Silverstone Raven RVX01 Case Review

When doing case reviews I like to explore modding options and see what can be done easily to personalize the case.  This exercise has gotten difficult over the years but, there is always something that can be done.

The side window on this case is held in place with a series of tabs.  If you wanted to cut a custom side window you have a few choices.  First would be to buy the version with a solid panel or you could remove the existing window and start enlarging from there.  You will eventually run into the support brace at the bottom of the chassis.  It really does reinforce the lower half of the case but could easily be removed and modified to hold additional cooling fans or even an AIO watercooler. 

Simply cut some ventilation into the side panel and away you go. 

Under the top panel you will find that the metal mesh is held in place with screws.  This is how Silverstone customizes each case color and is a benefit in your favor if you ever elect to change the color. In fact it might look interesting to color every other square so instead of a grid of red you have a series of chevrons.

The Silverstone Raven X series is a subcategory of the Raven line designed to bring a low cost option of their popular Raven cases to a broader market.  To do this the designers removed many of the expensive bits like the 180mm Air Penetrator fans and external drive bays and set out to shrink the chassis as much as possible.   The result is a very small and lightweight chassis that comes with aggressive styling and famous 90 degree motherboard layout.

When I saw this case at CES I was immediately impressed with how well Silverstone could transform the styling and design of the Raven RV05 into a very affordable chassis design.  They did this by removing many of the luxuries we have come to expect from a computer chassis like the external drive bays and area to route excess cables.  While this may be an annoyance to some it really is no different from building in a SFF case except with larger versions of the hardware. 

Overall I am still impressed with the Silverstone Raven RVX01 and for the market and price point they are targeting I think the execution is perfect.  With the Raven RV05 inspired styling and compact footprint the case would look great at any LAN event, Dorm room or simply chillin next to your desk.

Aggressive Styling
Affordable
Solid Construction
120mm Air Penetrator Fans
Available in Colors
AIO Cooler Support
Modding Options Available

No external 5.25” drive bays
Limited cable routing options
May work best with smaller motherboard