Cooler Master recently opened up one of the first stores of its kind in South Africa, calling it their ‘Cooler Master Experience Centre’, in Sandton, Johannesburg. The store is located in central Sandton and affords the chance to play around with the latest and greatest products coming from Cooler Master, as well as giving us a glimpse into what exciting future projects Cooler Master is cooking up.
The store is kitted out with incredible Cooler Master branding splattered across the walls, with logo-shaped lights draping from the ceiling which transports you into another world. Cooler Master South Africa has laid out some fun “zones” within the store, including a couch-play zone, a full set-up station with their new gaming desks, as well as a display area for their range of peripherals. However, the centrepiece of this stunning centre is the CMODX supercar-inspired chassis that is genuinely breathtaking.
Chatting to Cooler Master South Africa lead, Shane Alborough, the idea behind the store – which is one of the first of its kind in the country – is to create a more personal experience between fans and the Cooler Master brand. There are a number of different ways that Cooler Master hopes to achieve this but most importantly is that the team behind Cooler Master South Africa will be managing the space full-time, which gives you a direct line (essentially) to Cooler Master South Africa.
The store is packed full of Cooler Master’s premium line of peripherals, including keyboards, mice, headsets, monitors, gaming chairs, gaming desks, and (of course) their incredible chassis’. The store also incorporates their sub-brand, CMODX, which focuses on custom PC building components and experience and Cooler Master South Africa plans to expand their CMODX range in-store, which will result in incredible-looking custom builds on display in the Experience Centre.
Speaking of incredible-looking custom builds, the current showcase piece on display right now is a hypercar-inspired chassis’, which was absolutely mind-blowing to see. It’s an incredibly head-turning showpiece with a singular moving part that opens up access to the main space. The exterior is filled with sharp angles, beautiful lighting, and an eye-drawing Cooler Master logo where you would typically find the car’s badge.
The Experience Centre also functions as a retail store so you are able to walk in and directly purchase locally-available Cooler Master products that are in stock, or you can use the experience centre as a local pick-up point if you purchase online through their newly-launched online store, which you can visit here. Also, Cooler Master South Africa stated that even if you bought your Cooler Master product through a third-party retailer, you can take it directly to the Experience Centre where they will be able to assist you.
There is also an on-site streaming room that Cooler Master will be offering to its influencers and there are plans to expand its usage as time goes on. The Cooler Master Experience Centre is a fantastic day out whether it’s just to experience a product before you buy it (or just for fun) or to have a look at the jaw-dropping centrepiece. Cooler Master South Africa has also stated that they are looking at hosting events at the Experience Centre so make sure to keep an eye out on their social media for those.
Sam: The Cooler Master Experience Centre makes a stunning first impression. Upon entering the store, you’re greeted by some spectacular RGB illuminating almost every bit of tech on display. The centrepiece, quite literally, is the impressive modded PC case modelled after a concept hypercar, which stands proudly at the heart of the centre. Unfortunately, it’s only a proof of concept but we couldn’t help but feel like they’d make fantastic additions to any gaming room or lounge.
Though acting as a retailer with some products on display, the centre is also a stopping point for gamers looking to get their Cooler Master products directly shipped to a reliable location for collection. As much as it is a visual splendour as a concept store, it still has the interest of customers at heart which gives it a terrific and unique sense of identity. Altogether, it’s a stunner of a centre that’s a must-see if you’re around the Sandton area.
The Cooler Master Experience Centre is situated at Central Square, 4 Lower Road, Sandton.
