SilverStone's chassis includes a PSU, but is
that enough to justify $272?
In many ways, the SilverStone Sugo SG08 is
actually identical to its predecessor, the SG07, but the redesigned exterior is
a welcome change. It's nice to see the two USB 3.0 ports are still there, and
the 1cm thick brushed aluminium front panel with its minimalist design looks
lovely. The roof-mounted 180mm fan is controlled by a two-speed fan controller
on the rear of the case, where you'll also find the reset switch.
SilverStone
Sugo SG08
As you might expect, the number of drives
you can fit into such a small chassis is limited.
SilverStone has only left room for a single
slim optical drive bay. A tiny, ergonomically impressive drive bay below this
features rubberized screw holes to dampen any vibrations from the single 3.5”
hard drive that it lets you squeeze in, and it also has space for two 2.5”
SSDs. Helpfully, both these drive bays can be removed but sadly require
screwdrivers to do so, which in so small a space can make things extra fiddly.
The custom-sized ATX PSU is an 80 Plus
bronze certified model, which is front-mounted and leaves room for lengthy
graphics cards. Also, the 600W of juice it can pump out will be enough to keep
most mini-ITX systems running comfortably. Despite the number and length of the
PSU cables being specifically designed for this chassis, it still leaves you
with a fair amount of excess cabling to deal with once your system is
installed. With just two cable ties provided and few options for routing cables
neatly, this can become quite problematic and is a dent in an otherwise
excellent case design.
You might be dubious of the SG08's cooling
capabilities given its single fan setup, but fear not. Once again,
SilverStone's patented Air Penetrator fan showed its prowess, delivering a
direct blast of cool air from the roof into the case, and keeping CPU temperatures
below that of even the BitFenix Prodigy when the fan was running at high speed,
which is a fantastic result. The GPU temperature matched that of the Cooler
Master Elite 120 Advanced on low speed, and dropped nicely when ramped up to
high.
$272
is a lot to ask for a mini-ITX chassis and PSU combo, and though the SG08's
cooling performance was most certainly impressive, its relative lack of drive
bays and the absence of any real cable management options do count against it.
Whatever speed the Air Penetrator runs at,
noise never becomes a real issue and the case remains pleasingly quiet in
operation, even under heavy load. The included removable dust filters for the
roof fan, PSU and even your graphics card, ensure that while the SG08 keeps
noise in, it also keeps dust out.
$272 is a lot to ask for a mini-ITX chassis
and PSU combo, and though the SG08's cooling performance was most certainly
impressive, its relative lack of drive bays and the absence of any real cable
management options do count against it. It can also be rather fiddly to work
with. That said, not only is it stylish, small and quiet, but it can
comfortably house and cool very high-end mini-ITX builds, which is definitely
something to shout about.
“A tiny case with great cooling and dashing
good looks”
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Details
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Price: $272
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Manufacturer: SilverStone
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Website: www.silverstonetek.com
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Required spec: Mini-ITX motherboard
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