Streacom DB-4 Silent Kaby Lake Media PC Build: The Sound Of Silence
Streacom DB-4: Final Thoughts and Conclusion
Building with the Streacom DB-4 has been an interesting adventure. It is always fun to work with a product that sidesteps conventions to deliver a unique solution. Streacom promised a passively cooled, completely silent chassis and they have certainly delivered.
The DB-4 is not the only passively cooled chassis on the market, or even from Streacom for that matter, but it does afford some distinct advantages over these other solutions. For starters, it is capable of cooling true desktop class CPUs. Unlike many other fanless cases, the DB-4 can keep a CPU relatively cool up to a TDP of 105W using the optional LH6 heat pipe add-on.
The DB-4 also offers up a significant amount of internal space for a mITX system. Depending on layout and builder creativity, up to 12 x 2.5-inch drives can be securely mounted inside by Streacom’s own count, and we wouldn’t be surprised to see even more fit with a bit of finesse.
This brings us to the most important factor -- the DB-4’s flexibility. The universal mounting brackets really make the case. It doesn’t matter how the motherboard is laid out, the heatpipes can be shimmied around on the brackets to always fit. Similarly, the brackets make for an endless assortment of drive mounting configurations or they can be removed entirely if they are not needed.
The universal brackets aren’t perfect, though. Working with them can be frustrating as they seemingly catch on the frame or jump away when under pressure from trying to get the alignment just right. It may be worth employing a small rubber mallet to gently tap them into place - your fingers will thank you.
The build process in general is quite unlike traditional cases. It is very roomy with all four panels removed so there’s no need to worry about tight spaces anywhere. On the other hand, it does break down into a lot of individual components which need to be carefully tracked and sorted. There’s no real pain point to the build except for maybe swinging the cooler into place for the first time, but it does require patience and spatial reasoning.
Expect to refer to the manual quite a bit when building with it for the first time, even for experienced builders and for those who think they “get” how the case works. There is a lot of clever engineering involved to make everything fit together and maximize the DB-4’s potential. Fortunately, Streacom’s manual is excellent with lots of layout suggestions, crystal-clear diagrams, and other helpful tips.
The build quality is also exceptional. It’s difficult to beat milled aluminum for durability and looks, though it may also be tough to find a more expensive alternative on the market. The DB-4 retails for a hefty $320 USD while the ZeroFlex ZF240 PSU commands another $175 USD and the LH6 CPU cooling kit an extra $40. At this price, we might ask for a tempered glass option for the lid. It would be really nice to see into the chassis and show off our hard work -- especially with its little extra RGB LED bling.
Still, the DB-4 is a masterpiece of design and engineering for anyone with an obsession for perfection. If you can look past the north-of-$500 all-in price tag, we highly recommend it.
The DB-4 is not the only passively cooled chassis on the market, or even from Streacom for that matter, but it does afford some distinct advantages over these other solutions. For starters, it is capable of cooling true desktop class CPUs. Unlike many other fanless cases, the DB-4 can keep a CPU relatively cool up to a TDP of 105W using the optional LH6 heat pipe add-on.
The DB-4 also offers up a significant amount of internal space for a mITX system. Depending on layout and builder creativity, up to 12 x 2.5-inch drives can be securely mounted inside by Streacom’s own count, and we wouldn’t be surprised to see even more fit with a bit of finesse.
This brings us to the most important factor -- the DB-4’s flexibility. The universal mounting brackets really make the case. It doesn’t matter how the motherboard is laid out, the heatpipes can be shimmied around on the brackets to always fit. Similarly, the brackets make for an endless assortment of drive mounting configurations or they can be removed entirely if they are not needed.
The universal brackets aren’t perfect, though. Working with them can be frustrating as they seemingly catch on the frame or jump away when under pressure from trying to get the alignment just right. It may be worth employing a small rubber mallet to gently tap them into place - your fingers will thank you.
The build process in general is quite unlike traditional cases. It is very roomy with all four panels removed so there’s no need to worry about tight spaces anywhere. On the other hand, it does break down into a lot of individual components which need to be carefully tracked and sorted. There’s no real pain point to the build except for maybe swinging the cooler into place for the first time, but it does require patience and spatial reasoning.
Expect to refer to the manual quite a bit when building with it for the first time, even for experienced builders and for those who think they “get” how the case works. There is a lot of clever engineering involved to make everything fit together and maximize the DB-4’s potential. Fortunately, Streacom’s manual is excellent with lots of layout suggestions, crystal-clear diagrams, and other helpful tips.
The build quality is also exceptional. It’s difficult to beat milled aluminum for durability and looks, though it may also be tough to find a more expensive alternative on the market. The DB-4 retails for a hefty $320 USD while the ZeroFlex ZF240 PSU commands another $175 USD and the LH6 CPU cooling kit an extra $40. At this price, we might ask for a tempered glass option for the lid. It would be really nice to see into the chassis and show off our hard work -- especially with its little extra RGB LED bling.
Still, the DB-4 is a masterpiece of design and engineering for anyone with an obsession for perfection. If you can look past the north-of-$500 all-in price tag, we highly recommend it.
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