Page 4 - Installation and Conclusion
There are a few different ways to install all the required components in a computer case. I like to install the power supply first, as it means the user can manage all of the thicker cables before other parts get in the way. Another important part of building in the SilverStone FARA 512Z is figuring out all the fan cables. There are quite a few of them, especially with the ARGB lighting connectors. Managing them well and channeling them through the right routes is crucial. A SATA power cable is needed to provide power to the fan hub. I did not have any drives to install on the back of the case, but the rails work well, and the installation should be quick and easy. All the required screws are found in the included bag and the online manual denotes where each size of screw can be used. As noted on the previous page, you may need to move the drive bay at the back depending on how long your ATX power supply is with cables attached.
Afterwards, I installed the motherboard and plugged in all the required cables. All the required standoffs are preinstalled for an ATX motherboard. There are cutouts on top of the power supply shroud, which help to route the front I/O connectors to the motherboard. Towards the side of the 24-pin connector, there is a large opening that spans the entirety of the motherboard. You can use this for SATA cables and the front USB header, as the cables are mostly hidden. A graphics card support bracket can be mounted in the cable routing channel to help prevent a card from sagging, but I did not end up using it.
After installing all the components and plugging everything else in, I started up the computer to get a sense of how loud the fans are. Some work is required to tune the fan speed and curve, since by default the fans are quite loud. After playing around with it a bit, and with 0 being quiet and 10 being loud, the SilverStone FARA 512Z easily sits at a 4.0/10 in my opinion. It is a bit louder than I would have liked. But with speakers playing or headphones on, the sound is tolerable. Unfortunately, I could not get the LEDs for one of the fans to work. I tried plugging everything in and out, changing where each fan is plugged in, but still could not make a difference. This might be a one-off problem, as the fan is spinning but the lights are not working. Overall, the SilverStone FARA 512Z is easy to build in with decent cable management capabilities. All the base requirements are there, making it a positive experience.
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After taking a look at the SilverStone FARA 512Z, we can see this case provides plenty of flexibility and airflow. Its biggest strength is the cooling capabilities it offers. This includes space for two large radiators in the case, with room for a 280mm unit at the top and a 360mm one in the front. Out of the box, we have three ARGB LED fans and a mesh front panel to allow for an uninterrupted path of intake air. High-powered components can be installed with confidence knowing the cooling and clearance is sufficient in the FARA 512Z. The graphics card bracket also ensures even larger GPUs are supported here. The SilverStone FARA 512Z allows quite a bit of customization as well with the rotatable seven expansion slots for vertical installation. The fan and ARGB lighting hub is a helpful piece of hardware to control the fans via a single header and synchronize any ARGB LEDs connected. On the other hand, the price for the SilverStone FARA 512Z is $110, which is about what I might expect. Even so, there are still improvements I would want to see. First, I would want higher quality dust filters, better cable management options with Velcro straps instead of zip ties, more rubber grommets on other cabling holes, and captive thumbscrews for the side panels. I also would like an exhaust fan included to push hot air out. Its storage capabilities are a bit limited here, especially if you have more drives, but this is just something you will have to keep in mind. Finally, the included fans are a bit louder than I would like. Overall, the SilverStone FARA 512Z is a good case with strong airflow capabilities.
SilverStone provided this product to APH Networks for the purpose of evaluation.
APH Networks Review Focus Summary:
7/10 means Great product with many advantages and certain insignificant drawbacks, but should be considered before purchasing.
-- Final APH Networks Numeric Rating is 7.0/10
Please note that the APH Networks Numeric Rating system is based off our proprietary guidelines in the Review Focus, and should not be compared to other publications.
The SilverStone FARA 512Z is a high airflow ATX computer case with built-in ARGB lighting capabilities.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. Physical Look - Outside
3. Physical Look - Inside
4. Installation and Conclusion
