Silverstone TJ07

Our history with the TJ07 spans back to its predecessor, the TJ03, which itself housed the components of our 2004 Dream Machine. We had few complaints with the TJ03 back then, but we’re thrilled to report that the TJ07 surpasses its predecessor in every way possible.

The most improved aspect of this case’s design is its reverse-ATX formfactor, which features a separate lower chamber for hard drives and power supplies (yes, it accepts two PSUs). The reverse-ATX formfactor is becoming very popular, but Silverstone’s design is better than that of any other manufacturer. We love the huge, gaping hole that divides the lower and upper chambers. It provides ample room for routing power and data cables between compartments. We did encounter a slight snag, however—our four-pin 12V ATX power connector had to be stretched banjo-string tight to get from the bottom of the case to the top of the mobo.

Two hard drive cages are included, each with a 12cm fan. The cages hold three drives apiece and are easy to install and remove. Our only gripes are that the solid-aluminum construction of the cages amplifies drive noise considerably, and you have to remove both case doors to remove a drive cage. Still, the six-drive capacity is awesome and the slow-spinning 12cm fans offer more-than-sufficient cooling.

Cooling throughout the case is abundant, with two 9.2cm exhaust fans in the back and two 12cm exhausts on top of the case. With its six included case fans (four exhaust, and one for each drive cage) the TJ07 is breezy, to be sure, but the fans are virtually silent in operation. The TJ07 also includes a removable motherboard tray and front-mounted USB/FireWire and audio.

While the TJ07 doesn’t have any fancy features, extra doo-dads, or even LED fans, we love it nonetheless. It holds a ton of hardware, cools all of it efficiently, and is supremely easy to work in. It’s even more aesthetically pleasing than the CM Stacker 830 that we reviewed last month, and as such, it’s our new favorite full-size enclosure.
--Josh Norem

Month Reviewed: February 2006

+ Full Tower: Massive case, ample cooling, drop-dead gorgeous, and sturdy.

- Full Tummy: Must remove both doors to remove drive cages.

Verdict: 9
kickass=yes

URL: www.silverstonetek.com