By: Ben Joubert
March 8, 2019
It is really interesting to trace the development of something. I love seeing how a story develops over time, especially large fantasy novels where the world grows as the story progresses. One such book series is The Dwarves by Markus Heitz. I loved the first few books and really liked how the world the author created continued to grow and expand as we discover more. Some authors are excellent at growing the world as the story continues and the characters develop. Brandon Sanderson is one such author with his Stormlight Archive series. As the characters discover the history and the way the world works, so do we as the readers discover it. After learning so much about the world, it is interesting to look back at the first book again. To reveal a bit of my inner child, I love the How to Train your Dragon series. I just recently watched newly released third movie in the franchise. I then went back and watched the first movie. So much has changed from the quality of the animation to the way the characters interact with one another. It puts into perspective how quickly things develop and change over time. In the computer world, RGB LEDs has had a long journey as well. Starting with fans that did not look so great, we now having fans that do look amazing. ARGB or addressable RGB is also relatively new and today we have some ARGB LEDs and an ARGB controller from SilverStone. These are the LS03 and the LSB02, respectively. Read on to find out how they do!
This shipping box was so packed full of products. I had no idea how they fit everything in there. Silverstone AP142-ARGB and AP124-ARGB fans, SilverStone LSB02, and two of the LS03 LED strips meant the shipping box was full. All the extra space was covered in packing peanuts to ensure nothing inside was damaged beyond repair. Considering the long distance it traveled all the way from Chino, California to Calgary, Alberta, FedEx did a great job to ensure minimal damage to the shipping box. It is rare to see a shipping box with few dents like the one above.
These are all the products included in the shipping box. The SilverStone AP142-ARGB and AP124-ARGB have already been reviewed separately. The LS03 features its own distinct colors with the majority of the retail box being purple. The name and all the other information is found in white letters, which stands out nicely against the purple backdrop. The RGB LEDs of the LS03 are addressable. The back of the box features specifications and some more information in different languages. On the other hand, the LSB02 has a mostly black background with the image of the box on the front. Unfortunately, the image of the LSB02 blends into the background and it is hard to notice. Otherwise, the name with some features is highlighted on the front, especially that this is a control box for addressable RGBs. The back of the retail box lists the specifications and also explains all the contents of the package.
Before we move on, here are the specifications from the manufacturer's website:
SilverStone LSB02
Material: Plastic outer shell
Included Parts: Standard Addressable RGB 3pin cable x 6
Peripheral power Y cable x 1
RF remote x 1
Thermal sensor cable x 1
Power switch cable x 1
Signal output: SilverStone Addressable RGB 3pin port x 6
Fan 4pin port x 4 (compatible with 3pin)
Output limitation (each port): Addressable RGB port: 72 LED per port, total 5V, 5A
Fan Port: total 12V, 3A
Color Selection Support 2812 IC Addressable RGB LED
Net weight: 72g
Dimension: 65mm (W) x 23mm (H) x 109mm (D); 2.56" (W) x 0.91" (H) x 4.29" (D)
SilverStone LS03
Material: 12 pcs addressable RGB LED with magnetic strip and adhesive tape
Pin definition: +5V, D, G*
+5V, D, NP, G*
Included Parts: Addressable RGB LED strip x 2
Motherboard connect cable x 1**
Splitter cable x 1
Length: 300mm
Wattage: 3W (5V, 0.6A)
Tandem limits: Depends on controller
The packaging for the SilverStone LS03 is nice and simple. In a long rectangular plastic mold, we find two RGB strips, splitter cable, and the right connector for a motherboard. Both of these can be connected in sequence and then into a motherboard header. The LSB02 has quite a few more things. There are six standard ARGB 3-pin cables, molex power cable, remote, one thermal sensor cable, and a power switch cable. The contents are well protected and well packaged. I appreciate SilverStone makes it very clear what should be in the retail box. Both products feature instruction manuals, which are clear enough, but the LSB02 could do with way more instructions to clarify installation and use.
The SilverStone LSB02 controller is constructed out of two plastic pieces that clip together. The plastic is not of exceptional quality, but should do the job. The entirety of the box is black and largely flat and rectangular. The top of the LSB02 has a bit of a design. The SilverStone name and logo is located in the only glossy area on the box, while the rest of the top sort of raises up to meet a little to the side next to the SilverStone logo. The design is fairly sleek and provides some much needed variety. Three sides of the LSB02 have connectors. On this side, there are six 3-pin ARGB connectors. These connect from the fan or the LED strips into the box to be able to synchronize all of the LEDs.
This end of the LSB02 has the power connector, which is 4-pin on this side, but has a Molex connector on the other. It would have been nice to have a SATA power cable instead, especially because many people do not have a Molex connector already plugged into their modular power supply. It would make the installation slightly faster. The 2-pin connector is to connect the temperature sensor. The other end of the sensor is placed in the area you desire to be monitored. Lastly, SilverStone also included the ability to not only turn the LEDs on and off, but also your entire computer. It is basically a built in SilverStone ES02-USB. The inclusion of this feature is a welcomed and useful addition.
