Hardware SilverStone Raven RV02 Case Review

Quote .... "The SilverStone Raven RV02 is a phenomenal enclosure that is very likely the best computer enclosure we have encountered" - Phoronix


I AGREE this Silverstone RAVEN II is a phenomenal case

 

I wonder if one of the major differences between Bit's review and other reviews if the use of the passive GPU?

I would imagine, a setup compruising SLI GTX-260's (like mine) would benefit from the design as the excess heat will be exhausted. However, a setup that comprises coolers that don't exhaust will suffer badly, due to the cases miss-match in intake/exhaust ratio. (The case can't exhaust the heat quick enough causing it to build up inside the chassis, saturating, in this case the passive GPU and general CPU area).

Personally, I think the design could be improved very simply by adding an exhaust fan at the top of the side panel (sucking heat away from the GPU area).

Bindi - would you agree with me that Bit's differing results are, not as some would say; biased, but simply due to different hardware setups and testing methology? If anything they show up potential flaws in the case design (ie you wouldn't want to run this case with passive components..).

Personally, as I read the entire articles posted, I find Bit's reviews constructive, informative and without bias. Keep up the good work guys and ignore anyone who can't at least form their argument in a coherant and adult manner.

 

I'd have to agree with xaser here. I think Bit-Tech's reviews test cases to the limit, but the problem with this is at the end of the day most of us aren't likely to use passive coolers - if you want quiet you go for water cooling, right? There's a positive and negative way of looking at this testing method, but it does highlight what the case does for cooling rather than the case and their specific equipment. If a case can cool passive components well, then actively cooled components should fair even better. If the RV02 relies on the active cooling on the components to exhaust air, then this needs to be pointed out.

@xaser - I think the trouble with having exhaust fans on the side is that they tend to suck cool air away from the CPU and GPU, rather channel more air through the coolers. That's why almost all cases with side fans have them positioned as intakes, to push more air towards the components.

Also, (being very pedantic)

Heat does not rise, it merely moves to lower energy (i.e. colder) areas. Hot air rises above cold air. I'm glad I don't read reviews from TechGage

I do really like this case, and I both agree and disagree with Bit-Tech's review. I think what I'm learning about Bit-Tech case reviews is that they give worst-case scenarios. If a case performs badly on the test, it doesn't mean it will perform badly for your particular setup if you change the type or number of fans or use better CPU/GPU/chipset cooling. At the end of the day, your case is your home for your components. Everyone's home is going to have a different layout so it's impossible to give an accurate review for every type of configuration. What Bit-Tech offers is a review that your system will be at least as good as, but more than likely better than. Above all, they give us a consistent benchmark to go by.

 

I thought it rose above colder air due to its lower density

 

I have the Raven II it's a really good case

I have a i7 setup clocked to 3.8Ghz
Plus a 5870

The case keeps everything very cool even with the 3 180mm fans on low.

I bought this case going off all the reviews knocking about on the web.
it's not dissapointed me once.

here an image of my Raven II with all the bits in
http://www.flickr.com/photos/41163281@N06/4119640817/sizes/l/

It's a great case

 

You have the H50, I'm wonder how good it is with a conventional CPU cooler, as there's not too much exhaust.

Unless someone were to mod the expansion slots to fit another fan.

 

@smc8788 - If something is hot, it has more energy. With solids and liquids, this energy will transfer to areas of lower energy, i.e. to colder objects or parts of an object. In a gas it will still try and reach equilibrium (where the energy is shared equally i.e. it is all the same temperature) but because the individual molecules aren't held together like in solids and liquids the hot gas with more energy can counter the force of gravity more and thus move higher than colder gas. As such, hot air will rise above cold air, but heat moves to cold while trying to reach equilibrium. A hot gas will also have lower density because it has more energy, so the molecules will be able to move further away from each other.

 

You guys gotta start filling these cases up with components when you do reviews that we get a complete visual idea of how the case is gonna work for us the consumer...... and especially this case since it has a different mounted mobo.

 

ya I know they say the have standards of doing a review but when they make a mistake IE leave out photos of hardware installed that they have done on every case prior, they dont feel the need to correct it. But now Im just beating a dead horse, so Im done with this ~_~

 

I am waiting for the Fortress FT02 version of this case , it is almost the same chassis , only the external front and top bezel are different

 

Forgot?
Unlike the guy in his bedroom ...

 

This quoted opinion is stupid and silly. because no matter if are or not exhaust fans installed on the roof of the RAVEN 2 , the cool air sucked inside the RAVEN 2 by the three 180mm fans will be forced to go immediately outside the case through the roof of the RAVEN 2 even if are or not exhaust fans installed on the roof of the RAVEN 2 case

this is really pathetic , how can be a build up of air inside the chassis ? do you think the 180mm fans can compress the air inside the RAVEN 2 ?

 

No what he means is that there's not enough exhaust.

Look at it, with 3 180s on the bottom and only 1 120(or was it 180mm?) fan on the top, it's pretty obvious that air will be "trapped" or at least not be able to circulate as you have all this pressure and air going up but no real vent for it.

 

There are vents for the exhaust - they just don't have fans. Check out Silverstone's website for a nice run down of the benefits of positive pressure.
For a good in-depth review of this case look here

 

The Raven 2 does a good job at being cool and quiet. See the silentpc test results at the next link.
http://www.silentpcreview.com/article1002-page7.html

 

We are not still on about this are we? I thought the problems were already identified?

It depends on the design and quality of the heatpipes your coolers are using:

http://www.silverstonetek.com/raven/products/r-qa.php?model=RV02&area=usa

Think hard about what you put in it and get good results. BT's standard test equipment is not suited for it so it sucked, but I doubt they are going to change it for the sake of one case.

That said, I really think they should change the gfx to a 4890 (maybe even xfire) or something as its more in keeping with typical setups then above card passive.

 

I stated that HEAT will build up in the chassis not air.

Perhaps before stating that an opinion is stupid and silly you could read what you are quoting.....

 

I have this case and am trying to get better cooling, i have replaced the 180mm fans, with the silverstone 150 cfm fans the white ones, and have put a 120mm 3000 rpm ultra kaze in the top. my cpu temps went from 43c to 37c, so there are things you can do to make this case better, it would be nice if silverstone would do them, it cost me 100.00 us dollars to make this a half decent case.

 

Feeding a performance case like Raven a passive GPU proves misunderstanding of the case's concept. Simply, why would you do that? The results are crap, no wonder, but it is fault of the reviewer, not Silverstone's.

 

EXACTLY, this case is intended for actively cooled hardware, ideally a graphics card with an exhaust setup to aid in the thermal lift of heat in the case, anything out side of that scope and this case fails miserably. I know I owned one lol.