SilverStone Raven RV03

The only real problem hit along the way dealt with the new power supply area on the RV03. With the OCZ power supply, the position of the AC power connector happened to be in precisely the worst spot that where the end of the built-in power supply cable had interfered with the side panel being put back in place. The side panel has extra room for the power supply cable with the aforementioned extended ventilation area, but with the OCZ power supply the head of the power supply cable was interfering with the bottom of the side panel door.

There is also the inconvenience of the relocated power supply connector being on the bottom of the chassis. While not the case for many users, systems are being constantly rotated out at Phoronix when it comes to testing new hardware and so being able to quickly connect and disconnect systems is a great convenience from the many cables lying around. With the previously-reviewed SilverStone Fortress FT03 and now the RV03, the power supply cable needs to be connected at the bottom of the chassis, which is a bit of a nuisance as it requires the case be titled over rather than just having the connector at the back or top of the chassis.

Besides the power supply issues, the SilverStone Raven RV03 build was a breeze. When the system was up and running inside its new home, the RV03 was very quiet considering the three stock fans, temperatures were not an issue, and the case worked well just like the previous RV01 and RV02 in the Raven series.

Conclusion:

The Raven RV03 is an interesting case that right now is selling for around $140~160 USD (the cheapest has been found at Amazon.com for $139.99). It is not my most favorite SilverStone chassis that I have come across as the Temjin TJ10 still holds a special place along with the Fortress FT02 and some other models in past years. The RV03 is a nice evolutionary upgrade over the earlier Ravens with the better drive and cooling options along with the lower price. The only major gripe I have with this case revolves around the power supply location. If that does not bother you, then this is a good case worth considering for an ATX / Extended ATX system with impressive expansion capabilities.

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