Assembly

Installing the mainboard is an easy task. Simply screw the board down. It just fits right between the rear wall and converter PCB.



You will have to install the hard drive of your choice first, before screwing down the ODD, When using a 3.5 inch one, make sure it is SATA based, as the shape of the cage does not allow for any other type of unit to be installed without blocking the connectors. Due to the smaller size, you are free to use any 2.5 inch variant - be it SATA or IDE.


On the other hand, if installing a 2.5 inch drive, the screws push against the slimline ODD, which can only be secured properly on one side. To fix this I used a piece of tape to hold the drive in place. Instead Viako should really redesign the cage, allowing you to screw down the drive on both sides.


Another issue, which is the result of such small dimensions is height of the memory modules. When using standard DIMMs along with a 3.5 inch drive, you will not be able to assemble the system as the cage collides with the modules. Luckily, you may just grab low-profile DIMMs or opt to install a 2.5 inch drive. The third, but less likely option would be a 3.5" drive which is a bit slimmer.

Finished Looks

Once everything is in place, the Viako ML-Style makes an awesome impression. In terms of design, the company has hit the nail on the head for a small & compact enclosure aimed at the HTPC environment. I have always been a friend of slot loading systems and this one is certainly no exception. On top of that the internal fan is sufficiently quiet, so that it will not end up disturbing you when watching your favorite clips from the couch.


Even though the eject button of the drive bay is quite simple, it does work well in applying enough pressure to the internal button.