SilverStone Fortress FT01 Mid-Tower Case Review

Exterior Impressions


The Fortress FT01 employs a very simple and understated design but its brushed aluminum finish, smooth lines and subtle design elements give it a very high quality look. Those who pay little attention to enclosures may think the FT01 looks like your average mid-tower, while those who “know” will undoubtedly recognize that it is anything but.

The large front intake grille hints to the large 180mm fan behind it. Those who are very fond of Lian-Li’s styling will definitely like the FT01 since this definitely not a flashy case rammed full of LED fans, cold cathodes and bright colours.


From the side, you can see that the FT01 is considerably shorter than the EATX supporting Temjin TJ07, TJ09 and TJ10. The model we are reviewing today is the FT01B-W where the "W" denotes an acrylic window. Those who are not terribly good with cable management can opt for the FT01B model that includes a solid side panel and save a few dollars.


We were disappointed to see that our sample had a cracked acrylic window. The packaging was in excellent condition so it appears that SilverStone simply over-tightened the screws. As you can see, it is cracked in two spots. This is clearly a manufacturer’s defect and should exchanged if found in this state. However, this appears to be an isolated incident and not wide-spread.

Aside from the cracked acrylic, there is also a slight haze visible on the window when viewed from certain angles. No amount of glass cleaner was able to remove it. We expected a better quality window given the price tag of the FT01.


Unlike most generic mid-towers, the power supply mounts at the bottom of the FT01. This is a common layout that most new high-end enclosures follow. It usually comes down to personal preference, but there are some pros and cons to both layouts. In a positive air pressure case like the FT01, it is indeed a positive feature that we’ll get into a bit more when we take a look at the interior of the FT01.


Only a single 120mm fan can be found at the rear of the FT01but plenty of ventilation openings can be found around the expansion card brackets. This is part of SilverStone’s positive air pressure design and should allow a healthy amount of passive exhaust around any toasty graphics cards.


SilverStone thoughtfully included some rubber grommets for external water cooling systems. The openings seem too high for a direct bolt on of a single 120mm radiator, but should come in handy for some custom mounts. Thumb screws are included for the side panels and some unique locking levers are used to hold the side panel in place when removing the thumb screws. We should note that the side panels fit quite securely when locked in place and have a very high quality feel to them.


The FT01 can accept any standard size ATX power supply, including extra long models. There are threaded holes in place to allow for both standard and upside-down power supply mounting.