The SilverStone SETA A2 has been around for a while, but we thought it was still worth a look given it offers a range of features to suit all types of PC builds. These include great potential for cooling with mesh panels, large radiators and loads of fans supported, flexible motherboard support including back connect, alongside compatibility for big graphics cards and a huge amount of storage options for both 2.5 and 3.5-inch drives. Let's dive straight in and take a closer look.
Timestamps:
00:00 Start
00:41 Options, pricing, size, weight
02:00 A closer look at the panels
04:46 Massive Storage capabilities
05:50 GPU support / anti sag bracket
06:16 Cooling support
07:48 Mobo Support
08:19 PSU support
08:44 Back of case
09:18 Right Hand Side
10:50 The Cables
11:21 The Floor
12:29 Accessories
13:19 Test System
13:55 Building Into The System
14:05 Thermal Performance / Noise Output
15:33 James' notes and closing thoughts
Features:
- SETA A2 front panel boasts a fully perforated mesh design complemented by four 140mm pre-installed fans (3 x front, 1 x rear) for unobstructed airflow and optimal cooling performance.
- The motherboard tray supports up to an EATX motherboard, including back-connect designs such as MSI Project Zero and Asus BTF.
- As well as a massive 438mm space for graphics cards (with drive cages removed), 420mm top, side and front-mounted radiators, 190mm tall CPU air coolers and up to thirteen fans.
- It also supported flexible storage options with space for up to sixteen 2.5-inch or up to ten 3.5-inch drives.
Specifications:
- Case Type: ATX Mid-Tower
- Dimensions (LxWxH): 5 x 244.7 x 521.4mm
- Net Weight: 14.2 kg
- Material: Steel, plastic, tempered glass
- Motherboard Support: SSI-CEB, Extended ATX, ATX, Micro-ATX, Mini-ITX
- Back Connect Motherboards: Yes
- Expansion Slots: 8
- Storage bays: 3.5″ / 2.5″ x 8, 3.5″ / 2.5″ x 2 [1], 3.5” x 1 , 2.5” x 3
- Max GPU Length: 438mm
- MAX GPU Height: N/A
- MAX GPU Width: N/A
- Max CPU Cooler Height: 190mm
- Max PSU Size: ATX
- Pre-installed Fans: 3 x 140mm (Front) 1 x 140mm (Rear)
- Fan Support: 120mm x 3 / 140mm x 3 (Top) 120mm x 3 / 140mm x 3 (Front) 120mm x 1 / 140mm x 1 (Rear) 120mm x 1 / 140mm x 1 (Bottom) 120mm x 3 / 140mm x 3 (R/H Side)
- Radiator Support: 120mm / 140mm / 240mm / 280mm / 360mm / 420mm (Top) 120mm / 140mm / 240mm / 280mm / 360mm / 420mm (Front) 120mm / 140mm (Rear) 120mm / 140mm / 240mm / 280mm / 360mm / 420mm (R/H Side)
- Dust Filters: Bottom Nylon
- Font I/O: USB Type-C x 1, USB 3.0 x 2, Audio x 1, Mic x 1, Power, Reset, LED buttons
- LCD Screen: N/A
Thermal Performance Testing
To simulate thermal demand we run the Cinebench R23 multi-thread benchmark and 3DMark Speed Way stress test simultaneously in a loop for 30 minutes to load the system fully. This gives the CPU and GPU enough time to reach constant steady-state temperature. With this data, we can compare how the system handles the thermal demand and measure peak noise levels.
Thermal performance is measured with the case in various configurations, such as the default, with the tempered glass left-hand side panel removed and with the front panel removed to see how these configurations affect the CPU and GPU temperature. During testing, only stock case fans are used unless otherwise specified. All water pumps are set to maximum RPM and fans are set to a custom RPM curve by the Motherboard software/BIOS.
All temperature measurements are presented as Deltas – meaning the ambient temperature has been deducted from the CPU temperature giving us a Delta. Data shown in the charts represent the average component temperature over the length of the test as measured by HWiNFO and then the last 15 minutes of the data are calculated to get the average. The ambient temperature during thermal tests is between 19-20⁰C.
Test System Specification:
Thermal Performance Overview
We tested the case thermals with a 420mm AIO CPU cooler installed in the roof and with the case in several different configurations. The default configuration shown in the charts is with a 420mm roof-mounted AIO, the stock case fans installed and all case panels and dust filters fitted.

In the default configuration, the case does a good job of keeping the CPU and GPU cool, with average load temperatures of 58°C over ambient for the CPU and 53°C over ambient for the GPU, which is what we would expect for this configuration under high load. Adding a couple of fans to the power supply shroud as intake has a small effect on GPU temperature, dropping it by 2°C, but the CPU temperature is unchanged.
Adding side intake fans has a similar effect, dropping GPU temperature to 51°C over ambient. However, removing the mesh panels and the glass has the most significant effect on CPU and GPU thermals, which suggests that the mesh panels cause some airflow restriction, but it's not enough to cause any concern.
Noise

In any configuration, the test system runs relatively quietly as the case provides good airflow and cooling, especially with a 420mm AIO installed. Adding three side intake fans very slightly increases idle noise, but the lowest load noise output is with the glass side removed, as the system is at its coolest here with lower fan speed. But in any configuration, the system shouldn’t be too loud if you accurately configure a custom fan curve, and it will stay cool, too.
Closing Thoughts
If you need a large mid-tower ATX case with extensive hardware support, great cooling options and masses of storage drive space, then the SilverStone SETA A2 could be the perfect fit. However, the drive bays on the left side do necessitate some compromises, such as the maximum graphics card length and radiator installation. Removing a couple of the drive bays increases the max GPU length to the case's full supported length, so you can still have a decent combination of drives and a big GPU.
It's good to see that SilverStone includes all those drive bays in with the price of the case, some vendors will charge extra for additional storage bays like this. The GPU anti-sag bracket is also a handy included feature, and so is the rotatable PCIe slot bracket and the removable top and front radiator mounts. You may not need all the drive bays, but at least they are there if you do. Build quality of the case is great too, it's up there with some of the best for sure.

There's only a few minor negatives with the case, I had trouble installing a SilverStone power supply from the rear (which is the way it should be installed) due to the labels on each side of the power supply being thick, causing a very tight fit. There are some caveats with 420mm radiator installation too – although the case supports three 420mm rads (top, front and side) they cannot be installed simultaneously. However, SilverStone says the top and front can be installed together, so that’s good for custom cooling enthusiasts.
The other gripe I have is with the fans; they are only voltage controlled and not PWM, even though the included fan hub is PWM. This seems like an odd decision as these days PWM fans surely can't cost much more to vendors, so I don’t know why SilverStone doesn’t include PWM fans; they are just better for the end user.
Other than those minor faults, the SETA A2 is a good case with decent out-of-the-box cooling, great hardware and radiator support, and it has some useful features built in. For £150 it's a very solid option, especially for users who need tonnes of storage drives.
The SilverStone SETA A2 is available to purchase now from Scan in black for £149.99 HERE and pre-order in white/rose gold for £159.98 HERE.
Pros:
- High build quality and solid feel.
- Excellent for storage and radiator support.
- Good airflow and cooling.
- Great cable management / easy installation.
Cons:
- Some power supplies might be difficult to install from the rear.
- Included fans are voltage control only.
- Arrived with one faulty fan.
KitGuru says: If you use your PC for more than just gaming and need tonnes of storage, then this could be the perfect case for you.

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SilverStone SETA A2 Case Review first appeared on
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