Introduction

I would like to thank CaseKing.de for supplying the review sample.

CaseKing is one of the few companies out there, which will not just sell anything. They only offer hardware that performs well and is of high quality. The shop carries quite a few exclusive parts and devices from all around the world and it is also the official distributor for a long list of well known manufacturers. Their assortment has grown substantially in recent years, while great service and support is still a very important part of the shop philosophy. The website may be in German, but due to great demand, an English version is in the works.

CaseKing has kindly sent us one of the newest offerings from Cooler Master this time around. The Sniper is part of the CM Storm brand by the company. This series has their own website and Cooler Master is aiming the products at the avid gamer. These parts offer excellent build quality, unique looks and come packed with features for the enthusiast.

Specifications:

Model:	CM Storm Sniper
Case Type:	Steel, ABS Plastic, Mesh bezel
Net Weight:	10.6 kg / 23.42 lb
Dimension:	(D)566.6 x (W)254.6 X (H)551 mm / (D)22.3 x (W)10 x (H)21.7 inch
Material:	Steel, ABS Plastic, Mesh bezel
Color:	Black
Cooling System:	Front: 200x30mm Blue LED Fan x 1 (500 - 1000rpm, 17 - 23 dBA)Top: 200x30mm Blue LED Fan x 1 (500 - 1000rpm, 17 - 23 dBA)(can be swapped for two 120mm fans or 120x240mm Radiator)Rear: 120x25mm Standard Fan x 1 (1200rpm, 17 dBA)(can be swapped for 90mm fan or 80mm fan)Bottom: Supports 140mm Fan x 1 or 120mm Fan x 1 w/ Dust Filter (optional)Side: Supports 200x30mm Fan x 1 (optional)120x25mm Fan x 2 (optional)
Motherboards:	Micro-ATX/ATX
Drive Bays:	5x 5.25" Exposed (without the use of exposed 3.5 inch Drive Bay), 5x 3.5" Hidden & 1x 3.5" Exposed (converted from one 5.25 inch Drive Bay)
Front I/O:	USB2.0 x 4; IEEE1394 x 1; eSATA x 1; Mic x 1; HD Audio+AC’97 x 1
Expansion Slots:	7 + 1

Package

The front of the full color box shows the Sniper chassis as well as the special "CM STORM" brand in the top left corner. The name is also present in a very large fashion. Turning the box over, the rear goes into some detail about all the unique features of the chassis. There is an elite police member with a sniper rifle pictured as well. While this may be "cool" with the guys who want to use this case, some parents of younger gamers may be put off by such an image.


One side of the package lists the specifications of the chassis, while the other side has another image of the case. Cooler Master has not strayed from the default layout of information with the Sniper packaging. An image up front, some general information on the rear, specifics on one side and shipping label on the other.


The inner, protective packaging follows the same theme. Fairly compact Styrofoam spacers are used to keep the case secure, while a bag further protects the Sniper from lighter forms of damage. For those that may be worried, that such compact spacers may be inadequate, the case was shipped to us in the retail box only and survived the journey without a scratch.

Contents

The additional contents are two metal rails to use on the 5.25 inch bays for smaller, 3.5 inch devices, four rubber feet, exactly 11 zip ties and a bag filled with all the necessary screws. A very detailed, black & white, multi-language manual rounds up the set.