SilverStone Sugo SG08 review

SilverStone Sugo SG08 Review

Manufacturer: SilverStone
UK Price (as reviewed): £169.99 inc. VAT
US Price (as reviewed): $199.99 ex. Tax

With the Sugo SG08's £170 price tag, SilverStone is setting its sights on the higher end of the mini-ITX market than the rival cases we've looked at recently, the BitFenix Prodigy and the Cooler Master Elite 120 Advanced, which retails for under £40. That said, the SG08 does include a 600W 80Plus Bronze certified PSU, but even considering this, the case still lies on the expensive side of things.

The Sugo SG08 is the updated version of the SG07, which we looked at a few years back, and found to be a capable case with a few design flaws, in particular its lack of any real cable management options.


The major change to the case can be seen just by looking at it for the first time, as the front panel has been completely redesigned. It now comprises a 10mm thick non-detachable brushed aluminium panel that we thought looked very stylish. The minimalist design has been extended to the front connections too. A power switch, two USB 3 ports and the usual audio I/O plugs are all you'll find there – the reset switch still sits at the rear of the case.

The black steel chassis compliments the understated front panel of the SG08 nicely, we felt, and the side and roof panels maintain the heavily ventilated sections of its predecessor. This design is similar to that of Cooler Master's Elite 120 Advanced too, but thankfully the SG08 feels more solid and well built than its cheaper counterpart.


The included PSU is mounted at the front of the case, though thanks to some internal wiring the power connector is still in the usual rear position. The PSU takes air in through a ventilated section on the underside of the SG08, which thankfully features a removable dust filter. However, you'll need to whip out a screwdriver to get it off – we would have a preferred a slide out mechanism here. Also on the underside you'll find the case's rubberised feet, which are firmly attached and will help dampen any vibrations from inside.

For the vital job of cooling your hardware, SilverStone has provided one of itspopular 180mm Air Penetrator fans. It's mounted in the roof position as an intake fan, and as such is set up to deliver a direct flow or cool air to the CPU cooler. The mount here also includes a removable dust filter, but it can only be accessed by removing the case's 'n' shaped lid. Instead of an exhaust fan, SilverStone has opted for a positive pressure design, whereby air is forced out of the ventilated side sections from the pressure created by the fan above. A switch on the back of the case lets you adjust the fan speed between two settings, high (1200rpm) and low (700rpm).

Specifications

• Dimensions (mm) 222 x 351 x 190 (W x D x H)
  
• Material Aluminium, steel
  
• Available colours Black
  
• Weight 6kg
  
• Front panel Power, reset (rear of case), 2 x USB 3, stereo, microphone
  
• Drive bays 1 x external slim optical, 1 x internal 3.5in, 2 x internal 2.5in
  
• Form factor(s) Mini-ITX, DTX
  
• Cooling 1 x 180mm roof fan mount (fan supplied)
  
• CPU cooler clearance 117mm
  
• Maximum graphics card length 309mm
  
• PSU Custom ST60F-SG 600W 80Plus Bronze certified
  
• Extras Removable dust filters, 2-speed fan controller, VGA fan duct