The CW02 from Silverstone’s Crown Series is crafted to allow users to really appreciate the design of this high quality HTPC chassis. At first glance, the all-aluminum construction and reinforced aluminum dress plates in the front set off the already classy case. The interior design of the CW02 is able to accommodate extended length graphics cards, proficiently displaying the HTPC system at its best. Capable of supporting CPU coolers of 160mm in height for additional cooling options, its spacious interior assures the highest performance system possible in this market segment. The suspended, vibration-dampening hard drive cage and dual control knobs for volume and navigation control also add even more to the feature-rich CW02. You can have up to six hard drives for multi-terabyte storage, allowing far more flexibility than merely serving a an HTPC. Users can enjoy their system’s state-of-the-art, multi-language display functions and, with a 52-in-1 card reader under the hood, the CW02 looks like it has the potential to be named “Best of” in quite a few categories… but should it? Keep on reading to find out just how well it does in our testing.
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7 Comments
@David O
Some people do not want a tiny useless little HTPC. Some of us want to game on our Plasma’s and big screen TV’s. Tiny boxes that are only capable of web browsing, a few movies and playing solitaire is so……2001
I want cases that can take SLI setups, big quiet coolers, 6 hard drives (SSD’s and RAID) . There is no need to have a HTPC and a second PC for gaming anymore. The only thing keeping a good powerful PC out of the living room is the lack of a decent full atx case. Props to Silverstone for trying.
@ David O ,
I’ve been using this case for the last couple of years , It’s the only case that ticked all the boxes for me -
Card reader ( I still use it occasionally ),
Room for a passive cooler 16 cm high,
A Sapphire 5770 Vapor X ( for some light gaming )
Room for all my media ( I don’t have / don’t want a seperate NAS / server )
Room for multiple TV Tuner cards ,
Integrated display / remote reciever .( works fine for me with MediaPortal )
I have no regrets about buying it .
Meh!
I have built 5 HTPC’s over the last 3 years – one used the Silverstone ML-02 case which was a real challenge and came out really well. This case strikes me as sooo,,,, 2006.
* that crappy iMon LCD and software – okay you can do something about the softweare, but the LCD has poor contrast, can’t be modded and is invisible from more than 3 feet away (or when looking down from above, the angles are so bad). I know ‘cos the ML02 had one as well, as did one of my thermaltake builds.
* the card reader – really, a card-reader? Can’t remember when i last used one. How about an iPod dock to go with the USB ports?
* optical drive – needs to be slimline to compete on looks and the amount of real estate it takes up
* 225mm tall? Are they kidding. The ML02 is 3 years old and was 68mm tall.
* those crappy knobs that will have no practical use – for example use digital audio out and the volume knob won’t function (betcha).
* full-length video cards in a HTPC? Not if you want quiet.
* and lastly, $360 ?!?!?
HTPC really needs some radical design overhaul to compete these days. Look at Apple TV or any of the competing set-top box gizmos. Sure if i want to play games on my 60″ plasma, then that’s different – but then this box looks like having some aggressive temperature characteristics too. Not sure it’s worth dropping the dosh for such a retro look and feel and hybrid suits-nothing utility.
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Hmm, looks pretty, but the Antec Fusion does a better job, divided case, better cooling solutions, not as big (doesnt appear as big), easier to get in too, i have the old V1 version and its perfect, the V2 has a similar iMON system to the reviewed one.
Im not saying its crap or anything but if folk are considering using this review to make a purchase then it would be wise to consider the Fusion if you can find it
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