Silverstone TJ-07 Case Review

[NoctisReitop]

I finally got around to putting my two cents into a review. I hope it helps in some manner. I don't know what kind of format you guys want this in. I can always change it.

Silverstone Temjin - 07

Everyone that has ever owned, or even looked at a computer, knows the effect, at least in some detail, that a case has on the computer. Primarily, a case will affect a computer in aesthetics, weight, cooling, stability, protection, portability, and functionality. Silverstone’s Temjin – 07 is the closest it gets to mastering all of these aspects!

_________________________________________________
Model: Silverstone Temjin SST-TJ07B-W
Case: Type Full ATX
Dimensions:
8.66141732 inches(W) x
22.0472441 inches (H) x
22.2440945 inches (D)
( 220 mm (W) x 560 mm (H) x 565 mm (D) )
Main Board Size: SSI, Extended ATX, ATX, Micro ATX
Drive Bays:
7x external 5.25”
1x external 3.5” (occupied by front I/O)
2x internal 3 slot hdd bays
Expansion Slots: Seven
Front I/O:
4x USB2.0
1x IEEE1394
1x audio jack
1x MIC
Cooling:
2x rear 92mm intake
2x top 120mm exhaust
2x side120mm intake
Weight:
28.4396318 pounds
( 12.9 kg )
Power Supply:
2x bays for dual psu support
_________________________________________________


When this finally arrived, I was astonished at the size of the box awaiting me; I knew this case was big, but not that big! The cardboard box was held tightly by two large plastic bands, making sure that it was impossible for anything to happen to the case.



Popping those off, the case was finally revealed



And what a beauty it was! I was hesitant about buying the case, initially, but immediately upon opening the package, my doubts vanished at once. None of the pictures on the Internet even did this case justice – this case is many times more striking and beautiful, when viewed by one’s own eyes. Also, measurements found online give no real clue to the case’s size. It is certainly of a size as to be able to support all the hardware that I had wanted, yet still leave plenty of space for all the new additions or upgrades that I could possibly imagine. The case is comprised of a “solid extruded aluminum panel measuring more than 164cm (5.3 feet) in length and 4mm to 8mm in thickness,”and the design is such that “[t]he end result is [a] frame with more than twice the structural rigidity over average steel cases,” (Silverstonetek.com).



The case yields a slick brushed steel look (the aluminum of which is smooth to the touch, not the scratchy brushed steel that rivals a chalkboard in texture) that is majestically painted black. The front, though smooth and flush, fronts seven 5.25” drive bays and one 3.5” (by default is occupied by a front I/O panel consisting of four USB 2.0 ports, one firewire port, a headphone jack, and a MIC jack). The bezels of the drive bays are also brushed aluminum, and the front flaunts the traditional aluminum power button.

The back of the case presents the typical I/O panel for the number of devices that will be plugged into the motherboard, along with the seven expansion slots that are offered. Below the expansion slots is the power supply bay. Silverstone is one of the few companies whose cases traditionally offer the power supply bay at the bottom of the case instead of the top. The bay can hold two power supplies, which can be accessed once the grid is removed. The back of the case also mounts two 92mm intake fans to facilitate cooling.

Looking into the side of the case, the magnitude of both cooling and expansion capabilities is more thoroughly unveiled


At first glance, the unique compartmental setup is evident. The case has the obligatory motherboard space with the mounts for the standoffs, but underneath it, there is a whole compartment all to itself!

*Black and white images are from Silverstonetek.com

This compartment contains enough room and equipment to house two full size power supplies, and it also encapsulates two removable hard drive bays that are paired with their own fan. This bay is separated from the rest of the case with a divider. This permits the air that is warmed from the power supply and the hard drives (the number of which can reach six) to be separate from the air that is circulated through the case. The side panels of the case have slots along their bottoms that are also screened with modder’s mesh to allow the warm air from the drives and power supply to be exhausted out the sides.
I have to say that these hard drive bays are a bit on the low side of quality. As shown, they are not typical, and are made out of aluminum. They may be light, but these bays are not braced; one could effectively smash them. It’s not as though anything of that sort is ever intended, but the aluminum paired with the lack of a brace definitely gives these bays the propensity to be bent. The fans are also affixed to the bay itself; if one wants to remove the bay, the fan must either be taken off of the bay or disconnected from the power supply.

For the main motherboard area, this case comes equipped with a handy removable motherboard tray. The motherboard tray is held in place by thumbscrews and is easily slid out of the case. I had no troubles here, and the tray indeed helped very much with the installation of the motherboard.


The expansion slots and both side panels are also held in place by thumbscrews

The top of the case has a cutout that suspends two 120mm exhaust fans, tactfully wrapped in modder’s mesh to create a screen. The screens, however, are discreet, so that although the aluminum is interrupted, the top of the case does not detract from the overall fluidity of the case’s appearance.

Overall, I was pleased beyond my expectations. As aforementioned, I was skeptical about my investment until I opened the box. All of the panels fit together very smoothly; any moving components easily fit together snugly and were able to be taken apart with the same ease. The aluminum and its paintjob were flawless upon delivery. I had read that there were a lot of people having trouble with the side panels fitting well, but I had no such problem. The only issue to mention is that the panels would bulge maybe a micrometer, just to the point that some of the thumbscrews would have a snug fit – but no real problem there. All of the brushed aluminum is very smooth and the modder’s mesh that permits airflow was always very flush with the surrounding aluminum. The motherboard tray was awesome, and I was also very pleased with the multitude of thumbscrews that came with everything. The case’s appearance is very pleasing with all of the rolled corners and edges; there are no sharp edges to be found on this case. The case is surprisingly quiet, considering that the stock case comes outfitted with six fans. The side panel doors were one of the most surprising aspects, because they are so thin and light.

I must complain that Silverstone does not have any CFM ratings for any of the fans in this case. Also, the stock airflow is a bit weird for this setup. The air is pulled in at the rear top and exhausted through the top rear. It seems that airflow doesn’t end up reaching the extremities of the case. I ended up adding two extra intakes elsewhere in the case and reversing the rear fans to exhaust to solve this oddity. The biggest obstacle that I found was the price tag; at over $300 (between $250 and $320) it is an investment that cannot be taken lightly.

I am open to all critique. Feel free to ask me any questions. Thanks,
-Noctis

[Tyreal]

that is the sexiest case I have ever seen in my entire life. Costs a fortune but worth it if you really want to put your components in something nice.

[screwballl]

awesome looking case... but 2x 80mm fans on the back??? thats enough to kick up the fan sound by itself. An otherwise awesome looking case with a minor issue...

[NoctisReitop]

There are 2x 92mm fans. But yeah, it's fairly quiet.

[Yellowhello]

Looks like a great case! But have you ever heard of resizing pics, lol?

[RAID]

silverstone is known for putting out some excellent cases. nice review noctics!

[NoctisReitop]

Thanks ^^

[NoctisReitop]

Originally Posted by RAID

silverstone is known for putting out some excellent cases. nice review noctics!

Thanks ^^

Originally Posted by yellowhello

Looks like a great case! But have you ever heard of resizing pics, lol?

They are resized =\. Guess just not enough.

[Yellowhello]

Originally Posted by NoctisReitop

They are resized =. Guess just not enough.

I think 640x480 or 800x600 would do the trick nicely. But other than that, great job!

[NoctisReitop]

Originally Posted by yellowhello

I think 640x480 or 800x600 would do the trick nicely. But other than that, great job!

Are you seeing them full size? For me it says "image has been resized" and it's small on my screen =\. I thought I did a larger thumbnail equivalent. Did I choose the wrong link?