Page 2 - Physical Look - Outside
As with my taste in how cases should look, I am slowly moving towards cleaner looking chassis such as the Fortress FT05 we have today. I'm not saying that the Raven series I have reviewed previously are bad; SilverStone makes great cases, regardless if it is the Fortress series or the Raven series. Our Editor-in-Chief Jonathan has reviewed the Raven RV05, in which SilverStone has drastically cleaned up the design while keeping it looking aggressive. Turning our heads back to the Fortress series, the FT05 is, of course, the RV05's cousin, but with a much more conservative and cleaner look. However, it still looks like a computer case rather than a mini fridge, as many of you may have seen when we reviewed Fractal Design cases. The black colored Fortress FT05 is constructed with a series of aluminum and steel panels in a box-like shape, contrasting to the Raven RV05, where it has more angled cutoffs. I find the FT05 has a much cleaner style to it, and it seems like it is a good mix between the RV05 with the aggressive look, and some Fractal Design cases where they look more like mini fridges. This theme is consistent on all panels of the chassis, in which you will see in the upcoming photos. Overall, I think SilverStone has done an excellent job in the build quality of the case in designing something that looks clean and solid, all without looking too flashy at the same time. As far as exterior looks goes, I have no complaints in this regard.
Our review unit of the SilverStone Fortress FT05 came with a window, but for those that prefer a more sedate appearance, there is one without the window. As you can see from above, there is a decently sized window to showcase your fancy interior components, but I would have preferred a slightly larger window to further enhance the idea of displaying my hardware. Either way, I am happy with the size of the opening, as it still displays a good amount. Additionally, There are reflective plastic strips around the chassis near the bottom, which adds a nice touch of elegance. This also serves as a visual separation between the usable space above, and the gap below, used for cool air intake. As you may have noticed, there is a panel at the bottom as well, in which I will get into more details later on this page. The front reflective panel will also glow with the company name and logo, but you will see more of this in just a moment.
According to SilverStone's measurements, the Fortress FT05 comes in at 221mm in width, 483mm in height, and 427mm in depth. These dimensions are pretty standard for an average mid-sized ATX computer case, but is significantly smaller than its predecessor, the Fortress FT04, as reviewed by Yours Truly. You will notice there are no standard 5.25" bays for loading standard sized optical drives, but rather, there is a slot for a slim optical drive instead, which you will see on the next page. Frankly, most people do not use optical drives anymore, and if you still need one, well, you can always get yourself a slim or external one for a decent price. The latest revision of the Fortress tips the scale at 9.5 kilograms, or 20.9 pounds. This adds quite a bit of weight, especially compared to the Raven RV05 at 15.2 pounds. It is not that the weight is not kept in check; the front, bottom, and rear panel are all aluminum. The rest are either plastic or steel.
On many other cases, you will see the standard layout on the back, with the usual I/O panel and other features. However, the Fortress FT05 has a rotated motherboard tray, which puts those standard features at the top. Instead, what you will see here is an opening to feed all your cables through, which helps serves as a tidying job in keeping a part of the cables hidden. You will also be presented with a regular opening, and a magnetic dust filter for the power supply's air intake. This keeps the exterior design clean, while keeping the nasty stuff out of your power supply. The ninety degree rotated motherboard design can also be seen on the Raven RV03 and RV05 chassis, also made by SilverStone.
The front panel connectors are placed at the top of the Fortress FT05, and is hidden by a small plastic cover with a design consistent with the removable top panel. It is accessible whether your computer is up against the wall, on the floor, or up on a table, which is definitely a plus. In addition to the USB 3.0 ports and audio jacks, there is a set of two fan controllers to the right, which are labeled H and L for high and low, respectively. Although not labeled, you can also control the fans at a medium setting as well. The only minor complaint I have in this section is that the headphone and microphone jacks are not labeled, and it may be frustrating for some users that want to quickly listen to some tunes. It would have been nice to have some extra USB ports, even if they were USB 2.0, but this is not that big of a deal, as there is easy access of the motherboard I/O panel anyway. The power and reset buttons are nicely integrated on the left and right side, respectively.
Here is a shot at the top of the Fortress FT05. This corresponds to the back of most standard ATX chassis with a bottom mounted power supply bay, except rotated at ninety degrees. Thus, the top becomes the rear, and the rear is now the new bottom. It comes with some additional ventilation holes for rising heat to escape. Additionally, there is a 120mm fan opening for those who want to optionally install a 120mm fan, with your fingers protected by the honeycomb mesh implemented as part of the case. Next to it, and from top-down order, there is the motherboard I/O panel, seven expansion slots, and power supply bay opening. There are also two bars that brace the left and right together, which acts as a guide for the top panel to slide and lock in place. Both side panels can be removed once the top panel is taken out, and users can slide them up via the tool-free latches that hold them in place.
Flipping the Fortress FT05 on its head, you will find that there is yet another panel covering the bottom of the chassis, held in by six Philips-head screws on both ends. This keeps the overall design clean and consistent, while also serving as a solid foundation. The additional four rubber feet serves as vibration dampeners, as well as preventing scratch marks on surfaces that can easily be damaged. Removing this panel will ease the installation of bottom mounted fans, in which I will dig into further detail on the next page. You will be glad to find another dust filter on the other side of this panel to keep stuff from entering your system through the bottom. The filter is magnetically mounted, and is easily accessed from the 3cm gap on either side of the case. Two 180mm Air Penetrator AP181 fans are pre-installed out of the box. These can be swapped out for up to three 120mm fans or two 140mm fans of your choice. These are the kinds of details I definitely appreciate.
To be honest, I'm not big into more openings around the case, especially on the top panel as there will always be settling dust. SilverStone's positive air pressure will push the dust out rather than drawing air in, and it does indeed work, but I find I do not have my computer on 24/7, and many users may be in the same situation. There is an optional 120mm fan that will help keep dust out in addition to pushing out hot air, but if you turn your PC off at night, then it may become an issue. However, the rotated motherboard design here is mainly for better airflow and heat exhaustion, which, to some people, are more important than the setting dust issue. Besides, it is much easier to clean out dust, especially with a can of compressed air, rather than having your hardware warm up too much. I would recommend putting a dust filter on the top as well to keep out settling dust, but this will definitely impede airflow. For now, I think it is best to put a bag over your computer at night to alliterate this issue.. It is important to point out at the time of review, the FT05, along with the RV05, are cases with some of the best airflow available out of the box in the market today.
Overall, the SilverStone Fortress FT05 is a solidly built case. All of the panels fit together extremely well with next to no panel gaps. Nothing feels flimsy or cheap, and there were no sharp edges or corners. In fact, all the comers were rounded off, which adds a nice touch. The amount of attention in building this case is noticeable, just as we have expected from SilverStone.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. Physical Look - Outside
3. Physical Look - Inside
4. Installation and Conclusion
