Test: Einzeltest: Silverstone GD02 HTPC Case
Zitat: Seal of Approval
The GD02 HTPC case has done nothing to change my opinion of Silverstone. I still think they make quality products that are more upscale than the average hardware out there. Far from a typical run-of-the-mill desktop or SFF case, the Grandia series would look right at home among your other home theater equipment, with both silver and black finishes available. The MT model with optional touchscreen adds another level of prestige and wow factor, as well as taking the need for keyboard or mouse input out of the equation. The interior of the GD02 is laid out very well, allowing for use of larger video cards and power supplies to satisfy the needs of not only the home theater buffs but also the HDTV gamers as well. Having space for two hard drives with the capacities available today means two terabytes of storage, or well over 200 standard DVD movies or close to 100 high definition ones. The hidden front-mounted USB and Firewire ports will likely come in handy for connecting other hardware although it would be nice to see an eSATA port to add additional drive space or transfer large files more quickly. It is true that you could always add one in a riser slot, but that would most likely be a pain to access. The small size of the case, particularly the depth, will more easily fit space constraints in your entertainment center, but it also makes things a bit cramped inside. The biggest issue I see is the space available behind the optical drive for the CPU cooler. Pick the wrong drive / heatsink combo and you´ll end up with something that just won´t work. Socket placement on your motherboard might be a problem as well. Heat shouldn´t be a concern, with today´s cooler running processors and the dual 80mm exhaust fans, the insides stay cool. Noise really isn´t a factor either; the included fans run very quiet and you could always trim down some voltage if you´re looking for absolute silence. I found the Silverstone GD02 online for right around $150 which actually surprised me, as I was expecting it to be a bit higher. For around the same cost as a entry-level server case or aluminum full tower you can have one very attractive, compact HTPC.
