Hardware Installation

Because of its size, installing hardware into Silverstone’s SG03 case must be done in a specific order. We began by putting the CPU, cooler, and memory on the DFI LANParty Jr X58-T3H6 motherboard.

Front-panel cables should be laid out beneath the motherboard to prevent cable clutter, before attaching the motherboard with screws.

Hard drives slide into flip-down panels using included rails, while the optical drive attaches with screws in the upper bay. Data cables should be attached now, as the power supply and graphics cards make these inaccessible later.

The intake fans are then attached to the front panel, with the cables connected to the motherboard. The front panel should be left un-clipped, laying face down on the bench for easier access to power supply cables.

Next, the exhaust fan, graphics cards, and power supply are installed, in that order. The EPS12V connector must be attached to the motherboard before the power supply is moved into position, and should be wrapped in a manner that prevents it from touching the CPU fan. The remaining power cables can then be attached with the excess cable bundled between the upper intake fan and power supply.

We re-used the internal fan grille included with the case to prevent contact between the upper intake fan and bundled power cables.

The 3.5” external drive bracket presents a challenge with so many power cables going to the graphics cards and hard drives. We would have preferred to leave this out of the system, but the bracket is required to hold the 3.5” bay cover in place.

The LANParty Jr X58-T3H6 motherboard doesn’t include a FireWire controller, so we removed the associated front panel cable to reduce internal clutter. An EVGA case badge was flexible enough to cover the “dead” port, which stuck out slightly beyond its panel.

While the SG03 wasn’t our first choice, the case looks far better with the hardware installed.