A Closer Look - Outside

Out of the box, there is a lot of tape holding various pieces of the exterior in place. That does means Cougar has designed the chassis with accessibility in mind, but I always tend to joke "if you need tape to transport something, watch out". As the name already suggests, the Cougar Panzer Max chassis is quite large and menacing to look at. There are a lot of design details that really aim to deliver a visual representation of a Panzer (which means "tank" in German). The chassis looks bulky and menacing - both aspects I would associate with a tank.


The front of the chassis is primarily made of metal mesh, but without looking or feeling cheap. In the rear, everything is where you would expect it to be for a chassis of this format and size. Cougar has placed the PSU bay on the very bottom of the case, and there is plenty of space in the top, hinting at excellent liquid-cooling compatibility.


The level of detail that has been incorporated into the sides is outstanding, without it looking way over the top. The side panels are surrounded by a solid plastic frame sitting on metal. This means that the total size of these metal side elements is actually bigger than the case frame itself - which in itself is quite unique. The main side panel is equipped with a large window so that you can show off all your hardware within, while the opposite side, which is equally bulky in shape, is completely solid. Large latches allow for easy access to the interior. Considering this is a chassis which may be carried around to public events, it would have been nice to see locks on these as well to make sure only the actual owner can access the interior.


Taking a closer look at the bottom of the chassis, there is the Cougar brand on the metal mesh, which is in turn reinforced by a sturdy plastic frame so that it feels solid across the large area. In the top, you will find two 5.25" drive bays with their covers as part of the metal-mesh front. You are able to take this panel off with a firm press, which reveals two 120 mm intake fans and allows for the easy installation of external drives.


The design elements extruding from the case's body are also present in the rear, where the PSU bay can be found on the very bottom. The bay comes with two sets of mounting holes, which gives you completely flexible on how to install the PSU inside the chassis. Above that are the eight motherboard expansion slots, seven of which are covered while the very top slot is empty. Oddly enough, that one cover is provided separately as we have noticed previously. To the right are also three circular cutouts which may be punched out to provide openings for an external water-cooling system. Cougar has also provided rubber grommets for these in case you will make use of them. In the very top is another 120 mm fan, set to push hot air out the back of the chassis.


Even though the Panzer Max is quite large, Cougar has built two sturdy handles into the frame. The foundation for these is solid steel, which is then covered in plastic. This works well as you won't have to worry about the whole contraption breaking off at the worst possible moment; however, the grips are not really very comfortable. Some sort of rubberized underside would have been perfect, especially as the filled chassis will come with some considerable weight. The Panzer Max also features an extensive set of I/O consisting of two USB 2.0, two USB 3.0, the usual audio plugs, and power and reset buttons. On top of that, there is an embedded fan controller with a low, mid, and high setting.


You may take off the metal-mesh element and solid plastic part of the top to gain nearly unrestricted access to the interior from this end or to install fans or radiators in the ceiling. You may install three 120 or 140 mm fans or a radiator of up to 280 mm in size here.


Tipping the chassis on its side, you can see the removable dust filter that covers all the openings on the floor. Unfortunately, you have to tip your full system over to get to it for easy cleaning.