SilverStone Raven RVX01 Review

Performance Analysis

There's no denying that the rotated layout, triple Air Penetrator fans and positive pressure exhaust system work, as the thermal results are ones to be envied by other cases. The RVX01 achieves what is convincingly the best result so far with our new test gear when it comes to CPU cooling as its delta T of 50°C is 2°C better than the next closest case and a 4°C improvement over having the test system on an open test bench which is certainly impressive.


The GPU delta T of 48°C, meanwhile, isn't a chart-topper but it is very close and only 1°C behind the best result and the open test bench scenario. The graphics card clearly isn't struggling to receive cool air and you've got little to worry about here.

The three fans are fairly quiet and certainly not as loud as previous Air Penetrator fans at their full speed setting, but equally, they are definitely audible and there's no way to lower their speed without your own form of fan control. Thankfully, many motherboards now offer comprehensive fan control suites, even for 3-pin fans – you definitely won't need the ones here spinning at full speed all the time, but they won't bother you too much if they are.

Conclusion

The RVX01 definitely achieves its aim of bringing superior air-cooling to a lower price point, but we're not convinced that's enough to warrant it a recommendation unless that's your top priority. The bulky plastic exterior means that the RVX01 is fairly large yet inside it certainly feels cramped. This results in virtually no room for proper cable tidying and a need to keep a closer eye than usual on component dimensions, especially your CPU cooler's height and your PSU length. It can also make the case downright fiddly to work with in a number of places, and we can't say we're too happy about the lack of a PSU dust filter either. The price point SilverStone has hit here is a very competitive one, and while the RVX01 could certainly tame the temperatures of a high-end build better than most, that's not enough to make up for its shortcomings elsewhere.