Page 3 – Physical Look – Inside
The majority of computer cases nowadays generally do not require many tools for installation, making it convenient for the assembler. The SilverStone Precision PS10 is no different, as the four thumbscrews attaching the side panels are easy to remove, and allow us to take off both side panels to enter within. Inside, all of the panels are black, which matches the stealth theme. Of course, the first color you probably see in the picture is the fan cable that attaches to the motherboard. In terms of wiggle room, the Precision PS10 is not very big. As this is a mid-tower case, there will obviously be sizing restrictions. However, as you will see later on during my actual installation, cable management is a bit more troublesome. Otherwise, the inside of the PS10 is pretty much the same as any other budget-friendly case. For your information, as this is a mid-tower chassis, it is capable of handling ATX and mATX motherboards.
Normally I would be taking a photo of the top corner, as there is generally a 120mm exhaust fan located at the back by the motherboard. The thing is, SilverStone has only provided us with a single fan pre-installed at the front of the case. Note to all case manufacturers: If you want to make a budget oriented case that is silent out of the box, a good strategy is to include less fans. Jokes aside, I understand this is a budget-oriented case, so I think it is a fair tradeoff. Some budget cases like the Cooler Master N400 includes two case fans, but it lacks the sound insulation material on the Precision PS10.
Shifting to the bottom, you can see the vented area holding the bottom dust catcher. If you take a quick glance at the photo, you probably think there are four rubber feet to rest the power supply upon. Unfortunately, this is not the case, as they are actually metal pegs. Rubber feet help hold the power supply in place, and also reduce vibration from the power supply. Of course, not a lot of other cases have them, especially when looking at comparable products. However, we have seen them present in comparable items like the Cooler Master N400 as aforementioned. In the specifications, it says the power supply area is unlimited in space, and while this is obviously not true because the case itself will limit the size of the power supply, most standard size power supplies will fit in the area provided without any issues. Directly above this area are the expansion card slots, with a standard seven slots in total. It should be noted these slots have to be punched out of the back, and there is no way to put them back in. Quite a few manufacturers generally make these areas screwed in, so it can be easily removed and replaced. Unfortunately, this is one of the areas SilverStone decided it was not worth it to add this feature. Again, cost is definitely a concern.
On both of the side panels are two large panes of foam fitting right in where the sideburns are on the exterior. SilverStone claims these foam padded side panels will be great for noise absorption. In the past, we have seen some great cases like the Fractal Design Define XL, which had great sound insulation while not trapping too much heat. However we have seen some real bad ones like the Cooler Master Silencio 550, which do the exact opposite. Our installation and tests will reveal which case the SilverStone leans more toward and I will cover this on the next page. The foam itself is smooth and padded, and feels quite a bit like a mouse pad.
Turning the PS10 to the back, we can see the other side of the motherboard tray. Like most computer chassis, the back is utilized for hiding those long, snaking cables and wires, to keep the front area nice and clean. Unfortunately, the SilverStone Precision PS10 does not offer very much in terms of back clearance. The hole placements themselves are actually quite ideal and work very well for cabling, but it would be nice to have a bit more room. This is accentuated even further considering the foam itself also takes a bit of clearance away. While the protruding sideburns are supposed to provide more space, the problem still exists. Looking at the front, we see where all the 5.25” and 3.5” drives go. At the top, of course, are the 5.25” disk drive slots, and the SilverStone Precision PS10 provides us with four sets of tool-less clips to mount the drive without any screws or the such. Underneath the area is the 3.5” hard drive bay, with five trays that slide in and out. The drive bay area itself is permanent and cannot be moved around, but this is not an issue as it does not get in the way of anything else anyway. Each of the five trays still require screws to mount the hard drive itself to the tray, but sliding in and out is quick and simple. As well, on each tray, there are screw holes on the bottom so you can mount a 2.5” drive, such as a solid state drive or a laptop hard drive, without any problems. As solid state drives are coming down in price, they are a must-have in any build from low-end to high-end.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. Physical Look - Outside
3. Physical Look - Inside
4. Installation and Conclusion
