SilverStone CS01B-HS Mini-ITX Case Review

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SilverStone CS01B-HS Mini-ITX Case Review
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By David Shields

Manufacturer: SilverStone Technology Co., Ltd.
Product Name: Case Storage Series CS01B-HS
Model Number: SST-CS01B-HS
UPC: 844761011932 EAN: 4710007221938
Price As Tested: $124.99 (Amazon)

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

SilverStone is well known for producing innovative and quality chassis designs. They have created the Fortress and Raven chassis series with a ninety degree motherboard rotation, the massive Mammoth, and the premium Crown HTPC lineup, amongst many others. Now they’ve released what is being called a pair of “Case Storage” mini-itx cases. From the product description, the CS series was built “To meet increasing demand for cloud and local storage needs, SilverStone created the CS01 case to enable users to build sophisticated and user-friendly system.”

Two versions of the anodized black CS01B computer case exist, one with a mesh top and the option to install two 2.5″ and two 3.5″ drives. The second is the CS01B-HS, which removes the pair of 3.5″ drives in favor of six hot-swappable 2.5″ bays. Also included in both models is a single 120mm air penetrator fan, one expansion slot, and a sturdy aluminum construction throughout. SilverStone is not intending this to be used for gaming, but rather for an office environment. In this article for Benchmark Reviews, we will specifically look at the CS01B-HS version, deciding whether or not SilverStone has succeeded in creating such a product, and then deliver an overall rating.

Features & Specifications

Material	Aluminum outer shell, steel body
Motherboard	Mini-ITX
Drive Bay	External	2.5” SAS/ SATA hot-swap x 6
		(With 6Gbps SAS/SATA HDD Backplane)*
	Internal	2.5” x 2
Cooling System	Front	—
	Rear	—
	Side	—
	Top	—
	Bottom	120mm AP fan x 1 , 1200rpm, 19.7dBA
Front I/O Port	USB 3.0 x 2
Power Supply	SFX / SFX-L
Expansion Card	1 x low profile up to 7.5”, width restriction – 2.95”
Limitation of CPU cooler	68mm
Limitation of PSU	130mm (SFX-L)
Net Weight	4.289kg
Dimension	210.5mm (W) x 322 mm (H) x 210 mm (D), 14.2 liters

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SilverStone CS01B-HS Overview
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Made from almost entirely aluminum and steel, this is an impressively sturdy case. It’s deceptively heavy for its size, weighing in a 4.289kg. On the front panel we see a drive activity light, power button, and SilverStone logo.

The side panels are all made of solid steel Remember, in this case the motherboard is rotated 90 degrees so all motherboard I/O ports will be located at the top. This maintains a finished, unspoiled look on all four sides of the chassis. Indeed, the only difference to be found across all four panels is the power button/logo on the front. Both side panels lift away easily to allow access inside.

The bottom panel has four rubber feet for vibration reduction and some ground clearance. Above this panel is the sole fan in the CS01, a 120mm, which draws in air from the gap in the front and back.

Since the motherboard is rotated 90 degrees, the backplate opening is at the top. A PSU plugin that runs to the PSU inside is also installed, along with a pair of USB 3.0 ports. At the top we also can see the main feature of this chassis – six hot swap 2.5″ drives bays. Each bay slid fairly easily from it’s slot, so swapping them in and out will be a snap for users.

Simple but elegant, SilverStone’s design of the CS01 falls right in line with it’s intention – not a fancy gamer case but a more subtle design intended for work or the home office. It’s also sturdy enough to take any punishment, without marking or scratching easily.

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SilverStone CS01B-HS Detailed Features
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SilverStone’s aim was to make building a system as simple and clean as possible (especially where Mini-ITX is concerned). You can get a good sense for the overall size of this chassis from the 120mm fan at the bottom. Because this version has hot swap bays, the interior is slightly more cramped. Also due to the hot swap bays, no 3.5″ bays are included (only 2.5″ drives will install in this case).

This is arguably the cleanest interior I’ve seen straight out of box. The only cables pre-installed are the standard front panel connectors, the fan connector, and the PSU/USB 3.0 headers. You aren’t of course, really expected to do any real cable management. But the open interior does make routing to your motherboard a cinch. CPU coolers of up to 68mm, and a PSU up to 130mm can be installed.

I’ve seen many, many hard drive trays made of plastic. Some have been downright awful, some have been okay. However, I think I can safely say these may be the best plastic hard drive trays I’ve ever seen. They may be plastic, but it’s very thick. No bending, no snapping, nothing. Which is great, because if you use the hot swap feature very often, they’ll get a lot of wear and tear.

In keeping with SilverStone’s intention for this case the interior is simple, clean, and easy to build in. Again, nothing to really critique here, it’s a great design for both the novice and experienced builders alike.

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Mini-ITX Case Final Thoughts
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In my day to day work, I am a photographer/videographer. As a result, I have a significant amount of data contained in external drives, which limits what I can access at any given time(not to mention speed). A design like this would be great for work because it provides rapid access to stored files. I could see this being useful in a variety of business environments, even more so given the CS01B-HS’s small footprint and design.

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SilverStone CS01B-HS Conclusion
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If intended performance was a ballgame, then SilverStone hit this one out of the park. It does exactly what it was intended to do – provide a compact storage solution with easy system construction for well-to-do businesses.

I prefer case designs that look good without going overboard. Just like other SilverStone cases I’ve reviewed, it’s simple but elegant enough to make up for it’s lack of fancy additions like windows, lights, decorative parts, and other odds and ends. It’ll be right at home in the office or workplace.

Made almost entirely from aluminum and steel, there’s nothing to complain about with it’s construction. Solid, heavy, and built like a truck, I could probably throw this out my window and it would be fine. Good news for those who work in stressful workplaces, right?

If there’s one thing I wish this case had that it doesn’t, that would be space for 3.5″ drives. As great as SSD’s are, when it comes down to storage capacity vs. price, they can’t compete with larger 3.5″ HDDs. Being limited to 2.5″ drives greatly increases operating costs, which hurts given this cases’s overall price. Yes, I know 2.5″ HDDs exist, but how many of us actually use those?

At $124.99 (Amazon), the CS01-HS enters a price market currently dominated by mostly Lian Li cases. It has simlar specs, but what makes it stands out is the high amount of storage it offers. It’s price is certainly justified given the quality of materials and expansion options.

I like the SilverStone CS01B-HS. It’s a solid, quality product from a good company. But would I buy it? Probably not. It’s more of a premium product than something intended for mainstream use, I think. I’d rather save a few bucks and buy an external hot swap tower instead of something like this. But I think the concept had promise, and I’d like to see perhaps a cheaper, lower range version for consumers.

Pros:

+ Solid, elegant construction.
+ Room for up to eight 2.5″ drives.
+ Simple, clean interior.
+ Vertical airflow design.
+ Does exactly what it’s supposed to do.

Cons:

Ratings:

• Performance: 9.75
• Appearance: 9.25
• Construction: 9.50
• Functionality: 9.25
• Value: 9.00

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Final Score: 9.35 out of 10.
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Excellence Achievement: Benchmark Reviews Golden Tachometer Award.