A Closer Look - Outside

The chassis itself looks quite nice, but the plastic does feel a bit flimsy and hollow at a few spots of the case. This is especially true for the the entire front of the Scout. Cooler Master has applied the same excellent paint job we have come to love from the Sniper chassis. This means that it will withstand small bumps here and there during transportation.


The front itself is quite simple and is made of plastic and metal mesh. Turning the chassis over and taking a quick look at the rear, it becomes apparent that the interior is black as well. This is certainly a nice touch.


Both sides of the Scout have similar extruded shapes like the Sniper chassis. This adds very nicely to the overall look and bulk of the chassis. One side has a thick, tinted side window inserted into this shape. It has air vents for two 120 mm fans, which you will have to supply. I would suggest red LED fans to go with the rest of the chassis.


Taking a closer look at the front, the bottom is taken by a 140 mm intake fan. The front mesh is covered with a dust filter, which you may remove and clean out. The top is filled with five 5.25 inch drive bays. The very bottom also holds a 5.25 to 3.5 inch tray. Just slap the included 3.5 inch cover on the front and you are ready to go.


The power supply bay can be found on the very bottom of the rear. Above that are the seven mainboard expansion slots. The lowest slot has the Storm Guard bracket, which you may use to route the wires of your mouse and keyboard through, before plugging it into the appropriate port. This little feature will eliminate any need to stow away these peripherals when you leave your seat at a LAN party. The only real downside is the fact, that you will loose an expansion slot. Up on top is a 120 mm fan with red LEDs, this time blowing air out of the chassis. There are no holes to route water cooling tubes through.


Since the PSU is located on the bottom of the chassis, there is enough space for a 140 mm exhaust fan in the ceiling of the Scout. The needed air vent has been worked into the top, reinforced plastic part, which doubles as a carrying handle. The front area up top holds the power & reset button, along with a small button to toggle the lighting on or off. You also get four USB 2.0 ports, the usual pair of audio connectivity and an eSATA port. This is certainly enough for most gamers and considering the fact that a Firewire 400 port is missing should be of no concern for most of the targeted audience of the Scout.