New Silverstone FT02

FT02 Questions:

Can the inside steel frame be removed from the outer aluminum frame?
How is the aluminum body attached to the steel frame?
Can the I/O ports(USB sockets) be removed? Would like to replace them with 4 3.0 ports.
Can the 180mm fans be attached directly to the bottom of the case without the filter holders?
 
Anyone have a recommendation on a good LGA 1366 heatsink/fan to use for this case? about to pull the trigger on a new system using the FT02 but not sure if I should stick with the stock hsf for a i7 930 or if there's a good aftermarket one I should consider to work with this case.
 
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FalconSS said:
I will say the the FT-02 has totally impressed me. I've never spent this much for a case and it is totally worth it after actually having it. It looks even better then it does on the nets and the build quality is incredible.
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Ditto. None of the photos that I have seen online do it justice.
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gE80AMn1BBI&feature=response_watch

The guy updated his video with close ups of his Silver FT02. Much better this time.
The silver version looks more high end IMO. The downside about silver cases is they show all of the imperfections, like gaps and misalignment's in the panels.

Also I'm torn between the FT02 and 800D. Has anyone here owned both cases?
Which one you feel is better and why?
 
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Isn't that a bit of an apples to oranges comparison? The 800D should be much better for (and some argue was made for) water-cooling, whereas the FT02 targets strong air-cooled performance. Check out part 5 of the "Time To Live Customs" YouTube video review of the Obsidian:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9yMF6etqAw

The 800D can be modified up to work effectively as an air-cooling rig, but isn't really set up for that in stock form. If you're looking to water-cool, though, there's much more allowance for that in the Obsidian than in the Fortress.
 
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Exactly. I'm comparing apples to oranges, that's why it's hard to make a decision. lol

One I can just bite into(FT02) and the other I have to prep and peel(800D).
 
I've been in the same boat World. With two systems to build from scratch and neither yet fully complete, we've been constantly weighing chassis decisions of cost vs performance vs aesthetics. So far, as long as we decide to skip watercooling (which I'm still up in the air about given the added cost), our choices are likely the ft02 in silver and (depending on price) a red Lian Li pc-8fi. There's still a slim chance some new case will show up at CeBit in early March, but whether or not such a case would hit retail before summer temps kick in is doubtful.

The alternative is to build your own from scratch. I've been pricing out materials the last two weeks and excluding the almighty time sink of labor, it'll probably cost closer to $300+ to build a case that is close to what we want. Really, it'd cost closer to $500-600, but I tried to be budget minded. Given those considerations, the ft02's exorbitant price isn't so outrageous and Silverstone's case even has tweaks I can't mimic w/o incurring a HUGE cost penalty.
 
The only real reason I'm considering the FT02 is because the motherboard is rotated 90 degrees. Other than that I wouldn't buy it since there are other cases that can cool very well also. I'm interested in watercooling and the 800D case looks great with it. I would have to sell the FT02 because the WC potential is limited by the length of the GPUs and it will be cluttered inside.

The FT02 was built for air and the 800D was built for water. I think the WC potential is more important because you can keep the case you bought if you consider it in the future, rather than selling the case that can't do the job.
 
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So first you need to decide if you want watercooling or the easier air route... I'm going with an H50 in mine and ducting one whole 180mm fan to the Radiator. Is it full blown WC...no, but it works well.

form follows function
 
Yep you're right. I went with the surprisingly cheaper 800D from MC. The FT02 is an exceptional case though.
Here's hoping for a TJ07 update that can allow different fan combinations, more clearance for very long GPUs and thick radiators.
 
Congrats! Enjoy the new case!

MicroCentre has great prices, indeed. NCIX has the 800D on sale for the same price as MicroCentre fairly often, too (like right now)...not a whole lot more than what I paid for my Fortress, and loads of room for whatever you decide to do now or in the future.

If the water-cooling bug bites me enough times then I might pick one up some day as a project. For my current rig, though, I will just stick with my current plan of buying faster components [FONT=&quot]+/- [/FONT]overclocking them to reach my target(s).
 
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I've got 3 questions:

1. Can you use one of the DVD-player drives for a hard disk when the 5 HDD slots aren't enough?
2. Is it easy to pick up the case?
3. Do any of the fans (or anything from the case) emit light?
 
Krosan said:
I've got 3 questions:

1. Can you use one of the DVD-player drives for a hard disk when the 5 HDD slots aren't enough?
2. Is it easy to pick up the case?
3. Do any of the fans (or anything from the case) emit light?
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1. Yes. Someone posted a 5.25" hot swap drive bay adapter within the last week.
2. No, it's a bit of a pain. I usually take off the top panel and then use the handle at the back for one hand, and hold the front, bottom of the case with the other.
3. No, no light from any of the fans. Only the buttons & LEDs on the top panel light up.
 
