[Re-Build] RaVeN RV02

[nascasho]

So I got bored of my Antec Twelve-Hundred and tired of cleaning the filters every week to I decided to see if I would like a better case. And what better time to choose the little brother of the RV01, the RV02!

Did a couple temp diffrences too... but with my luck my drive (SSD) decided to crap out and promt a "DISK BOOT FAILURE", so thats out of the topic until I decide to retrive my backup.

Load of pics, so enjoy. []

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Unboxing:







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Build:









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Final:










Overall first impressions, amazing case. Very easy to route cables. As far as cooling goes without using exact numbers my temps are a large margin from the Antec... lol. Temp difference I noticed made the Antec look water cooled. Kinda miss my Antec because of it, but it's easier to clean, quieter (A LOT!). Now I can hear my self think!

The 3x 180mm fans at 1000rpm are a joke, the rated 100cfm is total BS, but they get the job done.

I recommend this case, but if you have an Antec Twelve-Hundred, or HAF 932 etc, I would stick to it if you're looking for good temps, cause you're gonna miss them. But if you're looking for a great starter case or like me, just bored of having the same old stuff, this case is worth a try.

[zalbard]

What temps exactly are worse? VGA? CPU? NB? All of them?

[nascasho]

All of them. With all the fans on the Antec it blew the air past the NB making it basicly actively cooled. GPU temps on my GTX's easiliy soared past 75C, broke the 85C mark after about an hr. of Crisis. CPU temps haven't really changed much, the case is designed in favor for that. Temps increased about 4C tops in the same ambient temp. That doesn't mean I hate the case, it's very silent, just sucks at cooling. The side panel reminds me of some Lian Li cases I've here and like the HUGE window over the Antec's (screamish when cutting... so no side mod).

Since the Antec case was basicly a super efficient tunnel I can see why the temps differ so much even though I had some faith in Silverstones "Rising Heat" tech. it works, just not as much as you would think.

Best thing is too, since its summer and the fans aren't going 1million mph the heat isn't circulating in my room as it would with the Antec and resulting in overall lower room temps. Thought of a Fan Controller, but the way I shoved cables behind my Antec, I doubt it would've fit more. But beginning to second thought that when winter comes.

[Salavat23]

Is your HX1000 mounted correctly? Isn't the fan on it supposed to intake air from outside through the included air vent at the back?

[nascasho]

Is your HX1000 mounted correctly? Isn't the fan on it supposed to intake air from outside through the included air vent at the back?

It is. Maybe the pictures make it look like the fans pointing inside? I tried both ways and thought the PSU next to the TRUE would cause issues so I left it the way it was meant to be. But it has mounting holes to put it both ways which is cool.

[Sh1tyMcGee]

I have this case, and have pretty good temps, but i think the Antec 1200 would be a better air cooling case, its got about 6 120mm fans and the top 200mm fan as well.

[zalbard]

Might be OT, but is Stacker 831 better or worse than Antec 1200 air cooling efficiency wise?

[nascasho]

Might be OT, but is Stacker 831 better or worse than Antec 1200 air cooling efficiency wise?

I haven't had the Stacker personally to give you a direct compairison, but I would think the Antec 1200. The four fans that act as a door in the case really don't add too much it seems like, no tunnel effect as high as the Antec goes.

[Baron_Davis]

I appreciate your honesty when it comes to the cooling. Makes me reconsider my next case. But then again, I was having second thoughts about this case after I read the first few reviews (not that they were bad or anything, just not what I had hoped for).

[nascasho]

I appreciate your honesty when it comes to the cooling. Makes me reconsider my next case. But then again, I was having second thoughts about this case after I read the first few reviews (not that they were bad or anything, just not what I had hoped for).

Same, kinda a little dissapointed too. But, it was a fun little project as frustrating as it was. Keeping the Antec in case I get a change of heart, lol.

[sandman331]

The 18cm fans need to be more controllable - they should start out powerful rather than quiet, undervolting is easier than overvolting... especially because they're custom fans, you can't really replace them. This would make the case more than capable of outcooling the 1200...

[nascasho]

They have a spot below the 180mm section to mount some 120mm fans, but having some that are 100cfm+ will sound like jets.

