Out of freaking nowhere fractal design creates the best looking computer case ever made. A breath of fresh air in the unicorn vomit trends dominating currently
If you look hard enough, you would know the majority of RGB cases have a Non-RGB counterpart. It's more of a personal preference from the community that wants RGB rather than the lack of non RGB cases.
With the wood on the front and the black mesh design, Fractal seems to have finally created the perfect case to match the stylings of the inevitable Noctua fans you'll be putting in. And side intake, too? Hell yeah, LOVE that. Going to buy one of these, I think.
@@sleeplessindefatigable6385 I looked up the NF-d 14s but couldn't find them; only NF-a14 or NH-d14. Could you share a link please? Or was it a typing error?
Fractal has really stepped up over the past couple of years. They just check all the boxes: Look good, perform well, easy to build in, made of quality materials, customizable, really good pricing, and (in my experience) really good customer service. Sure, there's a couple things some people don't like about these cases, but I haven't heard anyone say they didn't like their Fractal case. They're one of the only companies I've seen really innovating in the case market recently, and they do an excellent job at it.
honestly i think everyone has stepped up -- except maybe phanteks, idk i give phanteks props though they sell even their case "fixes" like solving their air restricted cases by making a new front end.
Fractal has killed it for as long as I can remember. (Been building computers for about 10-15 years now). I love my Define R4 case. A little bulky, but good looking computer with good noise levels. I kind of want to upgrade to this wooden one now though.
I've had 3 different fractal cases, went from a Define R6 to a Meshify C now I'm in a Torrent. Have loved all of them! definitely my favourite case builder
I concur! I love my Define R5 (windowless Blackout) and see no reason to replace it anytime soon. I guess a USB-C in the front I/O would be nice but that's about all I can think of that it doesn't already have. And this may sound weird, but multiple people I know have commented on how nice the power button feels to press. (not to mention how quiet my computer is, basically inaudible at idle/low load and doesn't get very loud even at high load)
As an "older" gamer where my machine is also for work, I appreciate everything about this case. I'll be grabbing this early next year for sure! Great review.
Fractal has been hitting it out of the park for a few years now with amazing cases. They really are leading the field when it comes to case design and quality
Wooden computer cases used to be an actual thing that you used to be able to buy back then, especially during the dawn of personal computers. At least until UL (Underwriter's Laboratories) said nope. It's nice to at least see it come back as a niche.
yeah I used to make wooden cases, but eventually cheap Chinese metal cases were too much to compete with. had no idea UL disapproved. But this was before cpus got hot. long long ago. wanted to make one the last couple of years but wood prices are outrageous.
@@jemiebridges3197 Yeah, UL's grounds for ordering the computer case makers to change to metal materials was fire risks (wood is obviously flammable). This is not really a concern nowadays as CPUs are getting cooler running and much more efficient, so fire risk is a bit reduced except if you have gorilla video cards installed, they obviously run pretty hot.
@@Dr_Mario2007 more so than the wood which I've seen cath on fore in a controlled lab, is the varnish. Lower ignition point, which allows the wood to catch fire easier and burns even better. Sadly Leather insulates heat, so you can't can't cover the metal with that either.
This is fantastic! For those of us living in smaller apartments where a living room is also an office, it's nice to have more of an aesthetic option. I would totally pick this up for my next build. The oak goes perfectly with my desk.
Yes! For a media center PC I helped build with my dad many years ago. It looks like a piece of hi-fi equipment since it was wooden and brass. It also was meant to fit in hifi setups so it blends in nicely. I wouldn't mind something like this, personally.
Oh nice, you've given me an idea for a SFF I'm hoping to upgrade for audio / media center. But now I'm wondering if could give it the McIntosh amp look, using a 7" or 9" screen in the front center, or 2 x 7" screens. Would wonder if could get a volume knob working, but unlikely.
