There are run-off-the-mill PC cases and then there is this exorbitantly priced gaming PC case by COUGAR Gaming. The PC component and peripherals brand incepted in 2007 by a bunch of passionate gamers has again broken the set norms for PC case design with something that you’ll either absolutely love or completely hate. Just like the alien-inspired one by AfterShock PC.
Meet the COUGAR Gaming Cratus, an open-air PC chassis with state-of-the-art cooling technology to keep even the most demanding processor, CPU or GPU at optimum temperature during extended runs of modern graphics and performance-intensive gaming titles. Available for $500 this one is sure not affordable, but the question remains – do you really need to spend that much on a premium PC case when you can add another $99 to grab the GeForce RTX 4070 GPU?
Designer: COUGAR Gaming
The case design alone is an eye-opener in its own right, designed like an inward-curved roll cage crafted out of a steel tube frame for incredible strength and stability. This openness is balanced with curved tempered glass panels on the front and side, lending the owner one the coolest view of a high-end functional PC in works.
That alone is not the USP though – according to COUGAR, the PC case boasts industry-first revolutionary innovation employing heat convection principles to orchestrate optimal thermal performance. This is achieved with the angled interior layout wherein the motherboard is angled slightly upwards. Therefore, the I/O is slightly higher than the board to direct the cyclical current of hot air rising and cool air falling for the best airflow a PC could get.
Cratus has support for nine fans if you want to invest in a high-end water-cooled setup, two 360mm radiators and a 280mm radiator on the front. You can load high-performance hardware including E-ATX motherboard, 460 mm graphics cards, two 3.5″ HDDs and three 2.5″ SSDs. On the top of the case is the customizable accented lightbar that goes all around and gives you the freedom for a built-in LED controller or in-built motherboard 5V aRGB connections for total integration with the PC’s other lighting setup.
No matter what internal components you opt for, the routing of cables will be clutter-free courtesy of the 45mm storage space in the hinged cover that’ll urge you to show off the unobstructed clean build. One thing to keep in mind though, the case comes barebones and doesn’t include any components like coolers or power supplies like the HZXT H1 which is priced at $350.
