The 10 Best Fractal Design Cases in 2023
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Ranking amongst the best PC cases of all time (not just from Fractal), the Define R5 hits the perfect sweet spot in offering what a majority of gaming/production builds will be looking for at its mid-range price. Because we’re reviewing the tempered glass model, our North XL did not include the side bracket for additional cooling. Instead, Fractal sent over their Flex 2 vertical GPU riser kit (an $80 accessory that’s sold separately). One of the few gripes I had with the original North was the thumb screws needed to remove the side panels, and that carries over to this larger model. I suppose it’s more secure than the pop-off pegs that have become increasingly common.
Wood, glass, and brass for bigger, classy builds
The top of the North features a removable panel with a leather tab and the back for easier removal. The side panels are removed via two thumb screws, which is a bit disappointing for a case of this price, and it’s almost ironic when you consider the otherwise excellent aesthetics of this chassis. Fractal's North is a mid-tower ATX case that disguises itself as a pretty piece of furniture. Now, I never took woodshop in high school, but this feels and looks like bamboo. Because of the increase in volume, the top fan mounts can house a pair of large 180mm Fractal Torrent fans, although you won’t find these in the box. The wood front slats are a darker walnut on the black model than the oak used on the chalk white variant, and I think it looks great.
Fractal Budget ATX Case Alternative: Fractal Design Focus G
No, but if fan noise particularly bothers you, you may want to consider the glass panel even if you don’t care much about looking at the internals of your case. Like its smaller, older Fractal North brother, the North XL is available in charcoal black and chalk white, with a choice of a mesh or tempered glass side panel. Because we reviewed the white mesh version the first time, it only made sense to check out the tempered glass black variant this time around. Enter Fractal Design, a case manufacturer that often finds itself on our Best PC Cases, and its latest (and hopefully trend-setting) North case.
Best Fractal Micro ATX Case: Fractal Design Define Mini C
But it’s also worth mentioning that the thumbscrews here are very stiff and require a screwdriver to remove. What’s more, be aware the case seems to have some quality control problems (likely due to the very low price point for its feature set). Not only do you have great cooling potential and GPU space for a powerful overclocked gaming build.
And now, because airflow is so important, too many cases are starting to look the same, which is frustrating. Currently, the PC case market is saturated with chassis constructed of more glass than mesh, so anything else is a breath of fresh air. While the wood front panel is gorgeous and hasn’t shown signs of decay over the last year, I would like to see Fractal Design release additional front panels.
Ultimately, the Fractal Design North can support four 2.5 and two 3.5-inch drives simultaneously, which is very respectable in 2022. A PWM fan hub is also included, mounted behind the motherboard tray by default. It can be moved to a position above the rear fan mount, but we expect most will find its default location more convenient–and better for aesthetics as well, should you opt for the glass side panel. The Fractal Design Define 7 mid-tower chassis comes in black, grey or white with the option of a tempered glass side panel. Depending on the color you choose, the tempered glass side panel is available in clear, light or dark tinting. The chassis measures 546.8 x 240 x 474.2 mm and tips the scales at just over 15.9 kg (35 pounds).
Define
For storage beyond M.2, there are a pair of 2.5-inch brackets behind the motherboard plate. And you can install two more 2.5-inch or two 3.5-inch drives in trays housed under the PSU shroud. Power supply space is ample, at up to 11.4 inches, although that space lessens as you add drive trays and / or a front radiator. The tempered-glass side panel is attached to a metal frame that eliminates the need for rubber-coated locating pins or hinges.
North XL
At $180, it’s not exactly budget, but it’s surprisingly affordable given its internal space and stunning external design. Available in either chalk white or charcoal black, can the North XL land Fractal another notch on our Best PC cases list? We’ll have to test it to find out, but first, let’s take a look at its specs.