Lastly, we find the four fan connectors on this side of the LSB02. Not only can the LEDs of those fans be changed, but also the speed of the fans. On the remote, there is a fan speed button that will allow one to adjust the fan speed. While the fan speed is being adjusted, the LEDs will turn green and go either brighter or dimmer depending on the speed. After the RPM is adjusted, the LEDs will return to the color they were previously set at. This is definitely a useful feature, but for someone with more than four fans it might not be the most beneficial. However, the main aim of the control box is the ARGB function.
The remote is small and thin. SilverStone includes a battery, which is appreciated. The back is flat and black, while the front is a bit more grey with the SilverStone name and logo at the top. The buttons are small and squishy, but fulfill its purpose. The instruction manual explains all the buttons in more detail, but I will highlight a few. The first power button in the top left turns the computer on and off. A few buttons down is the LED power on and off button. The thermometer button turns a mode on where the LEDs will reflect how hot the temperature is where the thermal sensor is located. A table in the instruction manual explains the different colors according to the different temperatures. The demo button shows off the different LEDs and what they can do. ARGB Mode 1 adjusts all of the LEDs to make the same pattern, while ARGB Mode 2 can adjust each port individually. After pressing this button, one of the six ports must be chosen to customize. Holding down one of the Set buttons saves the current settings. The rest of the buttons adjust the speed and brightness of the LEDs. Adjusting and setting the LEDs with the remote was really clunky. It would have been much better if software was involved to be able to more accurately adjust the LEDs and the addressable features, or at least make a better remote.
The ARGB LED strips are 300 mm in length, which is fairly standard. After installing them, they do fit quite perfectly in the window. On this end of the LED strip, we have the 3-pin addressable RGB connector, while the other side has the power connector. The LEDs on the strip are slightly spaced out with a SilverStone logo placed in between. In total, there are 12 LEDs on each strip. The strips are fairly flexible and have a rubber dome covering the LEDs. The rest of the build quality is great. On the back of the LED strips, one can remove the red covering to reveal the adhesive side of the strip. This can then be stuck inside the case. Using the adhesive generally leaves some residue on the computer, and luckily the SilverStone LS03s are magnetic as well. Magnets leave no residue and make it extremely easy to change into another computer or just swap positions. Unfortunately, the magnets are not strong at all and my LED strips kept falling or moving. I had to use the adhesive. A last point of clarity, in each box of the LS03, there are two ARGB LED strips.
The LEDs accurately reproduce the different colors and there are many different colors to choose from. Not really the full range of RGB, but there is a nice cycle. Installation was a pain. The cables are not very long and so it was impossible to route the cables around the back of the computer to create a clean finished look. SilverStone does include Velcro straps to easily mount the LSB02 anywhere in the case. However, I noticed when I tried to remove the LSB02 from the Velcro, the entire top of the box unhooked from the bottom half. One has to be very careful when removing the LSB02 from the Velcro or else the box comes apart. The instruction manual could also have been much clearer in explaining what goes where and how. However, the final look is excellent. SilverStone has developed a control box which is really powerful and can in the right hands create a beautiful computer.
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There are many cool looking cases in the market today and RGB LEDs can really light things up. Out of all the products with RGB LEDs, a case stands apart for its final appearance. The technology has also improved quite a bit to a point where every LED color can be changed, which is called ARGB. SilverStone has delivered the LSB02 and the LS03 to be able to light up your case and at the same time control all the extra customization effectively. The LS03 strips are quite nice. They are built well and have the option of either being magnetic or stuck to the case some double sided tape. Unfortunately, the magnets are really weak and I could not get it to stay on my case. The glue is also not very sticky either and the LED strips need to be very carefully attached so they would not fall off. Otherwise, their colors are accurate and bright. The LSB02 control box boasts some innovative features; however, I was disappointed with the build quality. The plastic is not very strong and comes apart easily. On the other hand, the many different ports makes it flexible and useful. The included Velcro makes it easy to mount the LSB02 anywhere in the case. It is important to ensure you are mounting it close to the cables, as many of the cables are quite short. Installation needs to be well-planned. The instruction manual is not very extensive and can do with more instructions to clarify the entire process. The remote has plenty of functions, but again, could be of better quality and design. The SilverStone LSB02 comes in at around $45, which is a reasonable price for the many features included. The LS03 comes in at around $22, which includes two strips in each package, making the price also quite reasonable for what you get. While both are great products in concept, things like quality has a lot of room for improvement.
SilverStone provided this product to APH Networks for the purpose of evaluation.
SilverStone LSB02
APH Review Focus Summary:
6/10 means A product with its advantages, but drawbacks should not be ignored before purchasing.
-- Final APH Numeric Rating is 6.0/10
Please note that the APH Numeric Rating system is based off our proprietary guidelines in the Review Focus, and should not be compared to other sites.
SilverStone LS03
APH Review Focus Summary:
7/10 means Great product with many advantages and certain insignificant drawbacks; but should be considered before purchasing.
6/10 means A product with its advantages, but drawbacks should not be ignored before purchasing.
-- Final APH Numeric Rating is 6.2/10
Please note that the APH Numeric Rating system is based off our proprietary guidelines in the Review Focus, and should not be compared to other sites.
The SilverStone LSB02 and LS03 are innovative addressable RGB products marred by quality shortcomings.
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