@@einimea4364 not exactly sure how to hack a volume knob onto a mobo header easily. i could destroy my k95 keyboard with that slidey volume control, to become a volume knob, and tbf i hate my k95 enough that it sounds like a good plan :D
@@benwu7980 a pc panel mini or pc panel is what your looking for, it just volume knobs, sliders that you can custom set to different sorfware, spotify, media player etc and led colour code each. its what there made for.
I have a Meshify C now and am only 1:45 into the video and I’ve already decided this is the case for my next build. Absolutely love the build of the case, Fractal does a really good job of making cases that are stylish without being too flashy.
I love this case, i am kinda bored of rgb everywhere, this looks so elegant compared to most computers. I don't want to uprgrade my pc, but i am really thinking about this case.
Haha! Same here! I'm good with my 1600X + 1080 FTW Hybrid + Kraken X62 + 16gb RAM combo, it's got minimal RGB, and I'm going to upgrade to a 5600X I bought when it was confirmed it was the last gen to be supported by that socket. Otherwise, my main complaint is the case a NZXT S340 case. Overall, same dimensions, but much uglier. This (Fractal North) alongside 16gb more of RAM, and I'll be good for years to come, and it'll look modern and fit my stuff.
same. bought RBG LEDs for my PC and turned them off after a couple of months and they havent been on in years. this whole RGB fad streamers have created is waay overblown. I mean they have their desks and walls lit up now with unicorn puke. it looks awful. I have my RGB keyboard, and thats good enough for me. and thats only because i want a backlit keyboard haha.
@@hoofhearted4 Yeah, I've got RGB keyboard, which is set to a static blue color, I've got the logo of my 1080 FTW Hybrid GPU and of my Kraken X62's CPU pump, which are both set to default because I don't really care, but I'll set them blue and call it a day at some point in time. However, I would love for a case to have it's front I/O be actually located on the side, so that we could put it lengthwise on our desk and display all of the components and have the power buttons and whatnot be there as well, near the power supply for instance. THAT, in my opinion, would be the ultimate case. Put the computer in line with the keyboard and mouse, hang the monitor above the computer and speakers to the side, no more "case to the side because its not made to be displayed"
As a woodworker by trade im actually pretty into this haha.. i made my own white oak palm rests and my own desk so having a proper case that maches all that would be pretty sweet....
@@AlphaXDE its prob screwed in from the back of the dust shield stamped metal piece. i like walnut but id do my own stained white oak. i might rip my define 7 front panel off and see if i could do this myself heh. i dont think the north has the screwless side panel?
I screamed so much when I saw this because I thought for a moment I FINALLY found something that would match my living room Klipsch setup. Fractal if you are reading this. Please consider a version in Charcoal with the oak wood front panel and COPPER details
I just hope they make an ITX version of this case. I've been thinking of transitioning to SFF in the future and it'd be cool to have a case styled like this
i actually thought it was gonna have even more wood, & yeah it looks gorgeous (i would love an horizontal option, so it looks even more like Furniture)
I think for the glass side panel, noctua cooling would fit fantastically with it aethetically as you you'd have the fans giving further brown accents, the mesh with the diffused RGB really gives it a nice vibe tho
@@ariesleo7396 if you put fans on the side panel as exhausts you will just take most of the fresh air from the front and immediately exhaust it making a pocket without proper airflow under the part of the GPU. Pushing air towards the GPU making positive pressure and letting it exhaust passively is the most ideal solution, loot how good Torrent is in terms of GPU cooling and that case has only intake fans.
Gosh I love these so much. Extremely happy with this design language, and finally might have an option I feel really drawn to as an upgrade from my Define R4. 👀👀 Only complaint I have is that it's of course missing 5.25" bays, but that's easily resolved with an external enclosure for the Bluray drive. On that note, I suggested they consider making external enclosures to compliment their cases. Would be great to see, especially if they consider modular designs so you can keep a given case, and just swap the electronic guts for upgrades. Aaaa, though I'd strongly prefer steel accents on the black and walnut case. That alone might spur me to consider the white and oak case. RIP.
