A Closer Look - Outside

Out of the box, all glass panels are also covered with a thin plastic film for further protection. In terms of the design, I am not sure what FSP is going for. On one hand, there is a warrior on the box, and on the other, the case is featured with futuristic meteors on their website. That said, the case does not look bad at all, especially with that cool badge on the front panel.


Looking at the CMT520, it becomes apparent that glass continues to play a big role in the CMT500 series of enclosures as the entire front panel is covered in a single piece of the tempered, tinted material. You may pull the whole front off to reveal the three pre-installed 120 mm RGB fans. Looking at the case from the rear, there is not really anything out of the ordinary in terms of the layout with the PSU bay on the very bottom of the chassis.


The main side panel consists of a single piece of tempered glass that is held in place by four thumb screws. Unfortunately, FSP does not frame the panel in black, so you can see the steel frame and its openings where a steel panel would mount instead. The opposite side is covered by a traditional full metal panel.


You are meant to install the PSU through the back of the CMT520, so FSP has included a frame for the power supply. Above that are eight expansion-slot covers. Each of these is held in place by a traditional screw, while an angled metal piece bridges the opening in the design nicely. Above that, you will find another 120 mm fan with RGB lighting - this time set to push hot air out of the rear of the chassis. There is also plenty of room above it, which means you should run into no issues when installing a radiator in the ceiling.


The I/O consists of the traditional set these days: 2x USB 3.0, 2x USB 2.0, the audio plugs, and a power and reset combo. The only little oddity is the LED toggle button as it allows you to adjust the hue of the included fans even if your motherboard does not offer the 4-pin RGB header. The top is covered by a magnetic dust filter that protects the ceiling from any dust and grime. Here, you may install up to three 120 or 140 mm fans or up to a 360 mm radiator.


You will also find another easily removable dust filter on the underside of the chassis. Besides the air vent for the power supply, there are no further openings in this area of the CMT520.