Interior:

Inside shot

Acoustical foam

Right side view

Panel locking pin

    Like I mentioned above, in order to gain access to the interior, the removal of the side panel is done by lifting up on a lever that unlocks the panel. With the panel off, the true vastness of this behemoth can been seen. Attached to the inside of the panels is sound-deadening foam. The foam will help to reduce sound and vibration transmissions through the panels.

5.25" bays	Inside view	Push button locking
HDD bays	Grab rails	HDD bracket

    Up front, the five external bays are equipped with a new type of tool-less clip. The clip looks like the standard twist lock clip but instead of twisting, a push button action is used. Simply push the blue button to lock or unlock the clip for the device. Below the 5.25" bays are the 3.5" bays arranged in two banks of three. The hard drives are placed inside cages with rubber mounts to reduce vibration. Also, the drive is installed in such a fashion that the cables are towards the right side panel, thus reducing that unsightly cable clutter usually visible when opening up the left panel cover. A total of six hard drive cages slide into separate rails, and each of the cages have handles for easy removal and mini thumbscrews to lock everything in place.

Lower intake fan	Opening for PSU fan	VGA duct
Stud break down	PCI bracket	Top exhaust fans
CM Accessory box	End cap	Contents

    On the bottom or floor of the Cosmos 1000 is the intake fan I mentioned earlier. The PSU mounts on the the bottom also, and a 12v ATX extension cable is included as well. Spanning the centerline of the enclosure is a removable VGA duct. On the rear is an 120mm exhaust fan, and up top are two 120mm exhaust fans. A bonus item is included with the Cosmos 1000: the CM Accessory Box. This box is aluminum with plastic end caps, and looks like a hard drive enclosure. But it's not that at all; instead, it's a storage container for all the fastening hardware. In it are included all the nuts and bolts, a couple of small screwdrivers, and cable ties.

Installation:

HDD screws	Lock and load	Rear cable routing
Front I/O cables	Cable ties	Gear installed

    CoolerMaster has included some cable ties with the enclosure to help with cable maintenance, so there is no excuse for a messy install. I like to install the motherboard last; this way, I feel I have greater control over cable management. First I like to install the optical drive, and this is done simply by lining up the front of the optical drive with the front of the bezel and pushing the button to lock in place. Next up is the hard drive, and for this install the right side should be removed also. Now, pick which bays you want to use for the hard drives, remove the thumbscrews, grab the handles and slide out the hard drive cages. The hard drive tray is all aluminum with rubber grommet to dampen hard drive vibrations. Install the hard drive with the cable connections pointed towards the right panel. With the panel removed, the cables for the hard drives can be routed out of sight. Next, pop in the power supply and then the motherboard. Sort out the wires and cables, complete the connections, and use cable ties where necessary. 

Conclusion:

    If you are in the market for a new edition to your home or a place to stick your mother in-law for the upcoming holidays, then the CoolerMaster Cosmos 1000 is what you need. The design style is sleek, but has an unequivocally macho feel to it. The aluminum panels have a brushed texture to them, adding to the overall appeal. The bezel door also has this brushed texture, but its most notable feature is the ability to reverse the direction it can open. The upper grab bars are tough and strong and will be able to take the abuse of moving the enclosure around - I just don't think your back will be able to keep up with it. The lower bars, which are the same as the uppers are used as the feet for the Cosmos 1000, along with the sheer size and weight of the enclosure may damage the surface of a desk or even hardwood floor; on carpet, however, everything should be fine.

    The gear was extremely easy to install, and this was enhanced by the ease with which the panels come off. I like the simple lever release, and how the panels separate from the main frame of the enclosure. The server-style racks for the hard drives is a nice touch, but what is more important to me is how the wiring is run behind the drive cage against the right panel. I like to route all the cables as neatly as possible, so this is a definite plus for me.

    I'm sure you are wondering how quiet the Cosmos 1000 actually is. Well, it's definitely quiet, but not silent - since I don't own a decibel meter I can't give the exact details. The included fans help with keeping the main area cool, but I would like to have seen a fan included around the hard drive cages. With one or two drives in place heat shouldn't be an issue, but with six bays available and people wanting to fill them up... heat is sure to be an issue then. I would like to thank CoolerMaster for sending this item out for VH to review.

Got News? Send 'em in!