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[nextpage title=”Introduction”]
The Enforcer is the latest case from CM Storm, Cooler Master’s gaming division. Coming with an interesting look and affordable price, let’s see if it is a good pick.
Figure 1: CM Storm Enforcer case
Figure 2: CM Storm Enforcer case
Figure 3: The left-side panel
[nextpage title=”The Front Panel”]
The front panel of the CM Storm Enforcer comes with a door protecting the 5.25” bays. There are four 5.25” bays, all using meshed covers with air filters. Luckily, the buttons and connectors of this case are located on its top panel, so you won’t need to open the front door whenever you need to install a USB device.
Figure 4: Front panel
Figure 5: Door opened
At the bottom of the front panel there is a huge 200 mm fan (Cooler Master FA20030H12SFD, 1,000 rpm, 19 dBA). This fan glows red when turned on and it uses a three-pin power connector, allowing you to install it on your motherboard and, therefore, monitor its speed. It also comes with a power adapter if you want to connect it directly to your power supply. There is an air filter for this fan.
Figure 6: Front fan
[nextpage title=”The Top, Bottom, and Rear Panels”]
The buttons and connectors are located at the junction of the top panel with the front panel. The Enforcer comes with two USB 3.0 ports, two USB 2.0 ports, and the traditional audio jacks.
Figure 7: Buttons and connectors
The top panel of the Enforcer is shown in Figure 8. It has space for you to install one 200 mm fan or two 120 mm fans.
Figure 8: Top panel
The bottom panel, seen in Figure 9, has an air filter for the power supply fan.
Figure 9: Bottom panel
The rear panel and the interior of the CM Storm Enforcer are painted black. The power supply is installed on the bottom part of the case, and the case comes with seven expansion slots featuring vented covers. There is one vertical expansion slot for you to install a blower (a fan to pull hot air from inside the case to the outside), but you can also use it as an anti-theft device for your keyboard and mouse, if you use the plate shown in Figure 11 and that comes with the product.
There are three holes with rubber covers for passing hoses of liquid cooling solutions. The USB 3.0 ports use a front panel header, which is installed directly on the motherboard, instead of using cables that go outside the case that need to be installed on the USB 3.0 ports located at the motherboard rear panel. The possible drawback is that you will have to buy a motherboard with a USB 3.0 front panel header in order to use the USB 3.0 ports of the case.
The case comes with a 120 mm fan on its rear panel (1,200 rpm, 17 dBA), using a three-pin power connector, allowing you to install it on your motherboard and, therefore, monitor its speed. It also comes with a power adapter if you want to connect it directly to your power supply.
Figure 10: Rear panel
Figure 11: Cable holder/anti-theft device
Let’s now take a look inside the CM Storm Enforcer.[nextpage title=”Inside the CM Storm Enforcer”]
Only the left-side panel is fastened to the case using black thumbscrews; the right-side panel uses regular black screws. The motherboard tray has a huge hole for you to access the backplate of the CPU cooler without having to remove the motherboard from the case, several holes for you to route cables behind it, and several metallic clips for you to fasten cables behind the motherboard tray using cable ties.
Figure 12: Overall look
Figure 13: A view behind the motherboard tray
In Figure 14, you have another overall look inside the case. Expansion cards are fastened to the case using regular screws. The Enforcer supports video cards up to 10.6” (270 mm) long or up to 15.4” (390 mm) long, if the top hard drive cage is removed, and CPU coolers up to 6.9” (175 mm) tall.
Note that the power supply can be installed with either its bottom fan facing up or facing down, so you can decide if you want the fan of your power supply pulling air from inside the case or from outside of it. As already shown, there is an air filter for the power supply fan.
Figure 15: Power supply compartment
[nextpage title=”The Disk Drive Bays”]
The CM Storm Enforcer has four 5.25” external bays, six 3.5” internal bays and two 2.5” internal bays. The 5.25” and 3.5” bays use tool-less installation mechanisms, whereas on the 2.5” bays you must use regular screws to install hard drives and SSD units.
Figure 16: Disk drive bays
The six internal 3.5” bays are divided into two hard drive cages. The top one, which has four bays, is removable, allowing you to install longer video cards. Hard drives are installed using tool-less mechanisms based on rulers, i.e. you have to install one ruler at each side of the drive and then slide the drive into the bay you want to use.
Figure 17: Top hard drive cage removed from the case
Figure 18: The 2.5” bays
The product comes with one 3.5”-to-2.5” adapter, allowing you to install one additional 2.5” device, for a total of three.
Figure 19: The 3.5”-to-2.5” adapter
One external 3.5” device can be installed, using the included metallic brackets shown in Figure 20.
Figure 20: The 5.25”-to-3.5” adapter
[nextpage title=”Main Specifications”]
The main specs for the CM Storm Enforcer include:
- Style: Mid-tower
- Application: ATX and smaller form factors derived from this one
- Material: Zinc-coated steel (SECC)
- Power supply: Doesn’t come with the product
- Available colors: Black
- Side panel: Transparent window
- Dimensions: 19 x 9 x 20.6 inches (484.5 x 229 x 523.5 mm) (H x W x D)
- Net weight: 18.5 lbs (8.4 kg)
- Gross weight: 23 lbs (10.4 kg)
- Bays: Four external 5.25” bays, one external 3.5” bay (converted from one 5.25” bay), six internal 3.5” bays and three internal 2.5” bays (one converted from one 3.5” internal bay)
- Expansion slots: Seven
- Maximum video card length: 10.6” (270 mm) long or up to 15.4” (390 mm) long, if the top hard drive cage is removed
- Maximum CPU cooler height: 6.9” (175 mm)
- Fans: One 200 mm fan on the front panel (1,000 rpm, 19 dBA, glowing red) and one 120 mm fan on the rear panel (1,200 rpm, 17 dBA)
- Optional fans: One 200 mm or two 120 mm on the top panel
- Additional Features: Vertical expansion slot for blower or mouse/keyboard anti-theft device
- More Information: https://www.cmstorm.com
- Average price in the US*: USD 90.00
* Researched at Newegg.com on the day we published this review.
[nextpage title=”Conclusions”]
The CM Storm Enforcer is a very nice mid-tower case that should please both average and enthusiast users who are looking for a nice-looking case for building a high-end PC at an affordable price. We wish it came with the top fan installed, but we know that this would increase its final price.
Strong Points
- The 5.25” bay covers are meshed featuring air filters
- Supports three 2.5” devices
- Supports six 3.5” hard drives
- Meshed slot covers
- Additional slot for blower or mouse/keyboard anti-theft device
- Air filter for the front fan
- Air filter for the power supply fan
- Support for video cards up to 15.4” (390 mm) in length, if the top hard drive cage is removed
- A huge hole in the motherboard tray for accessing the backplate of the CPU cooler
- Holes for routing cables behind the motherboard tray
- Top-notch finishing
Weak Points
- Expansion cards are fastened to the case using regular screws
- The right panel is fastened using regular screws
- Doesn’t come with the top fan