Always an innovator, Silverstone has designed some of the most cutting edge computing solutions on the market today. With the introduction of their new Raven series, Silverstone is once again changing the rules when it comes to the traditional form and function of computer hardware and accessories. The Raven series is geared for the consummate enthusiast, products that take design and technology elements to the bleeding edge. Today, Notebook-Cooling takes a close look at the RVS01, a 2.5” external HDD enclosure, built on the Raven platform.
Think all external hard drive enclosures are the same? Silverstone begs to differ. Leveraging on their new Raven platform, Silverstone has created, quite possibly, one of the most unique and feature rich 2.5” external HDD enclosures on the market. Dressed in a sexy black exterior with eSATA capability, the RVS01 promises to herald in a new era of what manufacturers can do with external hard drive enclosures. Will the RVS01 make good on these promises or will it fall short of the mark? Only Notebook-Cooling has the answer!
Specifications
| Model: Silverstone Raven RVS01 | |
| Color: Black Faux-leather and plastic | |
| Material: Faux-leather and plastic | |
| Storage Form Factor: 2.5” HDD (9.5mm and 12.5mm compatible) | |
| Internal Interface: SATAI/II | |
| External Interface: USB 2.0 (480Mbp/s max)eSATA (3.0Gbp/s max) | |
| Dimensions: 3.20” x 0.94” x 5.70” (W x H x L) | |
| Weight: 4.70 ounces (net weight without HDD) | |
| Price: $29.00 at Amazon.com |
The accessory bundle of the RVS01, while seemingly sparse, is really quite generous. For a 2.5” external hard drive enclosure, the RVS01 provides enough accessories to make even the most jaded computer enthusiast turn the other cheek. Provided in the packaging is a 22” long USB 2.0 cable, a 19” long eSATA cable, a soft cloth bag, and an instruction manual. While the instruction manual offers plenty of black and white photos, the instructions are a bit on the skimpy side.
One of the features of the RVS01 is that it offers eSATA connectivity. Traditionally, eSATA connectivity in this application could not be used due to USB’s low power output. However, Silverstone circumvents this by offering a USB 2.0 Y-cable with two Type A connectors. These two connectors provide enough power to sufficiently operate the eSATA spec. It’s important to note that with USB and eSATA connected, the RVS01 will default to eSATA speeds.
The RVS01 is one of the most uniquely designed 2.5” external hard drive enclosures I’ve ever seen. It offers an open air design, which is a welcome sight as it allows the hard drive to “breathe” while operating inside the device. This svelte, open air design assists the external enclosure in helping to reduce internal hard drive operating temperatures. As we know, high operating temperatures are one of the biggest threats that afflict mechanical hard drives, reducing their longevity and in some cases, causing irrecoverable data loss.
Unlike Silverstone’s previous 2.5” external hard drive enclosures, the RVS01 eschews all-aluminum construction, instead opting for a faux-leather plastic exterior. This new material is very tough and lightly textured, which will sustain scratches and damage far better than the brushed, solid aluminum exteriors that Silverstone is known for using in their products. A highly stylized and attractive raven logo appears on the bottom of the unit, along with a cutout for a blue LED which indicates HDD power and activity.
Accessing the I/O area of the RVS01 is as simple as lifting up the front flap cover. This cover is held in place with two magnets which are embedded inside the plastic flap. I have mixed feelings about the front flap. I like the flap as it covers the I/O area which prevents dust from building up in the ports when the RVS01 is not in use. However, the flap is not secured when connecting the device to a notebook or PC which leaves the interior exposed and susceptible to damage.
Underneath this protective flap is a mini-USB 2.0 port (480Mbp/s max, backwards compatible with USB 1.0), an eSATA port (3.0Gbp/s max), and a 5V DC power input. The ability of the RVS01 to operate using either USB 2.0 or eSATA connectivity cannot be understated as it offers much needed flexibility for road warriors on the go. However, because of the tool-less nature of the RVS01, some enthusiasts may not like the slightly added bulk of the device.
The interior of the RVS01 is as well designed as the exterior. Most notably is the black soft-touch finish. This finish feels a bit like silicone, which helps with vibration and prevents scratches on the hard drive. Also helping to reduce vibration are two square white silicone pads that the hard drive sits on. Swapping out hard drives is a cinch, as when the front flap cover is flipped open, enthusiasts have total, unimpeded access to their hard drive in mere seconds.
HDD Device Installation
The RVS01 utilizes a completely tool-less design through the use of two, spring loaded metal locking arms. Pressing in at the bottom of each arm spreads them apart which a hard drive can then be slid into the power and data SATA port. With the hard drive inserted into the SATA port, releasing the arms allows a tab on each arm to be inserted into the first screw mounting hole on the hard drive, locking it into place.