Recently built in a Fractal Design Torrent and it was a great experience. Detailed instructions, lots of options for dealing with wiring mess, and a fantastic design for airflow.
I currently have a nzxt h510. I've been looking at the torrent since launch but the price is hard pill to swallow at least here in Canada how you liking it anything your didn't like during build?
@@friendlynukacoladealer The build was very pleasant. I would say the case is quite large and heavy though, but this does also mean you won't have any trouble fitting things inside. However, I would say it's not worth upgrading if you already have a decent case like the NZXT H510, the benefits just won't be that noticeable. I had a much older case so the upgrade was definitely worth it for me.
@@FaceJP24 Thanks for the response! I agree it ain't really worth upgrading specifically for the cost. Besides it's stunning appearance. Main benefit would be thermals (H510 elite glass front) and mesh front is hard to come by where I live. Might just wait till one's on sale eventually and pull Trigg. Take care.
I'm the information technology manager for a medium-sized manufacturing company. One of my job responsibilities is replacing or upgrading our workstations when needed. I have an aversion to pre-builts due to the often lackluster quality, and I dislike OEM offerings due to the fact that they often utilize proprietary elements that can't be replaced or repaired with readily available, standard parts. As such, I tend to custom build nearly all of our PCs. And every single on of them has been in a Fractal Design case. There's a reason Puget Systems, probably the only pre-built PC manufacturer I would ever consider buying from, ALSO uses Fractal cases in nearly all their products. Suffice to say, I can personally vouch for Fractal, and I'm excited to see them coming out with more great products.
I’ve been shopping for computer cases for WEEKS. In 15 years of PC building I’ve never found a case I liked. I saw this drop this morning and immediately bought it. The most inspired and beautiful case I’ve ever seen in my life.
I actually bought one of these, the white TG one. Everyone thinks it looks amazing, and I agree. I got a cheap white coolermaster AIO and a AsRock X570 steel legend MLB, more for the looks than anything and it’s a super clean build.
Gotta love Fractal. They also have one of the best customer services I have ever seen. Broke a sidepanel once, and they sent me a new one free of any charge. That was FOUR YEARS after I bought the case!
It's cute. I like the style. Personally, I wouldn't mind a little more brass/steel, or even more wood. Or even just more wood-tone color options like cherry wood or ebony. But all considered, to make a nice professional PC build that isn't rainbow unicorn barf to the max, it looks great! I might even consider this case for my next build. I'm only slightly disappointed by the offness of the color. Not white and not black? That's not going to match any components. If I did buy this case for my next build, I see some painting, sanding, and staining in my future. LOL
This case case in black with Asus ProArt mobo & GPU combo (black with brass accents), Noctu NH-U12S in black and a nice RAM kit with all black heat spreaders is about the best blackout combo for us RGB haters. I've seen some really nice blackout builds in this case. Always been a fan of Fractal Design cases.
I think this case is not only fitting for living room setups. Even for minimalist setups, this case brings just this little color touch you need. So in short, this case looks just amazing.
Oh wow, this is amazing! I thought this would be one of those $300 cases that are really awesome jut you can never justify actually buying. But 130 is perfectly reasonable! Damn! Now I only wish there was one with a drive bay 😫
I've been avoiding this video along with Hardware Canuck's video because I knew it would make me want this case. "I don't need a new case, I don't need a new case. My case is fine. My case is fine." Darn you LTT.
I find myself not liking traditional PC cases. As soon as I laid my eyes on this one, I knew it was perfect for me. Currently waiting on its delivery. Wish me luck on my first build!!!! 🎉
Honestly this is by far the best looking case in years, reminds me of the design language of a lot of the premium sff cases. Well done to the fractal design team
Hell Yess I wood absolutely buy this case. It's awesome, it's fresh, it's organic, it's minimalistic and original while not being invisible.... I absolutely love it
I just built my PC with the Fractal North and I’m glad I’m not the only one who messed up and installed my rad before plugging in my pump and fans 🙈. Aside from the headroom, this case is baller and has perfect build quality 👌.
They finally got it! Let’s be honest, the young who can throw whatever the fuck they want in their space good in them but for the rest of us with a wife and kids, the looks matter! That thing actually looks like a nice peace of furniture. Replaced be quiet with that one on my shopping list for my next build!
Not gonna lie, Plouffe rambling when building in the case sounds like my brain when I am trying to sleep. The editing on this video made it even more uncanny.
Love people actually making wood cases again, even if its just the front. I have an ancient wood case that looks like a vintage radio that I need to replace as it has seen many better days but I can't find one that I like, this may be the one, and it looks great, it don't matter if its black or white.
Just picked up the white one with the mesh side panel, really nice case. I just have minimal RGB on the cpu heatsink fans and it gives it a nice color ambiance without being over the top.
2:43 - They've got 120 and 140 mounts. If you can do two 140s then this would be able to do a 280 rad. And it can definetly do a 360 in the front with three 120s. Skateboarders: Shut up and take our money!
My uncle is a carpenter and whenever I dream about having actually learned with him, I think how much of a market for bespoke electronics cases made out of wood is there...
Maaan, I _just_ cleaned and re-cabled-managed my current case last week. I swear if I didn't suffer through that right now, I would buy this in an instant. This case looks fucking gorgeous
This is probably the first case where you can that Fractal Design is a Swedish company. :D I have been wanting for this wood and brass look on computer cases since the 1990s... I always found 70s hi-fi equipment to look absolutely gorgeous! Heck, my Steam Controller would even match this as I have applied Atari 2600 inspired decals with wallnut details on it. :D
I wish they made this in a full tower version, that supported a 360 rad on the top. Could also be big enough to support the new GPU coming this year in a full tower form. If they made a full tower of this design I would buy one in a heart beat.
FYI, if you have a 6 + 2 power cable to plug in, i've found that doing the 2, then holding it in place with a single finger and adding the 6 into the recepticle does a good job of getting everything plugged in properly. it's much easier than trying to hold everything aligned and plugging it into recepticle.
I have a black and wooden lamp and a black and wooden desk. When i saw this im like immediately im buying this. It is so relaxing and minimalist like definitely my style.
My issue is there are no dust filters over the intakes. Maybe not an issue in a super clean house, but in a dusty house that case will be caked in 6 months.
i don't like the look (as a fractal meshify owner), but i can respect the decision to try something new. one of the few innovative companies in that field
I love FD so much, With their recent designs too. First the pop mini making ODD's cool again and now bringing back good' old side panel fans. Maybe vertical GPU mounting will get way more popular with future cases.
Do you know what case i want? A gunmetal grey case with copper's iconic orange shine and hue everywhere. Maybe a watercooled rig with copper fins that arent painted. Now THATS an aesthetic that i'd actually be interested in!
That mess side panel is sick af, I recently bought a Noctua heatsink and its almost flush against my side panel i have right now so i usually just keep it off, but this might fix my whole issue super easy. Thanks POOF!
Its been over 10 years since I bought my Cooler Master Half-X. It is still 100% functional, but... this case won me over. One thing that I would of loved to see is the not sure what to call it, " the utility upper section where the ports are " I would of loved for these to be modular ( front/side/top ) If they manage to do that, this case will be the best in my eyes, I would gladly pay 100 usd extra just for this option. Take my money
Wowowowow this is so beautiful. I live in a log cabin and this would fit beautifully in my living room. If they made a smaller itx version that could lay horizontally that would look perfect in my living room next to my Marshall speaker. Its perfect!
Dude! That thing is Beautiful! I love the wooden slats, It will be so cool to see future iterations of this concept, maybe with actuated louvers, or tambour roll-tops. There’s really something magical with the materials going on here, mesh+wood+brass, it’s like having better in-game textures but on the outside of the PC instead of in it’s thoughts. Perhaps a turning point for the whole industry to enter into an arms race, employing even more exotic material science in consumer product design. Ya know it’s funny, halfway through the outro I was thinking “ya know I like this outro” (because of the recap where you clearly stated the product name, I liked the definitive clarity in the cadence) I was really feeling it, it’s funny how different things pop out for different people and that at the exact same time I was reflecting on the quality of the outro someone else on set was like naaaaw. Lol I’m glad that there’s no debate, that those little brass feet are worth every penny, or beaver-coin or whatever you guys use up there.
