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Spinning the case around, we find that most of the added space is placed above (“north” of?) the motherboard, allowing for the installation of thicker top-mounted radiators. Ventilation slots are spaced to accept 120mm and 140mm fans at various distances from the motherboard and top panel. Introducing a new, larger addition to our North series, offering users the same transformative design as the original in an extended format.
Features of the Fractal Design North
Inside, it offers more room to cater to ambitious build aspirations, including space for a 420 mm front-mounted radiator, 360 mm top-mounted radiator and support for graphics cards up to 413 mm. Its spacious, flexible, and intuitive interior layout is designed to allow users to make the most of their building and gaming experience. The front 2.5-inch drive tray is filled with a box containing the case’s hardware kit and is mounted very close to the front fan bracket. Both trays can be relocated 1.5 inches farther back, but doing so reduces the power-supply space from a measured 7.9 inches (200mm) to a mere 6.4 inches (163mm). The North XL’s motherboard tray is flat all the way to the front, allowing motherboards of any depth (up to its 413mm max card length) to fit.
Presenting North XL
One of my favorite-looking PC cases, the Fractal Design North, is now only $119 - Tom's Hardware
One of my favorite-looking PC cases, the Fractal Design North, is now only $119.
Posted: Thu, 21 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]
My previous case was a Phanteks P400s TG, so the review is coming from that angle.
Fractal Design North XL Specs
Case companies often take an existing design and mostly (or sometimes only) change the front panel. This isn’t the case (no pun intended) with the North, which is available in either white or black and with a mesh or tempered glass side panel. Enter Fractal Design, a case manufacturer that often finds itself on our Best PC Cases, and its latest (and hopefully trend-setting) North case. The North is an ATX mid-tower chassis that features wood slats on the front panel (backed by mesh) and the option for a mesh or tempered-glass side panel. Fractal Design’s new case retails for $130 and comes in Charcoal Black or Chalk White.
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. If you’re smitten with the wood face of the original North, the North XL will be likely your go-to pick if your timber-lust goes along with a need for oversize components. It didn’t dominate our benchmarks, but it’s no slouch, and the build process was about as easy and quick as any of recent note.
PCMag supports Group Black and its mission to increase greater diversity in media voices and media ownerships. We guarantee your satisfaction on every product we sell with a full refund in accordance with our return policy – no receipt needed if you have a Micro Center Insider Account. 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. I recently bought a Fractal North (Charcoal / Black Mesh version) and I just wanted to share some impressions before I forget.
Completed Builds Using Fractal Design North ATX Mid Tower Case
Best Fractal Design PC cases in 2024 - XDA Developers
Best Fractal Design PC cases in 2024.
Posted: Wed, 01 Nov 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Still, the cost of raw materials these days is up, up, and up, and you’ll be hard pressed to find a finer-looking combo of steel, glass, and wood outside an architect’s studio. 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. The top of the North features a removable panel with a leather tab and the back for easier removal.
Behind the wood are two pre-installed Fractal Design Aspect 140mm fans, which can be replaced with fans or radiators up to 360mm. And, finally, the rear fan mount can fit a 120mm spinner, although the case only comes with the two fans up front. Official subreddit of Fractal – leading designer and manufacturer of premium PC gaming hardware. Welcome to your go-to-channel for everything Fractal-related from information to inspiration. You may pick your poison, but we’ll just stick with the version that gets us the best temperatures. The Fractal Design North measures up at 18.5 x 8.5 x 17.5 inches (HWD), so I wouldn’t try to fit an E-ATX board in here.
Accessories options - 10 groups of items - 50 total selections
Fractal Design's cases generally aren't all that quiet, and that's true here as well. During our full-speed test, we got an average of 53 decibels, which is, bluntly, quite loud. So it's likely the tempered glass version of the North is at least a little quieter.
The Fractal Design North XL is a little noisy at full speed, partly because it has large fans, and partly because its front panel is designed for optimal airflow rather than as a noise barrier. Fortunately for Fractal Design, most of its competitors are also a little noisy. Regardless of how we got there, the installed card now sits vertically above the power supply tunnel and looks pretty spiffy, if you ask us.
However, this case can fit GPUs up to 13.98 inches (355mm), and our Gigabyte RTX 3070 Ti Gaming OC fits perfectly. The maximum CPU cooler height varies, depending on whether you install the fan bracket on the side. Without the bracket, the North supports coolers up to 6.7 inches (170mm), but 5.7 inches (145mm) with the bracket and fans installed.
North reimagines the gaming PC, introducing natural materials and bespoke details to make gaming a stylish addition to your living space. Leveraging design to give you a better experience, its airflow functionality and intuitive layout make building and gaming both smooth and enjoyable. What would the popular Fractal Design North look like, expanded to Extended ATX (EATX) scale? Real walnut trim was the biggest thing that made Fractal Design’s original North a big hit among ATX system builders, and the firm is ready to take another chunk out of the market (and some forest) with a $179.99 North XL version. Key improvements include the ability to fit a triple-140mm (420mm format) radiator up front or a graphics card up to 413mm deep, and all that extra capability costs only an extra inch or two of additional space on your desk.
It supports up to three 120mm, two 140mm, or even two 180mm fans, as well as radiators up to 406mm long. That last number covers most (but not all) 360mm-format closed-loop coolers. We measured 71mm between the top panel and the motherboard’s top edge, and builders who aren’t afraid to let their coolers hang past the motherboard’s top edge will find around 52mm of horizontal distance between 120mm fans and motherboard standoffs.
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