A Closer Look - Outside

Out of the box, the chassis has a modernized classic look to it. Its front is made of mesh and framed in plastic. In terms of design, it leans forward a bit at the top and is shaped to add a bit of bulk with an ARGB strip at the very top and a SilverStone Logo at the bottom.


Looking at the chassis head on, you can see the three embedded 120 mm intake fans. These are also ARGB equipped with the lighting elements in the hub of each unit. You may access them by pulling off the front cover. In the rear, the case has the usual layout of a modern chassis with a bottom mounted PSU location.


The main side panel of the FARA 512Z is made of glass and held in place by two thumb screws. It is designed to aesthetically clean with its black framing. Opposing that is the metal cover on the other side, which is completely solid and held in place by thumb screws as well. That previously mentioned LED strip is most prominent in the front and center, with tapering edges left and right.


In the rear, the PSU bay sports a single set of screw holes, which means that your PSU will always end up with the fan facing downward. Above that are the seven horizontal expansion bays. This may look traditional, but SilverStone has secured these with four screws, so you may rotate them to sit vertically as well. Above that, there is a fan mount for a 120 mm unit that utilizes elongated holes, which in turn allows you to place the cooling fan at the best height for your motherboard.


In the top, you will find a large, magnetic mesh cover under which there are mounting holes for two 120 or 140 mm fans. Alternatively, you may install a radiator of up to 280 mm in size here. The FARA 512Z has both the power and reset button as well as a dedicated button to toggle the LEDs. On top of that there are two USB 3.0 ports, a pair of audio connectors, as well as a USB-C plug. This means that the SilverStone FARA 512Z offers everything you would expect from a mainstream chassis without cutting any corners.


Lastly on the underside, there is a simple mesh filter to protect the PSU from dirt and grime. While this will work just fine, it would have been nice to see a mesh that could easily be pulled out without having to topple over the system. If you look closely, the underbelly of the FARA 512Z is also where you will the two screws that hold the HDD cage in place. This is another job that requires you to tip over your system when wanting to change or add storage.