SilverStone Raven RV05 Case Review
by E. Fylladitakis on December 24, 2014 10:00 AM EST- Posted in
- Cases/Cooling/PSUs
- SilverStone
- Case
Introduction
SilverStone is a company known for their atypical, sometimes even strange case designs. The ML04 and ML05 that we reviewed several months ago are a good example, but the company offers dozens of small form factor and unique enclosures, each designed with specific applications in mind. Their designs often bend (or even entirely neglect) the ATX design guide rules. The cases of the Raven series are another example as well, with the 90° rotated motherboard design. We hosted reviews of the first Raven (RV01), the RV03 and the RV04 during the past years.
With the exception of the RV04, which does not share the 90° design, the cases of the Raven series were somewhat bulky and excessively long – features that did not make them very popular among users. In response to that, SilverStone has released the RV05, the most compact case of the Raven series to date. Despite the reduced dimensions of the case, SilverStone boasts that it retains outstanding thermal performance and usability. We will provide an in-depth look at the Raven RV05 in this review.
SilverStone Raven RV05 Specifications | ||
Motherboard Form Factor | ATX, Micro-ATX, Mini-ITX | |
Drive Bays | External | 1 x Slim Slot Loading |
Internal | 2 x 3.5" (front drive cage) 2 x 2.5" (rear of motherboard tray) |
|
Cooling | Front | - |
Rear | - | |
Top | 1 x 120 mm (optional) | |
Left Side | - | |
Bottom | 2 x 180 (included) | |
Radiator Support | Front | - |
Rear | - | |
Top | - | |
Side | - | |
Bottom | 240 mm / 280 mm | |
I/O Port | 2x USB 3.0, 1x Headphone, 1x Mic | |
Power Supply Size | ATX | |
Clearances | HSF | 160 mm |
PSU | 170 mm | |
GPU | 310 mm | |
Dimensions | 529 mm × 242 mm × 498 mm (H×W×D) 20.83 in × 9.53 in × 19.6 in (H×W×D) |
|
Prominent Features | Signature RAVEN styling touches Revolutionary 90 degree motherboard mounting from RAVEN RV01 Breakthrough 5.25 inch bay-free design for unprecedented power to size ratio Two Air Penetrator fans included for great performance and quietness Positive air pressure design for excellent cooling/quietness and dust-prevention Quick-release latch for fast side panel removal Front access to main filter for easy maintenance Support for various liquid cooling radiator sizes |
|
Price | $117 Including Shipping ($107 after rebate) $115 for non-windowed version |
Packaging and Bundle
We received the Raven RV05 in a colorful, sturdy cardboard box. The artwork is very aggressive and a bit chaotic, with pictures of the case mixed with the shadow of a raven and numerous abstract shapes. The lightweight case is very well protected inside the box, with thick Styrofoam slabs ensuring its safety during shipping.
SilverStone supplies only the hardware essential for the installation of the components, a few simple cable ties, and a 120mm fan filter. There also is a very well written manual, but there are no extras such as cable straps or decorative stickers.
29 Comments
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JohnMD1022 - Friday, December 26, 2014 - link
It's ugly with a capital UGHHHHH..Laststop311 - Saturday, December 27, 2014 - link
I don't think making it shorter and losing 1 of the 180mm fans is a feature to brag about. I use the ft02 and i think the 02 versions of this case were the best. If you have enough room to fit this case you almost 100% are likely to have the room for the 02 version and the third 180mm fan is a big deal. Those fans do such a good job losing 1 kills me too muchR3MF - Saturday, December 27, 2014 - link
speaking as a person who already owns a Fortress 02, and just built a new rig with the 05:this is a nicely made case, i appreciate the extra space, and remain unfazed by the lack of bays.
dumpsterj - Sunday, December 28, 2014 - link
Ive had the RV02 since it came out. Its huge , but it has awesome thermal properties and im probably sticking with it forever lol.SeleniumGlow - Sunday, December 28, 2014 - link
Instead of the Coke Can, I'd prefer to have an actual ruler/scale in the background (or maybe foreground). You see, my country doesn't have this size or shape for a cola can. It's thin, and not as tall, and only has a volume of 200 mL. I have no idea of the dimensions of that can on the picture.Plus, I'm sure a wooden (or those new steel ones) ruler would cost less than a cola can :P
codylee - Saturday, January 3, 2015 - link
+1 Coke can.More importantly- I echo the notion that a mobo manufacturer needs to have some vision and rethink the standards to accommodate board design and placement.
Maltz - Friday, January 9, 2015 - link
+2 if it'd been Dr Pepper. :)romrunning - Monday, January 5, 2015 - link
But then we would have the complaints about metric versus US/Imperial measurements...trynberg - Friday, January 9, 2015 - link
I don't understand this review. This case was designed to provide quiet, state of the art air cooling, which it does. Using water cooling doesn't even make sense. Optical drives are going the way of floppy drives. Aesthetics are in the eye of the beholder. This is the most negative review of this case I have seen.