BitFenix has announced the Portal, which is one of the more interesting-looking chassis designs to hit the market in recent memory. Available in both black and white, and with or without a top-mounted window to show off your GPU (thanks to the inverted motherboard layout), the Portal is a sleek mini-ITX enclosure with a smooth, rounded aluminum exterior that is certainly a departure from typical case designs.

One of the design concepts made possible by SFX power supplies is a slimming down of the standard tower concept, which leaving component layout identical. In the case of this mini-ITX mini tower case from BitFenix, you might at first think you are looking at a larger case, but that PSU opening is in fact SFX, and the case is just wide enough to accommodate a standard PCIe graphics card.

A smaller mini-ITX case is often more challenging to work in, but here BitFenix has a clever solution with their dual-frame design:

"Designed for ITX Motherboards, the striking key component of the interior is the Dual Frame Design for easy access and quick installation. The inner chamber, equipped with enough space for high-end components, slides into the housing via a ball bearing runner design."

The external housing slimply slides off to reveal a standard chassis frame, allowing for easy component installation. Beyond the requirements of mini-ITX motherboard and SFX power supply, the Portal allows for CPU coolers of up to 125 mm, and full size graphics cards up to 300 mm long.

Specifications:

  • Chassis Type: ITX Chassis
  • Colors: Black | White
  • Materials: Aluminum | SECC Steel | ABS | Transparent acrylic
  • Motherboard: Mini-ITX
  • CPU Cooler: Up to 125mm height
  • Graphic Card Length: Up to 300mm
  • Power Supply: SFX Form Factor
  • Storage Capacity: 3.5" HDD x2, 2.5" HDD 1+2
  • Cooling Capacity: Front 120mm x1 (included), rear 80mm x1 (included)
  • Radiator Capacity: (Front) Up to 120mm x1
  • Front I/O ports: USB 3.0 x2 | HD Audio Mic & Headphone
  • Dimensions (with stand): (WxHxD) 247 x 395 x 411 mm (9.72 x 15.55 x 16.18 inches)
  • Weight: 5.81 kg (12.81 lbs)

Cooling is another area that has received BitFenix's attention, as they have implemented what they call their "intelligent cooling solution" with the Portal:

"To cool the built-in hardware, the portal is equipped with air inlets at all four corners and the bottom of the housing. The air-permeable inner chamber is further equipped with included 120mm intake and 80mm exhaust fan, for a stable airflow for basic Office and Home Theater PCs."

The BitFenix Portal is available now for $139.99 with your choice of color and window option (product pages already up on Newegg.com).