A Closer Look - Outside

Out of the box, the SilverStone Alta D1 lacks the focus on a unique design or material mix that we have seen in the Alta F1 and F2, but it is still a massive and extremely well-built chassis with the focus on metals. In terms of design, it can be considered a really good-looking server case, a segment where it is unusual to find details like unique mesh designs, those beveled edges or an all black interior.


The front is completely perforated and swings open to the left. This configuration cannot be changed, but you could opt to detach the door completely. Behind it, you can see the unique layout through the mostly vented front layer as well. In the rear there is plenty to explore in detail as well, but it is also apparent that the Alta D1 uses a pretty traditional layout overall, with an upright motherboard and the PSU bays above it. In contrast, the Alta F1 and F2 both depart heavily from such normal arrangements.


You can lock the front door, but still access the power button. None of the additional IO is accessible this way, so at worst a foreign could cycle power to the system. For scenarios where operational security is paramount, the Alta D1 is likely not their go-to chassis. Besides, in those cases, there will be physical access restrictions in place. For example, a server room which can only be accessed by a set of identifiable staff members.


Both sides of the chassis are also perforated, which is not something you would find from enclosures which are also cable to be rack mounted - even if they may be stood upright as well. SilverStone has also split these panels into two, so that you can easily remove them and only deal with smaller components - which is a very nice touch. All the thumb screws on the Alta D1 are spring-loaded, meaning they are firmly connected to the component which they secure, further reducing the number of things you have to worry about.


The SilverStone Alta D1 puts a big focus on modularity, but does come with a very functional default setup. Out of the box, the front has two 180 mm Air Penetrator intake fans, which feels like a bit of a signature of all Alta enclosures. There are two covered multipurpose bays which you could fill with additional drive cages that you may buy separately, but doing so will mean that you have to forgo the use of those fans. In the very top you will find two cages, each of these can either hold two 5.25", 3.5" or four 2.5" units. Alternatively, you may install a third fan here, thanks to the supplied bracket and covers. You could then move these storage cages to locations in the back of the chassis if you like, as we will see later on. If you look closely, you can see four punch-outs in the front cover of the Alta D1 for additional access ports.


The IO of the Alta D1 consists of a larger square power button with a white LED around it, a smaller reset button with a large HDD activity led below it. Then there are the USB-A and one USB-C port. Except for the power button, none of the other IO elements are accessible when the door is closed, but the large HDD activity LED will still shine through, which is pretty important. You may notice that the case unfortunately offers no audio ports, so you are forced to route any such devices to the back of your board.


Taking a closer look at the rear of the case, you will find the eleven expansion slots taking up the space at the bottom of the chassis, with vents on the right. SilverStone has also placed two more punch-outs here as well. Above that, there is the 140 mm exhaust fan. While you can also install a 120 mm variant or, alternatively an AIO of that 120 mm size, it is nice to see that SilverStone opted to provide the user with a large exhaust fan out of the box. The very top includes two PSU cages, which will come in handy if you need massive amounts of power.


There are a total of seven placement possibilities for either the storage boxes or PSU frames. That flexibility also means you can find the balance between things like case cooling, system cooling or motherboard compatibility that best fits your needs. For example, we will be installing a 360 mm AIO in the top section of the case, so we will remove one storage box and one PSU frame to make room for it. That storage box could then be moved to below the motherboard in such a setup. Each of these is held in place by firmly attached spring-loaded thumb screws as well, meaning you are only dealing with one component and no small parts.


Looking at the top, you will find just a solid cover without any mounting holes for rack mounting, making it clear that the Alta D1 is meant to be used upright, even if it includes a lot of the expertise of SilverStone's server market segment. Tipping the case over, there are two solid bars as feet and a vent to allow for air intake through the floor. This is also when we installed the optional coasters which SilverStone sent along, as it will make it much easier to handle the chassis for the remainder of this review. They are easily attached using the supplied screws. Thankfully, they are quite compact but feel sturdy regardless. Each of them comes with a wheel lock pad, so you can ensure it doesn't start rolling away on its own.