[Junimrox]

Cool casemod, but I don't understand the pictures, it seems each one is in one position... I had to google for images of the case to undertand the mobo position... van you take some pictures with light and the case on a table? it looks like its really long but not tall. Can you use dvi->vga adapters in this case? cause it looks like you don't have a lot of room on the top...

Thanks! cool mod!

[sandman331]

They have a spot below the 180mm section to mount some 120mm fans, but having some that are 100cfm+ will sound like jets.

Someone needs to make some proper 180mm fans... If these can't outdo 3 120mm Antec Tricools there is a bit to be desired...

[nascasho]

Cool casemod, but I don't understand the pictures, it seems each one is in one position... I had to google for images of the case to undertand the mobo position... van you take some pictures with light and the case on a table? it looks like its really long but not tall. Can you use dvi->vga adapters in this case? cause it looks like you don't have a lot of room on the top...

Thanks! cool mod!

Yes, you can fit it with the top on, but it'll be close as hell.

[dctokyo]

nascasho
Congratulations on your new build

Looks like those video cables are blocking much of one fan, not a very good idea IMHO, maybe that's why the temps are bad for the video card.

Also your HX1000 is not mounted correctly if you wish for the PSU to get cool air from the outside, the PSU fan should be getting air from the outside of the case through the included air vent at the back.

[Kenjiwing]

Ya your PSU is mounted in instead of out...

[nascasho]

Lol, during the build I went through a couple choices, thats why you see the newer pictures with it mounted facing out. I thought it would cause issues.

As for the cable blocking I thought of the same thing and moved them around and my temps were the same... :/

[dctokyo]

Lol, during the build I went through a couple choices, thats why you see the newer pictures with it mounted facing out. I thought it would cause issues.

As for the cable blocking I thought of the same thing and moved them around and my temps were the same... :/

nascasho, thanks for the update, and that is a sweet looking setup you have BTW.

I own the FT01 and was thinking of getting this case or the FT02 when it comes out. Looking for a little better cooling than now.

I have owned the Antec 1200 and the CoolerMaster Cosmos and I was really not happy with those cases, my FT01 now cools better but still would like to get a better case for cooling, hope to hear more about yours.

[nascasho]

Talked to a tw Silverstone agent and he ended up forwarding me to a US agent to get me hooked up with some of those 150cfm fans Silverstone just put out. Going to swap out to those and see how it goes from there as far as temps.

[Kenjiwing]

Talked to a tw Silverstone agent and he ended up forwarding me to a US agent to get me hooked up with some of those 150cfm fans Silverstone just put out. Going to swap out to those and see how it goes from there as far as temps.

Nas can you link me to those?

[nascasho]

Nas can you link me to those?

http://www.silverstonetek.com/produc...no=FM181&area=

And man, no matter where I go for years people have called me Nas because Nascasho was too long, lmao. So much people in RL call me NaZ. It just stuck...

[Kenjiwing]

http://www.silverstonetek.com/produc...no=FM181&area=

And man, no matter where I go for years people have called me Nas because Nascasho was too long, lmao. So much people in RL call me NaZ. It just stuck...

I wonder of the fan controller is optional.. they do a terrible job of including pics of the product.. I also noticed its white.. not sure how thats going to mesh.

[nascasho]

I was thinking the same thing, but with that fan cover it comes with it may actually look cool, and accidently. You'll be able to see the blades and the side, but with the cathodes I'm hoping it'll end up looking light blue... it'll match perfectly.

[sholvaco]

^
Where've you two been? White on black is all the rage nowadays...OK maybe not, but I think it might look nice regardless.

Two suggestions:

1. Since this case provides eight expansion slots try moving the second VGA to the bottom most x16 (x8) slot and see if this does anything for the temps. With this board there shouldn't be any difference in performance since both the #2 and #4 x16 slots are hardwired for x8.

2. Get that piece of junk NB heatsink off the mobo, throw it away with the rest of the trash and get yourself one of these, the Thermalright HR-05 IFX. Try installing it at a slight angle, just enough to clear the VGA and the CPU sink, so the HS wide face catches at least some whiff from the intake fans. You can also install an 80 mm fan, if you don't mind it not being passive anymore. It should drop the NB temps significantly.