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We have collected 3 reviews of the Silverstone Fortress FT03. Experts rate Silverstone Fortress FT03 7/10. Reviewsor.com helps you find reviews, best prices, user reviews of the Silverstone Fortress FT03 and Silverstone Computer cases.
We've had our hands on various Silverstone cases in recent times, with the Raven RV03 being one of our favorites. As the latest member of the elite Raven family, the RV03 continued the tradition of using the "stack effect" which mounts the internal components at a 90 degree angle, pointing the "rear" I/O panel upward. Although much of the enthusiast community's attention has been focused on the Raven cases, Silverstone offers a vast array of enclosures that rank favorably among system builders. The company's Fortress series is one such example, comprised of a very diverse range of mid-sized high-end cases that are constructed from a thick aluminum body to create a light yet durable chassis. Silverstone launched its first Fortress series case in late 2008 as the FT01. This mid-tower ATX case was meant to be a gaming solution that primarily focused on efficient cooling. Silverstone achieved great performance by using positive air pressure, i.e. forcing copious volumes of air into the case with dual 180mm fans while having minimal exhaust. Roughly one year later, Silverstone followed up with the FT02 using an entirely new design.
Not too long ago Micro-ATX cases, and the budget motherboards housed within them, were mainly found in offices and schools. Micro-ATX motherboards were considered a low-priced option for making compact, cheap and reliable computers. Back then a micro-ATX motherboard would rarely – if ever – be considered for making a powerful gaming rig.As the Silverstone Fortress FT03 proves, things have changed. Motherboard manufacturers are fully embracing the micro-ATX form to create brilliant gaming motherboards, such as Asus with its Republic of Gamers Rampage III Gene. A powerful micro-ATX motherboard, filled with the latest components overclocked until their pips squeak, won't do well in a standard micro-ATX case, however. As motherboard manufacturers have changed their approach to the small form factor, so have case makers. This is where the Silverstone Fortress FT03 micro-ATX gaming case comes in. While it takes the smaller form motherboard, it's no slouch in terms of size and space. These are essential considerations for powerful PCs that need plenty of airflow and cooling, as well as space for upgrading.As soon as you lay your eyes on the Silverstone Fortress FT03 you realise where it gets its name.
With Valentine's Day only a few weeks behind us, let me be romantic again for a moment by saying absence makes the heart grow fonder. Yeah, right! If this were true, I would be ready to make sweet, sweet love to the FT03 after it took almost a month to be delivered due to various delays. Getting this case from SilverStone to my door proved to be a lesson in patience; a lesson that I am sorry to say I failed miserably. Now that it is finally on the table, I have extremely high hopes for this CES 2011 Innovation Award winning product and cannot wait to load it up with gear. Let's go! We were sent the FT03S model, with the S denoting the color. For those who are not into silver, a black version can be had under the FT03B model. The case has a very small footprint for two reasons; support for only micro-ATX, mini-DTX and mini-ITX motherboards and a unique internal layout that sees almost every component mounted in a different position compared to standard cases. This change allows air to be moved from bottom to top to take advantage of the natural movement of warm air.