SilverStone Technology CS381B Micro-ATX/Mini-DTX/Mini-Itx 8 Bay Hot Swap 2.5"/3.5" SAS-12G/SAS-6G NAS Storage Case with 2X 120mm Dual Ball Bearing Fan, Black

The thing with this case is that it's essentially all about the SAS/SATA backplane. It exists for that and it's the main reason why one would buy this case... and it works as you'd expect. Been using it for a few days, did test hot-swapping capabilities. Running a bunch of SAS drivers in it. Happy with the case.It does have a few drawbacks though, so it's good to be aware.Ventilation in the case is quite poor and the case itself does nothing to help for noise, neither from fans nor from the disks themselves so do know that this won't be a super quiet build whatever it is you do. This is a case for mATX so you'd think you'd be able to put a couple of cards in there but, for example, I wouldn't be comfortable having my SAS controller in the "lower" slot without adding some fan to the controller itself because if I move it to said slot it'll get zero airflow. Attached a picture of how this would look for reference.The disks themselves depend on air being pulled in through them which you don't have a good way of ensuring. I've had to force my AIO coolers to a non-negligible minimum amount to guarantee they always have some air.Building in this case is not terrible but a few things can be fiddly sometimes, such as screwing the cages back in after you've places the fans on the side. Nothing major though. Speaking of those fans, they're not PWM in <current year argument>, and the fan connectors on the backplanes are 100% all of the time. Luckily I had a couple of Noctua voltage reducer cables around because while they're not proper screechers, they're far from silent on max.Finally, while researching I went through Silverstone's own website where someone asks if the case has every cable that's needed, to which they responded "yes" but that's not quite the case, as it comes with no SAS cables. The ones I bought were 90 degree ones but they're angled to the "wrong side" which was a bit unfortunate as they'd run straight into the power connectors for the backplanes. In the end, I'd have less trouble if I got straight cables, but was still able to use them.Those details in mind, this is still a great case and I'm happy with my purchase. The thing with this case is that it serves a quite specific niche of a NAS/small server type appliance; and it fits that case well. between 8 hot swap disks and another 2 2.5' drives, that's plenty of storage even if you're planning on separate log volumes for your ZFS pool and whatnot.The case CAN take another 2 (I believe) 2.5' on the side, instead of the fans but I wouldn't recommend it because of how starved for air the case is. At least, not if you're planning on using expansion cards (I mean, I wouldn't trust my controller without those fans on the side, at least).Good stuff, just be aware of what you're getting into so you can plan accordingly

Perhaps I should have another couple days to cool down before reviewing this...nah.So let me start off by saying I like this case, even though I was basically pigeonholed into getting it- there really are no other cases suitable for the build I got going on (B450, mATX, 8 drive bays). I like the way it looks, there are some really nice ergonomic features that are going to make daily use a breeze (doored off front panel, lock/key, power button makes me feel powerful, etc). The space inside to work in is spacious despite its compact size, and the rails for mounting fans/coolers/etc are modular, which is sweet. I have no graphics card or fancy cooler in my server, so it was especially easy to build in. Like a dummy, I thought my stock AMD cooler couldn't POSSIBLY not fit- well, it was a good thing I checked before build day, because they sure don't, but that is MY fault, not the product- they say clearly on there what does and does not fit. No problem, I got a beautiful noctua ultra low profile cooler.Blah blah blah, yeah it's really great. EXCEPT! The cable needed to connect the drive bays to your SATA ports. I concede that the manual (on the product description) says the TYPE of connector/cable needed, and that this is perhaps a product for a more sentient being than myself (I'm a monkey that just learned how to hold a screwdriver), however SAS to SATA cables are directional!??! Look, for the price of this case, could it kill them to offer a couple different cables? I understand system builders using this case may not have the same needs across the board, but I think it would be possible to include a couple of the specific cables needed to run the drives on a SATA board. If not, could they have at least had a description of EXACTLY what cables are needed with this case for ever scenario they could think of?I was so close, yall...I rush ordered two mini SAS to 4 SATA cables, only found on Newe- I mean...another site (because COVID makes it impossible to get certain things quick these days) and it turns out I got FORWARD breakout cables and I need REVERSE breakout cables! Of course! I must have missed that in Monkey Screwdriver Holding 101!Okay let me get over myself now. I only docked 1 star, because for the price, I think they could have provided cables. If not that, then detailed descriptions on their product pages. Oh, and also the bottom right drive bay is too tight or something, I can't get my drive in there. Not a problem for now (I'm only populating 4 for now), but I got pretty aggravated trying to shove that back in after the cable madness. Will have to look into this.By now you must be thinking, "how is a monkey able to type full sentences on a computer?" and to that I say- good question, but please try to focus; this is an Amazon review, not an Animal Planet documentary.For all you sentient beings out there, with your sysadmin-whosywhatsits and minecraft servers, this is seriously a great case. Price is a little up there, but that's because they have great drive bays, with solid air flow, power delivery, and (supposedly, though I can't possibly know this yet) good data connectivity. The thing looks great, feels great on my thighs, and I super recommend to those who know what they're doing!

Unfortunately, if you want this case, this is probably your best option.But it has many glaring flaws. Some of the screws aren't properly accessible, forcing you to use a screwdriver at an angle to screw/unscrew them. The overall layout is poorly designed and has a poor path of airflow, which leads to poor cooling performance. The case has no sound dampening to speak of. The front door feels flimsy and the locking mechanism could easily be broken through with the strength of a toddler. The PSU fan filter is mounted magnetically to the bottom of the case. This makes it a real pain to regularly clean when the case is loaded up with drives.For the price, this case should have a much better design and none of the screws should have to be screwed in from an angle because of framing that's in the way. Unfortunately, this is pretty much your only real option if you want a proper SAS backplane that connects via two SAS cables to your HBA. There simply isn't anything better available with the features.