SilverStone ML09 Mini-ITX HTPC Chassis Review

Final Thoughts

Price

The SilverStone ML09 is currently available from Scan.co.uk for a very reasonable £49.99. That’s not a lot of money for a chassis of this quality and that’s going to leave you with more budget to spend on that all-important hardware on the inside.

Overview

The ML09 is far from perfect, in fact, I found it quite frustrating to get our build together in this chassis, but when it comes to a compact chassis design, some sacrifices have to be made to make it all possible. There is no doubt about it, the ML09 is very small on the exterior, and that’s great for those with limited desktop space, or those who want something unobtrusive in the home entertainment setup. The downside is that the interior is cramped and hard to work in, but it’s worth keeping in mind that a system build generally only has to be done once, and once it’s build, the ML09 is a great looking chassis.

The panels are thick and durable, the included fan is a high-quality SilverStone designed slim-type, offering impressive airflow and excellent acoustics for its size. The mirror finish front panel gives off a nice premium vibe and having the USB ports on the side of the chassis helps keep it looking neat and tidy. It’s obvious a lot of thought has gone into the design of this chassis, as it manages to be understated, stylish and functional.

I would like to see the interior have a little more depth, giving room to route cables more cleanly around the edge of the motherboard, and some flat cables applied to the USB 3.0 header, but these are both things that can sacrifice size/cost of the chassis, so it’s a tough call.

Pros

• Four HDD bays
• PCI-E Bay
• ODD support
• Excellent build quality
• Stylish design
• Affordable price
• Ideal for HTPC or office system

Cons

• Cable routing can be demanding

“If you’re looking for a capable, compact and stylish chassis for your next build, and you’re not afraid of a tricky build process, the ML09 has a lot to offer. It would make a great addition to any HTPC setup or even a smart-looking office workstation.”