A Closer Look - Taking It Apart

A few years ago, Cooler Master announced its new focus on the maker spirit and also unveiled its plans to make cases incredibly modular, allowing users to customize not just the exterior, but also the interior. The MasterConcept chassis was initially shown to the press (which we were not allowed to take pictures of back then) in the same fashion automotive brands show off concept cars. Consumers get a glimpse of the future and some of the features of these futuristic vehicles end up making it into production cars.

Over time, Cooler Master started offering their new line of cases, which featured limited customizability mostly focused on the exterior of the chassis. Now, with the Cosmos C700P, they are finally taking that proper step into allowing the interior to be completely customized. To show what this entails, we will now take the Cosmos C700P apart until there is nothing left inside.


First, let's start with the motherboard area. This is a step you will have to go through regardless as it is also a required part of the assembly process. Cooler Master has divided the rear plate and motherboard tray into two pieces, as they are mounted on to the frame individually.


Once the motherboard is out of the chassis, it only takes four more screws for the PSU bay itself to come loose as well.


Both cooling brackets are completely identical, which means that the metal frame on which everything is built is the same height as it is deep. You may move any of the two included brackets to the floor of the chassis, for example. Alternatively, Cooler Master also offers them as a separate piece for €7/US$7.


Last but not least are the drive bays and the hard-drive plate with all its holes and the ODD bay. There are also a few support beams - a larger one for the mainboard and a smaller one to hold the cooling bracket properly in the front.


During the disassembly process, I noticed that the metal stand on which the case rests has a "TOP-L" engraving in it. This means that these parts are completely symmetrical too, allowing Cooler Master to use the top-left handle as the bottom-right stand.


With everything taken out of the case and 47 screws later, you can see what is inside the Cosmos C700P. Taking a look at the bare frame, I could have continued the disassembly process and would have been left with nothing but a black, square frame.

This backbone was also a core part of the MasterConcept as it gives the user utmost flexibility in a very easy way. I can simply take out the parts and flip the motherboard upside down if I like - all of that without any additional components or the need to read a lengthy manual. But it does not stop there. Thanks to the symmetric shape of the core frame, you may also rotate the board 90°, so that the connectors face upward. Cooler Master offers a separate backplate for such a setup, which goes for €10/US$10.

In essence, the Cosmos C700P is pretty close to what Cooler Master had envisioned with their MasterConcept, but the accessories and their availability will make or break the platform.