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Silverstone ML06-E Mini-ITX HTPC Case Review

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Testing & Results

Testing Methodology

Since I still had the ML05 sitting around, I couldn’t help but do a quick comparison. Clearly the newest iteration should be the best performer (if only due to the included 120mm intake fan), but I was also curious if the new layout helped at all. A quick 3DMark run and some gaming were in order – how does the same system in two different cases perform?

Test System

  • Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-F2A88XN-WIFI
  • System Memory: 2133 MHz 2x4GB GSkill Ares
  • Processor: AMD A10-7800
  • Audio: On-board
  • Video: Integrated Radeon R7
  • Disk Drive 1: Intel 335 240GB SSD
  • Enclosure: ML06-E vs ML05
  • PSU: SilverStone SFX 300W
  • Operating System: Windows 10 64-bit

Results

ML06-E_00027

I tested the two chassis in the same night to try and keep ambient temps as similar as possible (they were hovering around 20C). During the 3DMark run, the integrated GPU registered at 37C, and some extended gaming arrived at temps of 34C. Not bad at all – especially on a stock AMD cooler. I could hear the stock CPU fan spin up during some portions of the 3DMark run and while gaming, but the slim 120mm fan seemed to cancel out any of the harsher frequencies. From about four feet away I could still hear fans distinctly running, but it wasn’t harsh or annoying.

ML05_Final

The older ML05 surprisingly managed similar temps running the same tests (I thought for sure the ML06-E would blow right past the fan-less ML05 in temperatures), although the stock cooler had to work (noticeably) harder – and therefore louder – to keep everything cool. In fact, while the registered temps are almost identical for the integrated GPU sensor, the two chassis felt very different. There were noticeable hotspots in the ML05 by the PSU and by the CPU socket on the “bottom” panel right beside the CPU (both chassis were tested in a vertical orientation), while the ML06-E felt about the same temperature throughout the external area. Cabling was a little trickier in the ML05 as well, which may have contributed to some of the hotspots.

ML06-E_00028

Each chassis would likely perform even better with 80mm fans set up to exhaust the heated air, but the ML06 was better equipped in stock form to keep the heat manageable. Overall, it seemed the ML06-E was a better choice for HTPC and light gaming duties, especially for the warmer AMD APUs (it was close with the AMD processors, it would likely be a non-issue with a cooler Intel CPU). Although either case would make an excellent Steam box or streaming/set-top/HTPC enclosure, the ML06-E really did prove to be an evolution of the design. It’s better aesthetically, thermally and functionally – well done, I’d say.


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