A Closer Look - Outside

Cougar has done a very good job with the case's construction. Even though the top and front covers are made of plastic, they sport a brushed surface to mimic that aluminum look. Everything else is made of steel and metal mesh.


The front of the chassis is completely solid, and you won't find a traditional external drive bay within the QBX as there is simply no space for one. A large Cougar logo adorns the front to let everyone know who manufactured the enclosure. In the rear, the openings hint at the internal layout of the QBX, as you can already see the two motherboard expansion slots, while there is no PSU bay anywhere in sight.


Both sides of the chassis come with a metal-mesh grill to allow for air to pass through freely. This is important in a compact case when it comes to keeping all the components cool.


As there is nothing special to talk about in the front, let's take a closer look at the rear. The two motherboard expansion slots are outside of the chassis, protected by individual, reusable covers. You will find a 92 mm exhaust fan and the PSU plug above those.


The top of the QBX is designed in the exact same fashion as the front, held in place by screws. Look closely and you will also notice a gap between the front cover and top, which is where you will find a vertical slimline, slot-loading drive bay for an optical drive. There are a few cases that offer such a drive bay, and as has become the norm, this one does not feature an eject button either, so you will have to use the OS to pop the disc out.


A large dust filter on the chassis' underside protects the intake area from dirt and grime.