at least one screw on the other side to keep it stable. In this image you'll see I've re-oriented one of the 3.5" drive cages so the fan is facing front.
With the top plastic panel removed, we see the sturdy metal handle's attachment to the case, as well as get a better look at the radiator/fan mounting area. Combined with the space at the bottom of the case, you could mount two 2x120mm radiators. The rear case handle is at the far right of the image. 
Let's take a closer look at some of the interior features of this case in the next section. Detailed Interior FeaturesLike almost all modern cases, the Cooler Master Storm Trooper uses drive caddies. 3.5" drives snap into place, while 2.5" drives are secured with screws. 
The two removable 3.5" cages hold up to four drives each. Each cage is fitted with a red LED-lit 120mm fan that connects to the built-in fan controller. If you leave a cage out, you gain three additional 5.25" bays. 
Since the Cooler Master Storm Trooper is a full tower case, you'd expect lots of room, and you'd be right. There's about 7 3/4" of space between the motherboard tray and the side panel.
There's surprisingly little space behind the motherboard tray, though: just over 5/8" of an inch. The relief in the side panel will help some, but I'm still disappointed that this huge case has so little cable clearance. 
In front of the power supply area is a small removable cage that can hold up to four 2.5" drives. Of course, you can also mount 2.5" drives and SSDs in the drive caddies using screws. If you remove this cage and the hidden parts drawer, you've opened up enough space to mount a 2x120mm radiator at the bottom of the case.
Join me in the next section as I built a system in this case. Building a SystemTwo of the motherboard standoffs are pre-mounted in the case. They're special, with machined extensions that fit into the screw holes in your motherboard, locking it into position. Once you set your motherboard on these, every other mounting hole will be perfectly lined up with its standoff.
Cooler Master says the Storm Trooper will handle micro ATX, ATX, and XL-ATX motherboards. One problem is that there is no real standard for "XL-ATX". My ASUS Rampage III Extreme is an odd form factor that's one inch longer, front to back, than the ATX standard. As you can see from the image below, it partially covers two of the cable routing holes, but this shouldn't be a problem. 
The SATA cabling is neater with the drives oriented sideways, but it would be nice to have some front-to-back airflow, too. I put all four of my drives in the lower drive cage and flipped the upper drive cage so that it blows air over the graphics cards. 
With all the components installed, the inside of the case still seems roomy. 
The cables from the fan controller are very long, so long that I had to bundle and zip-tie them off. Despite my worries about the relatively small space behind the motherboard, the side panel went on smoothly. The recessed area in the panel doubtless helped. 
The removable 5.25" bay covers stand out a little from the front of the case, which means your installed 5.25" devices will not be flush with the remaining covers. 
Powered up, the Storm Trooper's LED-lit fans show through the mesh. The LEDs aren't super bright, and look pretty much as shown below. This image shows my initial build with both 3.5" drive cages oriented front-to-back, rather than the lower cage being sideways as I finished with. 
All in all, a very easy build. This is one of the advantages of a full tower case: even if you don't need the space, it's nice to have, especially if you're someone who's in and out of their computer frequently. SGC-5000-KKN1 Final ThoughtsI admit to being an old-school builder who's never been entirely comfortable with SFF systems...even though I recognize I could build my entire current Intel system, complete with two GTX 580s, with a micro ATX motherboard like the Rampage III Gene and a micro ATX case, there's just something about the size, presence, and ease of building in a full tower case that makes them seductive. Of course, full tower cases are expensive, even if they're crafted of steel and plastic instead of aluminum, which is certainly something you'll want to consider when buying parts for your system. The real advantage of a full tower case lies in the amount of hardware you can stuff in it: this case can easily handle multiple radiators as well as more 2.5", 3.5", and 5.25" devices than any one person is likely to have! Still, the extra space is nice when working inside the case, and it also gives you some measure of "future proofing".
