SilverStone Precision PS06 PC Case Review

External Thoughts On The PS06B-W, continued

Switching to the bottom of the SST-PS06B-W, we again see Silverstone deviating from the norm. Usually, budget-friendly cases offer flat, unremarkable bottoms, the only thing standing out, quite literally, are the four feet that the enclosure stands on. Speaking of the feet, they are made of non-skid plastic and dense foam. The foam feet are applied using double sided tape, while the plastic feet are attached by snapping them into place. The plastic feet have an anchor point at the top which are inserted into a hole at the bottom of the case. Once the anchor point goes in, the plastic feet are not coming out.

The SST-PS06B-W is on a whole different level when it comes to air filtration, offering a full length dust filter that can be removed and cleaned. The filter is long enough so that it provides filtration for both the power supply cooling fan and the optional placement of a 120mm intake fan.

The two top feet of the SST-PS06B-W are made of a mark-resistant, non-skid plastic, while the bottom feet are made of dense foam. When standing, the feet raise the enclosure 3/4 off the ground, which is plenty of room for cool air to circulate. It is also here, at the top of the case, the handle for popping the front plastic panel off. The actual removal of the front panel can be somewhat difficult, as the metal expansion pins that hold the front panel in place can be ornery and like to stick.

Popping off the plastic front panel of the SST-PS06B-W reveals the 3.5 external hot swap bay. Capable of supporting 3.5 and 2.5 SATA-based storage devices, this feature is becoming more prevalent in the sub-$100 enclosure market. In addition to the hot swap bay, a full length dust filter for the front 120mm intake fan is also used. This filter is washable and is accessible without removing the front panel. Lining the perimeter of the front panel are the metal expansion pins that hold the panel in place. These pins can make removing and installing the front panel a real pain, but once the panel is on, theres no way it will accidentally become dislodged.

Inserting a 3.5 SATA-based storage device into the hot swap bay of the SST-PS06B-W is very simple: simply slide the drive in until it firmly seats itself against the SATA power and data receptacle. Removing it however, may take some careful maneuvering by wriggling the hard drive from side-to-side to get the drive to pop out. With a 3.5 storage device installed, the hard drive will stick out approximately 2.5.

A 2.5 storage device inserted into the hot swap bay of the SST-PS06B-W will stick out about 3/4. Again, remove the hard drive by gently wriggling the device from side-to-side. Take note that the power button is on the left side and the reset button is on the right.