Page 2 - Physical Look - Outside
In my opinion, the Silverstone Primera PM02 is a shift away from the original Primera PM01 with a more simple exterior and smaller footprint. The clean front panel is a noticeable change from the mesh opening on the original Primera. While this could affect the airflow of the case, it definitely looks more conservative from an aesthetic standpoint. While I compared the PM01 to a racecar, the PM02 is much more like a stylized refrigerator, which is not necessarily a bad thing. It is more box-like with its flat top and ninety degree edges, but I personally think it looks sleek. As you can see, SilverStone sent us the white version of the case, but a black and red version also exists. With this version, I really like the fact SilverStone did not keep it to just one color, as you can see both white and black elements throughout. Some blue LED lighting is mixed in when you actually power the case too.
As we have already mentioned, the front panel features a steel front with a pattern of alternating slits. The left side panel is made out of tempered glass, while the right one is made out of steel. The left glass is held with a thumbscrew in each of the top corners. The glass panel is also slightly tinted with a solid black rim around all of the edges. While tempered glass is a really nice feature many current cases have, it can be a fingerprint magnet. From a handling perspective, it is nice to have this black border as a place to hold the panel while concealing fingerprints. Compared to the glass on the PM01-RGB, the tint is lighter, which means you should see more of your components and your cabling job.
The SilverStone Primera PM02 is classified as a mid-tower ATX case, and its physical dimensions are as you would expect. At a height of 491mm, width of 220mm, and depth of 456mm, this case is slimmer than the PM01-RGB I looked at. Compared to one of the smaller mid-tower cases, the Fractal Design Meshify C, this case is taller and deeper by more than five centimeters, while also being slightly wider. Overall, the internal space should be adequate for larger components, but we will see later on. At a weight of 8.82kg, this is over a kilogram lighter than the PM01-RGB, and over two kilograms heavier than the Meshify C. At these dimensions, it would have been nice to see some sort of integrated handle here to make carrying the Primera PM02 easier, though I doubt you will be transporting this case around.
For the first time in forever, we have a new addition to the inputs and outputs at the top of the case! From left to right, we have a power button with a blue LED ring around it and a smaller square reset switch. Then we have three USB 3.0 ports, followed by a USB Type-C port. While we have seen USB Type-C ports in the past on some cases, such as the In Win 805, this is a first for SilverStone. Considering the Primera is one of SilverStone's flagship lineups, this is long awaited. It should be noted this reversible port supports USB 3.1 Gen 1 speeds, which is the same as USB 3.0 despite the newfangled name. Rounding out the rest of the input and output are the 3.5mm microphone and headphone jack. Otherwise, at the top of the case, we have an opening for top mounted fans or radiators. A magnetic mesh exists on top to prevent dust from entering at this point.
Popping off the front steel panel reveals a few interesting tidbits about the SilverStone Primera PM02. The front panel is attached to the rest of the case body with six metal pegs. These protrude out and fit into six black slots around the edge of the front. You can yank off this panel easily by pulling it from the bottom. Behind this steel cover is a plastic frame holding the mesh filters for the front intake. This frame is quite sturdy despite its plastic construction, and has three metal magnets to keep it in place. Underneath, we have three fully black SilverStone 140mm fans included with the SilverStone Primera PM02. This area can also fit up to a 360mm radiator. Finally, the last thing I should mention is the black box near the bottom of the front. This is the bottom front panel lighting and it provides lighting. This lighting shines through a SilverStone cutout and is projected near the base at the front of the case. I have to say it looks pretty neat to see this way of marking the case with a brand, but it would be nice for them to allow users to turn this on and off with a switch.
Flipping to the back of the case, we have a pretty standard state of affairs compared to every other case. At the top is the motherboard opening with an exhaust opening to its right. You can mount a 120mm or 140mm fan or radiator here. SilverStone has gone ahead and included a 140mm fan, which is nice to see. Underneath, we have seven expansion slot covers, which is pretty standard for a mid-tower ATX case. Holding these seven slots in place is a swinging door, which is held on by two more screws. This small door seems interesting, and it holds all of the expansion cards in its place without needing individual screws. I do however wish this door was held in place with thumbscrews, though you probably will not be moving your video cards often either. One trend we have started to see is support for a vertical GPU mount, but we do not have this here. While this may physically look interesting, there are also negatives to mounting the card so close to the side panel, so it is not a huge deal. Finally, at the bottom, we have an opening for the standard ATX-sized power supply. It would have been nice to see a removable PSU mount, similar to what we saw with some of Fractal Design's cases, to make mounting the power supply easier by sliding it through the back.
Finally, at the base of the SilverStone Primera PM02, we have a standard set of features. The newest Primera's base is lifted off the surface you intend to place your computer on, with raised legs at the front and back of the case. There are rubber feet on the corners to ensure there is as little vibration as possible between the case and the surface it sits upon. Otherwise, an opening underneath the power supply chamber is visible here with a plastic mesh to prevent dust from entering the computer enclosure once again. As this is where the intake of air for the power supply sits, it is nice to see a removable filter here. This slides out the back of the case, allowing you to clean it easily.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. Physical Look - Outside
3. Physical Look - Inside
4. Installation and Conclusion
