Silverstone LC16M HTPC case

Conclusions

Build Quality: It is hard not to be impressed by the LC16M. True, it is a regular steel case with a slab of brushed aluminium bolted to the front but everywhere you look, there is quality. The DVD door has a silky-smooth soft-closing mechanism and the volume knob has an expensive feel to it. All the edges are rounded smoothly and the 80mm fans even have chrome grills inside and out. The remote may well be generic OEM, but it works well and has features that put it above many others we have seen.

Performance: Given the flexibility of this case, the noise and temperature performance is almost completely dependent on your chosen components. As tested, it ran at 46C during DVD playback with an ambient of 20C. The loudest component was easily the CPU fan but we have no doubt it is possible to build a system that would run faster, cooler and quieter, given the right components.

Value: The Silverstone LC16M is available in the UK from Kustom for £185 inc vat, and in the US from NewEgg for US$269.99, which is no small amount in either currency. The high price is a direct result of the VFD display: Silverstone's LC17 is a similar chassis but costs under half the amount because it doesn't have the VFD.

When you consider that it would cost you around £80 to add a Matrix Orbital MX610 to the cheaper case and you would still face the nightmare of LCDC plugins, Silverstone's slick, bundled software is a real deal-clincher. There is no need to follow the DIY route when the factory option is this hassle-free.

Overall: There's no doubt about it - we loved Silverstone LC16M. Unlike some, we weren't put off by the chunky looks and the added bonus is the amount of room there is inside. If you require a slimline HTPC, something like the Silverstone LC09 would do the job but you will need to budget for a mini-ITX motherboard and be prepared to accept the limitations of a single PCI slot and single hard drive storage.

For anyone wanting to use existing desktop PC hardware, the Silverstone LC16M gives you the flexibility to pack in almost anything you could possibly need and more. The bundled software is slick and the remote is a must have.

If you don't need the VFD, you might be better opting for a cheaper model but for all round ability, the LC16M would satisfy the needs of most home theatre zealots.