Silverstone is toward the elevation of case manufacturers that we consider when building a new PC thanks to by favorites including the Raven RV02-East, Fortress FT02 and Temjin TJ07. Of all its lines, the company'due south Mini-ITX 'Sugo' serial stands out for being consistently surprising.

The commencement Sugo (the SG01) launched dorsum in 2005 and impressed u.s.a. by cut the 65L chapters of Silverstone's FT02 downwardly to only 22L while still all-around the era's loftier-end gaming hardware. The visitor has since congenital on that success with over half a dozen iterations.

The SG01's initial successor arrived in 2009 as the remarkably compact 10.8L SG05, which sparked a do-it-yourself Mini-ITX revolution alongside other enclosures of its kind every bit gamers gear up out to cram increasingly powerful systems inside cases the size of a shoe box.

Over the last six years we've seen 3 more than Mini-ITX Sugos (the SG06, SG07 and SG08) but the latest ii models (the SG09 and SG10) used the MicroATX standard.

Just when we were starting to think that the Sugo series lost its Mini-ITX mojo, Silverstone has stepped forward with the itty bitty 11.5L SG13.

The thirteenth Sugo isn't quite the smallest to date, but it may exist the most capable. The SG05, SG06 and SG07 were all express to SFX power supplies and couldn't fit all-in-one liquid cooling systems, yet they were all the same around 10.five to 11L in capacity. The SG08 did support standard ATX power supplies (maximum of 160mm long) as well as liquid cooling systems, but it was stretched to 351mm long to do then, resulting in a bulkier 15L capacity.

The SG13 we're reviewing today could be considered something of an update to the SG08. Although Silverstone has completely redesigned the example from the ground up, the design goals are much the aforementioned: to create the smallest possible Mini-ITX example that can support total length graphics cards, standard ATX power supplies and a closed loop liquid cooling system -- non asking for likewise much, is information technology?

Plain Silverstone doesn't think and so, every bit the Sugo SG13's xi.5L body is said to be capable of housing a standard ATX power supply up to 150mm long, a 120/140mm radiator and a 10.5" dual-slot graphics card.

Sugo SG13 External Design

At that place are two versions of the Sugo SG13: i with a solid front end panel and one with a mesh console. The mesh design is improve suited for builds requiring maximum air-flow, while the solid panel SG13-Q is quieter equally less noise escapes through the front of the example.

Pricing is the same regardless of the model you choose and they both come exclusively in black. Silverstone has provided the states with both models and then we will test what kind of impact the different panels have on functioning.

Every bit mentioned earlier, the SG13 has an xi.5L chapters at 222mm wide, 181mm tall and 285mm deep. It has been constructed primarily from steel but weighs just 2.4kg.

The front end panel of the mesh model features a plastic surround with a steel mesh insert while the solid console version features a imitation brushed aluminum type finish.

Both models have an I/O panel in the lesser correct corner which includes a pair of USB 3.0 ports and 2 audio jacks. Power and reset buttons are plant on elevation of the front panel, with the latter being also minor to hit with a finger.

The left, correct and top of the SG13 are covered by a single piece. The console is heavily ventilated, though due to its design it doesn't offer any fan mounting locations. The left side is dominated by ventilation, at least half of the top is ventilated, while just a modest amount of the right side is.

Effectually the back there is just enough room for the ATX power supply bracket, motherboard I/O panel and 2 external expansion slots. Similar many Mini-ITX gaming cases, the expansion slots are secured externally rather than internally.

Underneath the SG13 we discover four rubber stick on feet and what looks like a mounting location for a 2.5' SSD inside the case.

The SG13 is a simple looking little case and while we don't dislike what we're seeing, we'll honestly be surprised if it can handle a dual-slot 10.5" GPU, a 150mm ATX PSU and a radiator...