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The Fortress FT05 represent SilverStone's continued dedication in improving and reinventing computer chassis design. Similar to the RAVEN RV05, it no longer has any 5.25" drive bay and utilizes SilverStone's fame 90 degree rotated design. Previous full ATX SilverStone chassis with 90-degree layout often had to compromise on space efficiency due to fixed length of the motherboard in rotated orientation. So the elimination of 5.25" bays solves this issue naturally and enables FT05 to be not only more balanced in proportion but stunning in its design thanks to its thick wrap-around aluminum exterior.
With majority of wasted space eliminated, the FT05 is better optimized for components that affect performance the most such as CPU and GPUs. The result is an expertly-engineered ATX chassis that is just as capable in terms of compute power and heat dissipation as the first RAVEN chassis, the RV01, but in half the size. Equipped with latest revision Air Penetrator fans that include three speed switches and modern touches such as externally removable filters and tool-less panels, the FT05 has everything that PC enthusiasts could wish for in a compact, high performance computer chassis that is not only cool and quiet, but also easy to build and maintain. For those not wanting to constantly step up in chassis size to obtain top-level performance, the Fortress FT05 is perhaps the best and most beautiful solution.
Aluminum wrap-around exterior with classic SilverStone Fortress styling
Revolutionary 90-degree motherboard mounting enables stack effect for natural heat convection
Two Air Penetrator fans included for great performance and quietness
Foam padded interior for advanced noise absorption
Foam padded bottom panel for additional noise absorption
Quick-release latch for fast side panel removal
Exterior access to main filter for easy maintenance
Top cover close up view
Supports two easy access drive bays with thumb screw design
Top-mounted stealth I/O ports include microphone, audio and two USB 3.0 ports
Two 2.5" SSD/HDD slots on the backplate
Support for various liquid cooling radiator sizes
Slim slot-loading optical drive slot
Independent PSU intake vent prevents waste heat circulation
Model No. | SST-FT05B (black) | |
SST-FT05S (silver) | ||
SST-FT05B-W (black + window) | ||
SST-FT05S-W (silver + window) | ||
Material | Aluminum front, bottom, and rear panels, steel body | |
Motherboard | SSI-CEB, ATX, Micro-ATX | |
Drive Bay | External | Slim slot-loading optical x 1 |
-- | ||
Internal | 3.5" x 2, 2.5" x 2 | |
Cooling System | Front | -- |
Rear | -- | |
Side | -- | |
Top | 120mm fan slot x 1 | |
Bottom | 180mm AP fan x 2, 600/900/1200RPM, 17/25/34dBA
Downward compatible with 120mm fan x 3, or 140mm fan x 2 |
|
Internal | -- | |
Expansion Slot | 7 | |
Front I/O Port | USB 3.0 x 2
Audio x 1 MIC x 1 |
|
Power Supply | Optional PS2 (ATX) | |
Expansion Card | Compatible with 12.3" long, width restriction – 6.57" | |
Max. CPU Cooler Size | 6.3 in. (162mm) | |
Net Weight | 21 lbs (9.5kg) | |
Dimensions (W x H x D) | 8.7 x 19 x 16.8 in. (221 x 483 x 427mm), 2807 cubic inches (46 liters) |
Pros: This case met my [very demanding] expectations.
Cons: * Any noise produced by components within the case will not be suppressed. I was careful about the video card and CPU cooler and almost exclusively use SSDs, so they are a non-issue. However, I have a large spinning disk to hold simulated environments for testing, and whenever I need to use it the case goes from one of the quietest I've dealt with to quite noisy. * This case has *zero* protection from a spill above the case. Make sure you place it where something solid is above it (far enough away to not block airflow), or that you never have liquids of any kind in the vicinity. Open vent holes for every system component are at the top of the case, and the cover is just an open grate. When taking this case outside, you'll want to have a waterproof cover on it, or potentially carry it upside down (or both). * The space between the "rear panel" connections and the top cover of the case is limited. If anything is too long and not flexible - such as an HDMI-to-DVI dongle + DVI cable - you will not be able to put the top cover on. I ordered a new cable to directly connect a DVI monitor to DisplayPort on the video card to resolve this. My heavy-duty dual-link DVI cable does not interfere when plugged directly into the video card. Only the combination of a dongle with a cable caused a problem (but see the next point). * The cover for the front panel audio and USB connectors may interfere with access to motherboard ports at the very top edge of the motherboard. For my Sabertooth X99 board, this is specifically the four USB 2.0 ports - only very low-profile (or very flexible) USB connectors can be plugged in here to keep the front panel connectors usable. * The front panel audio jack "holds on very strongly" to some connectors. It's very difficult to unplug my Sennheiser Momentums; however, it doesn't cause a problem at all for my Sennheiser HD280 Pros. YMMV?
Overall Review: Know these things before you assemble: 1. If you plan to use 3.5" drives, pay attention to the space limitations for the power supply. The SeaSonic SS-860XP2 I have fits fine, but it is the limit in every dimension. 2. The dust cover for the power supply is magnetic, and goes on the outside of the case. 3. The dust cover for the main fans is magnetic. Pull it straight down, then out either side. 4. The top and side panels come off easily with built-in latches, but everything else will require a screwdriver. Other thoughts: * If your power supply has a toggle switch, make sure not to hit it while routing cables under the top cover. It's easier to do than you think. * Dust protection is reduced whenever the system is off because the top is open. However, it remains vastly above average. * If you don't like flashing lights, the 90º rotation may have a surprise for you - with the case on the floor you will have direct line of sight to the ethernet connectors of your motherboard. And for built-in ethernet ports (as opposed to PCIe cards), they are right at the front of the case so tucking it under a desk might not be enough to hide them. * The case is bigger than one might expect, but part of the size is the additional space to include cables previously connected to the rear of the computer. * I wish the reset button in particular had a cover or other protection. While I can disable the power button behavior inside the OS, I'm afraid I'll bump the reset button while unplugging a USB connection from the top panel in the dark. System Specs: * SilverStone FT05B * Asus Sabertooth X99 * Intel Xeon E5-2697 v3 * ThermalRight Macho Rev B * SeaSonic SS-860XP2 860W power supply * Intel 750 PCIe 1.2TB SSD * Crucial M500 960G SSD * Crucial M4 256G SSD * Seagate ST6000 6TB spinning disk * EVGA GTX 960