A Closer Look - Outside

Out of the box, the SilverStone FARA 415X offers straight edges and 45° angles, with the front providing all the unique looks of the chassis. It feels sturdy and otherwise doesn't push the design envelope. The front is mostly made of a single piece of folded metal, with just the top strip consisting of plastic. This reason for the non-metal piece is to ensure there are no visible gaps which would otherwise be visible if things were folded out of steel in this portion of the front as well.


Looking at the front, you can clearly see the three 120 mm fans through the ventilated front cover, which also acts as a dust filter. You may easily remove the cover with a firm tug as it is held in place by high-quality metal pins. Unlike the 512Z variant, SilverStone no longer includes an ARGB element as part of the front panel - something both the Fara V1M and 512Z do have, instead relying only on the fans to provide illumination. In the rear, the case sports a classic layout with the PSU bay located below an upright motherboard area.


The main side panel of the FARA 514X is made of glass and held in place by two thumb screws. It is designed to be 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. The only small downside is the fact that the side panels aren't using captive thumbscrews, something that has become quite the norm in this price segment.


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 just like in the FARA 512Z, SilverStone has secured these with four screws, so you may rotate them to sit vertically as well. Unfortunately, the 514X no longer uses thumb screws here, instead utilizing classic screws to hold the expansion plate in place. On top of that, while the previous FARA variant used reusable covers, SilverStone has opted for cost savings by going with the break-out kind on the FARA 514X. Above that, you will find a fourth 140 mm fan, also ARGB equipped and set to blow air out the back of the case, which in turn is something the 512Z did not have. It is mounted using 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 three 120 or two 140 mm fans. Alternatively, you may install a radiator of up to 360 mm in size here. The FARA 514X has both a power and a reset button as well as a dedicated button to toggle the LEDs, which is very nice to see. On top of that there are two, color matched, black USB 3.0 ports, a pair of audio connectors, as well as a USB-C plug. This means that the SilverStone FARA 514X 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, as that is pretty common to expect when spending $100 on a classic case these days.