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Silverstone Raven: A New Concept in Case Cooling
Silverstone Raven: A New Concept in Case Cooling
Date: February 6th, 2009
Topic: Cases/Cooling/PSUs
Manufacturer: SilverStone
Author: Christoph Katzer
Buy the Silverstone RV02B-W Raven RV02-BW 2
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Introduction

Silverstone has had some interesting innovations for its customers, for example the FT01 designed for optimal cooling using positive air pressure. Today we are looking at another new cooling concept from Silverstone. Just as positive air pressure is nothing revolutionary -- search through any tech forums and you're likely to see some discussions about the topic -- the new concept with this case is that Silverstone change the direction the motherboard faces. Instead of having the I/O ports on the back, they will now be at the top of the case. If that immediately makes you worry about wires cluttering things up, don't: Silverstone has a cover to help keep the look clean.


The case looks like it came directly from the Transformer factory, and that's likely something you will either love or hate. Silverstone told us that the general feedback from customers so far is very good, and since the case is already available they apparently have sales to back up that statement.

As far as changing the direction the motherboard faces, the goal is simple. Silverstone wants to use a chimney stack effect where cool air comes in at the bottom and naturally flows upwards -- hot air rises. By designing a case where all of the air enters at the bottom and flows out the top, cooling should be improved and perhaps noise levels will be reduced at the same time. There are still fans to help out, but the natural airflow will hopefully reduce fan speeds. We can't actually prove that the stack effect is better or worse than other cases, since this case is only designed to work with the effect being active.

Silverstone has invested a great deal of time explaining how different cooling effects work, which you can see on YouTube and their own internal website:

Stack Effect Cooling (YouTube video)
Positive Air Pressure (YouTube 1, YouTube 2)

Silverstone Raven Specifications
Motherboard Formfactor ATX, Micro ATX, Extended ATX
Drive Bays External 5x 5.25"
Internal 6x 3.5"
Cooling Front -
Rear -
Top 1x 120mm exhaust
Side -
Bottom 2x 180mm intake
Expansion Slots 7
Front I/O Port 2x USB, 1x Audio, 1x Micro , 1x IEEE1394
Power Supply Size Standard ATX
Weight 15kg
Dimensions 280 x 616 x 660 (WxHxD in mm)

Now let's see if this case can actually live up to Silverstone's promises and stand out from the crowd.

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48 Comments - Last by Sabresiberian, 315 days ago
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Cable managment by Dreamwalker, 368 days ago
A very interesting case, but I do wonder how you manages the cables that are coming at the top, the VGA cables and all the other stuff. A picture would be great here. Can't realy imagine how it looks like all the cables coming at the top rather than from the bac side.

Anyone got the Lamborghini Reventon in his minde when looking at he pictures?

Reply
RE: Cable managment by Bigjee, 368 days ago
That's the first thing that came to my mind.

The lamborghini Reventon.

This case perfectly portrays it. The lines make it look like its been designed by the same person who designed that car.

Reply
RE: Cable managment by soydeedo, 368 days ago
With dreadlocks.

Reply
RE: Cable managment by strikeback03, 368 days ago
Personally, I think the person in the previous look who compared it to a Jawa Sandcrawler was dead-on.

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RE: Cable managment by weevil, 368 days ago
Looks like an F-117 Stealth fighter to me, Love the interier but the outside is ugly. But at least it will evade radar, I could replace the fairing on my Harley with this and the CHP will never see me.

Reply
bottom intake? by Visual, 368 days ago
i really don't fancy the idea of intake fans on the bottom. there's going to be a huge amount of dust gathering down there.

and expansion cards and cables at the top, really? maybe it can work if i hide the case under the desk, but what if it is on top?

Reply
RE: bottom intake? by HelToupee, 368 days ago
I really like the idea of the layout of this case. It's the perfect arrangement for an under-the-desk setup. You are right that the intakes on the bottom of the case are a terrible idea. They'll clog with dust, and need cleaning constantly, and are in the most inconvenient place they could possibly be. Maybe if they add some kind of ducting along the back to direct air underneath the case and raised the case off the ground a bit.

What I really like is the cable management. Where the cables come out of the power supply is right next to where they plug into the motherboard. If you look at the pictures of the system assembly, there are no cables at all routed over the motherboard. All the cable mess tucks nicely away into the bottom front of the case where it's not visible, and not in the way of airflow. Perfect. Plus, when the case is sitting under your desk, all the ports are the closest they can be to where you want them -- rear top of the case. I love the idea of having access to the back panel (now on top) of the case by just rolling the case out a bit. Lighting will be better, cables will not be strained and crimped around corners. Very convenient.

I hope other (cheaper) options appear with this configuration. I may have to consider picking one up.

Reply
RE: bottom intake? by weevil, 368 days ago
But you would never have to sweep the floor.

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I think the idea is inherintly flawed by falchard, 368 days ago
I don't think the idea is actually that good. You have air coming in from the bottom, and going out the top. Sometimes different isn't always a good thing.
The bottom intake will be limited because of the ground, and side intake really would not generate alot of airflow due to the angle it comes in at.
You have all the air flow through the PSU first which is one of the hottest parts on the machine, and now your just flowing warm air over the rest of your PC.
If this design had a descent chance at working, the bottom fans would be angled at 45 degrees and the PSU placed at the top of the case.

Reply
RE: I think the idea is inherintly flawed by C'DaleRider, 368 days ago
If you really look closely at the photos provided, the PSU's exhaust is to the outside, so the power supply is NOT just taking cool air into it and then circulating it back into the case, which is the way almost EVERY case is set up....the psu takes in air from either outside or from inside the case and exhausts its now heated air directly to the outside......DUH!

Reply
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