Installation
As you might expect, the internal layout of the Cosmos S chassis is pretty typical for a standard full-tower ATX style case except the PSU is located at the bottom. The overall installation of basic components went smoothly and was completed without problems. The larger size made things all the more easy.Power Supply
For a power supply I chose Cooler Master’s Real Power Pro 1,250W PSU. This is one of the larger power supplies on the market in both output capacity and physical size. I like having the power supply located at the bottom of the enclosure as it keeps the weight in the bottom and the center of gravity low.
This was one of the simplest power supply installations I have ever performed. Simply set the power supply into position on top of the filter bracket housing and secure it in place with four screws through the back panel. Done!
Note: If your power supply has a bottom intake fan it can be mounted with the fan down (pulling cool room air in thru the bottom of the case) or with the fan up (helping to exhaust additional warm, internal case air out of the enclosure). Pick whichever method works best for your setup.
Exposed Drive Bays – Optical Drives
Before a 5.25” drive or bay device can be mounted a black mesh bay cover must be popped out. This is easily accomplished by opening the two front panel side wings and pressing the plastic clip on one side of the bay cover. Then you just slide the drive in from the front and secure it in place with the tool-less, push-pin retention mechanism. This system is adequate but not the best I have seen.
Note: You could run into an interference problem if you try to install a full size 5.25” device in the top bay AND use a triple size radiator mounted up top. The obvious work-around is to either not use the top bay or put a smaller device up there (card reader, fan speed controller, etc).
Internal Hard Disc Drives
The HDD cage is held in place with four machine screws (two on each side). The cage attaches to two mounting plates via rubber grommets for vibration isolation. The overall design is quite simple but in practice the system isn’t very user friendly. It required a little jockeying to get the cage out and even more to get it back in because the clearances are pretty tight between the cage parts and the main chassis. The 4-in-3 HDD cage comes mounted in the lower three 5.25” drive bays but can be moved if desired.
You can install up to four 3.5” HDDs in the 4-in-3 cage. Individual HDDs are mounted with standard machine screws. Cooler Master includes one set of 5.25” to 3.5” adapter brackets for mounting another internal 3.5” device in a 5.25” bay. And additional 4-in-3 HDD cages can be purchased if you need more storage room.
ATX Motherboard
I installed a full size ATX motherboard (Asus P5N32-SLI Deluxe) into the Cosmos S chassis without issues. The motherboard tray uses threaded standoffs for mounting points and everything lined up and fit perfectly. There is plenty of room around the motherboard area to work and connect cables.
