There are several brands out there that offer their vision of what a chassis could be like if price or size wasn't a constraining factor. The Alta series represents that from SilverStone. Unlike other cases, it tries to stick more to the square design, with a fairly slim width compared to the other options out there. All while focusing on a clean, straight and somewhat understated look. At a price of a good thousand dollars, it is also, by far, one of the most expensive representations of what a no-compromise chassis could be. For comparison, other options usually land on the $600 to $700 range and tend to push the envelope more in terms of intricate design, unique features or material mix. The cost difference could be due to the smaller sales volume of a case like this compared to those offered by the massive players in the market, but that may be a hard argument to win with a customer, knowing that $400 can buy a whole lot of hardware otherwise.

Cost aside, the SilverStone Alta F2 feels like a clear, useful improvement over the F1. It still focuses on providing a functional stage for the companies unique Air Penetrator fans as there is simply no other case out there that could comfortably hold three 180 mm fans in a useful fashion. Add the fact that the GPU may now be detached and installed away from the motherboard and you end up with a system that offers excellent cooling performance. This is due to the fact that the three fans now manage to divide and conquer the GPU separately, while offering unrestricted, upward airflow across the motherboard. On top of that, you can do all this while still installing a 480 mm AIO in the ceiling and thanks to the encased PSU bay, all that doesn't affect the room reserved for even the longest & biggest PSUs you can get your hands on.

While all this sets the stage for an uncompromising build, SilverStone is at times pushing the quality envelope too hard - or should I say low - for a chassis of this price segment. The flimsy dust filters on the bottom are in stark contrast to what you should be expecting from an enclosure like this. On top of that, the front panel is made of the same material mix you see on mainstream cases, and has a design problem that made it into production. All that doesn't feel worthy of a chassis that costs more than some entire systems.

That leaves the case as something that is quite innovative - providing a housing with a unique layout, unique fans, and unique detached GPU placement. All that means the Alfa F2 deserves the innovative award - even if it is expensive. If those are the things you want, price likely won't matter to you.