Be Quiet Silent Base 800 Case Review

Maybe the first thing you notice about the Silent Base 800 the clean angular design.  It’s refreshing to see be quiet! resisting the urge to “bling out” their first case design with unnecessary bells and whistles.  The limited use of the accent color really brings out the contrasts while the branding is left more subtle.

Both the left and right sides are pushed out about an inch to accommodate the venting at the front.  The additional thickness of these plastic side panels allows for more room inside the case, side panel insulation for sound deadening and more airflow.  In the center of each side is a square branded panel that covers an optional 120mm fan mounts on the door.

A matching door covers the external drive bays giving the front a clean finish that could pass as aluminum.  The only features are the be quiet! logo and the venting at the bottom.

On top we find a large power button positioned for those that place their systems below the desktop.  The power Led lights up to match the case in a nice touch as well.  Along the back side are 2 x USB 2.0, 2x USB 3.0 and HD audio ports .I know messing with ports can be a drag but I still wish they had found a way to hide them away to preserve the look.

When I first opened the case I wondered what these parts were!  It turns out the SB 800 has detachable feet.  The two feet snap in to place firmly and provide an additional inch or so of space under the case.  With no venting on the bottom surface, I guess you could call these optional though the extra stability is welcome in my workspace.

Let’s take a closer look at the door.  Four 5.25” external bays are covered by a sound insulated door held in place by magnets.  Be quiet! has designed the door so it can be reversed to open right with minimal tinkering.  You can also see the door is padded to rest against the front without wearing or vibration.  I may not be a door fan but it’s hard to fault this design.  My only issue is the hinges are plastic and could be a breakage point with the extra weight of the door liner.