be quiet! Silent Base 802 Case Review: Extremely Good Mechanical Design
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Date: 2021-02-04
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Comments and reviews: 10
Anthrax
Your point about the cost going up a tiny bit because of multiple front panels: I gotta say I prefer that myself cause you can choose to do either or. More often than not (if ever) if a case is released, they don't offer different parts to make changes. It's just that, a ready case. You would have to modify things yourself. Now sidepanels are getting into that territory where if you but a case, you can later maybe by a different sidepanel (choices are metal vs glass usually but still, there's a choice). However you rare see modularity in cases where you have choice.
Speaking of Fractal, they DO have some cases, like my Define 7 Compact, where you get modularity: The top panel can be either closet metal for noise, or open mesh for airflow. I just wish they included a meshify front panel cause i really wanted that case but it had worse IO on the front. That was basically it.
It's hard to find the perfect case, even if, as you state, there never will be one. I mean subjectively perfect ofc. For me, I want this and this. To find a manufacturer who does every bit that YOU want is really hard.
Another thing about the modularity: I'm looking for a metal sidepanel for my Define 7 Compact and had real trouble finding it (just extra glass panels online). I emailed Fractal and they pointed me to some german site that had a metal case but it was out of stock. Even something as easy as a sidepanel is really hard to get your hands on for modularity. This is where I'd have happily paid another 10-20 bucks for a sidepanel option so that when I want to change it, I actually can.
Obviously just my take on it. Not saying you're right or wrong.
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Your point about the cost going up a tiny bit because of multiple front panels: I gotta say I prefer that myself cause you can choose to do either or. More often than not (if ever) if a case is released, they don't offer different parts to make changes. It's just that, a ready case. You would have to modify things yourself. Now sidepanels are getting into that territory where if you but a case, you can later maybe by a different sidepanel (choices are metal vs glass usually but still, there's a choice). However you rare see modularity in cases where you have choice.
Speaking of Fractal, they DO have some cases, like my Define 7 Compact, where you get modularity: The top panel can be either closet metal for noise, or open mesh for airflow. I just wish they included a meshify front panel cause i really wanted that case but it had worse IO on the front. That was basically it.
It's hard to find the perfect case, even if, as you state, there never will be one. I mean subjectively perfect ofc. For me, I want this and this. To find a manufacturer who does every bit that YOU want is really hard.
Another thing about the modularity: I'm looking for a metal sidepanel for my Define 7 Compact and had real trouble finding it (just extra glass panels online). I emailed Fractal and they pointed me to some german site that had a metal case but it was out of stock. Even something as easy as a sidepanel is really hard to get your hands on for modularity. This is where I'd have happily paid another 10-20 bucks for a sidepanel option so that when I want to change it, I actually can.
Obviously just my take on it. Not saying you're right or wrong.
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Dragonber
I brought this case about two months ago, and its been great so far. I m really sensitive to noise so I always got silent cases like the Corsair 400Q or custom made foam for normal cases like an NZXT s340. I can say with certainty that this foam does reduce noise, specifically high pitched sound, things like VRMs and AIO pumps. It doesn t do miracles, a noisy VRM will still be heard, but it is working for my current motherboard, a gigabyte b550 master, were its VRMs are always making tiny crackling noises.
One thing foam doesn t help at is fan harmonics as I like to call it. It s where multiple case fans running at the same speed can resonate and produce a certain type of high pitched sound. This is always present in triple fans GPUs no mater the brand (I tried most of them). The reason I found for this is that the case itself carries the resonance so covering it in foam doesn t stop this sound. The only option left is not using the fans at the specific RPM range where it happens. Now what I m trying to say here is that the construction of the case also plays a role at the ranges of noise produced, and this case, the 802 has overall the best of all the cases I ve used.
Don t take what I m saying too seriously, like I said, I m really sensitive to noise in a bad way, most people won t notice this anyway.
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I brought this case about two months ago, and its been great so far. I m really sensitive to noise so I always got silent cases like the Corsair 400Q or custom made foam for normal cases like an NZXT s340. I can say with certainty that this foam does reduce noise, specifically high pitched sound, things like VRMs and AIO pumps. It doesn t do miracles, a noisy VRM will still be heard, but it is working for my current motherboard, a gigabyte b550 master, were its VRMs are always making tiny crackling noises.
