by Ryan Perry on September 25, 2012 in Cases & PSUs
Cooler Master’s original Scout brought a lot to the table when it was released in 2009, and for all it did right, it came highly recommended by us. Will we be left just as impressed with its sequel, the “Scout 2”? On the surface, this LAN-inspired chassis looks the part and its feature-set proves sufficient, so let’s find out.
Coming in at a penny shy of 100 smackers US, the Scout 2 isn’t cheap, and having to add additional fans to achieve better cooling will drive the price up even further. I would like to see another fan included seeing how even one intake fan made for a nice drop in temperature.
There’s also the issue of the well-intended, but poorly executed StormGuard locking system. This is more of a deterrent than a full-blown anti-theft system, seeing how I could remove the cover from the outside in about 7 seconds, but I knew what I was looking for whereas most thieves probably wouldn’t and may walk on by in favour of an easier target.
Overall, I enjoyed tinkering with the Scout 2. The original Scout was released before I joined the Techgage roster, but I have read the review. Cooler Master has built a very solid follow-up case that should be able to survive multiple trips to LAN parties or wherever you need to go since the build quality is top-notch. In case you’re wondering, that handle won’t break anytime soon either as it’s rock solid.
We all know that looks are subjective, but I like the clean look of the Scout 2 more than the original. The front I/O area is covered and the buttons have been left completely black, making them inconspicuous in order to keep the exterior clean.
All in all, the Scout 2 is a great case that falls short in the cooling department. If Cooler Master decided to throw in another fan like it did with the original Scout, I would have had no problem awarding it an Editor’s Choice award, however, a case in the ~$100 price range should be able to keep such a light system cool.
Pros
- Top-notch build quality.
- Sports good looks.
- Lots of room at the back for cables.
- Built with the LAN partyer in mind.
Cons
- Only a single fan? It results in sub-par cooling out-of-the-box.
- The StormGuard-locking system would be more secure if the screw was on the inside of the chassis.
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