I complained in the review that the design of the hard drive cages meant that my preferred setup of sideways-mounted drives (for neater cabling) with a front-mounted fan (for better airflow into the case) isn't possible with the Storm Trooper's design. This is true, but the design does give the Trooper a significant advantage over cases like Cooler Master's own HAF series: much more versatility! You can remove and reposition the cages to arrange things exactly as you want: with a little modding, even mounting a front radiator is possible. Building a system in this case was fast and easy, and I'm now looking at it and thinking how easy all the space would make setting up my first custom water cooling setup. That said, there are still a few nits I have to pick with this case. The lack of an adapter cable for the SuperSpeed USB 3.0 ports means that unless your motherboard has a USB 3.0 header, you can't use two of the USB ports on the I/O panel. Also, it's weird that the power LED is connected directly to the power supply inside of a motherboard header, making it impossible to tell when your computer's asleep. As I mentioned in the introduction, Cooler Master's first cases were all-aluminum wonders, and as far as I can tell, they have only one aluminum case today, the ATCS 840. I still miss these cases sometimes, but none of them could ever have held a candle to the features and function of the Storm Trooper. Cooler Master Storm Trooper ConclusionAlthough we strive for objectivity here at Benchmark Reviews, please remember that each author perceives these points differently, and our conclusions and recommendations will necessarily differ from others. Also, prices can fluctuate and designs change after publication, so that the product we review might not have the same price and specifications of a product that's available later. Please do not base any purchase solely on our conclusion, as it represents our product rating specifically for the product tested, which may differ from future versions. Benchmark Reviews begins our conclusion with a short summary of each of the areas that we rate. The performance of the case was excellent. It's delivered with four fans, and you can mount several more. If you like water cooling, the standard case supports two 2x120mm radiators, no modding required. There's tons of room for all your hardware and cables. The appearance of the case is purposeful, but not as dramatic as some of Cooler Master's other cases like the HAF X. While it's a handsome case, there's nothing in particular to make it stand out from all of the other solid black industrial-themed cases out there. As expected from Cooler Master, the construction quality of the case is superb. All panels and parts fit precisely, and the rubberized coating on the top and front of the case is a nice touch. Full tower cases are all about functionality, and the Storm Trooper delivers, with everything from more drive mounts that you could probably use to steel carry handles to multiple radiator mounting positions. Cooler Master's decision not to include a USB 3.0->USB 2.0 adapter cable will inconvenience many users, though. Costing $149.99 (Newegg), the Storm Trooper is about the price of Cooler Master's various HAF series cases. While more expensive than most mid-tower cases, the price is actually pretty good for a full tower cases at this level, undercutting those like the Thermaltake Level 10 GT and the various Silverstone and Lian Li cases by over a hundred dollars. There are cheaper full tower cases available, of course, but the Storm Trooper provides an excellent combination of vaule and function. Pros:
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Comments
I also noticed a lot of these reviews focus on the internals of the case but not much on the usability from a users perspective. Its like reviewing a house based on how well an electrician can run wires but not on how someone will live in the house.
What do you want to see more of in terms of usability?
When I say user, I mean use of the computer not the building of it. The use of it for what it is, like plugging in cameras or external drives or web cams, printers, CD's or DVD's or Blu Rays. Etc. Thats the use of the computer. Running wires, installing hard drives, adding memory internally are the building of it but not the use.
If you follow me on the above then I can continue, I personally use a computer more technical than most. I have some bare drives which I put in an external case and then plug into either an e-sata or usb port. For me, for this use, it would be nice just to slide the drive into some bay and bypass the external case. For a webcam, a USB plug in the back would be best as I want the wire to be hidden. For temporary connections like plugging in a camera to transfer pictures - a plug close to the bottom of the case would be best because I will likely place the camera on the desk next to the computer. It would be nice if the USB plugs were flush mounted as opposed to being in some kind of "cave" because then I don't have much trouble making the connection. Lining the USB plugs along a vertical edge of the case might be a good idea.
Its that kind of usability I am referring to.
There are other factors as well, should this case be on the floor or on the desk and if on the desk can we lay it down or stand it up? Then based on that, what is the best placement of power button and USB ports and maybe a headphone jack as my daughter sometimes likes ot listen to music and its a pain to have to plug a temp headphone into the back.
#newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817994062
Ditto for USB connectors in a position other than the top of the case, etc. Of course if you can find a mid-tower case with these characteristics, that might make more sense for you than buying a full tower case like this one.
its like the HAF X CM-Stormed in a cool way!
it seems like the top can fit 2x140mm's too
can the left side panel mount 2x120mm's for exhaust?
if u wont change the hard drive cage orientation, can u put fans in there
for crossflow?
can u put 5.25" bays sideways too ?
Like I mean, by the end of 2012 when most cases will have USB 3.0 as their main standard and cases will be coming with 4 USB 3.0 instead of the 2 3.0 and 2 2.1 ports right now; will Cooler Master supply us with something to upgrade?
Thanks.
A minor gripe admittedly, but still one worth considering.
It also begs the question - get this case; or wait until 2012 when the (inevitable) USB 3.0 revision one comes out?
Otherwise, it's a good case ... hmm.
#i.neoseeker.com/neo_image/193001/article/CoolerMaster_Storm_T rooper/Trooper%2011.jpg
It's noteworthy that other companies (such as Corsair) do sell USB 3.0 upgrade kits for their cases.
It's been almost two years since the introduction of SuperSpeed USB 3.0, and we're only just starting to see motherboards with native USB 3.0 headers. There are very few USB 3.0 devices as yet. I think the two font connectors on the Storm Trooper will suffice for many years to come. After all, how many USB 3.0 devices do you think you'd ever have plugged into the front of the case at once? I've never had more than two USB 2.0 devices!
Although the market for USB 3.0 devices is expected to explode by 2013. Oh well ... I'm looking for a case that will last 3-4 years. This so far has been the most attractive option to suit my needs that I have seen so far.
After reading your fine review and several others, I'm very strongly leaning towards getting this case.
Budget - up to $350
Need:
- Full tower case
- Lots of room to work inside (expected of any full tower)
- USB 3.0 support
- Good cable management
- Excellent thermal performance (and room for more fans)
- Something that I can move around with a lot; I though about aluminum for that reason
I'm aiming to have this case last me 4-5 years. I also have thought in a couple years of upgrading to water cooling.
Build quality of this case seems pretty solid. Of all the cases released so far, this is the one that seems to fit the bill the closest.
can anyone tell me where is the power led wire is located on the cm storm trooper? unable to locate and/or find it. found the reset wire, power wire, and ide wire but not the power led wire. thanks