Silverstone ML03B or nMEDIAPC 1080P case?

I have the nMedia 1080p case and would recommend it. The 1080p can accommodate a memory card reader, LCD screen, and has a hinged front panel which hides both the memory card reader and the optical drive.

I suggest using a modular power supply for either case.

I too have the 1080p and I like it. I put a $6 LED clock from Target that I took out of its shell. The LCD that comes from nMedia is useless if you are more than 2 feet away from the screen. It is just too tiny, and all my wife wanted "clock, just like the DVR"

I am not using modular PSU, just regular, cheapo 80+ certified unit.

I think it comes down to aesthetics. I like the looks of the Silverstone better. I just put together a unit using the MILO. Because of the dimensions of both cases, they can be tough to work in. I think the 1080p might be a better choice if you are planning for multiple 3.5" drives. Despite the ability to physically house (3) 3.5" drives, (5) 2.5" drives, and (1) ODD, space gets tight real quick if you do use an ODD, and the number of HDD's and SSD's greatly deminishes. I've got to monkey around a bit on the insides, with cabling. I disagree that you need a modular PSU, but you do need to do your research to determine which ones will fit based on your needs. Anyone considering the MILO needs to download the manual from the Silverstone site and read it. There are a lot of bad reviews of the MILO, and mostly because the reviewers didn't plan properly. It really is a nice case.

I have the following squeezed in the MILO:

MB - Asus P8H77-M Pro
PSU - Corsair CX430
ODD - Lite On Blu Ray Burner
SSD - Crucial m4 128
HDD - WD 500GB Green
RAM - 2x2 Corsair Vengence LP DDR3 1600
CPU - i3-2120
Fans - x 2 80mm Enermax UC-8EB

I'll post pics when done squaring things away.
Edited by wiley165 - 7/18/12 at 8:37pm

They just HAD it on sale for $50 (plus 9.99 S/H) and I picked mine up from Amazon a few weeks back for $59.99 FREE S/H (and it's still available there). I found the build a bit tight and questioned air flow considering cable management/placement. On mine I have 2 x 3.5" 1TB HDD, 1x2.5" 64GB SSD, F1 BioStar, A6-3500 APU w/stock HSF, 2x2GB GSkill RAM and an Antec 380-Green PSU. The SSD mounts on the floor about 3mm in front of the PSU using exterior screws. My mobo has the USB-3 connection for the front ports and 4 RAM slots, only using 2. The cable routing was tricky and had to dry fit the 3.5" HDD atop the Black Nylon mounting bracket along with the power cable and front-panel cables. Also, the other 3.5" HDD is on the floor under the ODD mounting location... I think all three of these drives could benefit from 6" SATA cables to reduce the unnecessary cable length & enhance air flow. The system seems to be running at 26C and the HDDs at 39C with only the PSU & CPU fans! The mobo does a good job managing the 4-pin CPU fan. All in all I liked the appearance of the SilverStone and it seems to be working out OK. I may get the 6-inchers and try a low noise 80mm fan to see if I can drive the HDD temps down a tad.

@Wiley165 -- how's that PSU mounted? According to the manual a 120mm fan should mount DOWN which simply cools the PSU from underneath the case and out the rear, right? I opted for an 80 rear-mounted PSU fan to provide some air movement from inside the case. What are your thoughts/observations?

@ Andrew - I have the PSU mounted with the 120mm fan facing down taking advantage of the pre-installed filter. So you are correct that essentially that fan will only cool the PSU. The stock Intel cooler will draw air in from the top of the case, and I have that exhausting with the (2) 80mm case fans. I have (4) total of the Enermax fans, but want to keep noise to a minimum - balanced with airflow. What I liked about the CX430, is that there are fewer connectors compared to other PSU's that are similar in size. Fewer connectors = fewer things to hide. My latest thought is to eliminate the Nylon/Plastic bracket to give the case more interior space, and hopefully better airflow.

Good catch... I'm referring to the SilverStone ML03B as I thought you were waiting to be on sale. Seems BOTH of us were slightly unclear in our posts. I suppose it's clever marketing of HTPC that drives the price up - sorta like buying a HDTV Digital UHF antenna! Personally I'm enjoying the SilverStone. Its form, fit, finish is all nice. The USB-3 connection just fit onto my mobo. Buttons are smooth and I'll be placing it in my bedroom on a shelf I used to have my DirecTV box!

Finally got everything up and running. Here are a couple pics inside the ML03 (Milo).





The HDD is under the ODD (Lite-On BluRay Burner). Left the SSD on the bracket. All the unused power cords are tucked in between the PSU and ODD/HDD bracket. The 2 Enermax fans are whisper quiet. Honestly the only thing you can hear is the ODD at times. All the fans are inaudible.

Just a note, Ideally I would have put the HDD on the plastic bracket, but it is nearly impossible with the 24pin ATX and USB 3.0 header placement with this board, though it is doable. An HDD (3.5") has to fit slightly under the lip of the chassis in that spot. Board selection is critical if you're going to pack this case full.
Edited by wiley165 - 7/18/12 at 8:35pm

Mike99 did you ever decide ?

Yeah I know that's what I thought .

I'm curious about that case.

That's why I asked.

I have both, and it would depend upon the usage for what I would recommend.

If you prioritize sound level over appearance/functionality, go with the Silverstone. Much more open case, better ventilation (I'm not using any chassis fans in mine, just CPU PSU and passive ventilation).

If you like the media component look and don't mind a little white noise, then the nMedia is more to the liking. Tried to use the nMedia pico-PSU with this case (silent), but it wasn't powerful enough for the build and you really need the PSU van to aid in cooling the case.

However, I'm quite simple in my needs. I always rip out any HDD cage and use sorbothane pads to mount a drive on (even if it's SSD--I'm obsessed), so I don't ever have more than one drive installed, as I have my WHS for storage.

What's wrong with Newegg?

Son of a gun...THAT's a slick and obvious solution to a little problem I have.

I just finished my build with the ML03. It's a nice case, but things can definitely be tight.

http://www.avsforum.com/t/931459/show-your-htpc-setup/960#post_22783107

I too built the ML03 and did manage to install my SSD on the bottom behind the PSU and have 2 of the WD Green SATA-III 2TB HDDs (one under the Optical (in from the side) and the other on the pedistal where you mounted your SSD). I'm running a stock AMD A6-3500 with no case fans and it's amazingly cool! My BIOS allows several CPU fan options - I'm running what it calls quiet mode. Sure, it's a tight install but the results are fantastic! (Can a mainlander say: Aloha!)

Congrats!! Thanks for sharing !