1. yes
2. No, Its just too smooth!
3. no but silverstone has replacement LED fans you can order from their website. I'm thinking of purchasing 1 of the high RPM fans to go under my H50 rad. It will be ducted straight to the rad.
 
Well, it had to happen sooner or later . . . I've been perfectly happy with my RV02 for the last four or five months but it looks like there'll be an FT02 in the house later today. Maybe I'll post some side by side pics later.
 
Ha ha ha, it's funny you say that because I think nearly every one of the people who have been following this thread from early on seems to end up buying this case with few exceptions. Despite its caveats, it's just such a great case for air cooling. I'm pretty sure me 'n' the woman will end up buying one, too.

Congrats!
 
Ok question here since mine arrived today: can the bottom fans be hooked directly to fan headers on the motherboard? would be nice to get realtime rpm readouts for them.
 
Damn Dirty Ape said:
Ok question here since mine arrived today: can the bottom fans be hooked directly to fan headers on the motherboard? would be nice to get realtime rpm readouts for them.
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They're 3 pin fans, I don't see why not.
The switches are wired separately though, so doing speed monitoring or even speed control though I'm not sure of.

Each fan has 6 wires coming from the center; 3 go straight to a switch with no disconnect or "middle man", the other 3 go to a 3pin header brick. (which you can then use with 3>4pin adapters if you wish). The 120 or 140mm rear fan (forget the size) just has a 3pin brick, no switch or other wires.

The bottom 3 fans also do have hole cutouts where LEDs would go, so I'm sure they'll have LED versions available soon (if they don't already).
 
I just picked up the FT02 and will spend the rest of today moving my system from the RV02 to the FT02. My first and immediate impression upon seeing the FT02 first hand is that none of the pictures I've seen online do this case justice. It is MUCH nicer in person than in any of the photos. When I went to pick it up, I was impressed by its solid construction as well (typical Silverstone quality). Seeing it by itself, I thought to myself that the FT02 is a really good looking case - not as boring as I thought it would be from the photos. Yet when I put it next to the RV02, the RV02 still looks pretty good . . . the construction is better on the FT02 for sure though.

Here are some photos to check out while I tear everything apart (my current system is the one in the RV02):

ssfronts2.jpg


sswindows.jpg


ssrears.jpg


ssbacks.jpg


sstops1.jpg


sstops2.jpg


ssmysys1.jpg
 
zero2dash said:
They're 3 pin fans, I don't see why not.
The switches are wired separately though, so doing speed monitoring or even speed control though I'm not sure of.

Each fan has 6 wires coming from the center; 3 go straight to a switch with no disconnect or "middle man", the other 3 go to a 3pin header brick. (which you can then use with 3>4pin adapters if you wish). The 120 or 140mm rear fan (forget the size) just has a 3pin brick, no switch or other wires.

The bottom 3 fans also do have hole cutouts where LEDs would go, so I'm sure they'll have LED versions available soon (if they don't already).
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I went ahead and tried, I have enough headers and I do get rpm that's good

What are you guys using to put a 3.5" card reader in a 5.25" slot?
 
I just bought a 5.25" card reader (NMedia). Vantec makes a 3.5" reader with a 5.25" adapter.
 
zc1 said:
I just bought a 5.25" card reader (NMedia). Vantec makes a 3.5" reader with a 5.25" adapter.
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I was going to look into an adapter, I see silverstone has one but it is convex and wouldn't really look that great I don't think. I like things to match but plastic might be my only choice.
 
I am trying to decide between an 800D or the FT02. I will be strictly air cooling, but maybe have an H50 for the CPU. Also I want a quiet PC that cools better than my P180. Let me know your thoughts. I am pulling my hair out trying to decide. :(
 
I was trying to decide the same last week. If you're not going to WC in the near future, the FT02 is the case to buy.
You also have to consider that the 800D is 5" taller than the FT02. The 800D has the most potential between the two cases.
 
@ yenniedn: Both cases look great! Those are the best photos that I have seen of the RV02.

@ Ryan45: Personally, I think it's kind of a waste to use the 800D strictly for air-cooling (like using a 24' UHaul truck to move just a dining room table); there are far better cases available if you're just interested in air-cooling. That said, though, if it is the one that floats your boat and you can get it for a price that you're happy with then go for it! The 800D looks to be incredibly flexible and will leave you with more options (for water-cooling gear and everything else) than will the FT02 if you do decide to water-cool at some point down the road. I did consider the 800D at one point, but in the end it came down to FT02 vs FT01 vs RV02. I'm extremely happy with the FT02's performance, flexibility and aesthetics and would buy it again in a heartbeat. Once it arrived I wondered what exactly it was that I had been going back-and-forth about in the first place!
 
