SilverStone Raven RV05 Mid-Tower Case Review

By David Shields

Manufacturer: SilverStone Technology Co., Ltd.
Product Name: Raven RV05
Model Number: SST-RV05B
UPC: 84476101536 EAN: 4710007221532
Price As Tested: $116.99 (Newegg | Amazon)

Full Disclosure: The product sample used in this article has been provided by SilverStone.

SilverStone is known for producing high quality cases that provide an excellent assortment of cooling options, though at more premium prices than other manufacturers. In 2008 SilverStone released a behemoth of a case that was dubbed the Raven RV01. The RV01 became an immediate enthusiast favorite, with striking looks and a unique design that rotated the motherboard by 90 degrees. Even more unique about the Raven was the “stack effect” cooling design, which focused on creating a vertical airflow that allowed heat to naturally rise out of the case. The RV01 was a case to be desired, but aside from being easily one of the largest tower cases ever made, it sold for a whopping $250.00. SilverStone has released several successors to the RV01, including a miniITX version, but has yet to recapture the feel of the original RV01…until now.

Now, SilverStone has just released the latest chassis in the Raven series, the RV05. The RV05 was first demoed last October and arguably was the first enthusiast chassis design without 5.25″ bays.  Without the bays, the RV05 is smaller than many mid-towers while still retaining compatibility for a full range of standard features such as ATX motherboards and power supplies, bays for dual 3.5″ drives and 2.5″ drives, and even water cooling support.

Features & Specifications