SilverStone Milo ML04

In the past at Phoronix we have looked at the SilverStone Milo ML01, ML02, and ML03 HTPC enclosures, which all were nice and lived up to the prestigious SilverStone name we have come to expect over the years. When the opportunity arose to look at the Milo ML04 revision, of course I was very interested to see what the talented SilverStone designers envisioned to make a home theater PC chassis even better.

The Milo ML03 came out in 2011 and now two years later SilverStone has furthered its design by adding a lockable aluminum front door and other small changes. The ML04 isn't a major overall overhaul but some nice tuning for the entry-level HTPC enclosure.

The SilverStone ML04 has a 105 x 440 x 350 mm form factor that can accommodate micro-ATX, DTX, and mini-ITX motherboards. While a low-profile enclosure, standard ATX power supplies can fit in the case and there's room for four 80mm fans, special purpose drive cages, and support for four low-profile expansion cards. There's also a full-size expansion slot above the motherboard mounting area for any fan controllers or other cabled connections.

Like the earlier Milo enclosures, the ML04 is made of a steel body with plastic front panel while the new front door is made of aluminum. This new front door is lockable though it's just a very simple lock. The purpose of this lock is to prevent the power/reset buttons from being accidentally pressed and for the security of the system and drives. There's also a Kensington lock slot on the rear of the case for ensuring the case stay closed. This door is also great for hiding the power/data LED indicators with dimming the LEDs. Front panel ports include two USB 3.0 ports and headphone/microphone audio jacks.