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Well, I just finished moving everything from the RV02 to the FT02. Not quite done yet because the wiring is still a mess so no more pictures for awhile longer. I still can't decide which of the two I like better since each does have its pros and cons.

The FT02 is better built and I think does look better - if not a little TOO understated for its own good. The FT02 also seems a bit more quiet thanks to the sound dampening foam - this has allowed me to turn all three fan switches to 'high' instead of having them on 'low' previously in the RV02. This is helped to drop temps about 1* to 2*C across the board.

A couple of things did catch me off guard though. First, the Lian Li black alumium 5.25" to 3.5" faceplate I wanted to use for my 3.5" card reader wouldn't fit so it's sticking out by about 1/4" instead of sitting flush. Looks like that'll give me a reason to buy a new (better) adapter and/or card reader. The other thing is that, with my GTX295 SLI setup on the EVGA Classified, I am limited to using only the smaller sized optical drives. My LG Blu-Ray drive had to go in favor of a shorter Plextor DVD-burner. That kinda sucks but I don't really watch BD's on my computer anyways.

Oh well, I'll clean up the wiring in the next 24-48 hours and post new pics.
 
the FT02 is so ugly. It looks like a regular old black dell/hp computer except with an aluminum faceplate

dell-vostro-200.jpg


126699,xcitefun-silverstone-fortress-ft02-pc-case.jpg
 
Had I discovered this case earlier I would have had a hard time deciding to get this or the 800D. Both were around the same cost too as the 800D dropped to $240 CAD.
 
@ Krosan

No Problem!

@Omerta

I know your a troll if your comparing a small mid-tower plastic BTX case to a 90 degree, very close to full tower, 4.5mm!! single sheet curved aluminum Silverstone with 3 massive 180mm fans that would pretty much take up the entire face of that dell apiece.
You mi amigo have never seen a quality case in person I presume.

@yenniedn

Awesome, Thanks so much for showing those pics. I had a hard time choosing between the two myself and you are absolutely correct...until you get to see and FEEL the FT-02 yourself and how perfectly everything fits together you do not fully appreciate it!
 
FalconSS said:
@ Krosan

No Problem!

@Omerta

I know your a troll if your comparing a small mid-tower plastic BTX case to a 90 degree, very close to full tower, 4.5mm!! single sheet curved aluminum Silverstone with 3 massive 180mm fans that would pretty much take up the entire face of that dell apiece.
You mi amigo have never seen a quality case in person I presume.

@yenniedn

Awesome, Thanks so much for showing those pics. I had a hard time choosing between the two myself and you are absolutely correct...until you get to see and FEEL the FT-02 yourself and how perfectly everything fits together you do not fully appreciate it!
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I'm comparing the way the look, not the features, genius...
 
I ended up swapping out the H50 for a Noctua NH-D14...large and ugly, but does a much better job of cooling than did the H50, for a similar price. I also tried the H50 with a high-CFM Scythe fan (to replace the stock Corsair fan) in a push-pull setup with the case fan. That setup was better, but *still* not as good as the D14, and was LOUD. The only other thing I could have done would have been to remove the stock case fan at the rear of the case, place a 140-120mm adapter, then place a high-output fan, H50 rad, and another high-output fan there in push-pull setup. FalconSS, if you're planning to overclock and stick with the H50 then I strongly suggest going that route. The results of my testing can be seen here: http://hardforum.com/showpost.php?p=1035374350&postcount=23.
 
FalconSS said:
@ Krosan

No Problem!

@Omerta

I know your a troll if your comparing a small mid-tower plastic BTX case to a 90 degree, very close to full tower, 4.5mm!! single sheet curved aluminum Silverstone with 3 massive 180mm fans that would pretty much take up the entire face of that dell apiece.
You mi amigo have never seen a quality case in person I presume.

@yenniedn

Awesome, Thanks so much for showing those pics. I had a hard time choosing between the two myself and you are absolutely correct...until you get to see and FEEL the FT-02 yourself and how perfectly everything fits together you do not fully appreciate it!
Click to expand...

You couldn't be more wrong about Omerta; and I certainly wouldn't call him a troll . . . he's actually one of my favorite posters and local traders from this board. He's had more nice cases in his possession than just about anyone I know so the man knows his cases. He's certainly entitled to his opinions and actually, he's not that far off in the comparison to the Dell box. I like my FT02 so far but I have to say that the RV02 has a lot more personality - it's not even close.
 
