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(More customer reviews)It pains me to give such an expensive case less than 5 stars, mainly because I paid for it. I had high hopes for it.
First, the main reason for buying this case. It is beautiful. Not flashy at all (though you can get the version with a window and bling it up with lights if that is more your taste). It also looks very wide, though it's only about 1/2" wider than my Antec P180.
If you decide to get this case, I strongly urge you to inspect it before putting components in. I had two minor issues that took me a long time to fix. The top fan popped out of its housing (possibly during shipping) and two of the three rubber grommet / C channel around one of the wire guides were loose. In order to get the fan back in, I had to disassemble part of the top railing that holds in the front panel, and loosen one of its screws. The rubber grommet just needs to be pushed in, but it was a pain to do it when I've already routed wire through it. I'm a little disappointed at the QC here. I expected more of such an expensive case.
Let's talk about the absolute worst thing about this case first. The top fan. There is no way to remove the filter without serious disassembly. The filter is removable, but pull it out about 1/3 of the way and it is obstructed by the top panel I/O connectors. Not very intelligent design. This is the main flaw that to me cost the case its one star. Followed closely behind is the lack of a removable filter for the PSU intake. However, you can always mount your PSU upside down (not drawing air from the outside) to prevent dust buildup.
There's also surprisingly few accessories. For example, while it is able to fit 7 hard drives, there's only one "hot swap" CP-05 cable. I purchased two more from another retailer. They're about $5 each. There's also no speaker, which I don't mind, but it would have been nice to include one of those tiny speakers that plug directly into the motherboard. It would help with troubleshooting your build by enabling you to hear the POST beeps. Fortunately for me I had one around. There's also no 5 1/4" to 3.5" adapter / front plate. While floppies may be close to being extinct, some people may want a card reader on their front panel. Silverstone offers one - about $20 extra.
The side panels are covered in foam, supposedly for noise reduction. It is a very thin and light weight foam, and does nothing to reduce noise.
Items specific to my build : I have an Asus P6T motherboard, Corsair 650TX power supply, XFX ATI 4870 and Noctua NH-U12P SE (only one fan, pushing, installed - with the 180mm fan above and 120mm fan close behind, I think another fan would be overkill). The EPS-12V cables can barely reach the connector at the top of the motherboard, routed behind the motherboard tray. There's not much clearance from the top of the Noctua to the side panel, which surprised me. I didn't realize the Noctua is so tall. It is also rather difficult plugging SATA cables into the motherboard - there's not a lot of space between the angled motherboard SATA connectors and the "lip" on the motherboard tray. I had no trouble installing the graphics card - some of my older cases has this a little protrusion on the back of the case between PCI slots to help hold a card more securely, the FT01 does not so will not obstruct double wide cards. Finally, there is a lot of unused cables at the bottom of the case that I have a hard time figuring out how to make tidy. In hindsight I should have picked a modular cable power supply.
The 5 1/4" tool-less retention mechanism actually works pretty well. I tested it, and it appears to hold my DVD drive firmly in place. However, I fastened the two screws on the other side anyway just in case. I don't plan on swapping 5 1/4" devices often, and I'd be just as happy without the tool-less mechanism. In fact, if it helps cut the price a little, I'm all for losing it.
The drive sleds are fairly soft plastic. The drives are attached by shoulder bolts and grommets to help reduce vibration, though the mechanism looks more like a check-list item ("yes we have that") instead of a good design, like the one in the Antec P180. Using the CP-05 "hot swap" mechanism, the sled goes in easily, but I had a hard time removing it. Unlike industrial strength drive sleds, opening the arm will not eject the drive. Remember, this is soft plastic. I had to coax the drive out by inserting my fingers down both sides of the cage and push it out. Anyway, I can't see myself hot swapping drives much if I have to open up the side panel to do it. If hot swapping internal drives is important to you, look at Cooler Master's RC-930.
Anyone who's read this far, I won't take up much more of your time. Here's a list of pros, cons and other observations.
Pros:
Beautiful finish, simple good looks. Solid construction.
Attention to details (rubber grommets around wire guides, no sharp edges, fan guards inside as well as outside)
No doors (the P180's door blocks access to the power button - stupid)
USB and firewire connectors at the top - convenient for units placed on the floor
Headphone / mic connectors wired for both HD-Audio and AC-97.
180mm fans provide lots of airflow, for less noise than a smaller fan
Positive pressure reduces dust in the case
Holes for water cooling hoses
Cons:
Top fan filter and PSU intake filter not removable
QC issues (top fan and grommet - see text for details)
Front power button feels "mushy" - the top RESET button feels better, in fact. Hmm...
Drive sled is soft plastic and does not "eject" when using CP-05.
Only one CP-05 included
No eSATA port
System with 7 HDDs would block just about all incoming airflow from front
No external 3.5" bays
Top USB port will prevent thicker devices from plugging in (e.g. some USB camcorders)
It's going to be hard to replace 180mm fans if they fail - both finding the replacement as well as installing it
Observations:
There are steel parts in the case. The motherboard is steel, though it is not the unattractive, powdery type of steel in cheaper cases, but has a nice reflective finish. There are a few other steel parts where structural strength is important.
No tool-less mechanism for PCI cards (personally I prefer it this way)
Remove unused drive sleds for better cooling
For a case in this class, you might want to check out Cooler Master ATCS 840, or wait for the Silverstone FT02.
I will update this review with performance and more observations once I had a chance to test it, but from various online reviews, it's an adequate to good performer.
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Product Description:
More than two years after the introduction of the world's first uni-body PC chassis, the SilverStone Temjin TJ07, a new product line was created to extend this unique construction further into other applications. The first model for this line is the Fortress FT01, which sports the same super strong uni-body frame as its predecessor but with even more sleeker profile thanks to its smaller size. Designed with positive air pressure concept, it enables better cooling performance than traditional chassis but also helps to prevent dust from penetrating into the chassis by use of filters on intake fans and forcing air out of the chassis through unfiltered vents and gaps. Comprised of modern touches such as quick release drive cages and dual 180mm fans, this case is easily the top choice for anyone looking to assemble a top of the line midsize system.
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