I was thinking of a Corsair midi tower with dark glass, but man this case looks so elegant. My current case is also a Fractal. Love their cases. I just found out about this one after finding the North Pi case for Raspberry, so I'm staying with my home country brand. Great review mate
Pretty big miss not covering the fan mount for the side @ 4:55 IMO. That's the fan mount for the mesh side, and it can be moved vertically up and down anywhere behind said mesh. In Wendell's (Level1Techs) video, he mounted a 280mm AIO to it, which seems like an awesome niche use case, and in this video I would have loved to see more coverage on this feature. This case is a sleeper for AIO support and this mount didn't get the attention it deserves in this video: It's definitely a selling point for me. I guess this is a reminder to always watch more than 1 video for a given product.
Charcoal mesh with that wood grain looks so nice. Personally id love some subtle white strip lighting in the front around the edges behind the wood grain.
I built in a white Corsair 4000D Airflow, removed the tempered glass from the front and replaced with their vented bamboo front plate then the entire world goes wood! I'm ahead of the curve for once!!
Thats gona fit perfect with my wallnut wooden speakers :D just wish it was a wooden panel on the mesh door and had some high performing bluetooth antenna built in.
Fractal seems to have become a niche casing rather than conventional, which makes owning it the best feeling ever! On a side note: FYI if you are getting fractal casings, make sure the person who is going to build it for you knows how to cable manage it, had serious bad exp for my fractal torrent.
I recently rebuilt my home virtualization/NAS server into a Fractal Define R5. It is damn near silent with good fans and the build quality, connectivity, and value are incredible. I've often thought about doing my next 'rebuild' into a Define 7 XL. Now, I am really hoping Fractal expands this new line of cases. If they were to create a larger version of this case with more-or-less the same features and dimensions of the 7 XL, I would buy it in a heartbeat!
I have one of those, and its huge. you can fit 18 3.5 inch drives as well as 5 SSDs. I mostly bought it for all the fan mounts within it as I needed something that could have good airflow in a somewhat hot environment during the summer. I also needed a case that could hold at least 15 drives...
Out of freaking nowhere fractal design creates the best looking computer case ever made. A breath of fresh air in the unicorn vomit trends dominating currently
I saw this and I immediately wanted to buy it
If you look hard enough, you would know the majority of RGB cases have a Non-RGB counterpart. It's more of a personal preference from the community that wants RGB rather than the lack of non RGB cases.
@@sergiwedge452 Same. love the mesh. I don't need a case but I do need better home decor and this is that not a case lol
@@keonxd8918 Those non-RGB counterparts are all black square boxes or black angular gamery designs.
I like this case. And small amount of lighting looks a bit funny with mesh panel. But damn...I want one
With the wood on the front and the black mesh design, Fractal seems to have finally created the perfect case to match the stylings of the inevitable Noctua fans you'll be putting in. And side intake, too? Hell yeah, LOVE that. Going to buy one of these, I think.
You can get black Noctua fans lol. I think this works with a lot of stuff like Audiophile gear and wood furnitures.
@@matasa7463 I was thinking specifically about the NF-d 14s. They're black with the dark tan, so they'd match this.
Gunna Noctua the shit outta this case!
@@sleeplessindefatigable6385 I looked up the NF-d 14s but couldn't find them; only NF-a14 or NH-d14. Could you share a link please? Or was it a typing error?
@@Daniel-vj6wv My mistake. I meant the NF-A 14s. The 3000rpm industrial ones.
