SilverStone FT05

[Faa]

Yes! Thanks for doing this review guys! Good to see other opinions on a case like mine. The RV05 does have the front light covered over, so that's an advantage to it. The only major gripes about the cases are the cable management could be larger, and the window is very reflective. I don't mind the positioning of it, I think it's perfectly positioned. The gap at the bottom I think really adds to the aesthetics, although there is a gap on the raven, it doesn't have the flat panel below it. So as it's on a carpet, I used a slate roof tile to act as a stand for it.

Also. YYEEEAAAAAAAHH!!!!!

Cable management? I actually found cable management being better in my TJ11 than in my Switch 810. Requires lots of skills to get it right though; front panel connectors, audio cable, fan cables, using the CP11B Sata cables routed under the motherboard so its nicely hidden. There's a bunch of space in the back as well, as I don't use any HDDs, I've got my ssds behind the 5.25" bays installed. USB 2.0/USB 3.0 cables are on the top of my case connected directly to the IO on the motherboard rather than in the internal usb headers.

This case will be nice for cable management if you do it like I did, just make sure you have a fully modular PSU and individually sleeved set so it doesnt take that much space in the back. Route the 24pin under the motherboard as well.

As for the PSU cover, well Silverstone sells magnetic 140mm dust filters, get one of them. Also I prefer having the PSU facing the other side so it can help improve your cooling and this case would be ideal for this. Most PSU's these days are efficient enough to do it.

Just don't get it why people criticize this case so much and only a few Silverstone owners actually really understand what a Silverstone case is. Lets start off with the 90° rotated MB tray, helps for cooling because the distance between the GPU & the fan is much smaller this way and heat rises so its more logical. Lets have a look at a benchmark where the FT02 (uses the same fans as the FT05) outperforms the almighty aircooled case air 540 by 10° on the GPU; http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/cases/2013/06/19/corsair-carbide-air-540-review/3

You get a proper view of your components as well that way, a 3D view of your GPU's rather than just the side & backplate only. I prefer to have the IO on the top rather on the back, makes it so much easier for me.

A few things about the fan, the grill is quite nice I love it and also the AP181's have 2/3 voltage modes, at the lowest setting if you let the motherboard control it the voltage is even lower so at idle the fans dont spin but once you load your pc up they start to spin. Somewhat like a semi-passive PSU/Strix GPU. They also use sleeve bearings, I never have my AP181's on the highest switch (only have low & high modes), so I mostly have it off or around 300rpm, at low speeds sleeve bearings are much quieter than double ball bearings. As long as a sleeve bearing is properly lubricated it will be extremely quiet. Build quality is quite fantastic though, feels like metal lol.

What I really like is they don't use rubber grommets or just a stupid hole cut out you could recognize from a mile away that its there for cable routing, again prefer to see everything routed under the motherboard. Another thing I love about FT/TJ's, well take a regular nzxt phantom/corsair/Fractal design case, take the front panel off it's just a standard boring looking case. TJ/FT's have the front with the rest in just one piece -> http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7163/6460343217_8f2546c4ac_b.jpg

Another thing I actually like about the FT05, no 5.25" bays thank god. Also if you removed the HDD you can't tell there can be a hdd rack mounted. If we look at a standard case; http://www.legitreviews.com/images/reviews/1929/corsiar_vengeance_c70_018.jpg

Well that just makes it ugly, don't like the empty space between the hdd bays either which we don't have on the FT because its covered by the PSU. They should have gotten rid off HDD bays as well tbh.

Kept this to the end but, build quality. Silverstone/Lian-Li/Caselabs are all in their own league, Corsair/Nzxt/FD etc feel extremely cheap. My switch 810 when you lift it, it just warps, grabbing it from its front the plastic falls off and the case falls on the ground. Moment I actually unboxed my TJ11 was a meh feeling, felt like a tank. Paint job is much better too, the one in my nzxt is going off already and the sidedoors are stratched so badly.

http://youtu.be/ynJZ-6XmxlI?t=26m12s should give you an idea how badly most cases are built these days.

