This is a big ATX case, but not insanely big like some of the alternatives are. Plenty of drive bays with quick release mechanisms, and the modern standard layout for air movement (PSU at bottom). Fans are large & slow, for minimal noise - for me, silence is everything.

The case is actually far more attractive than it appears in the library pictures on the website. (total opposite of my ex-wife it has to be said). Quality of the build the features are great and the noise reduction systems is excellent, on par with my Fractal Design R4. Grab yourself a bargain.

This case is very nicely constructed, easy to work on and provides more than adequate drive bays, cable routing options, etc, plus SD card reader on the front looks good (ie, not cheap!). The problem with this "silent" case is that the front large fan makes a lot of noise.

Big, sturdy and silent. A bit like Michael Clarke Duncan. Probably wouldn't suit someone who wants to stuff it full of 2 graphics cards, 8 sticks of RAM and 4 hard drives, but for most people wanting a well built, silent, spacious case, this is the one.

Cooler Master recently introduced the Silencio 650, and Corsair released the Obsidian 550D, both cases in a similar price bracket and with an explicit emphasis on silent running. We took a closer look at both chassis to see which one cools the best and makes the least amount of noise.

There is foam padding on the front and side panels of the case, not the top or bottom. I'm really happy with this case. It's much quieter and roomier than my previous Lian-Li case I bought in 2007 during college.

Well laid out case with a lot of room to work in; The large hard-drive cage is removable for those extra long GPUs but my Sapphire 6870 fit with room to spare (eventually, I'd like to get one more for CrossFire).

The foam padding on the side panel behind the mother board makes it a bit tight routing cables behind there; I had to make the cables pretty snug; If I had a modular power-supply it might have been easier.

Cooler Master's Silencio 500 midi tower certainly lives up to its name. Because its side panels are covered in sound-isolating foam and it has two very quiet 120mm fans, it's the ideal case for anyone who wants to build a PC that doesn't sound like a vacuum cleaner.

Without being real innovative in design, this Silencio 550 is a very fine case. Sporting adequate airflow, thanks to the two preinstalled 120mm fans. Dust buildup is no issue, as the front fan(s) and the PSU fan got quick removable dust filters.

I reviewed the HAF 912 Advanced Case from Cooler Master a few months ago and I must admit that this chassis left me gobsmacked. Even today, the HAF 912 is still doing a marvellous job, especially at catching dust and being rather quiet when in use.

The Silencio is a nicely thought through chassis, it's nothing new in terms of new technologies though. That's said, it's by far sufficient enough for what it needs to accomplish. You can house a fairly high-end selection of PC components inside the chassis whilst keeping the noise levels down.