Product Listing

SilverStone Sugo SG09 Casing - A Well Cooled SFF

By Wong Chung Wee - 3 Jul 2013
Launch SRP: S$149

Conclusion

Updated as of 5th July: SilverStone's chassis manual and web information weren't very clear on its native support for micro-ATX boards and we initially concluded it to be optional due to the presentation within the manual. Further scrutiny of the case and discussion with Silverstone confirmed that it can support micro-ATX boards without any optional mounts. We've updated all relevant comments in the updated conclusion and updated its ratings.

Conclusion

The SilverStone Sugo S09 chassis is an adequate chassis that can accommodate mini-ITX, DTX and even micro-ATX motherboards, making it a versatile case. Our previous experience with a small form factor chassis was the BitFenix Prodigy and its design restricted it to only mini-ITX boards. Even so, we would like to point out that installation of micro-ATX boards is rather tight and we recommend some patience and good cable management to get the interior tidied and well connected.

The SilverStone Sugo S09 small form factor chassis boasts of excellent cooling capabilites. With its strong resemblance to a portable air conditioning unit, we wonder if this is a deliberate effort by the designers to get their message across?

As the SilverStone Sugo SG09 was designed to be a performance-class SFF chassis in as small a size as possible, it had to to forgo conventional interior designs. However, the unique design interior did call for some careful reading the installation manual and we would highly recommend it for this chassis. As such, this isn't your average ready-to-build chassis that you might expect. Inside, there's just about enough room for the most important components, leaving very little room for all the internal cables from a management perspective. The lack of traditional 5.25-inch drive bays is another point to note as the chassis can only accommodate a slim slot-based optical drive up to 12.5mm in height. If sourcing for one of these is difficult, you can opt for an an external optical USB-based drive.

In terms of appearances, we like the faux brushed aluminum front panel but the the front vents make the chassis resemble an old-school portable air conditioning unit. That bring us to the point of cooling options, for which the company is extremely generous with its bundled cooling fans, as well as its optional cooling choices. Perhaps the look of the chassis is in-line with the unspoken design mantra, that the chassis has excellent cooling capabilities for the system builder's high-end components. At S$149, the chassis is slightly more expensive than the BitFenix Prodigy; however, it can mount mATX boards. At the same time, the extra premium can be seen as paying for the extra bundled cooling options.

The SilverStone Sugo S09 is a well-engineered chassis, albeit in an unconventional way. On the part of the system builder, it calls for careful planning of components to be installed. During the installation procedure, the instructions of the manual should be read carefully as there is little room for error. If you can get past the squeeze, handling lots of screws and its unconventional looks, the SilverStone Sugo S09 should be right in line to help you fulfill building a power packed SFF system.

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7.0
  • Aesthetics 7
  • Functionality 7.5
  • Usability 7
  • Value 7.5
The Good
Excellent cooling capabilities, with generous bundle of cooling fans
Ability to fit up to a pair of 13-inch graphics cards
The Bad
Narrow interior layout
Installation of components requires some consultation of the manual
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