Cooler Master Sileo 500 Mid-Tower Case

Reviews: Cases

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Max Slowik
Kurtis
Cooler Master
Mar. 31, 2009

Specifications

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Installation

Given the very standard layout building a PC with this case should be straightforward for anyone given any amount of computer-building experience. Things are a little close around the external 3.5" bay, but not to the point of blocking an install, unless you have very long 3.5" bay devices. Unfortunately, you'll have to use your imagination if you want to tidy up the cabling, since there are no clever ducting and routing areas between panels. Even finding spots for zip-ties is a little tough.

And while I don't appreciate tool-free things as much as others, I have to admit, in a case like this, they seem to be at home, making installs fast and headache-free.

Cooling

This is where some people might get annoyed. The fan placement is ideal but the one worry I hear the most is that a person thinks that his or her hardware is running too hot. Hey, if it's not having problems, it's not too hot, period, and a little warmth is nothing next to inaudible fans for silence enthusiasts.

And the fans really are silent. I couldn't hear them over their own air noise running off a 12V power supply, and that was with my head, like right there.

Quality Check

I'd have to say that this case passes my quality check. The steel is rolled around all the sharp bits and the fact that it is steel makes it plenty sturdy. Although I don't like plastic bezels there's nothing flimsy about this one and it makes for good air intake. Yes, I'd rather see fan grills instead of punch-outs, but there is less metal in these punch-outs than in others I've seen recently, so I'd say there's really not much to hold against this case.

Conclusion

So, wait, is this case a black hole for noise? Nope. Sorry to say, but a little foam isn't going to hold back the jackhammer sounds of components poorly selected. It will take the edge off the minimal sounds of well-selected hardware, though. This case is above average when it comes to vibration dampening but it doesn't go nuts, not for its very reasonable price. But if you know what you're doing, and you pick your parts smartly, then I guarantee you that with this chassis, people will ask you if your computer is even on.

The fact that this is a full ATX chassis with room for any hardware means that you've got all the options in the world for parts selection, and finding good ones will be a cinch. (Feel free to comment with your prospective parts list, I do get a kick out of virtual shopping.)

Cooler Master's Sileo 500 doesn't sacrifice construction or capacity, and they're selling this quiet case for less than I'd expect.

Pros

Clean-cut looks

Standard full-ATX layout

Tool-free stuff's decent

Removable I/O panel

Good entry-level noise isolation

Cons

Not super-cool (but I wouldn't worry about it)

No cable management

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Page 1: Introduction, First Looks, and Specifications
Page 2: Inside the Case
Page 3: In Use and Conclusion

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3 User Comments

1 - Posted by Bogeyman on April 5, 2009 - 8:56 pm

Enjoy the reviews, Max!
I've always been impressed with CoolerMaster's cases. Whether its high end or more bargain oriented, they seem to have one that fits. I'm still using a Cavalier case (you guys reviewed in 2004) and love it. Yea, it's a little heavy and has a combination of plastic,aluminum, and steel. But it is a very nice looking case. The airflow might not be of the ideal nature, but none of my components run hot (even an oc'd e6600 and a x1900xt churning out heat). I just have to chase out the occasional "rogue" dust bunny every few months. Overall, you have to recommend CoolerMaster's cases for those who want to spend money somewhere else in their builds. They are rock solid cases. Bling on a budget!

2 - Posted by straightarrow on August 11, 2009 - 7:01 pm

Coolermaster products are essentially well designed but quality control is poor.
While all fans make noise - and fan noise is subjective - so called silent fans should not whine

If you have a warranty issue with Coolermaster be lucky - very lucky. Nothing worse than buying a Silent case with whining fans for example or poor quality front connectors.

You request a replacement fan from Coolermaster you get told to ship back the whole case just to avoid sending you a working non whining silent fan - maybe its because they don't often produce them? Who needs that?

Buy cases only from companies that sends out spare fans/cables if their is a discernible problem. That ain't Coolermaster.

3 - Posted by panos on December 8, 2009 - 2:02 pm

Cooler Master sucks!

I really don't see the point why the supposably well-respected companies have to cheat their customer like this!

I recently bought the PC chassis Sileo 500 by Cooler Master. In all the official pictures the case was presented with metallic silver pads at the base. Instead you get some cheap regular plastic feet not even rubberized in the tone of producing a silent vibration free product and look totally unappealing. Thank God you cannot even see them instead of the glorious demonstration of the fancy ones over the official site (and otherwise). At least the company can judge what is ugly and makes the choice to cleverly hide it. Prise to that Cooler Master!

You can of course argue that this is a minor detail but always just always on those situations you get less to what you see. I can understand the cheap technique of having plastic mimic brushed aluminium but not the so striking changes where you get something totally different and always of lower quality both in terms of material and looks. I really don't see the point why companies act like that. While they succeeded in making me buy this product (by making a fool out of myself) they totally failed earning more money since I was planning to get more products from them. And of course the even bigger damage to their profit is that I do not find a reason which I should suggest Cooler Master to friends. So they loose even more money with those kind of cheap advertisement techniques.

Bye bye Cooler Master (Cooler Sucker rather). I was planning of getting a PSU and CPU fun also from the same company with triple the price tag of the chassis itself but never gonna happen.

Stay away if you have some self respect and want to be treated as a proud honer of a decent product. Never gonna make the same mistake twice.

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