[PortentousLad]

Dude, isn't he even "allowed" to relax a bit? I mean, how can you judge his work day from a two 2 seconds appearances in this video?

 

 

Oh come on I only taking the mickey, but he really does jump into frame every time. And we ought to give Linus a hard time since he's the boss and all that.

(I know how hard you work Linus and it's very much appreciated, we all love you for it!)

[Gormador]

Oh come on I only taking the mickey, but he really does jump into frame every time. And we ought to give Linus a hard time since he's the boss and all that.

(I know how hard you work Linus and it's very much appreciated, we all love you for it!)

Remember, this is the internet. Telling if a post is humourus or not can be tricky :-)

[PortentousLad]

Remember, this is the internet. Telling if a post is humourus or not can be tricky :-)

"sincerely"

true, I'm sorry for being misleading.

 

 

Edited:  god, it still looks ironic doesn't it?

[choppa]

Hi Linus and Crew

An interesting case, cable management needs to be improved, and I wish there was a little more space between the psu and the HDD cage, doesn't need to be much say increasing the height of the case by 2cm, and would also increase the maximum length GPUs could also be put into the case as well. There are cards reaching the 314mm limit such as Gigabyte windforce gtx980 cards measured at 312mm.

I noticed the CPU cooler was installed without a fan. Did this work out? Did the case fans sufficiently keep the CPU cool? I would love to see some numbers

And I can see the potential rotating the MB 90 deg. Not only the cooling is excellent but I like the idea of installing the video card vertically. Consider a traditional case with a graphics card with a heavy after market cooler installed horizontally. The card would be supported on the left hand side as its screwed into the case, but not on the right and I always wonder what damage to the card or motherboard would take supporting the cards weight? How often have we seen the right side of the card sag in a case? However when vertically installed like in the Ft05 the case would take more of the cards weight. Better for shipping.

But you also have to very careful with coffee. With the vents up top any small spill could end up inside the case.

TY, Choppa

PS opening pun, sorry, my score 1/10

[whitedragon101]

A few things about the fan, the grill is quite nice I love it and also the AP181's have 2/3 voltage modes, at the lowest setting if you let the motherboard control it the voltage is even lower so at idle the fans dont spin but once you load your pc up they start to spin. Somewhat like a semi-passive PSU/Strix GPU. They also use sleeve bearings, I never have my AP181's on the highest switch (only have low & high modes), so I mostly have it off or around 300rpm, at low speeds sleeve bearings are much quieter than double ball bearings. As long as a sleeve bearing is properly lubricated it will be extremely quiet. Build quality is quite fantastic though, feels like metal lol.

 

 

How does it work to when you connect the fan to the motherboard and at the same time have a high/low switch.  Which one is controlling the fan, the motherboard BIOS settings or the switch?

 

Thanks

[Gdourado]

I am looking more into this case, and have a few questions:

- In regard to CPU coolers, the limit, according to the silverstone site is 162mm in height.

What is the best solution to cool the CPU in this case?

I was thinking about the Phanteks PH-TC14PE.

But it would only fit without fans. With the positive pressure of the FT05 and the 180mm air penetrators, what's your thoughts on running the Phanteks fanless?

Any better cooling sugestions?

 

- Some reviews mention the sub par cable management space.

I wouldn't run 3 1/2 hdds, so that cage would be out.

Also, I was thinking about changing my EVO 840 SSD to a Sandisk X300s M.2, so I would not put drives on the rear of the motherboard tray, and I would not need to run sata and sata power cables.

I have a full modular EVGA G2 PSu and the individual sleeved cable kit, so I would run the 24 pin cable, CPU cable and 4 VGA cables for SLI.

How would cable management be in this scenario?

 

Thanks for helping out.

Cheers!