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In English
SuomeksiCooling performance
Hardware used for the test:
- Processor: AMD Phenom 2 X4 965BE
- CPU Cooler: Zalman CNPS-10X Extreme
- Motherboard: MSI 790FX-GD70
- Memory: Corsair 2*2 GB DDR3 1600 MHz (cl9)
- GFX Card: 2* Sapphire Radeon HD5750 Vapor-X
- Hard drive: Seagate Barracuda 7200.8 250 GB
- Power supply: Silverstone DA700
- Enclosure: Being tested...
So then, with no comparison it's hard to tell how well the Raven cooled our new test rig, but overall the temperatures seem just fine. Despite the rather restrictive hard drive cage, there's still plenty of airflow around it as 31 C is very low temperature for the drive used. Mind you the "system" temperature is a sensor on the motherboard, instead of the actual air temperature inside the case.
Dropping the fan speeds from the built-in controllers proved to make very small difference in the temperatures, the 3 C degree rise across the board isn't really going to make much difference to the overclocking results achieved, or the lifespan of the components.
Noise
I already liked the Fortress as it was so quiet and those 180 mm fans sure haven't gotten any louder during the weeks that have passed by. Also the single 120 mm fan is identical to the one seen in the Fortress. Due to the design and because the fans are facing the floor, there's no direct path for the case fan noise, which drops the levels slightly. With the right hardware choices the Raven 2 sure has potential to being the base for a very quiet system. Out the box the hard drives have anti vibration grommets as well, but there's also plenty of room for DIY soft mounting for real silence enthusiasts.
Conclusion
So then, after all the testing what's the verdict? Starting from the overall design, I really like it. Hidden under a desk, it very reasonably sized, in fact sitting there next to the Fortress it's just about the same height. While, without comparison, we can't say how the internal layout performs in the cooling test, it sure makes connecting all the cables a breeze. This kind of layout in a LAN-case could be awesome... The installation was very straight forward with lots of room for the cables and components. The only downside here was the hard drive cage that just didn't seem right in any way. First of all I'd have that sideways like in the Fortress for easier installation and changing of the drives, and having the drives sideways might also make the hard drive cage less restrictive to the fan. I also can't help but wonder if the five 5,25" drive bays and only three 3,5" HDD bays was the way to go. Performance- and noise-wise the Raven 2 is a solid performer, and I don't have any nags from this sector. It also has the dust filters and mounts for water cooling rad, so overall it's a very decent case. With a bit different HDD-cage it would be worth the editors choice-award, but even as is, it's getting gold. Good work! |
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