Aerocool DS (Dead Silence) Case Review

[Guest]

Aerocool, a company best known for its flashy tower-style gaming cases, surprised us with a small and well-thought-out cube-shaped chassis with space for tall CPU coolers and long graphics cards, in spite of its size. It comes in six color combinations.

Aerocool DS (Dead Silence) Case Review : Read more

 

[Protino]

So organized and neat..!

 

[DarkSable]

Well damn. I really like this thing, but it's just too big for a mini-ITX rig, and there are a lot better options out there for micro-ATX.

 

[slyu9213]

I agree kind of big and not sure how silent it is. But when I think of gaming I don't think of silent. Especially with some of the fans on the video cards.

 

[DarkSable]

But that's why you watercool.
(Which this case doesn't have amazing support for. There aren't any good 200mm radiators to put in the front.)

 

[chumly]

Can you guys take a thermal reading at the point between the motherboard and PSU when the system is at load please?

 

[Crashman]

Well damn. I really like this thing, but it's just too big for a mini-ITX rig, and there are a lot better options out there for micro-ATX.

Did anyone see any mention of the Bitfenix Prodigy? I used the Mini ITX version of this case in the June System Builder Marathon.

 

[DarkSable]

Did anyone see any mention of the Bitfenix Prodigy? I used the Mini ITX version of this case in the June System Builder Marathon.

Hang on, I'm confused. Two points.

1) I've used a prodigy before, and consider it huge for mini-ITX. It has its uses, but it's specialized... but no, I didn't see it mentioned in the article. What does that have to do with it?

2) Wait, I'm confused. Is "this case" referring to the prodigy or to this dead silence case. Does the case reviewed in the article actually have two versions, a mini-itx and a matx? If so (and the matx isn't done as poorly as the matx prodiy), that would be awesome.

 

[Crashman]

Did anyone see any mention of the Bitfenix Prodigy? I used the Mini ITX version of this case in the June System Builder Marathon.

Hang on, I'm confused. Two points.

1) I've used a prodigy before, and consider it huge for mini-ITX. It has its uses, but it's specialized... but no, I didn't see it mentioned in the article. What does that have to do with it?

2) Wait, I'm confused. Is "this case" referring to the prodigy or to this dead silence case. Does the case reviewed in the article actually have two versions, a mini-itx and a matx? If so (and the matx isn't done as poorly as the matx prodiy), that would be awesome.

Now I'm confused? I just looked at the pictures and spotted a case structurally identical to my Mini ITX Prodigy, except for the added width. Does the different plastic really disguise it that well?

Or are you thinking of the completely-revised Prodigy M, rather than the original Prodigy? Please take another look at the original Prodigy. If this case is better than the Prodigy M and I'd tested both, I'd have probably called the DS "What the Prodigy M should have been"

 

[Myrkvidr]

I would have compared the DS to the Prodigy, but unfortunately I never received one of the Bitfenix ITS-Cases for testing...

 

[DarkSable]

Now I'm confused? I just looked at the pictures and spotted a case structurally identical to my Mini ITX Prodigy, except for the added width. Does the different plastic really disguise it that well?

Or are you thinking of the completely-revised Prodigy M, rather than the original Prodigy? Please take another look at the original Prodigy. If this case is better than the Prodigy M and I'd tested both, I'd have probably called the DS "What the Prodigy M should have been"

Okay, gotcha, yes. It's another Prodigy spinoff, I agree. I still consider it large, though.

 

[OcelotRex]

Now I'm confused? I just looked at the pictures and spotted a case structurally identical to my Mini ITX Prodigy, except for the added width. Does the different plastic really disguise it that well?

Or are you thinking of the completely-revised Prodigy M, rather than the original Prodigy? Please take another look at the original Prodigy. If this case is better than the Prodigy M and I'd tested both, I'd have probably called the DS "What the Prodigy M should have been"

Okay, gotcha, yes. It's another Prodigy spinoff, I agree. I still consider it large, though.

I am glad to see others in agreement with me about the Prodigy. When I was shopping for a HTPC/Gaming build I found the Prodigy (and the reviewed case) to be as large as good Micro-ATX cases like the Silverstone Temjin. I ended up with the PS07W instead; in purchasing the case I calculated the footprint and internal volume of the cases and found the Micro-ATX to have much more volume (to move air and cool) with the same footprint of the Prodigy. This case and the Prodigy are great cases but not SFF by any means.

