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Enermax StarryKnight SK30 in the test: The ARGB lighting system still uses Molex connectors

Jul 27, 2022

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With the StarryKnight SK30, Enermax uses four ARGB fans and an airy grid front. In favor of the lighting, however, a closer look reveals considerable savings in several corners. At least the temperatures in the test can be described as extremely good.

Table of contents

1 The ARGB lighting system is still on to Molex connector
1. The case in detail
2. Installation and everyday experiences
3. Ventilation options and case specifications
2 Test results and measured values
1. Test system and methodology
2. Volume while idle and in games
3. CPU, VRM, SSD and RAM temperature
4. GPU temperature and fan speed
5. Measurements compared to others Cases
3 Price, availability and conclusion
1. Price and availability
2. Conclusion

The case in detail

The StarryKnight SK30 draws attention to itself with its almost full-surface mesh front, behind which three 140 mm fans with an angular RGB frame are slumbering. The front is made of plastic and is decorated with a metal strip in the upper and lower area. The front perforated grid is made of metal and is extremely stable. It does not dent even with selective pressure.

The glass on the left side of the case measures 4 mm, is dark-tinted and has a black frame of about two and a half centimeters in the edge area. In addition to two vertical extension shots, the rear of the housing initially offers little that is spectacular, although the rear in particular turns out to be a real disaster later on. The sides of the case are attached to the body with knurled screws.

The non-removable cover is home to the I/O panel, which is not easily accessible either under the table or standing on the table. The I/O panel is not on the front face as usual, but is almost in the middle of the lid on the StarryKnight SK30. USB 3.2 Gen 2 is not used for the connections. A conventional type C port is also searched for in vain. The dust filter on top is magnetic and protects the upper fan slots. It's different on the floor: The dust filter of the power supply unit is wedged in from all sides and cannot be removed easily. The housing must also always be tilted for cleaning.

The general external build quality is good at first glance. There are no wobbly components or sharp edges to be found and the torsional rigidity is consistently extremely stable. Only at the transition point between the lid and front area does the gap deviate from the norm, so that the transition looks a bit warped.

Simple interior with graphics-card holder

The interior of the Enermax StarryKnight SK30 is divided into two Divided into chambers, with the power supply and hard drive cage disappearing behind a screen in the floor area. As a small special feature of the front hardware chamber, the case offers a height-adjustable holding arm, which is intended to support overly long graphics cards.

On a positive note, Enermax thought of decoupling the glass side panel with foam struts. The power pack is also mounted on foam pads, which are glued in slightly crooked. The cable bushings, which are not rubberized and are open, are also unattractive. On the back, it is also quickly apparent that the case lacks options for cable management. There are only a few notches on the left side through which cable ties can be tinkered. Speaking of cables: There is not even 2 cm of space for them behind the mainboard carrier – too little, as will be shown later.

Behind the mainboard are two brackets for accommodating 2.5″ drives, which are inserted using rubberized screws. An ARGB hub is installed right next to it, which can control a total of six light sources. In addition to being controlled via the mainboard connection, the hub can also be operated manually. Using the reset button on the I/O panel, it is possible to switch through different lighting effects.

The hard disk cage installed in the floor area has only one carriage. It doesn't give a solid impression and is made of quite thin plastic, but at least has small damper rubbers. The last hard disk slot is located on the hard disk cage and is therefore extremely difficult to reach because the cage cannot be removed easily. To do this, the entire housing must first be laid on its side and the screw connection of the cage on the floor must be loosened.

As on the outside, the torsional stiffness is also very good on the inside. Almost all components are rolled at their edges, which ensures stability. The rest of the build quality is also okay, albeit (again) with the exception of the front. The plastic front can only be opened with great effort. The perforated sheet screwed into it has been folded over and punched out in a few places. When traversing the edges with your fingers, it is precisely those areas that show up as sharp-edged. There is no dust filter in favor of the airflow.

Installation and everyday experiences

Big problems at the rear

The installation of the mainboard is easy thanks to the spacious main chamber, but the project already stumbles with the graphics card – although that is to say the least. The bezel for the vertical expansion bays at the rear is directly above those for the horizontal (conventional) bays. In order to remove the bezel and install the graphics card, however, the entire component must first be removed, which costs unnecessary screws and time. This “construction error” is trumped by the actual expansion shafts, from which only the top sheet can be removed. The remaining six panels must be broken out when used. An absolute no-go and, above all, believed to be dead, which leads to extremely sharp fractures and was otherwise only known from very cheap cases from the early 2000s. With a bit of bad luck, a component on the mainboard also blocks the breaking out of the metal sheet, so that the entire main circuit board may have to be removed again.

The case in detail

Simple interior with graphics-card holder

Installation and everyday experiences

Fan options and case specifications