SilverStone FLP02 Retro Inspired MicroATX Case Review

When building a PC there are always compromises and ways to mitigate the issues you may encounter.  More often than not, the solution is to pick a different case.  For instance, if your build requires a 360mm radiator then you need to make sure the chassis you pick can support one, else you may be required to do some modifications.

In this review we have been looking at the FLP03 Retro inspired chassis from SilverStone.  This is a MicroATX compatible computer case following the same design queues from the FLP02 that we saw last year.  While there are some very distinct similarities there is plenty that is different.

The most obvious is motherboard compatibility with the FLP03 supporting MicroATX and MiniITX motherboards exclusively.  This will restrict the available motherboard selection but does open up “right sized” system builds where having a full-sized motherboard is actually kinda wasteful.

Reverse connector motherboards are supported and the five available expansion slots will support all current GPUs with some breathing room to spare.  Sadly, the smaller foot print does exclude the FLP03 from being used for a “true” retro build but the laundry list of upgrades more than make up for it.

The biggest of these upgrades is with cooling where the SilverStone FLP03 includes a single 180mm air penetrator intake fan coupled with a single 120mm exhaust fan.  Positive air pressure goes a long way to keep your system clean and there are plenty of fan options available.  For instance, dual 180mm fans up front, 360mm rad up top and even dual 120mm fans in the basement ensure that airflow will not be a problem.

To support the wide range of cooling options you will find dual front panel controls with “factory” buttons and USB connectors located at the top along with the Retro dashboard located in the bottom external expansion bay.  If you wanted to expand your cooling options, the retro dashboard could be removed allowing you to use the factory buttons or repositioned to make way for a front mounted AIO.

Overall, I am rather surprised at how much SilverStone put into the FLP03 while still keeping with the 90’s era beige aesthetic.  Your retro hardware options may be limited but the system and cooling flexibility go a long way to build a proper retro sleeper without compromise.

180mm Fan Included
Included Fan Controller
Retro Inspired Front Control Panel
Beige
External Drive Bays
Great Cable Routing
Might Be the Best Case for MiniITX

Screw access for external drive bays is limited
Certain cooling support requires removing retro dashboard
Modern hardware limits how small a case can be