One thing foam doesn t help at is fan harmonics as I like to call it. It s where multiple case fans running at the same speed can resonate and produce a certain type of high pitched sound. This is always present in triple fans GPUs no mater the brand (I tried most of them). The reason I found for this is that the case itself carries the resonance so covering it in foam doesn t stop this sound. The only option left is not using the fans at the specific RPM range where it happens. Now what I m trying to say here is that the construction of the case also plays a role at the ranges of noise produced, and this case, the 802 has overall the best of all the cases I ve used.
Don t take what I m saying too seriously, like I said, I m really sensitive to noise in a bad way, most people won t notice this anyway.
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jubuttib
Drat, would have loved to get an opinion on the case with the silence focused front and top, but taking the PSU shroud off as much as possible. The bottom intake is usually better at avoiding noise leakage than the front and especially top, and when you're limiting the front and top airflow it can be a massive boon to be able to utilize the bottom intake as much as possible. If you have an airflow focused front and top, you don't really need the bottom to help anymore, so you can focus on the clean aesthetics.
In my specific case I can't have the top open at all (only reasonable place I can put my audio gear is on top of the case, so they'd block it off anyway), and I want the front to be noise optimized because of HDD search noises, among other things. That leaves me with the bottom as my only good chance for a non-obsctructed intake, and PSU shrouds have steadily worked towards making that less and less useful. Thankfully beQuiet! and some others still have options for this, but honestly PSU shrouds should just die in a fire...
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Drat, would have loved to get an opinion on the case with the silence focused front and top, but taking the PSU shroud off as much as possible. The bottom intake is usually better at avoiding noise leakage than the front and especially top, and when you're limiting the front and top airflow it can be a massive boon to be able to utilize the bottom intake as much as possible. If you have an airflow focused front and top, you don't really need the bottom to help anymore, so you can focus on the clean aesthetics.
In my specific case I can't have the top open at all (only reasonable place I can put my audio gear is on top of the case, so they'd block it off anyway), and I want the front to be noise optimized because of HDD search noises, among other things. That leaves me with the bottom as my only good chance for a non-obsctructed intake, and PSU shrouds have steadily worked towards making that less and less useful. Thankfully beQuiet! and some others still have options for this, but honestly PSU shrouds should just die in a fire...
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Stygian
I know it's exactly what their potential customers want but this looks like the modern version of another boring beige box.
Would like to see something with similar build quality applied to something with a more interesting shape. And ever since the O11 came out two radiators doesn't seem enough radiator spots to me anymore, especially if one of them is protruding into the PSU shroud.
Overall this seems like an air-cooling focused case with water-cooling tagged in as an afterthought.
Would be really, really great to have a be quiet case that goes full water-cooling. Like some huge monster with a side compartment for the PSU so that it would fit three 420 thick rads and stay sealed. Would be able to run everything cranked, cool and silent.
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I know it's exactly what their potential customers want but this looks like the modern version of another boring beige box.
Would like to see something with similar build quality applied to something with a more interesting shape. And ever since the O11 came out two radiators doesn't seem enough radiator spots to me anymore, especially if one of them is protruding into the PSU shroud.
Overall this seems like an air-cooling focused case with water-cooling tagged in as an afterthought.
Would be really, really great to have a be quiet case that goes full water-cooling. Like some huge monster with a side compartment for the PSU so that it would fit three 420 thick rads and stay sealed. Would be able to run everything cranked, cool and silent.
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John
Never buying be quiet stuff again. Just had a psu fail after only 6 months of use and took a month plus of getting the run around and excuses from them on why it is not the psu only for them to tell me to ship it to them for testing while I absorb the shipping cost. Tried to blame it on a faulty USB port??? Tested with new components and in another system and all scenarios point to the psu. Had to RMA to their office in California then they have to relay the RMA to their office in Germany? It has been sitting in its box for over a month since it started failing. Worthless warranty imo. Is this normal?
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Never buying be quiet stuff again. Just had a psu fail after only 6 months of use and took a month plus of getting the run around and excuses from them on why it is not the psu only for them to tell me to ship it to them for testing while I absorb the shipping cost. Tried to blame it on a faulty USB port??? Tested with new components and in another system and all scenarios point to the psu. Had to RMA to their office in California then they have to relay the RMA to their office in Germany? It has been sitting in its box for over a month since it started failing. Worthless warranty imo. Is this normal?
