Silverstone Fortress or Lian Li PC-A70 ?

Faffer

Faffer

Faffer

Associate
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
381
Location
London
I am looking for a case to accommodate my new i7 setup. I would like an aluminium case with decent cooling and plenty of space, so, looking at E-ATX cases. Must have at least 5 5.25" bays and not be a dust magnet :)

I am currently considering either the Silverstone Fortress or the Lian Li PC-A70. Any opinions on these, or are there better cases in that price range?

Thanks
 
Faffer said:
and plenty of space, so, looking at E-ATX cases.
Click to expand...
So why are you even considering Fortress which is ATX mid tower?
For that price you're not going to find other as spacious aluminium case/as much features as in A70, only lot smaller ones.
Where Fortress gets cramped A70 takes those cards and asks for some more:
http://techgage.com/viewimg/?img=/reviews/silverstone/ft01/silverstone_ft01_12.jpg (and that's small mATX mobo)
http://www.pcper.com/images/reviews/662/28-Video-10.jpg
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/LianLi/PC-A70/images/finished1.jpg

Neither there's any competition in device bays.
You can put only four HDDs into Fortress before they're like sardines in tin without space for airflow and A70's soft mounting also accepts easily any kind 2.5" HDD/SSD adapters. (so up to 20 SSDs just in 3.5" bays)
And if six case fans aren't enough and graphics cards start warming up you can get additional expansion card cooling kit and for cooling DIMMs/chipset you can attach normal fan to graphic card support pillar similar to this.

A70 has dust filters behind very easy to remove front panel (same as in A7010, check 1:15+) so it's easy to keep it both cleaner and prevent clogged filters from hampering intake airflow.
http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=17799173


BloomerzUK said:
Silerstone Fortress, people swear by them
Click to expand...
And recommend it pretty much also to cough and diarrhea...
 
Oops...I ordered the Fortress before seeing the above post...I only mentioned E-ATX as my 4870x2 is a bit too big for my current Antec 900 and gets in the way of one of the hard drive bays.

I'm intending to only use the lower hard drive cage in the Fortress and removing the middle cage.

Looking at those links though, the Lian Li does look impressive.

Do either of these cases have significantly better build quality than the other? It's not too late for me to change my mind :)
 
The fortress is a good case (I have one sat next to me), like all cases it has some flaws that have been identifed already.

On the other hand the Lian Li stands up just as well.

It all comes down to personal preferences, rest assured either case will be a good purchase, which one does your head tell you to buy, even if it's down to just cosmetics?

Go order it! :)
 
Faffer said:
I'm intending to only use the lower hard drive cage in the Fortress and removing the middle cage.
Click to expand...
Make that two HDDs while retaining guranteed cooling for them...


Build quality position varies depending on what you're looking at...
Lian Li hasn't rounded every single edge but I haven't gotten a single cut from huge amount of careless working with A71. (unlike steel aluminium doesn't seem to be able to form real cutting edge)
Again if you look contruction materials, Silverstone has lot of plastics in HDD cage while only structural pieces of plastic in A70 are clips holding front panel. (making removing/attaching it easy)
In assembly methods Lian Li uses screws for all parts which aren't part of basic frame so you can take it apart (for easier modding) quite thoroughly without removing single rivet and can turn main HDD cage for allowing cabling from side you like.
 
yeah far too many ppl just jump on the band wagon and recomend what theyve seen other ppl recomending b4, there was a post not so long back where someone wanted a case that would accomodate dual loop WC and ppl were recomending the fortress, I was like what the ****? Go for the Lian Li
 
I am just doing a new build in a Fortress and I am really pleased with it.
I cannot comment on the Lian Li as I have never owned one.
 
I have owned both.

The Lian Li PC-A71 (A70 with a door) was big, really big, infact too big for me. Its also a bit rattly.

The Fortress build quality is better and it has plenty of room unless you want 10 HDD's then only the Lian Li can hold that many.

Unless you want a massive full tower, get the Fortress.
 
mr_x_plosion said:
The Lian Li PC-A71 (A70 with a door) was big, really big, infact too big for me. Its also a bit rattly.
Click to expand...
That rattling when tapping case/moving it is caused by slight loose in top edge attaching of side panels but basic mass damping takes away that rattle very effectively.
Thought originally that I would have to do something for that slight loose in top edge attachment of side panels but after installing mat with 2mm bitumen layer to side panels there wasn't any rattling left.
 
Great feedback on both sides of the fence!

I do prefer the look of the Fortress to the PC-A70, but my only real concerns are the size and that it may not be quite as easy to work with as the Lian Li. I guess I'll just wait till the Fortress arrives and see if it's an adequate size. If not, I'll just return it and order a Lian li.

Thanks for all the info :)
 
I have had the Fortress for under a week and love it.

it does have some bad (read: "something that could be improved") things, but every case has that. The Fortress has many more good points that bad though.

I strongly recommend it.
 
Fortress without a doubt.

It's big enough for multiple GPU's, loads of HD's and has great cable management.

Also it looks the dogs watsits.
 
Also another negative on the Lian Li is the poor cable management as standard, easily fixed by cutting a few holes I guess but already done for you in the Fortress.

Only problem with the fortress is the silly design on the top fan filter.
 
No ones debating the fortress is a quality case, but he asked for a case which takes E-ATX mobo, which afaik the fortress doesnt, so it immediately fails to meet his required specifications and yet people still recomend it?
 
95thrifles said:
No ones debating the fortress is a quality case, but he asked for a case which takes E-ATX mobo, which afaik the fortress doesnt, so it immediately fails to meet his required specifications and yet people still recomend it?
Click to expand...

Because he went on to explain that he only asked for E-ATX due to his having a 4870X2 and he thought he needed that sized case to accomodate it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom