Cooler Master does a good job in preserving the cases’ integrity (structural as well as virtuous) by surrounding it with good packaging and a sturdy box.  The Mystique magically appeared on my doorstep with no battle scars or blemishes of any kind.

My first impression, as soon as I lifted the box, was that it was amazingly light.  The whole case is aluminum with the exception of the plastic bezel.  The signature front wavy door attaches to this bezel and is reversible. 

You can also change the orientation of the door so that the waves either match, or are opposite of the bottom portion, depending upon your personal preference.
 

Inside the case is clean and shiny. All the parts came in a separate box that was found after removing the side panel.  Parts include; 8 drive rails, two baggies of screws, the manual, a wire tie & self-adhesive wire tie loop, and the ever popular pouch of silica gel.

Attached to the inside of the CPU vent is an internal shroud that serves as a funnel for the CPU cooling fan.  With the shroud in place, the CPU fan can draw in outside cool air instead of the tepid O² inside the case.  Of course, this only works with stock HS/F’s or aftermarket fans that face the side panel.

On the very top of the case, you’ll find the IO ports consisting of; 2x USB, an audio mic & headphone jack, and firewire port.  I found the location good in some ways, but bad in others.  It’s a good location for ease of use (easy to plug in accessories, nothing sticking out of the side of the case).  But because of its top location, there is nothing to keep dust from settling into the ports over time.

The Mystique has a unique pass-through feature that facilitates watercooling hoses traveling to/from an externally mounted radiator into the case.  These access holes can be found right next to the power supply at the back.
Included with the case are two 120mm case fans.  One in the front for intake, and one in the back for exhaust.

In addition to the shrouded air vent, the side panel also features a quick-release handle to aid in the frequent removals & replacements that can occur when benchmarking or installing parts.  Once that is complete the included thumbscrews secure the panel for the longer term.  

Finally, Cooler Master opted for the use of these elegant, “Hi-fi quality” case feet to go with the Mystique’s sleek brushed aluminum exterior to round out its overall look.