SilverStone Raven RV03 Review

Performance Analysis

With both 180mm fans at their quiet minimum speed, the RV03 cooled our test CPU to a delta T of 48˚C – exactly the same result that the RV02 achieved with its fans at minimum speed. This is a little way behind other cases we’ve seen, such as the Antec Dark Fleet DF-85 or SilverStone’s own Fortress FT02, but it’s still a solid result.

The RV03 was also a few degrees away from matching the FT02 and RV02 for graphics card cooling, as it could only achieve a GPU delta T of 44^oC with its fans on minimum speed. This is only an average result, which put it behind cases such as the Define R3, although only by a degree or two.

With its fans ramped up to their full speed, the RV03’s cooling was slightly better; its CPU delta T of 45˚C was one of the best we’ve seen and was bettered only by monstrously huge cases such as the SilverStone Temjin TJ11 and the Antec Dark Fleet DF-85.

Its GPU delta T also dropped to a reading of 42˚C. This may only look like a mid table result, but in reality it’s only two degrees behind the RV02, which sits near the top of the table.

However, the extra venting that SilverStone has added to the RV03 made it noticeably louder than both the FT02 and RV02. These vents not only leaked the sound produced by the Air Penetrator fans, but also enabled us to hear the whine of our graphics card cooler more clearly.

Conclusion

The RV03 is an interesting development of the Raven line of cases. The internal changes have brought a few advantages, such as easy cable routeing and a more compact size. However, the six empty fan mounts conflict with the default floor-to-roof cooling arrangement and effectively undermine it. While they offer flexibility, they also allow too much sound to escape and necessitate the complex arrangement with the front fascia blanking plates, adding unnecessary cost.

Comparatively, the RV02’s uncompromising focus on floor-to-roof cooling is superior to the RV03’s all-things-to-all men approach. Not only was the RV02 more effective at cooling, but it was more refined too. The RV03 is a decent case in some respects, but it's also disappointing that it falls short of the high standards set by the RV02.