Cougar Case QBX

This case is about 1/4 the cost of the other comparable ITX cases this size/type. I learned of this case through OptimumTech's YouTube channel. It is a great case, that is easy to install your own components into.There is space for three 120mm SLIM (15mm thick) fans (two bottoms, one top), and two additional spaces for two 90mm fans in the front and back. It comes with one 90mm DC (vs PWM) fan, but I removed that in favor of using the 120mm fans top/bottom. There is also a mount for a full-size 120mmx240mm liquid radiator for CPU cooling.I tried a few different fan configurations, but I found that the following config was the most quiet and provided the most cooling: 120mm fans 2-bottom, 1-top blowing out from the case, with the liquid-cooling radiator drawing inward, and the front/rear vents left open with no fans.I originally had it set up so that the air was blowing upwards towards the flow of convection, but since the graphic card is on the bottom in this case, that meant I was blowing hot air across the motherboard, so changing the bottom fans to blow out (and down) removed more of the air that was being heated by the graphics card. I also changed the direction of the radiator fan so that it was drawing cooler air across the radiator from the outside into the case, where convection removed the heat via the top fan. I was afraid this approach might increase the temps of my motherboard and VRMs, but the fan installed in the top blowing out of the case seemed to draw cooler air from the front/back while buffering the hotter air from the radiator up and out.The graphics card I used is a 300mm long card with 2.5 slot height because of three bottom fans (ASUS GTX1080). It was not on the list of "approved" cards for this case, and I did have to make a minor modification to the case, grinding out a small tab in the back of the case so that the PCB could clear and be seated into the PCIe slot. Once I did that though, the card fits perfectly, and there was still room for two slim 120mmx15mm Noctua fans below the card at the bottom of the case.I'm running an i9-9900k fully boosted CPU at 30-45C, but the graphics card runs hotter than I like, so I had to set up an aggressive fan curve that means the fans are louder than I like when running 1080p-ultra. This same card running in a full-size ATX case never had this issue with running hot. There is, unfortunately, no room (width-wise) to add a liquid-cooled graphics card (neither hybrid nor custom-loop block).My user wanted a smaller form factor, and plays their games with a headset, so the louder graphics card fan noise when at full throttle was acceptable to them.

This is not my first mitx build and I don't recommend building a mitx system unless you've done your research thoroughly.Some things to note that some people may find useful:The Cougar logo on the front of the case is actually a sticker with a strong adhesive. It is removable. For those you that find it horrendous to the look of the case itself, feel free to remove it. To make it easier, take a paper towel and rinse it in warm/hot water, squeeze excess water out, place it right over the logo for a few seconds then peel.The standard atx power supply is 150mm>. Disregard the 'it fits standard atx PSUs' mantra. 150mm or a smaller PSU will make your life easier. Get a fully/semi modular one while you are at it. An SFX PSU will do just fine.It is not aluminum but plastic. It does not take away the look and feel of the case at all. It is not a fingerprint magnet unlike aluminum cases.Review:Cougar really stuck by their product and actually boxed the case in a full color black box with images of the QBX. This is unlike their normal boxing methods of plain cardboard and an outlined drawing of the case.The overall feel of the case is solid. It does not feel cheap. As with most mitx cases it is not easy to work on. You really need to plan ahead, but was much easier to work on than other cases I've built within the same form factor.Throughout building I constantly thought about the quality and intuitiveness that went into building the QBX. I was glad that I gave the Cougar brand another chance.If you are looking for a sleek, solid, and budget friendly mini itx case then the Cougar QBX is definitely worth looking into.UPDATE:It's been a few months but the case still looks brand new. Just did some light dust cleaning with a dust cloth and compressed air. Temps are still good, could be better but that's just the nature of the case. There is a meshed version of this case with the name Cougar KAZE for those of you who want more airflow. Aside from some minor adjustments from the QBX version, the dimensions and overall look is exactly the same except looking like swiss cheese. I prefer this version because of it's low profile status. After having removed the sticker and focusing on a quiet build, I couldn't ask for more. Note: For the Cougar KAZE, the front emblem is removeable, however, you will be left with a small indented surface which is just unsightly.Update 8/16/16:I made a few small minor adjustments to this case.Made a custom loop for the cpu with an 80mm rear radiator.The screw holes for the top fans were inadequately sized for regular fan screws as they come sized for the long radiator screws. I made them a bit larger to accommodate two 120mm fans. I am thinking a slim 240mm radiator + slim 120mm fans might fit on top with some effort, or a 240mm radiator with regular thickness.The front top fan would not fit with the psu adapter cable going toward the back of the case being in the way so I used spacers for the SFXL psu to create more depth (making the psu hang lower than previously) so that the fan would fit appropriately.I would hope an updated version of this would include changes for a more friendly watercooling/custom loop option. I also would like the front panel connectors be made on top of the case instead of on the side to make room for 2x 120mm fans/radiator.I can't honestly bring myself to downgrade this to four stars simply because it did not meet my expectations in certain areas, but I will say that as of right now it is simply sitting at 4.5 stars with me simply because of the amount of effort and planning that I had to do to fix some 'errors' that may have been overlooked on the design end. It certainly is up there on my list as one of the most frustrating cases I have worked on now. I had a lot of question marks and frustrating moments when I came across these issues.However nonsensical some of the design was to me, it still is a very low profile and handsome case. I couldn't bring myself to keep it on the floor, honestly there is no reason to with how small the footprint of it is.I would hope that Cougar is listening to these reviews and will bring an upgraded version of the QBX with real aluminum panels and a better build quality (the front audio jacks are stiff, the case metal seems mediocre quality compared to other brands). I would expect a premium price for those changes and I would happily give Cougar my money.**Update summer 2017I've purchased two of these cases so far just because they're so beautiful to look at and I've gotten quite accustomed to working on them. I still hold all of my opinions about this case. Since owning these I've purchased numerous cases including the rvz02b, caselabs bullet, caselabs nova x2m, fractal design nano s, bit fenix pandora, and so on and so forth. This is by far my favorite one in terms of aesthetics and footprint. I really would like a premium version of this case (without the gaudy sticker or logo- just straight minimalist style, we get enough exposure to branding as it is) with better and more premium materials.

