Cooler Master Storm Sniper Black Edition Case

External Impressions

With the Sniper out of its packing we can get a good look at it. First thing I noticed is the massive amount of open mesh this case has. Getting fresh air in the Sniper is not going to be hard; however keeping the noise down is another issue. Quiet components are going to be a must.

Looking straight at the side of the Sniper we can make out supports behind the mesh. This is nice as it should reduce the chance of bending the mesh in.

Moving around to the back we can see the Sniper has a bottom mounted PSU, water cooling tube pass through holes with grommets, side panel pad lock tab, and a security lock for your peripherals that Cooler Master calls StormGuard.

Looking at the top of the sniper we can see the air intake and the front control panel.

Looking closer at the front panel we can see the rather large power button, fan speed control knob, eSATA port, four USB ports, E1394 port, and audio ports. We can also get a better view of the top front intake. There is a grill and screen that stops loose change or small metal objects that may find their way into this area from getting into the case. So, no worries about ruined hardware from foreign objects … well, other than water.

On the right side of the case there is not much to look at. The side panel has a bulge in it that matches the left side panel. This will be nice as it will allow for cables to be hidden between the side panel and the motherboard tray or drive cages. The side is not completely without decoration, though; there is a small CM Storm logo painted on the panel towards the rear of the case.

Looking at the bottom of the Sniper we have yet more vents. The feet of the Sniper are server style feet with a neoprene base to prevent sliding around on smooth surfaces. Now, if this not your liking Cooler Master also includes a replacement set of standard rubber feet; this also shortens the overall height almost an inch.