SilverStone Raven 2 Evolution
When SilverStone announced an enhanced version of its Raven 2, we were certain it would be treated to the same acoustic foam covered side panels found on similar cases and a USB 3.0 upgrade. The RV02-E has neither enhancement and is windowed. Knowing that SilverStone carries forward a few acoustical enhancements from the original Raven 2’s design, we forged ahead to find out how this gaming case compared to its silenced competitors.
A Clean Backside
Those unfamiliar with SilverStone’s Fortress-based designs will likely be surprised to see no ports on the back of the company's Raven 2 design, instead finding nothing more than a removable power supply dust filter and a hole in the back of the top panel. The motherboard itself is mounted face-down, and the access hole allows cables to run out from under a snap-away lid.
Limited Connectivity
A sleek design and clean appearance have limited the Raven RV02-E’s front panel to a pair of USB 2.0 ports and a pair of headphone jacks. Though this is enough for most users, high-end builders will certainly wish that these ports were of the USB 3.0 variety.
Moderate Cable Space
The RV02-E, like its predecessor, has barely enough room behind the motherboard tray for the ATX power cable. From this angle we can also see one of the Evolution version’s improvements, high-airflow fan grills.
RV02-E Updraft Ventilation
SilverStone takes advantage of the fact that heat rises by placing three 180 mm intake fans at the bottom of its RV02-E, drawing air from a large space beneath the chassis and blowing it over the hard drives and into expansion cards and the CPU area. A 120 mm top fan removes heat from above the CPU, and the case works best with graphics cards that have their own exhaust slots. Numerous ventilation holes and vented slot covers reduce air pressure to maintain good airflow.
Because the floor is usually the dirtiest place in a room, we suggest placing the case atop a shelf or other furniture.
Balancing Heat And Noise
The RV02-E’s bottom-mounted fans reduce apparent noise by facing away from a user, and users can further reduce noise via three two-speed switches. While the top-mounted exhaust fan is not controlled here, its three-pin connector works with motherboard-based controls.
RV02-E Dust Protection
Each Raven 2 Evolution intake fan includes a slide-out dust filter to allow easy cleaning. Unfortunately, the side panel must be removed for access.
A Lame Backplane?
SilverStone is the only company in this roundup to include a hot-swap drive connector for internal drives. Though it works well, only one of the five bays has it. Additional connectors can be purchased separately for around $12 each (with shipping), and users who think that’s a bad price are welcome to use the cables that came with their power supply and motherboard instead.
Room To Grow...
While the Raven RV02-E has enough room for cards up to 12.2” long, SilverStone says the maximum motherboard width is a mere 11”. That width restriction might be stated to allow access to cables.
Strangely, the Raven 2 Evolution’s second improvement (besides the higher-flow fan grills) is a reduction from eight to seven expansion card slots. That means that a two-slot graphics cards officially no longer fits in the motherboard’s bottom slot.
The reality is somewhat different, however. The eighth slot of the original Raven 2 was so close to the front of the case that the hard drive cage prevented the installation of a long graphics card anyway, and the case’s bracket often prevented optical drives from being installed into the top 5.25” bay. Removing that slot opens up the top bay while preventing users from mistakenly believing that their big graphics card would fit there.
And Ready To Go!
Our official review will include very few images recycled from this preview, focusing mainly on hardware installation and testing. Various companies have used different methods of design, insulation, or a combination of these to reduce noise without hindering cooling, and we’re anxious to see which of these provides the best balance of cooling performance and noise.
