[nextpage title=”Introduction”]
The Silentium 620 is the latest mid-tower case from AZZA. It is targeted to silent computing and features sheets of foam to reduce the noise produced by the computer. Let’s check it out.
The reviewed case is available in black or white. We received a black model for reviewing.
Figure 1: AZZA Silentium 920 case
Figure 2: AZZA Silentium 920 case
The AZZA Silentium 920 provides solid side panels, as you can see in Figures 1 and 2.
[nextpage title=”The Front Panel”]
The front panel of the AZZA Silentium 920 has a door with a dampening material applied to it. This door opens from right to left in an unchangeable configuration. One of the main concerns with cases that have a door is the position of its buttons and connectors; some manufacturers place them behind the door, which is a major nuisance. On this case, the buttons and connectors are located on the lower left corner of the front panel.
One interesting feature of the reviewed case is that you can still open the tray of an optical drive installed on the top-most 5.25” bay even with the door shut. See Figure 4.
Figure 4: Opening for the top-most 5.25” bay
The AZZA Silentium 920 comes with four external 5.25” bays, all using solid covers. The case also has an external 3.5” bay, which comes with a 5.25” cover. In order to use this bay, you must remove the 5.25” cover and install the 3.5” bezel that comes with the case.
The case comes with one USB 3.0 port using an internal connector and one USB 2.0 port. We can’t understand why this case comes with only one USB 3.0 port instead of two. If it is because the manufacturer wanted the case to still be compatible with older motherboards, the company could have simply added an adapter to convert the USB 3.0 internal connector into a USB 2.0 one.
The front panel comes with a 120 mm fan installed, which has an air filter. This fan uses a standard three-pin fan power connector, but it also comes with an adapter for you to install it directly to the power supply. No technical specifications for this fan are provided.
[nextpage title=”The Bottom and Rear Panels”]
The top panel of the AZZA Silentium 920 is solid, so there is nothing to talk about. The bottom panel has an air filter for the power supply fan. A place for an optional bottom fan comes covered with a sheet of foam.
The rear panel and the interior of the AZZA Silentium 920 are painted with the same color as the exterior (black, in our sample).
On the AZZA Silentium 920, the power supply is installed at the bottom of the case.
The product comes with a 120 mm fan installed on its rear panel, using a standard peripheral power connector. This means you can’t monitor the speed of this fan.
This case has seven expansion slots with vented slot covers.
The case has two holes protected with rubber covers, are 1” (25 mm) in diameter, for hoses of external liquid cooling solutions.
Let’s now take a look inside the AZZA Silentium 920.[nextpage title=”Inside the AZZA Silentium 920″]
Both panels are attached to the chassis using black metallic thumbscrews. Both side panels have a somewhat thick layer of foam to reduce the amount of noise produced by the computer.
The motherboard tray has a huge cutout for you to access the backplate of the CPU coolers without having to remove the motherboard from the case, several holes for you to route cables behind it, and several clips for you to fasten cables using cable ties.
Figure 12: A view behind the motherboard tray
In Figure 13, we get another overall look inside the case. Expansion cards are fastened using thumbscrews. The AZZA Silentium 920 supports video cards up to 12” (305 mm) long.
The power supply is installed at the
bottom of the case. It can be installed with either its bottom fan facing up or facing down, so you can decide if you want the fan of your power supply pulling air from inside the case or from outside of it. As shown before, there is an air filter for the power supply fan. On the case’s default configuration, you can install power supplies up to 6.7” (170 mm) deep. You can remove part of the foam that exists on the bottom panel to fit deeper power supplies.
Figure 14: Power supply compartment
A place for a 120 mm or 140 mm fan on the bottom panel comes covered with a piece of foam. The manufacturer doesn’t list this option on the specifications list of the case, and the case doesn’t come with an air filter in case you want to install a fan on the bottom panel.
Figure 15: Piece of foam on the bottom panel
[nextpage title=”The Disk Drive Bays”]
The AZZA Silentium 920 has four external 5.25” bays, one external/internal 3.5” bay, and five internal 3.5”/2.5” bays. Installation of 5.25” and internal 3.5” devices can be done without the use of tools or screws, but installation of external 3.5” and internal 2.5” devices require the use of regular screws.
Each 3.5”/2.5” bay is actually a small drawer. These drawers, however, don’t have any anti-vibration mechanism for 3.5” hard drives, which is a flaw on a case targeted to silent computing.
Figure 17: One of the 3.5”/2.5” bays
[nextpage title=”Main Specifications”]
The main specifications for the AZZA Silentium 920 include:
- Style: Mid-tower
- Application: ATX and smaller form factors
- Material: Zinc-coated steel (SECC) body
- Power supply: Doesn’t come with the product
- Available colors: Black or white
- Side panel: Solid
- Dimensions: 18.1 x 8.8 x 19.7 inches (460 x 225 x 500 mm) (H x W x D)
- Net weight: 16 lbs (7.2 kg)
- Gross weight: 18.5 lbs (8.4 kg)
- Bays: Four external 5.25” bays, one external/internal 3.5” bay, and five internal 3.5”/2.5” bays
- Expansion slots: Seven
- Maximum video card length: 12” (305 mm)
- Maximum CPU cooler height: NA
- Fans: One 120 mm fan on the left panel and one 120 mm fan on the rear panel
- Optional fans: One 120 mm or 140 mm fan on the bottom panel
- Extra Features: Dampening foams
- More Information: https://azzatek.com
- Average Price in the U.S.*: USD 100.00
* Researched at Newegg.com on the day we published this review.
[nextpage title=”Conclusions”]
The AZZA Silentium 920 is a budget silent computing case. The problem with this model from AZZA is that it looks like a USD 80 case, but is priced at USD 100, competing directly with the Bitfenix Ghost, which we think is a better option. If you are really into silent computing and can pay USD 10 to USD 20 more, we highly recommend that you pick either the Nexus Prominent R or the Fractal Design Define R4, which provide far more features and present a far better construction quality.
Strong Points
- Dampening material on the side panels, on the bottom panel, and on the front door
- Allows the tray of the top-most optical drive to be ejected while the front door is closed
- Air filter for the power supply and front fans
- Support for video cards up to 12” (305 mm) long
- Vented slot covers
- A huge cutout in the motherboard tray for accessing the backplate of the CPU cooler
- Holes for routing cables behind the motherboard tray
- Clips for fastening cables using cable ties
Weak Points
- No anti-vibration mechanisms for hard drives
- Plastic parts look cheap
- Front door is not reversible
- Comes with only one USB 3.0 port
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