Fractal has really stepped up over the past couple of years. They just check all the boxes: Look good, perform well, easy to build in, made of quality materials, customizable, really good pricing, and (in my experience) really good customer service. Sure, there's a couple things some people don't like about these cases, but I haven't heard anyone say they didn't like their Fractal case. They're one of the only companies I've seen really innovating in the case market recently, and they do an excellent job at it.
honestly i think everyone has stepped up -- except maybe phanteks, idk i give phanteks props though they sell even their case "fixes" like solving their air restricted cases by making a new front end.
Fractal has killed it for as long as I can remember. (Been building computers for about 10-15 years now). I love my Define R4 case. A little bulky, but good looking computer with good noise levels. I kind of want to upgrade to this wooden one now though.
I've had 3 different fractal cases, went from a Define R6 to a Meshify C now I'm in a Torrent. Have loved all of them! definitely my favourite case builder
I concur! I love my Define R5 (windowless Blackout) and see no reason to replace it anytime soon. I guess a USB-C in the front I/O would be nice but that's about all I can think of that it doesn't already have.
And this may sound weird, but multiple people I know have commented on how nice the power button feels to press. (not to mention how quiet my computer is, basically inaudible at idle/low load and doesn't get very loud even at high load)
I really like my meshify 2 compact, and my uncle's meshify c
The brass and wood combo is hands down one of the best design choices on this case
As an "older" gamer where my machine is also for work, I appreciate everything about this case. I'll be grabbing this early next year for sure! Great review.
Yeah, I've got my own office, but the pine version fits my desk so perfectly
I'll wait for Steve's seal of approval
Fractal has been hitting it out of the park for a few years now with amazing cases. They really are leading the field when it comes to case design and quality
Wooden computer cases used to be an actual thing that you used to be able to buy back then, especially during the dawn of personal computers. At least until UL (Underwriter's Laboratories) said nope. It's nice to at least see it come back as a niche.
yeah I used to make wooden cases, but eventually cheap Chinese metal cases were too much to compete with. had no idea UL disapproved. But this was before cpus got hot. long long ago. wanted to make one the last couple of years but wood prices are outrageous.
@@jemiebridges3197 Yeah, UL's grounds for ordering the computer case makers to change to metal materials was fire risks (wood is obviously flammable). This is not really a concern nowadays as CPUs are getting cooler running and much more efficient, so fire risk is a bit reduced except if you have gorilla video cards installed, they obviously run pretty hot.
@@Dr_Mario2007 more so than the wood which I've seen cath on fore in a controlled lab, is the varnish. Lower ignition point, which allows the wood to catch fire easier and burns even better.
Sadly Leather insulates heat, so you can't can't cover the metal with that either.
@@Dr_Mario2007 Honestly the kind of PC that sets a wood case on fire would burn in any case
@@jemiebridges3197 man living in the uk
This is fantastic! For those of us living in smaller apartments where a living room is also an office, it's nice to have more of an aesthetic option. I would totally pick this up for my next build. The oak goes perfectly with my desk.
Yes! For a media center PC I helped build with my dad many years ago. It looks like a piece of hi-fi equipment since it was wooden and brass. It also was meant to fit in hifi setups so it blends in nicely. I wouldn't mind something like this, personally.
I was going to say this. This is the ideal case aesthetic for hi-fi loving dads.
Oh nice, you've given me an idea for a SFF I'm hoping to upgrade for audio / media center. But now I'm wondering if could give it the McIntosh amp look, using a 7" or 9" screen in the front center, or 2 x 7" screens. Would wonder if could get a volume knob working, but unlikely.
@@benwu7980 There are knobs for mechanical keyboard building kits. Maybe one of them could work for your project?
@@einimea4364 not exactly sure how to hack a volume knob onto a mobo header easily.
i could destroy my k95 keyboard with that slidey volume control, to become a volume knob, and tbf i hate my k95 enough that it sounds like a good plan :D
@@benwu7980 a pc panel mini or pc panel is what your looking for, it just volume knobs, sliders that you can custom set to different sorfware, spotify, media player etc and led colour code each. its what there made for.
