SilverStone Sugo SG03

Testing and Results

We’ve not reviewed any Micro-ATX cases before so we don’t have any direct comparison for the Sugo SG03 as yet. To give us an idea of how the Sugo was faring in the CPU cooling department we set up the same test kit on a bench to check the CPU temperatures on idle and load.

We chose the GeForce GTX 280 graphics card to really run the tiny case through its paces and find out if it could serve as a portable gaming chassis in addition to an attractive conversation piece.

CPU stress testing was carried out using Prime 95 and GPU testing was done with a continuous loop of the GPU tests in 3DMark 06 for about an hour. The ambient temperature in the labs was a mild 23°C at the time of testing.

Our Intel Core 2 Duo E6700 peaked at a toasty 82°C when installed in the Sugo, massively hotter than the 55°C we saw from the chip under load when on the bench. Even at idle, the chip was still running incredibly warm at 78°C with the low profile HSF clearly struggling to provide any cool air for the chip in the enclosed space. Needless to say, this is far from ideal considering that idle temperatures of the CPU were around 33°C when on the test bench.


GPU cooling was more acceptable. Last time we tested this GPU in an open-air bench rig it maxed at 81°C, making the 80°C managed by the little Sugo a respectable effort. The graphics card's firmware is hardwired for the fan to attempt keeping the GPU at 80°C so when it reaches these temperatures the fan speed will kick up a notch so don’t expect golden silence during gaming sessions with the Sugo SG03 sitting on your desk.

Final Thoughts

The Silverstone Sugo SG03 is a smart-looking case and a very clever piece of engineering. Everything slots cunningly together and the case makes efficient use of its surprisingly small dimensions. There’s sufficient cooling to allow you to build a reasonably fast PC, though clearly a Core 2 Duo chip and GeForce GTX 280 under load is close to the case's limits in terms of cooling.

Because the case is so small, the air sucked in from the front of the case will be pushed all the way through and directly out the back in a short amount of time which often makes for effective cooling in smaller chassis. However, because of the tiny amount of free space inside, the Sugo SG03 struggles to keep the CPU cool.

If Silverstone does a new revision of this case in the future, then further meshing on the roof panel behind the 5.25in bay could improve this though adding that second 120mm fan would have been a good start. Getting out the Dremel and making your own roof mesh might be a good idea if you’re planning on making a portable gaming rig from this case.

It’s also a versatile chassis. It’s sleek shape means it wouldn’t be an eyesore while sitting in your living room and the fact that it can take a large graphics card without melting into a puddle of liquid components means that you could use it as portable gaming rig. Unlike the Sugo SG04, the SG03 doesn’t feature a handle but it’s a damn sight better looking and it wouldn’t be too much of a hardship to make on for it.

The £80 price tag may seem a lot of money to pay for a micro-ATX case and especially one that doesn't offer great cooling but the Sugo’s clever design, versatility and great build quality all help to justify the cost. If you're looking to build a compact but fully capable system then it's a fine choice, just be wary of the disappointing CPU cooling on offer - we'd recommend using no more than an 85W CPU.

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