I thought that the FT02 looked better, definitely better built, but in those pictures the RV02 stands out.
 
I am only partially completed with my home office but I couldn't wait to post a pic or two of it. You can see the FT02 in the lower right. What you don't see in the shot is a third glass table on the left which holds two more NEC monitors for my work. I'll try to get a completed shot in the coming weeks which includes the final build of the FT02 innards.

And yea yea, I know posting an office shot is off topic but I couldn't resist.

On a side note, I tried using my 3 x 2.5" drives in the 3.5" bays with some SilverStone aluminum adapters but holy smokes do the drives get hot in there. As such, I am leaving them in the 5.25" bay because it keeps them really cold.

dsc3987f.jpg
 
yenniedn said:
You couldn't be more wrong about Omerta; and I certainly wouldn't call him a troll . . . he's actually one of my favorite posters and local traders from this board. He's had more nice cases in his possession than just about anyone I know so the man knows his cases. He's certainly entitled to his opinions and actually, he's not that far off in the comparison to the Dell box. I like my FT02 so far but I have to say that the RV02 has a lot more personality - it's not even close.
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Thanks for clarifying for that guy...lol. But in all seriousness, the comparison to the dell case may have been a little off the wall, but it's still valid IMO. I remember when I got my Lian Li PC-B10 back from cyberdruid...and I was showing it off to friends and family...obviously they did not get why it was so special. And then, of course, my sister says..."what's the big deal? It looks like a regular black computer" Non-PC enthusiast people don't know that it's made out of aluminum, and how expensive an aluminum case is or the features a case may have. They just see it's a regular square black box and may think it's a regular old dell/HP or whatever, and the fact it's not plastic will totally fly over their head. I think the case I had that most impressed people was the Zalman GT1000 and the HAF 932 believe it or not. The FT01, which I think looks much better than the FT02 from an aesthetic standpoint, did not impress people when my main machine was in it.

Thing is, most of us appreciate the outer aesthetic design of the FT02 much more than we should. I think it's because there are so many crazy LED light cases out there that we just get sick of it and want something more "simple." Simple + Aluminum is what turns people on because we, as enthusiasts (mainly the ones who've been building PCs for a while), are so sick of seeing a million LEDs with plastic space-ship designs. However, I think the FT02 took it a bit too far when it comes to simplicity--it's just a really bland case with a brushed aluminum exterior. That Dell PC would look nearly identical if Dell used the same exterior materials. So that is why, at the same time, I want a case that will at least distinguish my PC as something more than a Dell to the non-enthusiast. The current 800D I have, which I haven't built anything in yet, will probably impress people just because of the sheer size of it and the window being shaped so differently. BTW, don't get me wrong--i'm not trying to impress people with my PC, but if I'm gonna spend so much time configuring and building it myself, I might as well show that it is different than some OEM PC you can buy off the market at Best Buy. Putting my machine in an FT02 simply will not do that for me.

BTW, I may have owned some nice cases, but no one has owned as many nice cases as you--not even close...lol
 
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Great Post. Described me exactly. The RV02 does have more personality. The FT02 can get boring after a while.
I considered the Lian Li B70 but it's another boring black rectangle.

The 800D, especially with LC and UV will blow people away when they see it.
 
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I would disagree about the FT02 being "boring". I break it down like this:

For me, the Dell case is boring because it is from Dell. It has a plastic front and a cheap aluminum interior which is unpainted. It also has little to no airflow characteristics. All in all, it is a boring case.

For me, the neon light cases are ghetto. I am 31 and have been building computers for a long time and while it is possible to do a neon case well, slapping a few lighted fans into a case with a few neon tubes is, at least for me, ghetto.

For me, the FT02 is hardcore. It feels extremely solid. The housing is not plastic and it has a subdued feeling to it. To the average layperson, it may look like another Dell case... but to me, I see a sleek case with perfect airflow, dust filtering (after modification), and style. I also know that underneath is a beast comprising quad 4ghz with HT, USB 3.0, a killer sound card and video card, etc.

I equate the FT02 to the Pontiac GTO. It is sleek yet subtle and houses 400 HP and quite a bit of torque. You could take it too the office and the average person would not give it a second look; they would likely think you were driving a generic coupe. If you park next to a tricked out civic with neon and a exhaust modification, a noob may be more drawn to the civic than the GTO because they do not understand. Yet the real enthusiast will only see the GTO. On a side note, it is a shame Pontiac discontinued the GTO and then got canned by GM. I would have loved to pick one up; but it's not happening anymore, especially since I got a wife and kid (doesn't fit into the "practical" car equation).

2004pontiacgtoblackratr.jpg
 
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