Cooler Master Storm Sniper Case Review

Exterior Impressions pg.2


From the front, we can quite literally see right through the case. This is due to the fact that all of the drive bay covers are filtered mesh as well as the large fan grille below that hints to the massive 200mm fan beneath it. The case has five 5.25 inch drive bays as well as one that can be converted to 3.5 inches for a floppy drive or card reader.

The top of the case is quite a sight. All of the case’s I/O ports, switches, LEDs and even a fan controller can be found toward the front and a massive 200mm exhaust fan can be found toward the back.


A closer look at the I/O cluster reveals no less than four USB ports, a 1394 port, an e-SATA port and the essential AC-97 audio connectors. For fan control, a large dial that aesthetically dominates the front of the case is present on the panel next to the ports. In the center of this same dial is a button used to turn on and off the LEDs embedded in the 200mm fans. This is actually an excellent albeit industrial-looking solution for controlling the speed and illumination of the fans which incorporates both functions into one control surface.

A very handy feature of the Storm Sniper is the metal reinforced, recessed handles at the top of the case. Although the case is constructed of steel and weighs a hearty 23 pounds, the handles allow it to be moved around with ease, making it a worthy LAN gaming case. It seems that Cooler Master really did listen to the gaming community regarding what they want as this is something plenty of LAN party regulars ask for.


Almost the entire bottom of the Sniper is vented to allow the overall negative pressure within and the optional bottom fan to draw cool air upwards. A PSU with a bottom mounted fan will also be able to breathe freely thanks to this design.

The four retractable feet are a nice feature that helps to ground the case a bit better, but we found that they flexed a bit too much if the case was tilted. They can be removed and replaced with the included rubber feet if so desired.