SilverStone Fortress FT02: True Classics Never Go Out of Style
by Dustin Sklavos on August 15, 2011 12:00 AM EST- Posted in
- Cases/Cooling/PSUs
- SilverStone
- Full-Tower
Noise and Thermal Testing, Overclocked
Remember when I mentioned the DigitalStorm BlackOps using the SilverStone FT02 for cooling, and its stellar noise and thermal performance? Now we're going to apply some very real pressure to the FT02, and this is where it should start to really acquit itself.
Unfortunately thermal performance doesn't quite work out that way. While the CPU temps are still reasonably low and most of the cases are bunching up at the top of the chart, the RV03 is actually able to keep the processor nearly 5C cooler under load. Graphics card temperatures, on the other hand, are among the lowest we've recorded, suggesting the FT02 may, if nothing else, be ideal for multi-GPU setups.
When we test acoustics, though, the FT02 comes out ahead. Under load it's one of the quieter cases we've tested (at least at low fan speed), and winds up actually being one of the more efficient designs. The Level 10 GT still manages to produce better performance overall, though.
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TheYeti - Tuesday, August 16, 2011 - link
But seriously, positive pressure cases always out perform negative pressure cases in cooling tests. Fans will often increase air pressure by 2 psi, or 12%. vs the same pressure drop you might get 25% more cooling, maybe even more since the intake fans are supplying the exhaust fans, not fighting them for air.The trade off for positive pressure cases has always been the noise that they produce. I like the way that was managed by letting the carpet eat it up.
shenjing - Tuesday, August 16, 2011 - link
Come go and see, will not regret it Oh lookhttp://www。ifancyshop。com
dac7nco - Wednesday, August 17, 2011 - link
some of these guys have legit beefs with the review. I may know 1 person in 50 who still uses a Zalman CPU cooler, and they would probably be rocking a C2D or AM2 CPU. As to snapping the "roof" off of the case to access USB3 ports... look at yourself in the mirror and recommend that. I've built systems with this case and Pus/Pull Megahalems you wouldn't believe had fans at all. Yes, I hate the dreadlocks out of the rear: being able to daisy-chain displayport ala SCSI will clean that up a LOT.A tip: I've found that rigid toslink (optical audio) cables don't clear the closed roof well... look for "thin".
Daimon
dac7nco - Wednesday, August 17, 2011 - link
Edit: and your love for Lian Li's side-mounted optical bays is bizarre. Those are an abomination, which I'm sure you fancy, but have never used. New to this, eh?hurrakan - Thursday, August 18, 2011 - link
I've been planning to get this case for my next build.scan.co.uk seem to have a new version with USB 3:
http://www.scan.co.uk/products/silverstone-fortres...
bramdb - Thursday, August 18, 2011 - link
I just emailed SilverStone sales with a request to give me a price for the part. My request got forwarded to RMA EU (I live in Slovakia).Here's the result:
part (no G113032): 20 euro
shippping: 19 euro
VAT on both: 7,58 euro
total cost: 47,48 EURO
outrageous!
I expected it to be somewhere around 10 euro for the part (they're already making a profit like that) and another 5 or so for the shipping (this thing fits in a bubblewrap).
This is the last time I bought a Silverstone case with this kind of aftersales on such a high-end product.
Gonemad - Thursday, August 18, 2011 - link
I guess vertical (90º rotated, whatever) cases like this are not something extraordinary, but I guess they are not exactly common either. I've been under a rock in the past 6 months and didn't see many of them, nor I know anybody that owns one. So I ask this, isn't it a bit of a concern the PCI-E socket being forced in a specific direction (I am trying to say short-circuit sliding here) specially if the case is under a desk where it may be close to people with 'happy' feet?Y'know, won't some bumping and nudging cripple the graphics cards, especially our 2-pound gaming rigs? Yes, mine is screwed tight and all, but running it on vertical still looks dangerous to me. Bending it on the side, OTOH, never appealed to me either. I'm still looking for a good design in desktop fashion, where the card sit its weight straight on the slot...
On another view, USB ports are closer and more usable than ever. Instead of being tucked in the back, they are on top, which is great for cases that will be on lower shelves. I liked the design, and I'll look into it...
Bobben49 - Sunday, August 24, 2014 - link
I've been running vertically for 3 1/2 years and have never had a problem with card slippage even with double wide dual-fan video cards. The FT02 are very well manufactures so that the cards line up perfectly and the steel of the superstructure is stiff and thick enough that it does not warp down and the screws holding the card ends don't strip their threading. The thing weights over 30 pounds empty and is built solid as a tank.Oxygen12 - Tuesday, September 15, 2020 - link
I have an FT02 since 2013 and still using it. I still like the case despite it's many quirks and shortcomings. I would buy an updated version in a heartbeat.Something I really don't understand with these results are the temps between low/high modes under idle. Under Idle: Almost always the results seem to show a much lower temp for CPU/GPU on the low fan setting compared to the high fan setting - that is completely counter-intuitive - a higher fan speed should have a lower temp at idle than a lower fan setting. At Load: The high fan setting manages to edge out the temps vs the low fan setting, this directionally seems correct, but i would have expected a bigger difference.
What I conclude from this, is the tests done at the high fan speed had a significantly higher ambient temperature than when the tests were performed at low fan speed. It just doesn't make sense any other way to me - someone correct me please.