 

[Crashman]

I am glad to see others in agreement with me about the Prodigy...This case and the Prodigy are great cases but not SFF by any means.

That's true! Since SFF is supposed to mean Shuttle Form Factor (SMALL is NOT a Form Factor, since the term "form factor" means "standardized"). The closest thing open-architecture builders have to SSF is AMD's DTX Form Factor, so none of the available cases are SFF.

 

[fozzie76]

Need a mini-itx version of this case. Go small or go home!

 

[g-unit1111]

This is a very nice looking mATX case, but the color is a bit off-putting. Maybe if they could produce black, white, and gunmetal gray versions then I would be recommending this thing left and right. It's very clean looking, reminiscent of a mini Silverstone FT-02B.

 

[jtd871]

Ya, I thought Prodigy clone, too, on first sight. I understand that the design puts the mobo flat (which has advantages), but this seems to create wasted space under the mobo tray. The design could possibly find better ways to utilize this space while lowering the overall height of the case.

Also, in light of the skull-sweat and effort Steiger Dynamics demoed with their jam-packed mATX LEET watercooled beast featured in the recent Z87 article on the US site, this case looks a bit underwhelming, whether deserved or not.

 

[gadgety]

But that's why you watercool.
(Which this case doesn't have amazing support for. There aren't any good 200mm radiators to put in the front.)

What about the Phobya Extreme 200 mm? I have not checked the interior dimensions of this case to see if it fits. It's 240x200 mm.

 

[Crashman]

Need a mini-itx version of this case. Go small or go home!

So you didn't read the June System Builder Marathon, and you didn't see the comment above about the Bitfenix Prodigy, and you haven't...OK, glad to see your internet is back up, hope you had a great summer!

 

[Myrkvidr]

@g-unit1111: Actually there ARE 6 different color combinations including a black AND a white version.

 

[Onus]

This case looks well-made, and I like the top port selection. The price looks reasonable too. The rear-fan noise could probably be addressed by replacing the fan screws with those silicone "nails" to isolate it from the case. If the width isn't a problem, I'll have to consider this one for future builds for people. I'd like to see a narrower mini-ITX version too. In the non-windowed version, I wonder if gluing a carpet-square on the inside of each side panel would make it even quieter.

 

[OcelotRex]

I am glad to see others in agreement with me about the Prodigy...This case and the Prodigy are great cases but not SFF by any means.

That's true! Since SFF is supposed to mean Shuttle Form Factor (SMALL is NOT a Form Factor, since the term "form factor" means "standardized"). The closest thing open-architecture builders have to SSF is AMD's DTX Form Factor, so none of the available cases are SFF.

Got me there! I would argue however that even though the term "small form factor" is not technically correct it has been adopted in the colloquial vernacular [threw in big words to look more smarter] of open tech message boards like Tom's as it is easily more easily understood than a more technically correct answer.

What I should have said is that the Bit Fenix Prodigy takes up the same footprint (on the floor or on the desk) as certain Micro-ATX Mid Towers like the Silverstone Temjin with less internal volume for airflow and cable management. There's also the (more than likely) added cost of the Mini-ITX board over a MIcro-ATX board and the lack of AM3+ Mini-ITX boards out there.

The new Aerocool solves the issue with the Prodigy by widening the whole chassis by only 5 more CM than the cases I pointed out in the above post. That shouldn't be too much wider than most Micro-ATX Mid Towers. It's an interesting product and the review was done well. I should have read it more thoroughly.

 

[g-unit1111]

@g-unit1111: Actually there ARE 6 different color combinations including a black AND a white version.

Ah, good to know!

 

[MaseWiN]

I'm in the middle of deciding what case my matx build will use. I love this case does anyone know when it will be release to us/Canada?

Thanks

 

[mcbowler]

nice case! still waiting for my ncase m1

 

[crABtoad]

This thing is huge! It's roughly twice the size of an Silverstone SG10. It looks nice, and I like cases that try to make SFF more approachable for people new to the form factor, but it's just too big for me.