Conclusion:

Overall I am very impressed with the Cougar Spike mini gaming tower case. It is a very budget friendly case, but it offers a few items you might not typically find at the lower end of the price scale. In addition to having a decent number of drive bays for a mini case, it has room for four 120mm cooling fans, a front panel USB 3.0 connection, and the matte black paint job covers all internal and external surfaces. The aesthetics of the case are also appealing... While the design is fairly subdued, the front bezel has a sporty / aggressive look that definitely works well in my opinion. Especially when the LED fan is lit up, the honeycomb grill looks pretty cool and makes me think of some sort of show car.



On the downside, the materials used in the build are in no way heavy duty. The panels are thin and the frame feels a bit flimsy. But, with all of your gear installed it will pick up some rigidity. You then just have to be careful not to slam in to it or kick it, and when moving it, do so with some caution (which I would personally use with any system). Additionally, the floor mounted 2.5" drive bay may be appealing to some, but it just seemed awkward to me because it was so close to being flush with the floor. And finally, the tool-less drive mechanisms are fairly flimsy and the 5.25" ones only grab drives from one side. I will wind up putting screws in, which in the end defeats the purpose of having a "tool-less" feature.

I could not find the case for sale at many stores, OK, to be honest I found it at one store... Newegg.com, where the price is under $35 (US). Cases in that range are typically far from attractive, functional, or outfitted with modern touches. The Cougar Spike definitely exceeds my expectations for a case in this price range and it meets my expectations (for a case at any price) to actually be useful and appealing.

Considering that the Cougar Spike costs a mere $35 US, you definitely get your money's worth and then some. In the end, this case earns the Bigbruin.com "Recommended" and "Good Value" awards.



Pros:

» Decent fit and finish
» Front panel I/O includes USB 3.0
» Inside and outside painted to match (matte black)
» Decent number of drive bays for a mini case
» Room for long video cards
» Sells for about $35 US

Cons:

» Not heavy duty by any means
» Tool-less drive mechanisms aren't very useful
   » 5.25" drive mechanism attaches to one side of drive only and drive can move / come loose
   » 3.5" drive mechanism attaches on both sides, but still isn't very secure
» 2.5" drive mount at bottom of the case doesn't seem well executed
» Not much room for cable management - I would strongly suggest a modular PSU

Please drop by the Bigbruin.com Forum and feel free to post any comments or questions.