SilverStone RVZ01-E Mini-ITX Gaming Chassis Review

Complete System

The Raven is a strange chassis in terms of layout, so the install procedure is a little unusual. The first step for the GPU is to take out the bracket and mount the card externally, before putting the card and the PCI-E bridge back into the system.

The motherboard installation is nice and simple, as there’s more than enough room for it, but keep note of the very limited space around the edges as this could make routing cables a demanding job.

The enlarged PSU mount is certainly a welcome addition for many users, but for us here at eTeknix it’s a big problem. Our PSU doesn’t fit, or at least it does, but there’s no room for cables. Most ATX PSUs are actually larger than ATX spec, so perhaps look at some of the SilverStone range of PSUs, as they’re often much shorter (actually ATX spec) than most.

The hard drive mounts are very easy to use, just slot the drive in and screw it in place. Ours isn’t screwed in, we just wanted to show you how they work.

With the GPU installed, you can barely see it, it’s hiding in a section all on its own and we can’t stress enough how hard it was to get in there as the front panel I/O cables get in the way of the GPU and then there’s the small matter of routing the PSU cables to the GPU. It’s not going to be easy, but it can be done with a little patience and plenty of cable ties.

The GPU gets its airflow from under the chassis and even has its own fans, so cooling is not going to be an issue and as you can see, it’s got a good amount of ventilation at the back to get rid of all the hot air.

All panels back in place and the Raven looks as neat and tidy as when we took it out of the box.