SilverStone Fortress FT02 Computer Case

Enthusiasts today struggle with cooling high-performance systems whose processors and graphics cards can suck down 600 watts or more of power under load. Every watt consumed eventually ends up as heat, and getting all that heat out of a computer case can be a real challenge, especially with air cooling. An overclocked and overvolted processor combined with one or more high-performance graphics cards produces an immense amount of heat, which will limit the performance available to overclockers as well as potentially shortening component life. SilverStone's latest attempt to design the ultimate air-cooled enthusiast case is the SilverStone Fortress FT02, an aluminum and steel enclosure whose unique design brings both benefits and drawbacks.

It's all about thermal management, and various manufacturers have stepped up with a variety of solutions. There's the "big case with a lot of fans" design, typified by the Cooler Master HAF series and the new NZXT Phantom, as well as the "isolated thermal zones" school of thought, embraced by the Corsair Obsidian 800D and taken to its ultimate expression by the Thermaltake Level 10. All-in-one liquid cooling systems like the Corsair H50 and CoolIt Systems ECO ALC represent the next step, although these solutions bring their own problems, and users must be aware of potentially limited airflow over processor VRMs and system memory.

Although SilverStone builds power supplies and cooling systems and storage solutions, most enthusiasts know them for their cases. Their "Temjin" line of high end all aluminum cases were among the first to inrtroduce such features as dedicated GPU cooling (in the TJ10) and separate thermal zones (in the TJ07); they're also one of the few companies that ever produced an ESA (Enthusiast System Architecture) compliant case. According to SilverStone, the Fortress FT02 is "For professionals and enthusiasts looking to build a silent workstation or gaming machine with maximum performance."

Manufacturer: SilverStone Technology Corporation
Product Name: Fortress FT02
Model Number: SST FT02S-W
Price As Tested: $239.99

Full disclosure: The product used in this review was supplied by SilverStone Technology Coporation.

Fortress FT02 Features

• Revolutionary 90 degree motherboard mounting from RAVEN RV01
• Innovative 4.5mm aluminum unibody frame from Temjin TJ07
• Three 180mm fans for unprecedented positive pressure and stack effect cooling
• Supports liquid cooling radiator mounting
• Motherboard back plate opening behind CPU area for quick cooler assembly
• Supports 11" wide ATX motherboard
• Foam padded interior for advanced noise absorption

Fortress FT02 Specifications

Features and specifications provided by SilverStone Technology Corporation

Let's unbox this case and see if it lives up to the claims...

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