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SilverStone GD04 HTPC Case Review
Author: Jim Manis
Published: Wednesday, December 09, 2009
Layout and Accessories
The SilverStone GD04 is designed with an plan of moving a large volume of air through a small case quietly, To accomplish this they have included three 120mm "golf ball" fans, used to bring fresh cool air into the case with the rear and top vents providing an escape path for the heat. The rear can also be supplemented with two 80mm fans in the space above the I/O panel. All incoming air is drawn thru very nice mesh grills these include a fine screen which should do an excellent job of trapping dust and other debris.
The filters do raise an interesting point as removing them for cleaning requires removing the drive trays (which only takes a few seconds) and then removing the screws holding the fans from the outside. Keep this in mind when routing the fan wires, this is a case where planning ahead pays off.
The filters do raise an interesting point as removing them for cleaning requires removing the drive trays (which only takes a few seconds) and then removing the screws holding the fans from the outside. Keep this in mind when routing the fan wires, this is a case where planning ahead pays off.
The case layout also allows the PSU to draw fresh air from under the floor of the case and through a similarly filtered opening. Above the PSU you will find a variety of really cool features. Immediately above you will find a single expansion slot opening for an expanded sound board or similar device, or you can use the space for a 3rd hard drive mounting location for either 2.5" or 3.5" HDDs.
At the back of the brace you will find two more HDD locations. The total HDD capacity is a max of three.
At the back of the brace you will find two more HDD locations. The total HDD capacity is a max of three.
Proper cooling is very important in small cases like this and SilverStone has done a great job in shaping the airflow and separating the PSU heat from the rest of the system.
In the picture on the right you will notice a slotted Optical drive bay bracket which allows the greatest amount of flexibility for DVD or Blue-Ray options. The drive tray is also removable which aides in installing the drive and getting it lined up just perfect. The rails are also removable to make installing motherboards easier.
In the picture on the right you will notice a slotted Optical drive bay bracket which allows the greatest amount of flexibility for DVD or Blue-Ray options. The drive tray is also removable which aides in installing the drive and getting it lined up just perfect. The rails are also removable to make installing motherboards easier.