Catering to enthusiast demand for more functionality, the RVS01 has been designed to be compatible with both mechanical and solid state hard drives. Enthusiasts with larger capacity mechanical hard drives will find that not only will the RVS01 accommodate 9.5mm high HDDs, but also 12.5mm HDDs as well. Support for 2.5” hard drives 1TB in size is also offered, although Silverstone states that 1TB+ drives are also theoretically compatible with the RVS01.
Hard drive installation is extremely quick and very easy, and the design of the spring loaded arms offers convenience and superior ease of use. With the arms locking the HDD into place, simply push the hard drive down until it rests on the two white silicone pads inside the RVS01. The hard drive is held in place by a friction bracket at the rear of the device which is also covered in the black, soft touch silicone finish found throughout the interior of the RVS01.
With the friction bracket, enthusiasts will appreciate that their hard drive won’t flop out when the RVS01 is upended. As it is, it takes a bit of finesse to pop the hard drive out from its soft bed of silicone. During hard drive installation, which might have taken all of 60 seconds, I found the hard drive to be completely secure. As such, I would have no qualms dropping the RVS01 in a bag full of other computer gear and not worry about its safety.
HDD Device Testing
With hard drive installation complete, let’s benchmark three different hard drives: a 5,400RPM 250GB Fujitsu (MHY2250BH), a 7,200RPM 320GB Seagate Momentus (7200.3), and a 16GB Samsung MLC SSD (UM410) in the RVS01. I’ll be using the latest version of HDTune (v2.55) with the following test bench set up:
ASUS P5Q Deluxe motherboard
Intel Q6600 processor (B3 stepping, stock)
Super Talent PC2-6400 4GB (2 x 2GB)
MSI RX3870-T2D512E OC videocard
Creative SoundBlaster Audigy2 ZS soundcard
Western Digital 320GB hard drive (WD3200AAKS)
Lite-On iHAS424-08 DVD burner
Lite-On iHDS118-04 optical drive
D-Link DGE-530T NIC
Silverstone SST-TJ03 enclosure (stock fans)
Silverstone FP35 media reader
All tests and benchmarking were conducted in a controlled environment, while ensuring that the ambient air temperature was kept at a consistent 22 degrees Celsius. The eSATA interface on the test bench was provided by Silverstone’s FP35 media reader.
HDD Device Benchmark
USB 2.0 connectivity, while ubiquitous in nature, has seen the end of its days as far as data throughput is concerned. Regardless of the type of hard drive used, data transferring bandwidth is easily capped using the USB interface, with even the Fujitsu hard drive plodding along at 5,400RPM. Needless to say, test results indicate no clear, decisive winner in this application.
Switching over from USB to eSATA, however, and the test results are much different. The RVS01 appears to do very well when it comes to eSATA connectivity, offering superior hard drive performance for those that choose (and can afford!) to go the SSD route. As it is, the Samsung spanked the Seagate Momentus and made a mockery of the slower Fujitsu 5,400RPM hard drive. Overall, I found that the test results were generally on par with similar 2.5” external hard drive enclosures featuring eSATA and USB 2.0 connectivity.
Conclusion
The Silverstone RVS01 has proven itself to be quite successful. Nearly all 2.5” external hard drive enclosures manufactured today are enclosed in restrictive housings which prevents both access to the hard drive and the heat it generates. The RVS01 effectively combats both issues by utilizing a tool-less, open air design. Silverstone has really taken the design of external hard drive enclosures to the next level with the RVS01, and manufacturers should pay attention.
There were very few things wrong with this external enclosure. Because of the tool-less nature of the device, the RVS01 is slightly larger than other enclosures. Also, I did not like the fact that when the RVS01 is connected to a PC, the device is left exposed as the protective cover is not over the hard drive. And while many might consider the manual to be the last thing they reach for when using the device, I would have liked to seen more detailed instructions.
Priced very attractively at $30 street, the Silverstone RVS01 combines both simplicity and technology in one neat, sexy black package. Enthusiasts and professionals alike are sure to appreciate Silverstone’s use of styling and legendary craftsmanship in a device that is crucial to the work (and play!) of so many people. In a nutshell, the RVS01 is a feature-rich, affordable product which will make it a fast favorite with enthusiasts everywhere.
| Pros: | Cons: |
|
|
Note: I would like to offer special thanks to Joe Royer, Network Coordinator at Penn State York, for loaning the Samsung SSD for today’s review!
January 25th, 2010 at 10:12 pm
Wow, I love the design of the RVS01 its just tantalizing.
December 9th, 2011 at 1:37 am
Its like you learn my mind! You appear to understand so much about this, such as you wrote the e book in it or something. I believe that you just can do with some % to force the message house a little bit, but instead of that, this is magnificent blog. A fantastic read. I’ll definitely be back.