Silverstone RV03 Raven 3 Case Review

One of the biggest features of the Raven design is the unique orientation of the motherboard.  Normal ATX cases have the expansion cards positioned so they are parallel to the ground which can create challenges in cooling since the heatsinks are actually under the card.  The Raven series takes the standard motherboard layout and rotates everything 90 degrees so the expansion cards are pointed vertical.  Not only does this improved cooling but removes excess stress from your expansion cards due to the heavy heatsinks.

Due to the position of the motherboard the back of the case is completely flat and you have to look at the top of the case to see where your  keyboard and monitor cables attach.  Sadly this is one of the biggest complaints of the Raven design especially when the cables you need to run don't always fit.

The large handle in the back is designed to help you move the case around but also serves at the primary cable chase.

Along the top of the case you'll find a single 120mm cooling fan and two pass-thru holes for external watercooling.  A cool feature to the RV03 is an independent fan controller for each of the 180mm fans located at the bottom of the case.  The switch position is either high or low so you can choose how much or little cooling you require.  The "off" setting is a little more difficult and requires that you unplug the fan.  

The primary cooling intake comes from the dual 180mm Air Penetrator fans located at the bottom of the case with a slightly staggered position to cool the main chassis area and behind the motherboard tray.  Air Penetrator fans feature a finned grill that will direct airflow in a vertical column instead of spreading the air outwards in a reverse cone.  The benefit here is more direct cooling and increased cooling pressure.