Review: be quiet! Silent Base 601

by Parm Mann on 4 September 2018, 12:00

Tags: be-quiet

Quick Link: HEXUS.net/qadw4o

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Conclusion

...it would take only the addition of USB Type-C to elevate the enclosure from good to great.

Out of all the cases that be quiet! has released thus far, the 2015 Silent Base 600 is arguably the one that didn't resonate with us here at HEXUS HQ. The bulbous exterior wasn't attractive, the plastic front door felt fragile, and the case as a whole lacked the elegance and attention to detail we come to expect from the German manufacturer.

Fast forward to 2018 and many of those wrongs have been righted. The new-and-improved Silent Base 601 is far sleeker in appearance thanks to a streamlined exterior and a tidy PSU shroud, the quick-release side panels are a star attraction, and features such as the removable radiator tray make it much nicer to work with.

This is a well-rounded mid-tower solution, and despite a few limitations - the fan controller is limited to three fans and the HDD slot covers are only bundled with the windowed model - it would take only the addition of USB Type-C to elevate the enclosure from good to great.

Bottom line: Silent Base 601 may lack the wow-factor of cases adorned with lots of glass and lots of RGB, yet at £110 you'll do well to find a case that's quieter, better built or easier to work with.

The Good
  
The Bad
Sleeker than Silent Base 600
Quick-release, sound-insulated panels
Solid build quality throughout
Integrated three-way fan hub
Two bundled PureWings 140 fans
Helps keep noise levels in check
  
Lacks USB Type-C
HDD slot covers not included with all models



be quiet! Silent Base 601

HEXUS.where2buy*

The be quiet! Silent Base 601 chassis will be available to purchase from Scan Computers.

HEXUS.right2reply

At HEXUS, we invite the companies whose products we test to comment on our articles. If any company representatives for the products reviewed choose to respond, we'll publish their commentary here verbatim.



*UK-based HEXUS community members are eligible for free delivery and priority customer service through the SCAN.care@HEXUS forum.


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HEXUS Forums :: 5 Comments

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Posted by azrael- - Tue 04 Sep 2018 12:16
It's a shame they moved the I/O panel to the top of the case. While some (most) might have the case under their desk, some have it on their desk. For those in the latter category having the I/O panel at the top is hugely annoying. For all the placement means that dust can more easily settle in the panel, especially in the USB connectors.
Posted by Luke7 - Wed 05 Sep 2018 01:16
Looks like there's a slot for vertically mounting the GPU… is that an important feature in a case without a window?
Posted by Ironbuket - Wed 05 Sep 2018 16:41
Wot no pics of the top or bottom?
Posted by ByteMyAscii - Wed 05 Sep 2018 16:43
Luke7
Looks like there's a slot for vertically mounting the GPU… is that an important feature in a case without a window?

It is likely there because of the windowed version of the case.
Plus for some people the positioning might be convenient to access expansion cards, such as video capture, usb ports etc.
Posted by Lordhawkwind - Mon 10 Sep 2018 21:14
I've got the Silent Base 600 and it's great. The 601 has nothing that would make me want to upgrade TBH. I think the 600 looks great and all you're really getting her is a new aesthetic appearance. What would have been useful would have been a comparison with the 600 so we can see on what it improves in the really important areas.