Home
Fractal Design

Fractal Design's Node 304 White Mini-ITX Case Is Coming In July

Subject: General Tech | May 22, 2013 - 06:27 PM |
Tagged: fractal design, mini-itx, case, Node 304

Fractal Design is launching a new version of its existing Node 304 computer chassis. The new Node 304 White comes in white and supports Mini-ITX motherboards. The case measures 250 x 210 x 374mm and weighs 4.9kg.

FD-CA-NODE-304-WH_3_lo.jpg

The Node 304 is constructed of aluminum and has a white painted exterior. There are two mesh air vents on either side of the case as well as two 92mm Silent Series R2 fans working as front intakes behind filters to keep dust out of the case. Front IO includes two USB 3.0 ports and two audio jacks. The rear of the case features two expansion slots, a space for an ATX power supply, and a single 140mm Silent Series R2 exhaust fan.

FD-CA-NODE-304-WH_8_lo.jpg

Internally, the Node 304 White can fit standard ATX power supplies, a Mini-ITX motherboard, and up to six 3.5" or 2.5" hard drives. Alternatively, with two of the hard drive mounts removed, the case can accommodate graphics cards up to 310mm in length.

It is a minimalist design,but one that works well. Airflow should not be a problem even for high-end components, and the inclusion of the three fans, filters, and a fan controller is nice to see. The case will be available in July with an MSRP of $89.90 in the US and 69.90 EURO in Europe.

Source: Fractal Design

Fractal Design Packs USB 3.0 Support Into Core 1000 USB 3.0 mATX Case

Subject: Cases and Cooling | March 5, 2013 - 07:57 AM |
Tagged: usb 3.0, mid tower, fractal design, core 1000 usb 3.0, atx case

Fractal Design has announced an updated Core 1000 USB 3.0 Micro ATX case that adds USB 3.0 support to the front panel. The new Core 1000 USB 3.0 chassis measures 175mm x 355mm x 420mm and weighs approximately 9 lbs (4.1 kg).

Fractal Design Core 1000 USB 3.jpg

The micro ATX case supports motherboards of the Mini-ITX, DTX, and Micro ATX flavors. Further, it can support graphics cards up to 350mm in length and CPU coolers up to 148mm in height. Two optical disk drives, either three vertically mounted 2.5” SSDs or two 3.5” HDDs, and four PCI expansion slots round out the storage and expansion options.The hard drives feature anti-vibration grommets, and the fan spots include dust filters.

Fractal Design Core 1000 USB 3_Front IO.jpg

On the outside, the Core 1000 USB 3.0 case is flat black with a large mesh front panel and side panel vent. The right side of the case holds the front IO panel, which consists of:

  • 1 x USB 3.0
  • 1 x USB 2.0
  • 2 x Audio jacks
  • 1 x HDD activity indicator light
  • 1 x Power button
  • 1 x Reset button

The inside of the case is rather spartan. There are no cable routing holes, water cooling grommets, CPU cutouts, or other fancy features. It has an ATX power supply spot at the top of the case, motherboard standoffs, and drive cages. Just enough to get the job done, in other words.

Fractal Design Core 1000 USB 3_Angled.jpg

Fractal Design includes a single Silent Series R2 120mm intake fan, but the case can actually support a total of three fans. There are spots for:

  • 1 x 120mm (front intake)
  • 1 x 92mm (rear exhaust)
  • 1 x 120mm (side panel)

There is no word on pricing or availability yet, but expect it to run around $40-50. More photos and specifications are available on the Fractal Design website.

Source: Fractal Design

Fractal Design Integrates USB 3.0 Support Into New Core 3000 USB 3.0 ATX Chassis

Subject: Cases and Cooling | February 5, 2013 - 09:21 AM |
Tagged: usb 3.0, mid tower, fractal design, core 3000 usb 3.0, Core 3000, atx case

Fractal Design has taken its budget-friendly mid-tower Core 3000 case, and updated it with USB 3.0 support on the front IO panel. The new SKU is aptly named the Fractal Design Core 3000 USB 3.0.

7b.jpg

The new case is essentially an upgrade to the Core 3000. It is a black case with white accents on the drive carriages and PCI expansion slots. The front panel of the case features two optical disc drive bays and a dust filter covered by a mess grill. The top of the case holds an exhaust port and a new front IO panel. The IO panel includes two audio jacks, power and reset buttons, power and hard drive activity LEDs, two USB 2.0 ports, and two USB 3.0 ports.

Fractal Design Case.jpg

The Core 3000 USB 3.0 case has room for two 5.25” drives and up to six 3.5” or 2.5” drives (with the top drive cage being removable). Seven PCI expansion slots, a CPU cutout, and cable management/routing holes are all standard features of the Core 3000 USB 3.0 case.

On the cooling front, the mid tower chassis comes equipped with three Silent Series R2 fans out of the box along with a total of seven fan cutouts. By default, there is one 140mm 1,000 RPM intake fan in the front, one 120mm 1,200 RPM exhaust fan in the back, and one 140mm 1,000 RPM fan attached to the top of the case.