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itech
Hey Steve!
I'm rocking an older case, the 600T from Corsair, which is still incredible and I really don't want to let it go tbh.
But the side panel hinges have started to go bad, as well as some USB ports, which makes sense after all these years.
Any recommendations on what to do?
If possible I'd like to hold onto my Phanteks 200mm fan and a 5.25 bay because I use an icy box card reader/USB 3.0 combo regularly.
I have watched a lot of your case reviews but I'm so lost tbh, any advice would be great, thanks!
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Hey Steve!
I'm rocking an older case, the 600T from Corsair, which is still incredible and I really don't want to let it go tbh.
But the side panel hinges have started to go bad, as well as some USB ports, which makes sense after all these years.
Any recommendations on what to do?
If possible I'd like to hold onto my Phanteks 200mm fan and a 5.25 bay because I use an icy box card reader/USB 3.0 combo regularly.
I have watched a lot of your case reviews but I'm so lost tbh, any advice would be great, thanks!
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BlackyProd
Man, I have a Dark Base 700, which is supposed to be high-end , but this 802 seems way better even though it's cheaper. The airflow in the DB 700 is atrocious, I wish they made a mesh front panel for it... When I had a high-end watercooled multi-gpu workstation in it, I had to remove the panel anyway because the system was suffocating. The PC was louder with the sound-dampening front panel on , which is super dumb. I guess it's optimized for medium-power systems with no sustained loads, such as a home studio PC.
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Man, I have a Dark Base 700, which is supposed to be high-end , but this 802 seems way better even though it's cheaper. The airflow in the DB 700 is atrocious, I wish they made a mesh front panel for it... When I had a high-end watercooled multi-gpu workstation in it, I had to remove the panel anyway because the system was suffocating. The PC was louder with the sound-dampening front panel on , which is super dumb. I guess it's optimized for medium-power systems with no sustained loads, such as a home studio PC.
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rapermenas
I can confirm that the foam on the case sides helps when you want to deal with water pump and hard drive noises, when I close the glass lid of the case it feels like you close the door of the room and almost hear nothing of that sound. However, mild fan noises can still be heard but those higher frequency noises are sealed off very well, I can now game with my gf sleeping in the same room and she doesn't even notice :D I have the Silent Base 801 Window model with orange accent.
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I can confirm that the foam on the case sides helps when you want to deal with water pump and hard drive noises, when I close the glass lid of the case it feels like you close the door of the room and almost hear nothing of that sound. However, mild fan noises can still be heard but those higher frequency noises are sealed off very well, I can now game with my gf sleeping in the same room and she doesn't even notice :D I have the Silent Base 801 Window model with orange accent.
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Nirast
Got this case a few days ago, planning to build in it this weekend. Already inverted it, the process is actually relatively simple, save for a few stubborn screws that were harder to get out.
I'm actually planning on dismantling it and building on the wall of the case while it's separated, then put it back in with the mobo attached. Will let you know how that goes.
Edit: At the 10 minute mark, you mention that you have to switch the power supply shroud. That is not true.
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Got this case a few days ago, planning to build in it this weekend. Already inverted it, the process is actually relatively simple, save for a few stubborn screws that were harder to get out.
I'm actually planning on dismantling it and building on the wall of the case while it's separated, then put it back in with the mobo attached. Will let you know how that goes.
Edit: At the 10 minute mark, you mention that you have to switch the power supply shroud. That is not true.
reply
WamBam
My dream would be:
2x 200mm Fans in the front for silence and good airflow
CPU and GPU passive cooled.
Larger holes in slot blendes for lower flow impedance
and thats it. The airflow is baisically like in a server. Fans in the front wich press the air out the back. The idea is that the fans creat an even flow from front to back wich wolud make the passive CPU/GPU coolers really effective.
reply
My dream would be:
2x 200mm Fans in the front for silence and good airflow
CPU and GPU passive cooled.
Larger holes in slot blendes for lower flow impedance
and thats it. The airflow is baisically like in a server. Fans in the front wich press the air out the back. The idea is that the fans creat an even flow from front to back wich wolud make the passive CPU/GPU coolers really effective.
reply
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