Epilogue
From its spacious interior to its customizable features, this chassis stands out as a top-tier choice for enthusiasts and newcomers alike. The Dark Base Pro 901 ticks almost all the boxes for the enthusiast user population. The long list of included parts offers options that can cover the demands of most users, even if they change, as long as chassis size is not a limiting factor. The build quality is superb, and the case looks appealing, at least to my eyes. Nothing is perfect, though, and since I am extra picky, especially with expensive products, I couldn’t help but notice some shortcomings, which I list below:
- The fan PWM controllers should be fed through thicker cables, especially the one further away from the I/O where it takes power, to support stronger fans.
- There is no ARGB controller, while other less expensive cases come with one.
- The bottom cover hiding the 5.25″ slot is too hard to open for no reason!
- Only two HDD cages are provided. You have to buy any extra you need. In my opinion, one more should be provided (ideally two).
The cons are not so many, but the pros are many, including the high versatility that future-proofs this case. Choosing between a silent and high airflow configuration is also a vital asset. In my tests, mainly because of a lack of available time, I conducted noise analysis and thermal measurements with the noise-damping parts in place, given that this product is from a brand devoted to silent computing. Removing the sound-damping panels will improve thermal performance since the hot air won’t be trapped inside the chassis, and airflow will be increased. Still, it will also affect the sound-damping performance. Unfortunately, you cannot have it all. If you want high damping performance, you need to isolate the case’s interior from the outside world, which leads to increased temperatures, so you have to decide what you desire more: silence or lower operating temperatures, which can provide a slight performance boost.
Overall, the be quiet! Dark Base Pro 901 is a super-tower with fantastic build quality, nice features, and a sky-high price. If you want to install your GPU vertically, there is plenty of space to do that, but you will be shocked once you find out the cost of the compatible PCIe riser cable/base from be quiet! With a quick search I made on Amazon, I saw it at around 90 dollars, which is bloody expensive. With that amount, you buy a decent chassis! It doesn’t come cheap in Europe, costing more than 60 euros.
- Nice exterior design
- Modular design
- Vast interior space allows for effortless PC builds
- Two configurations for noise-damping or high airflow
- It comes with three high-quality fans (Silent Wings 4 PWM 140mm)
- It can take up to eleven (11) fans
- Qi wireless charging pad
- Touch buttons for fan and ARGB chassis control
- 5x USB (4x Type-A & 1x Type-C) ports on the I/O panel
- Type-C USB port in the I/O panel with up to 20Gbps support
- Dust filters on all intake areas (side, top, front, bottom)
- Support for large PSUs (up to 325mm depth)
- Support for up to 495mm long graphics cards
- Support for up to 190mm high CPU coolers
- Increased water cooling support
- Vertical GPU mount option (optional, super expensive, hardware required)
- GPU holder bracket with dual purpose (supporting the GPU and hiding power cables)
- Very good noise-damping performance
- Large enough cut-out behind the mainboard
- Expensive (the same goes for the cost of the PCIe riser bracket)
- It is too hard to open the bottom drive cover
- Support for only two 3.5″ out of the box
- A stronger fan PWM/ARGB controller would be nice
Thorough, spot on review, as usual. Every review I’ve seen on this site so far is superb, even preferable to most found on some of the more ubiquitous sites.
This flagship Dark Base chassis from beQuiet!, even if a tad pricey, is likely their best, & one of the best on the market. The only disappointment (for me), is unlike their Silent Base & Pure Base series chasses, the Dark Base has no choice for a solid, non tempered glass solid side panel. While said choice is important to some, for most its a non-issue.
It would be good to have a section on memory cooling as well. Heavy memory OC is greatly affected when temps get too high.
While it will add more time to the review process, I think it would be great if you could add a section for noise normalized and fan normalized measurements. I imagine a 1 front intake and 1 exhaust 120mm fan would be suitable for 90% of cases while providing good data for those who plan to use aftermarket fans.
Thank you for your suggestions! Noise normalized, I do already, using the fans of the chassis. Fan normalized is a huge pain for me. Only if I find someone here to completely handle chassis since they are killing me.