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Simply put, the Define Mini C is the best Fractal case available today for MATX builds bar none and perfect for most compact enthusiast builds. But anyone looking for a server, HTPC, or video production PC case will have one of the largest storage capabilities we’ve seen at this price point (and more than we can imagine any user needing). Sure, the storage isn’t as plentiful as our top pick, and you can’t install quite the same level of cooling. Starting with the build is the high-quality finish and largely steel exterior you expect from its more expensive counterparts. Simply put, whatever your requirements, the Define R5 is a masterpiece and easily the best Fractal computer case to cater to a majority of builds. But even if you’re looking at something more work-focused (say, video editing), you have some of the best storage capacity available in any ATX case.
Hands-On: Fractal's Tiny Terra PC Case Has Wood Accents, Adjustable Spine - Tom's Hardware
Hands-On: Fractal's Tiny Terra PC Case Has Wood Accents, Adjustable Spine.
Posted: Wed, 31 May 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Just below the surface of the top panel, you will find a large plastic mesh fan filter, and below that are mounting locations for three 120mm or two 140mm fans. The Fractal Design Define 7 works with two different internal layouts, "open" and "storage." Open layout resembles many current mid-tower ATX cases on the market today. An open main chamber equipped with a pair of 3.5-inch hard drive mounts under the PSU tunnel and a couple SSDs mounts tucked neatly behind the motherboard tray.
Fractal Design wisely designed the filter on the bottom of the case to be removed from the front, eliminating the need to move your system for filter maintenance and cleaning. Fractal Design's Define series has long been a favorite in the enthusiast community for its class-leading performance and quality construction. We have the white tempered-glass version of the Fractal Design Define 7 mid-tower ATX case on the test bench today to see what it has to offer.
Overall, the North XL looks just as stunning as the original, but I would still personally still opt for the mesh side panel, as I feel like it fits the case’s aesthetic better than the tempered glass does. But if you do want to show off your internals, the vertical GPU kit certainly makes more sense with the glass panel. The Define C is the perfect choice for those after the fantastic features that our top pick offers in a mini-tower form factor. The overall look of Fractal Design's Define series cases is one of the features that makes it popular with gamers and enthusiasts alike. The Define 7, dressed out completely in white, including the fans, is an extremely attractive chassis. The Fractal Design Define 7 is equipped with an excellent fan filtration system, with large removable nylon filters on every fan mounting location including the power supply.
You might assume the mesh improves thermals, but there's also evidence (at least in some cases) that air coming in from the side can be detrimental to the front-to-back airflow path. The only other case we've tested recently with a mesh side panel was the Azza Aero 480, and that did not perform very well. Fractal's North, though, performed exceptionally well in our testing – especially with CPU thermals.
It’s a strange time for PC cases, especially if, like me, you’re not a big fan of so-called “fishbowl” chassis with glass on as many sides as possible. Sure, on the better models, airflow has improved to the point where, with some smartly placed fans, you don’t usually have to worry about cooking your high-end components. Now Fractal Design is back with the North XL, aimed at beefier builds, with E-ATX motherboard support, and room for larger coolers and GPUs. The latter is particularly welcome because the Colorful RTX 4090 Vulcan OC just barely fit when we used the North to update our How to Build a PC article.
Front I/O includes two USB 3.0 and two USB 2.0 ports, a USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C port is nestled between the power and reset buttons. You get two USB 3.0 Type-A, one USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C and separate audio and headphone jacks. There's also a nice spun-metal power button here, etched with Fractal's stylized "F" logo. If you want the Fractal Design quality but something a little…different, then the Node 804 is a great choice.
For example, I’d love to see a brass front panel on this case to compliment the accents. The Core i K is set at a fixed 4.7GHz clock at 1.3v on all performance cores to ensure consistent power consumption across test scenarios. Letting the GPU run at 75% fan speed enables it to maintain its power target while sticking to one set reasonable fan speed, so that the temperature is the only variable. When I took the North XL out of the box, I was taken aback by the attention to detail in this chassis. Instead of boring black or silver accents, the charcoal black version features brass-colored IO ports and feet. I don’t think I have ever been impressed by the feet on a case before, but there’s a first time for everything, I suppose.
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