A Closer Look - Outside

We were fortunate enough to get the gunmetal grey variant instead of the black one. I am sure the latter will look just as good, but the different tones of our sample certainly add a bit of variety to the case. The overall construction can be considered very good. There are no parts that can be flexed out of place and the top handle is reinforced with steel, making it very sturdy.


The entire front is covered by metal mesh, with the bottom half acting as an air vent to the two possible fans, while the rear offers 7 + 1 expansion slots and a bottom mounted PSU bay. The eight slot is filled with a special cover that can be used to secure your gaming gear, so that your gear doesn't get stolen during a LAN party. Both sides of the CM Scout 2 have an extruded design element to them, which adds space for large CPU coolers on one and space for cable routing on the other side. A well placed window and two 120 mm fan mounting possibilities can be found on the main panel. Unfortunately, there are no dust filters for these fan placements.


Taking a closer look at the front, the bottom half cannot be removed, but comes with a dust filter and the CM Storm logo. Above that are the three 5.25" drive bays covered by the exact same material to keep the overall look of the chassis front uniform.


Turning the case around, the aforementioned PSU bay is in the very bottom. There are two sets of mounting holes, so that you may install the unit with the fan facing up or down. Above that are the eight motherboard expansion slots. Each one is protected by black metal covers. Seven of these slots are aligned traditionally above each other, while the eight slot has been placed vertically to the others. You can find the only fan within the Scout 2 in the very top. It is a 120 mm, all clear unit with red LEDs embedded within. Two large openings for water cooling also allow for routing of such systems through the back of the case.


Cooler Master has hidden the I/O on top, behind a sliding cover. The usual pair of audio, two USB 3.0, and two USB 2.0 connectors should suffice for most needs, offering ample flexibility and connectivity. You will find three large buttons in the middle area. The left one is used to toggle the fan LED lighting, the larger, middle one is the power button, and the last one is the reset one.


Half the read is a large vent, which may be removed by releasing it from within the case itself. It does come with a dust filter and reveals two additional fan placements. A rubber lined handle can also be found on top of the case. It feels quite sturdy, so you should easily be able to fill up the case to the rim. Cooler Master advertises the fact that the grip has been reinforced with steel - a good move.


While there are two openings on the underside of the chassis, one for the PSU and one for an additional fan, only the first has a dust filter. It would have been nice to have something covering the middle vent as well.