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@ 2013/01/11No trip to CES would be complete without a visit to SilverStone, but this year was especially important for me. I've been a longtime advocate of the Fortress FT02 as possibly the finest air-cooling enclosure ever built, but their Temjin TJ08-E took me (and even some of their engineers) by surprise. That Micro-ATX enclosure turned out to produce absolutely stellar thermal and acoustic performance with a single 180mm fan, strategically positioned, and I remember telling their rep after I'd reviewed it that I wanted a full ATX model. He demurred about as much as you conceivably can in an e-mail, which was all the confirmation I needed that something like it was in the works.
That something like it will be materializing as the Fortress FT04 and its less expensive cousin, the Raven RV04. Both share the same basic chassis (much as Antec's P280 and Eleven Hundred cases do), but the FT04 benefits from brand new AP182 fans, an attractive aluminum door, and a slicker finish overall. SilverStone's internal testing suggested that the FT04 might actually be able to outperform the venerable FT02 despite featuring one less fan due to smarter filter and grill designs that allow more air to pass into the enclosure. The FT04 also enjoys analog fan controls for both AP182 fans.
Unfortunately I don't have photos immediately available (they're enjoying a leisurely stay in my luggage, which is awaiting transfer to my plane back to the "friendlier" climates of the bay area), but they'll be added when available. In the meantime, the RV04 and FT04 are due to be launched soon, with prices hovering around $150 for the RV04 and $200 for the FT04. That makes them on the pricey side, but if they're anything like the FT02, they might just be worth the expense. More to come (including a review sample) soon.
That something like it will be materializing as the Fortress FT04 and its less expensive cousin, the Raven RV04. Both share the same basic chassis (much as Antec's P280 and Eleven Hundred cases do), but the FT04 benefits from brand new AP182 fans, an attractive aluminum door, and a slicker finish overall. SilverStone's internal testing suggested that the FT04 might actually be able to outperform the venerable FT02 despite featuring one less fan due to smarter filter and grill designs that allow more air to pass into the enclosure. The FT04 also enjoys analog fan controls for both AP182 fans.
Unfortunately I don't have photos immediately available (they're enjoying a leisurely stay in my luggage, which is awaiting transfer to my plane back to the "friendlier" climates of the bay area), but they'll be added when available. In the meantime, the RV04 and FT04 are due to be launched soon, with prices hovering around $150 for the RV04 and $200 for the FT04. That makes them on the pricey side, but if they're anything like the FT02, they might just be worth the expense. More to come (including a review sample) soon.