For me, it works. I put a Ryzen build in it, with a 4650g APU so I didnt need to get a graphics card installed. Its a bit tight inside but all itx cases are, of course. I was unable to install a GPU when I tried with case fans installed on the bottom, simply no clearance, but I also suspect it would be fine without case fans on the bottom if you have a beefy GPU cooler to draw air in through the bottom vents anyways.I was able to use a corsair PSU that they said would be incompatible based on the layout of the power plug orientation. It took a bit of angling the cable before plugging in, and it blocks the optical drive slot, but it works.Overall, a rather nice little chassis and I can see it being pretty easily customizable.

Excelente vendedor, compre el gabinete Cougar QBX con el y este fue enviado el mismo día que lo pedí, el envió llegaba con fecha establecida para 8 días y llego 4 días antes de la fecha estimada, 100% recomendado, excelente trato y atención.El Gabinete venia muy bien protegido y empaquetado, este es de excelente calidad de materiales y muy compacto justo lo que quería, sin duda volvería a comprar con el.reitero 100% recomendado.

This is a attractive, solidly built, inexpensive case with excellent features, cooler clearance, and airflow that I can strongly recommend, with one caveat.You MUST be a highly experienced builder if you want to use a 240mm water cooler and graphics card simultaneously. You will also need a small form factor power supply instead of the expected ATX type or the airflow will suffer. Also, when you use a SFX supply you MUST figure out your own mounting system. I did it, so I know it's possible, but it's not a quick by the numbers build. It is worth it in the end though, this case looks sharp.

ciertamente hay ventajas y desventajas.ventajas:-es compacto-tiene gran capacidad (fuente atx, hdd de 3.5, GPU de las largas)-se ve muy biendesventajas:-la posicion de la fuente impide estar bajando el breaker-no le cabe GPU de las gruesas que cubren tres slot (mi rtx 2060 no cupo)-el boton de encendido y los usb quedan por atras (comparado a como tradicionalmente acomodamos un pc, supongo que si lo acomodas con los puertos de la tarjeta madre hacia atras no tendras mayor problema)he visto reviews donde se quejan de las temperaturas, yo la verdad no he tenido problemas, vivo en un lugar muy calido de México pero la tengo en el cuarto con aire, solo tiene el exhaust fan que ya trae incluido, y con las perforaciones que tiene tipo malla, con eso ha bastado. tambien dicen que el materia se siente barato, la verdad si se siente frajil solo el plastico de arriba que se desliza para mostrar la lectora (si le pones una), y el plastico de enfrente que se siente menos debil que el de arriba, pero sabes que no aguantara un golpe. pero la carcasa en si es de metal y se siente muy firme, y no esta filosa.

The biggest limitation (like almost all mitx case), is with the PSU. The PSU is limited to 140 mm. So if you want to have more than 500W of power, you will need to get a SFX PSU. Unfortunately, you will have to buy an ATX to SFX adapter for the PSU, because the case is made for ATX PSU.