14 DAY TRIAL // Mid-tower cases sometimes aren't wide or long enough for some of the best add-in components out there, but the new chassis from IT company Silentium doesn't have that problem, and it's not because of removable drive bays.
The option to remove some or all of the 3.5-inch drive bays in a desktop enclosure has become very popular over the past few years, as it lets you install super-long video boards even in mid-tower or smaller enclosures.
The Gladius M30 Pure Black from Silentium (SilentiumPC as it is otherwise known) doesn't go about things that way, however. It's as if Silentium acknowledged that there was little chance of customers actually equipping six or seven / eight bays with storage drives, so it didn't bother creating so many.
Thus, there are “only” four 3.5-inch bays, and they're located on the bottom front of the chassis. Above it, where a removable drive cage would normally be, there is just a gap, with the three 5.25-inch external drive bays right above it.
It is that gap that allows enough room for video boards up to 400 mm in length (15.78 inches), as the photo/diagram in the gallery below will show you.
Needless to say, the 3.5-inch drive bays can be used for 2.5-inch drives. In fact, each of the 3.5-inch bays converts into two 2.5-inch ones. And not only that, but there are two dedicated 2.5-inch bays as well.
It's a lot like the 5.25-inch bays can turn into external 3.5-inch bays. Useless if you intend to populate them with optical drives or (water) cooling equipment, but good if you do intend to install more than four standard HDDs for some reason.
Then, there's the front panel, which has two USB 3.0 ports (you'll have to connect the wires to the headers on whatever motherboard you purchase), HD audio jacks, and an SDXC card reader.
Moreover, since the I/O panel is on the top of the chassis, Silentium took the liberty of installing an HDD dock as well (good for both 3.5-inch and 2.5-inch storage units). Finally, there are a pair of front 120 mm intake fans, two 120 mm top exhaust fans, and a 120 mm spinner at the back (also for exhaust).
Everything is held together by an all-black frame measuring 473 x 452 x 198 mm / 18.62 x 17.79 x 7.79 inches and made of SECC steel and ABS plastic. Sadly, the price and availability of the Silentium Gladius M30 have not been disclosed.
