Performance TestsOur stress tests compare the cooling performance of the enclosure with the standard included fans to that of all previous cases we have tested with the same hardware since January 2007. We test with different fan configurations to measure the impact; in case of the Silverstone we hooked up the 2x120mm to a 5.25” fan controller which allowed us full control from 0 to 12v;
These are three test configurations we used:
- Two fans at maximum speed (Front/Rear)
- Two fans + one Papst 1200rpm at maximum speed (Front/Rear/Side)
These are the results:
Performance wise the KL03 is not the best case we’ve tested yet, nor is the worst. Temperatures are acceptable, although the VGA cooler is running close to full speed here, which accounts for the higher noise levels.
We found the impact of installing an extra fan in the side panel to be negligible; the ventilation holes in the window are not very big, which can explain the rather small impact.
Conclusive ThoughtsFrom the moment we removed the side panel of the KL03 we had a big *deja-vu* moment… maybe it’s because we tested an almost identical case
back in 2004.
Silverstone most likely bought the design specs for this case and tweaked/modified a bit for today’s standards, which comes down to providing 2x120mm fans. They also spend a large amount changing the hard drive rack, the one back in 2004 faced towards the side panel, held up to 5 drives. The Silverstone edition faces forwards, fits only four HDD but has hot-plug functionality for SATA drives.
Unfortunately they did not bring over much of the features of the original case, which is actually a step backward. In 2004 the design included thumb screws for the side panels and a locking mechanism. The metal inner-side panel could hold fans and/or hard drives. There were extra cooling options (fans at the other side of the case and in the top panel).
Overall, we’re not very impressed with the KL03, it’s based on an outdated design and it shows in the feature set, easiness of use and production quality. While the hotplug SATA function is nice, it doesn’t solve any issues.
Last but not least, the case back in 2004 could be had for as little as ~€100. The Silverstone KL03 sells for
€150. You get a fancier front panel, 120mm fan support for the extra cash, but the original design still remains more than 4 years old.
When we asked Silverstone their motivation for building this case, they told us that the Kublai series is to bridge the gap between their high end enclosures and the entry level models found in stores. Unfortunately the KL03 doesn’t really deliver, luckily the other two Kublai cases, KL01/KL02
stand a better chance. For the price, there are better choices for a mid-tower case than the KL03.
We thank Stefan from
Silverstone to allow us to test and evaluate their products. Until next time!
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Here is my review of the Silverstone Berserker showing the use of the ATX version of the chassis at that time: http://www.techimo.com/reviews/showp...7&cat=3&page=1
. It was the only Silverstone case available for under $100 at the time - and such was my budget at the time (way under $100...).
And the Temjin 5 uses a similar steel chassis as well (not sure if the TJ05 is still a current model). I'm thinking the KL03 was to replace the TJ05 in the line while lowering the price a bit.
Silverstone doesn't make their steel chassis - all those are farmed out to OEMs. But they do specify custom changes to the base design. Silverstone then adds their custom aluminum bezels. I can't recall any SSTs to have plastic bezels other than the Berserker and Berserker Jr (a neato mATX case). Several other companies sold boxes made on the same chassis like Opus, and i-Star still sells an entry-level server box based on the same (they bundle it with some of their fancy PSUs). The case version used by i-Star can also be found separately, but I've never seen a brand name associated with it. The Enermax Shiny Titanium box was on the same chassis as well. I'm not sure whether SST sold the Berserkers anywhere else in the world except the US.
. It is pretty old-school, but I like it. I was quite fond of my Berserker and have "lusted in my mind" for some time after a TJ05 (which came out about the same time as the Berserker), but couldn't justify the cost.
The other case you mentioned can be gotten in the US with the three 5" bays in the bottom just like the Berserker (and KL03) and can take the EATX length mobos, while the Berserker was ATX or smaller.
One thing I don't like on the KL03 is that there are no rubber pads on the legs to keep the box from sliding around on hard surfaces and to intercept some vibrations. Not to mention helping to avoid marring surfaces.
.bh.