be quiet! Silent Base 601 review - Introduction

Be Quiet Silent Base 601 review
Absolute silence??

This round we’re checking out the new be quiet! Silent Base 601, a mid-tower PC chassis and the successor to the Silent Base 600, which we reviewed at Guru3D almost three years ago (and that’s a long time in this market). At first glance, it looks more similar to another case from this German manufacturer (the Dark Base 700) than to its own predecessor. Based on a metal chassis, the new Silent Base 601 case comes in a windowed or non-windowed version, with the highlighting on the front available in different colours. Along with high-grade dampening materials on the panels (up to 10 millimeters thick), angled intake air vents on the front support Silent Base’s near-quiet operation. Two pre-installed Pure Wings 2 140mm PWM fans ensure efficient cooling, while a PSU shroud and HDD slot covers give the interior a clean look. Out of the box, the Silent Base 601 can take up to three HDDs or six SSDs. be quiet! has provided a review sample with orange accents and without a side window (definitely a better choice for silence lovers).

„Silent Base was be quiet’s first PC case series. Technological advancements of later be quiet! PC cases helped mold the new Silent Base 601. This latest generation of Silent Base cases is the perfect choice when it comes to combining silent cooling and best-in-class usability, two qualities that help drive be quiet’s development process, leading to several familiar as well as unique features. Silent Base’s frame and panels are made entirely of metal, decreasing sound-inducing vibrations to an absolute minimum. In addition, for those who enjoy PC build related aesthetics, Silent Base 601 comes with tempered glass-windowed side panel or a sound-insulated metal side panel for true silence enthusiasts, and is available in three highlighted colors: black, orange and silver. As a mid-sized mid tower chassis, Silent Base 601 targets PC enthusiasts and system builders seeking the right hardware to conveniently build the quietest systems”

Silent Base 601’s features include:

• Innovative airflow concept with improved angled, noise-dampening air vents in the front and top
• 10 mm high-grade, extra-thick dampening mats
• Two pre-installed Pure Wings 2 140mm fans
• Detachable fan bracket at the top for easy installation of fans or radiators
• Support for water cooling radiators up to 360mm in length
• PSU shroud for a clean look and easy cable management
• Removable side panels released with the push of a button – no screws needed
• Easily removable dust filters
• Optional side window made of tinted and tempered glass

The be quiet! Silent Base 601 measures 240 x 514 x 532 (W x H x D in mm), weighs about 10 kg and supports up to ATX motherboards and a maximum of seven 3.5” drives or fourteen 2.5” ones. At the front, you will find the usual ports like USB 3.0 (2 x), USB 2.0 (1 x), 3.5 mm HD audio jacks and 3-step fan controller. The be quiet! Silent Base 601 has many cooling options, with support for up to 360 mm radiators in the front and top, and a 140 mm radiator at the rear. There are dust filters installed at the front and bottom. The German manufacturer provides users with two stock Pure Wings 2 140 mm fans rotating at a maximum of 1000 rpm.

Specifications  

The be quiet! Silent Base 601 offers support for:

• Max CPU Cooler height of up to 185mm
• Max GPU Length of up to 449 mm (without HDD cage)
• Max PSU Length is up to 288 mm

Overall, that does sound very good and should be enough for most users. However, let us find out what it looks like in reality. Next page, please.