7c.jpg

The available fan positions are as follows:

  • Front of the case:
    • 1 x 120mm fan
    • 1 x 140mm fan
  • Top of the case:
    • 2 x 120mm or 140mm fans
  • Rear of the case:
    • 1 x 120mm fan
  • Side of the case:
    • 1 x 120mm fan
  • Bottom of the case:
    • 1 x 120mm fan

The Core 3000 USB 3.0 case has a MSRP of $74.95 in the US. All in all, it looks to be a decent case for the price. You can find more information on the product page.

Source: Fractal Design

Fractal Design Launches Define XL R2 Chassis

Subject: Cases and Cooling | December 19, 2012 - 10:58 AM |
Tagged: pc case, fractal design, chassis, atx case

Fractal Design recently introduced a new model to its Define XL series with the Define XL R2 that comes in either Black Pearl or Titanium Grey. The new case supports motherboards as large as XL-ATX and is packed with features for a relatively cheap $130 price.

fractal_design_define_xl_r2_02.jpg

See more photos and specifications after the break.

Source: Fractal Design

Low profile and a low price, check out Fractal Design's Node 304

Subject: Cases and Cooling | November 22, 2012 - 01:37 PM |
Tagged: fractal design, Node 304, mini-itx, dtx, SFF

Fractal Design's Node 304 SFF case is 250 x 210 x 374 mm (9.8" x 8.2" x 14.7") and thanks to the removable HDDs you can actually fit larger sized GPUs in the case, though the biggest will be blocked by the PSU.  Cooling comes from a pair of front mounted 92mm fans and a 140mm in the rear, all attached to a fan controller to help you manage the noise levels.  HiTech Legion puts the MSRP of this case at $89 which is very impressive for a SFF case with this many features, especially the six HDD bays, but wish that the case was properly compatible with Micro-ITX PSUs to give even more space for a high end GPU.

Node304_nocover-top-view_lores.jpg

"The Fractal Design Node 304 computer case brings style and functionality to the small computing market. The Node 304 features a modular design that allows easy configurability. Motherboard support includes mini-ITX and DTX compatibility. There are two expansion slots available. A total of six drives, either 2.5” or 3.5” can be installed. There is room for a full ATX PSU, up to 160mm in length. CPU coolers can be installed up to 165mm in height and GPUs up to 310mm in length (with adaptation). Fractal has included a cooling system with two front mounted 92mm Silent Series R2 hydraulic bearing fans and one rear 140mm Silent Series R2 hydraulic bearing fan. There is also a fan controller included with low, medium, and high settings. The front interface includes two USB 3.0 ports, a 3.5mm mic, and 3.5mm headphone connection."

Here are some more Cases & Cooling reviews from around the web:

CASES & COOLING

Source: HiTech Legion

Fractal Design thinks small with their Define Mini MicroATX Tower

Subject: Cases and Cooling | December 15, 2011 - 01:00 PM |
Tagged: fractal design, Define Mini, MicroATX, SFF

SPCR has reviewed a case for those designing mATX cases, a shrunken version of the Fractal Design Define R3, the Define Mini.  The case is 210mm x 395mm x 490mm (8.3" x 15.5" x19.3") and places the PSU at the bottom which in this case made add stability to the design.  Careful attention was paid to the acoustical qualities of the case, with the stock fans cooling the system it produced 16dBa which should easily be drowned out by background noise.  Even in such a small case there is still room for six easy-to-access hard drives, six large fans, large CPU heatsinks, long graphics cards and the cable management holes will help make your build tidy.  No wonder this case received a recommendation from Silent PC Review.

SPCR_define_mini.jpg

"The Fractal Design Define Mini is a smaller version of the popular Define R3. It might just be the answer to those looking for a solid microATX tower with all the trappings and conveniences of a modern ATX case."

Here are some more Cases & Cooling reviews from around the web:

CASES & COOLING

 

Source: Silent PC Review

A new choice in the sub-$100 case market

Subject: Cases and Cooling | November 21, 2011 - 04:49 PM |
Tagged: fractal design, Core 3000

If you lean more towards the understated and relatively inexpensive side of the case market as opposed to the type who look at the Thermaltake Level 10 and can't wait until they can pick one up, then check out The Tech Report.  They've just wrapped up a review of Fractal Design's Core 3000 enclosure which you should be able to pick up for less than $70.  Outwardly it recalls the Antec Three Hundred, especially the bottom mounted PSU and it sports a similar price.  Inside you will find decent air cooling, the mounts can accept 120mm or 140mm fans, with a pair on top, bottom (one is for the PSU) and front with one on the left panel as well.  The Tech Report did find the size of the case a little restrictive when installing wires and cards, even though it can fit a full ATX board and large coolers.  Head over to see the full review.

TR_side-angle-620.jpg

"Fractal Design has a new budget enclosure that costs just $65. We take a closer at the Core 3000 to see if it warrants a spot on your list of candidate cases."

Here are some more Cases & Cooling reviews from around the web:

CASES & COOLING

 

Source: The Tech Report

PC Perspective
Upcoming Events
  • 5/23 @ 6:00pm PDT / 9:00pm EDT
    This Week in Computer Hardware
  • 5/29 @ 7:00pm PDT / 10:00pm EDT
    PC Perspective Podcast