Silverstone RVZ01 Review
Category : Cases
Published by Luca Rocchi on 28.11.14
The Raven RVZ01 is the latest miniITX case from SilverStone. The product features a unique design and since it's a SilverStone case, it should also come with impeccable build quality. This case is compatible with ITX motherboard and SFX PSUs but despite the fact, that it is very compact you can install high-end graphics cards. Overall this sounds like a very interesting product.
The
new Raven
RVZ01 from Silverstone is a very compact case, which allows it to be used in
order to assemble a very compact PC system. Silverstone's Raven lineup have
always been interesting and different, and today we will check out if the RVZ01
is yet another proud member of the Raven family as well as check out both its good and bad
sides.
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Preview
Specifications
| Model |
RVZ-01 |
| Case Type |
HTPC / Gaming ITX |
| Dimensions |
382 x 105 x 350 mm |
| Material |
Steel, plastic |
| Color |
Black |
| 5.25'' drive
bay |
0 |
| 3.5'' drive bay |
1 |
| 2.5'' drive bay |
2 |
| Expansion
slots |
2 |
| Form factors |
Mini-ITX |
| Cooling |
Top: 1x 120mm (Included)
Bottom: 2x 120mm (One included) |
[pagebreak]
Bundle
Overview |
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The
Silverstone RVZ01 packaging box is pretty simple and straight forward.
It is made out of cardboard and includes all the most important features of the case. Inside the box,
there is the RVZ01 case itself, protected with a tissue cover and to ensure that nothing is going to break during shipping, Silverstone used two big pieces of plastic-sponge which is more than enough to
make sure that the RVZ01 will arrive safely to its destination. The bundle is simple but complete
as you get a user manual, 3-pin extender, riser PCIe card, zip-ties and
all the screws.
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[pagebreak]
Product overview
Overview |
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The RVZ01 is
the slimmest case in the Raven series and is made of plastic and black metal. The case measures
at only 382mm x 105mm x 350mm with a weight of 3.71 Kg and an internal capacity equal to 14 Liters.
At the front you can find the I/O panel as well as power and reset buttons. To be a bit more precise on the matter, you will find two USB 3.0 ports and a small audio panel with two
audio jacks. Although the case has no full-size 5.25" slot, you can install a slim-line optical disk drive that blends in with the design of this case. On both side panels there
is a plastic mesh and a small air vent close to the place where you should place fans. The top and bottom are characterized by various carvings
and openings that allow an adequate airflow. The case, if used in a vertical way, rests on four legs made of solid rubber which give
it a good grip. As you can see from the images, the RVZ01 can also be used horizontally just like a
gaming console. As we mentioned in the introduction page, the Silverstone RVZ01 is a mini-ITX case, therefore,
at the back you can only find two expansion slots as well as a place for
an SFX power supply. |
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[pagebreak]
Installation
Overview |
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Once the top cover
is removed, you gain access to the interior of the RVZ01. The arrangement of the components inside the case is clear and simple from the beginning, however, we always recommend to follow the instructions manual included in the box. Despite
a rather small size, the RVZ01 allows the installation of a dual slot
graphics card. This is mostly possible thanks to the layout chosen by Silverstone, in fact, in order to maintain
the small footprint, the company uses a solution completely different
than some other cases on the market. In the RVZ01, the graphics card is
placed horizontally and connected to the motherboard via a riser PCIe
card included with the bundle. In the central part of the case and on the graphics card bracket you can mount storage units,
or, to be precise, there is enough space for one 3.5" HDD and two 2.5" SSD. As you would expect in a model of this size, you need to use an SFX power supply. For our test, we used a Silverstone SX-600G modular
PSU with short cables. The placement of the power supply is precise and well
designed, and despite small dimension of the chassis, you do not need
any special operations to put the PSU in place. We have decided to use a stock Intel
cooler, however, the RVZ01 allows the use low profile coolers with a
maximum height of 83 mm, which is in line with most low-profile CPU
coolers on the market.
Despite the intricate layout we did not detect any problems during the installation of
any component, as each hardware piece had its dedicated place which was well designed.
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[pagebreak]
Ventilation options
Overview |
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| The
cooling inside the Raven RVZ01 from Silverstone is definitely
interesting and quite adequate for a case of this size. Silverstone
decide to use only slim 120mm fans with 3-pin header with the RVZ01. In
the bundle you get two 120mm fans. One is mounted at the place located
over the CPU area while the other is located on the right side and blows
directly on the graphics card. There is also an option to install yet
another 120mm slim fan at the graphics card area but that one is not
included in the box. As we mentioned at the beginning of our article,
the RVZ01 is compatible with dual-slot graphics card which are up to 33
centimeters long and CPU coolers with a maximum height of 84mm. With the
120mm fan slot located above the CPU area, with decent amount of space,
it is also possible to install a 120mm radiator without any problems. |
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[pagebreak]
Conclusion
| General |
|
+ |
- |
| The
Silverstone RVZ01 is a small and compact case, designed for small gaming or HTPC
systems. Despite its compact size, the RVZ01 supports long graphics cards and
up to three HDDs or SSDs. Silverstone has created an excellent, and in case you are not familiar with the Silverstone Raven lineup, a rather different product. The Raven RVZ01 is characterized by an aggressive design and uses a sophisticated and excellent cooling solution. We would, however,
like to see the use on aluminum in place of steel. Despite its rather
low price, Silverstone include a very good bundle with the RVZ01, as
well as two slim 120mm fans. |
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- Price
- Bundle
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| Manufacturing quality / Ergonomics |
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+ |
- |
| The build quality is always good with Silverstone and it is something that we certainly did not have any doubt about in the first place. The interior come completely
painted in black and there are no sharp edges. During the mounting process we have not detected any particular problems but we would like to see
a bit more use of a tool-less system. The internal solution chosen by Silverstone is very brilliant, thanks to the PCIe riser included in the package you can use powerful graphics cards
as well as keep the size of the case at a minimum. Despite its small size, the RVZ01 is compatible with graphics cards with a maximum length of 33 cm and
most low profile heatsinks on the market. If you are a fan of the liquid cooling, inside the RVZ01 there is enough space to install a 120mm AIO with slim radiator above the CPU
area. |
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- Long graphics card
- Cooling
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- No tool-less |
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| Design / Layout |
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+ |
- |
| Of course, the design is always a matter of taste but in our opinion, Silverstone has created a product with a very sophisticated design which you will either end up loving or hating. Given the size and appearance, this
PC case would be perfect for systems based on SteamOS or any other powerful HTPC. Once again Silverstone managed to amaze us using an internal layout
which is anything but ordinary, but at the same time, well designed in every detail. |
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- Design
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| Recommendation |
|
+ |
- |
| The RVZ01 from Silverstone is a very interesting ITX
PC Case with a brilliant internal layout. On Geizhals.eu, the RVZ01 has a starting price of 74 euro excluding shipping costs. If you are looking for a compact case that can accommodate the latest graphics card available on the market, the Silverstone RVZ01 can be an excellent choice.
It is also worth to note that before you buy the RVZ01, you will need an SFX PSU and also a slot-in ODD. |
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- Mini ITX Gaming
- Office use
- HTPC
- Steam Machine
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| Rating |
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The Silverstone RVZ01 gets good
4.5 out of 5 stars. |
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