Page 2 - Physical Look - Outside
If there is any case I would identify for home theater use, it would definitely be the SilverStone Milo ML09. Unlike many of the other chassis we have seen here targeting the gaming or standard computer user, this one looks much more like a video cassette player or an audio receiver with the full black front. The majority of the case is made up of a 0.8mm thick steel, while the front is a glossy acrylic and plastic panel. Normally, I would not be the biggest fan of a gloss finish, but I am okay with it here, since it fits in with its surroundings, as lots of home audio equipment still have a shiny finish. Overall, the SilverStone Milo ML09 is an understated case, and it definitely is meant to be. I quite like the approach SilverStone took with this case, and if there is one thing I would change, it would be the front panel. While it looks okay, the sides of the front panel seem to catch a lot of debris, as you can see some dust particles caught in between the glossy panel and the side frame. Material choices are also pretty good, as everything feels pretty sturdy, though you will see some of the internal reinforcements later on.
In terms of size, SilverStone's Milo ML09 measures in at 350mm in width, 99mm in height, and 205mm in depth. Adding the four rubber feet adds an additional 10mm in height. For comparison, the Sugo SG13WB is not as wide, but is definitely taller and deeper. These measurements translate into a 7L volumetric capacity, which is also smaller than the aforementioned SG13. These two chassis, while they both hold smaller motherboards, serve two different markets and thus the size differences are understandable. In terms of weight, the SilverStone Milo ML09 is even lighter at 2.07kg, 0.4kg lighter than the Sugo SG13WB.
From here, you can also get a pretty clear look of the front panel. At the bottom left we have a larger power button followed by two LEDs and a reset button. The left LED is the power button, while the right one is for hard drive activity. At the top of the left side is a slot for the optical drive, where you can put a slimline 9.5mm drive or a 12.7mm drive into the top. Finally, at the bottom right of the front is the SilverStone logo in white. I would have liked to see a more hidden logo, though this is also in line with other home theater components that show logos on the front. Unlike other cases, there is no air intake at the front of the Milo ML09.
On the left side of the SilverStone Milo ML09 are the input and outputs, which is pretty standard in selection. There are two USB 3.0 inputs and a headphone and microphone 3.5mm audio jack. From this corner view, you can also see there are circular holes on the side. Users can install up to two 80mm fans here, which will help with airflow in such a small case. I think it would have been nice to see SilverStone include these two fans, as 80mm fans are not always the easiest to find. It also would have been nice to see some mesh here to prevent dust from getting into the sides.
On the top of the case are two openings, again for air holes. Once again these are circular in shape, and allow for air to pass through to the motherboard and power supply. The left ventilation area is located right above the motherboard, and more specifically, right above the processor and its heatsink. The right side is meant to allow air to pass to the SFX power supply, which is quite important considering how small the power supply is. As you saw in the accessories picture on page one, a magnetic filter is provided from the left set of holes, but I would have liked to see the same over the power supply, whether it is magnetic or integrated into the case itself. This would again prevent dust from entering in this area, as the ventilation holes are pretty big.
Finally, moving to the back and bottom, there are several things to speak about. On the far left of the back is the power supply opening. As I have already mentioned, the SilverStone Milo ML09 can fit an SFX power supply. Unfortunately, there is not enough space here for the larger SFX-L model. This is understandable, considering the type of build going into this machine will probably not be very power hungry. In the middle, there is a hole for motherboard opening, where a mini ITX or mini DTX sized board will go. While the DTX form factor is pretty uncommon, this specification is not surprising considering the fact it is smaller than the mini ITX specifications. Above the motherboard is another single low profile expansion slot. Finally, we have two slots on the far right, which are silver in color. These two slots are intended for a dual-slot low profile expansion cards with a maximum width of 74mm. While it may not be able to hold a more conventional expansion card like modern day GPUs, some low profile cards should fit here.
Finally, at the bottom of the case, you can see there are four circles engraved here. This is where you can use the included feet as risers. While they are probably not adequate in lifting the SilverStone Milo ML09 away from carpeted floor, this should create enough clearance on harder surfaces like cabinets or TV stands. If you do not want to orient the Milo ML09 in this fashion, you can also use the vertical stands included to sit the case upright. From the outside then, it looks like the SilverStone Milo ML09 is pretty much as expected for a media PC. Let us now open up the enclosure for a better understanding of the internals.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. Physical Look - Outside
3. Physical Look - Inside
4. Installation and Conclusion
