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Review: SilverStone Raven RVX01

by Parm Mann on 5 February 2016, 12:14

Tags: SilverstoneTek

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Conclusion

...though there are better chassis available at a similar price point, the RVX01 could appeal to anyone who has wanted to dabble in stack-effect cooling....

If you're on the lookout for a new chassis, a handful of well-known manufacturers are usually first to spring to mind. SilverStone should be among this established group, as the Taiwanese company has developed a storied range of enclosures that come in all sorts of shapes and sizes.

This willingness to create something a little different to the norm has held SilverStone in good stead, but as today's PCs become cooler, quieter and smaller, some of the firm's earlier concepts are beginning to lose their appeal.

The Raven, with its unorthodox 90º layout, is a prime example. Might there be a benefit to a bottom-to-top airflow? Quite possibly, but there's an equal chance the negatives will outweigh any potential performance gain. The build process isn't as fluent as most competing chassis, component compatibility is unusually limited for a mid-tower frame, noise levels can be bothersome, and when all's said and done, a rotated PC still looks peculiar.

Appreciating the fact that rotated enclosures are destined to become an increasingly niche solution, SilverStone has taken a logical approach to the RVX01. It's one of the smallest and most affordable Ravens to date, and though there are better chassis available at a similar price point, the RVX01 could appeal to anyone who has wanted to dabble in stack-effect cooling without breaking the bank.

The Good
 
The Bad

Offers something different for £65
Not as bulky as previous Ravens
Has good cooling potential

 
Hardly any room behind mobo tray
Interior feels cramped throughout
Rotated layout has lost its lustre
Short cabling on bundled fans


HEXUS.where2buy*

The SilverStone Raven RVX01 chassis is available to purchase from Scan Computers.

HEXUS.right2reply

At HEXUS, we invite the companies whose products we test to comment on our articles. If any company representatives for the products reviewed choose to respond, we'll publish their commentary here verbatim.



*UK-based HEXUS community members are eligible for free delivery and priority customer service through the SCAN.care@HEXUS forum.



HEXUS Forums :: 8 Comments

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pop-off expansion slots for a £65 case is quite an odd choice
Xlucine
pop-off expansion slots for a £65 case is quite an odd choice

The question is why they exist at all. When they're pointing upwards to let the air out and have a cover above them to stop dust getting in, why have silverstone left them attached in the first place?
I love the inverted motherboard design, I have an FT-02 myself…but this just looks very plasticy & tacky in comparison.
Agreed this is a step too far. The FT05 is smaller version of the FT02, the RV05 is the more budget version of that. This is like the RV05 reduced even further. For RVX01 money I would just wait for a deal on the RV05. Considering its £70ish which fantastic when you consider how expensive the FT05 is and really all you miss is some sound dampening foam and metal faceplate. The FT02 does however offer much better storage options. Silverstone tends to quietly update their internals and contectivity. So a FT02 bought today will come with USB3.0 and some minor tweaks.

The case you have is probably SPCR's favourite case of all time.
Silverstone seem to have gone off the rails with their latest cases.:eek:

Not sure who thought it would be a good idea to pop some lego-like blue/red or green feet on the bottom of this latest one because it instantly makes it look cheap and tacky. I think they were aiming for a sleek and streamlined product with some “go-fast stripes for the gamers” but look as if they have failed quite miserably on that brief.

This looks like it would literally fall over if you left a window open - it really does give that impression.