Just like at CES earlier this year, Silverstone is back at Computex to show off more of its trademark cases. But that's not all we're going to see from the company this time around. Aside from the cases, we're also getting a new wave of PSUs and all-in-one coolers.
Staying Cool
Liquid cooling is always a big challenge, and even more so when it's in a smaller form factor, as is the case (no pun intended) with some of Silverstone's products. Fortunately, the company went ahead and made not one, but two liquid all-in-one coolers for smaller PCs. The TD02-Slim and TD03-Slim are the thinnest variants of the two models, and Silverstone believes that these coolers will perform as well as their larger siblings in tighter spaces.
The difference between the two products is the number of fans. The TD02-Slim measures 273 x 120 x 22 mm (LxWxH) and uses two 120 mm fans, while the TD03-Slim measures 153 x 120 x 22 mm (LxWxH) and has only one fan. Part of the appeal for smaller PC owners is also the reduction of the overall radiator height. Many radiators measure 27 mm high, but Silverstone managed to shave off 5 mm from that. The chassis holding the fans has also been reduced to just 15 mm. The fans can run varying speeds between 800 and 2200 rpm, with sound levels ranging from 16.5 to 27.4 dBA.
Space is everything in a smaller form-factor, and Silverstone is meeting a need with these two products. Liquid cooling is easily feasible in mid- or even full-tower setups, but it's time to give smaller PCs a shot at better cooling options.
More Power
The company also has two PSUs to reveal at the show: the SX700-LPT and the ZU1200. The former is the latest in a long line of SFX PSUs, while the latter is the second offering in the Zeus series, the company's high-end power supply products.
There's only one other Zeus series product available, the ZM1350, but for those who don't need much power but still want something over 1000 watts, the ZU1200 might be another option to consider. One of its unique features is the ability to digitally control multiple aspects of performance. Silverstone claimed that while competitors only allow you to change the fan speed and basic OCP parameters, the ZU1200 enables fine tuning of each individual rail in the PSU. It's definitely a notable feature, and for the few who do want to have a little more control of each component's performance in their build, this PSU could be a worthwhile choice.
On the other hand, there's also the SX700-LPT to consider. It apparently reached two big milestones for its form factor. The first is that it has two eight-pin PCI-E connectors, which is set off from the rest of the connectors due to its blue coloring. Furthermore, its connectors will be compatible with other Silverstone products as long as they were released after 2009. This means that you can easily disconnect the old PSU and replace it with this new model, provided both have modular connectors.
The second milestone concerns its rating. For those who want the absolute best in the SFX/SFX-L form factor, the SX700-LPT will be the first in its class to receive the 80 PLUS Platinum rating when it comes out later this year. Obviously, this will mean a slight spike in price, but those who want the best performance will spend the money for it.
Continuing Tradition
Of course, we can't have a Silverstone appearance at Computex without new cases. These two models are based on other models in the lineup, with the continued goal of making quality cases for smaller form factor PCs.
At CES, we were impressed with the Raven RVZ02 in that it was able to fit a mini-ITX system in a completely new way while making the entire building process easier to assemble. Based on that design, a new case has surfaced called the ML08. Not much is known about it yet except that it seems to be more suited for portability and the living room. It has grills on either side of the case as well as the top, and it comes with two stands for stability. It even has an optional handle at the top so you can easily take it with you.
On a slightly larger scale is the TJ08-PRO. As the name suggests, it's a variant model based on the TJ08-E micro-ATX case. However, this new model also sports a few unique features of its own, such as better support for liquid cooling and air cooling, so no matter which avenue you take for keeping temperatures down, this new product should do the trick. There are also going to be two other variants of the TJ08-PRO, the PS07-E and CS380, which will use the same internal structure but in different sizes.
More to Come
We still don't know the specifics on release date or pricing for Silverstone's new products, but we expect to get more details during Computex. Smaller liquid cooling units and high-performance PSUs will be worth looking at, but as often happens, the cases manage to steal the show.
Follow Rexly Peñaflorida II @Heirdeux. Follow us @tomshardware, on Facebook and on Google+.
