Silverstone SST-LC04: Flat Aluminum Box
The Silverstone case not only distinguishes itself from competitors by its excellent workmanship, but by its height as well. This measures just under 4.7" (12 cm) and is significantly smaller than all the other test candidates. Which naturally raises the question: How do you get expansion cards to fit into it? If you turn the MicroATX case around you can see two vertical expansion slots. You have to open up the cover to solve the mystery of how to get them in here, which is accomplished with riser cards. One adapter is for AGP graphics cards. Another riser card serves to angle the PCI port. The labeling though allows you to guess that only AGP 1 - 4x cards are supported here. The motherboard is largely invisible beneath the optical drive cage. Things are pretty tight here, and motherboards with larger Northbridge fans will not fit. You should carefully check the dimensions before selecting a CPU fan.
The case appears very solid and well-designed overall, even the front panel. Two cogged wheels slow down the opening mechanism a bit, providing for smooth opening of the aluminum panel. The case has several slits for heat dispersion. The one and only fan is found in the weak 240-Watt power supply.
Looks very elegant
Lightweight but sturdy case
Right-angle expansion slots