I have a Meshify C now and am only 1:45 into the video and I’ve already decided this is the case for my next build. Absolutely love the build of the case, Fractal does a really good job of making cases that are stylish without being too flashy.
I love this case, i am kinda bored of rgb everywhere, this looks so elegant compared to most computers. I don't want to uprgrade my pc, but i am really thinking about this case.
Haha! Same here! I'm good with my 1600X + 1080 FTW Hybrid + Kraken X62 + 16gb RAM combo, it's got minimal RGB, and I'm going to upgrade to a 5600X I bought when it was confirmed it was the last gen to be supported by that socket. Otherwise, my main complaint is the case a NZXT S340 case. Overall, same dimensions, but much uglier. This (Fractal North) alongside 16gb more of RAM, and I'll be good for years to come, and it'll look modern and fit my stuff.
same. bought RBG LEDs for my PC and turned them off after a couple of months and they havent been on in years. this whole RGB fad streamers have created is waay overblown. I mean they have their desks and walls lit up now with unicorn puke. it looks awful. I have my RGB keyboard, and thats good enough for me. and thats only because i want a backlit keyboard haha.
@@hoofhearted4 Yeah, I've got RGB keyboard, which is set to a static blue color, I've got the logo of my 1080 FTW Hybrid GPU and of my Kraken X62's CPU pump, which are both set to default because I don't really care, but I'll set them blue and call it a day at some point in time. However, I would love for a case to have it's front I/O be actually located on the side, so that we could put it lengthwise on our desk and display all of the components and have the power buttons and whatnot be there as well, near the power supply for instance. THAT, in my opinion, would be the ultimate case. Put the computer in line with the keyboard and mouse, hang the monitor above the computer and speakers to the side, no more "case to the side because its not made to be displayed"
As a woodworker by trade im actually pretty into this haha.. i made my own white oak palm rests and my own desk so having a proper case that maches all that would be pretty sweet....
i hope the wood is not glued into the case, as i want to replace the wood in the black case with my own, don't really like the walnut :)
@@AlphaXDE its prob screwed in from the back of the dust shield stamped metal piece. i like walnut but id do my own stained white oak. i might rip my define 7 front panel off and see if i could do this myself heh. i dont think the north has the screwless side panel?
I screamed so much when I saw this because I thought for a moment I FINALLY found something that would match my living room Klipsch setup.
Fractal if you are reading this. Please consider a version in Charcoal with the oak wood front panel and COPPER details
And silver Details :)
Copper details would be awesome. It's too bad they don't allow for a mix and match
I literally thought that copper would be sick! Doing this case + a copper pipe water cooling would be awesome!
Most people hate the Klipsch look
@@Nickporter17 oh.. but you see.. very few are as tasteless as I 😀
I just hope they make an ITX version of this case. I've been thinking of transitioning to SFF in the future and it'd be cool to have a case styled like this
sff version would be so good!
Not really the same, but they have the 10.4l Terra, which has wooden details
This would actually be really interesting for vertical GPU mounts, because of the mesh side. Wonder how that would go.
Might be a bit too cramped for most gpus, vertical-mount braackets tend to add height and width, pushing the gpu deeper into the case.
Case is too short for bigger GPUS
@@ZRay507 We are at a point where 80% of the cases out there are too small for big GPUs. 355 mm is big enough for most tho.
i actually thought it was gonna have even more wood, & yeah it looks gorgeous (i would love an horizontal option, so it looks even more like Furniture)
I was actually looking for a wooden case when I built my pc. I would love to see more cases with wood accents or partial wooden construction.
I think for the glass side panel, noctua cooling would fit fantastically with it aethetically as you you'd have the fans giving further brown accents, the mesh with the diffused RGB really gives it a nice vibe tho
Good to see side fans back, so good for GPU cooling and too many cases skip them nowadays.
I've got a meshify c with a hole cut in the side for this exact reason
There is a better solution for GPU, exactly what they did with the Torrent - top mounted PSU and bottom intake.
@@Quettesh GPU exhaust
@@ariesleo7396 if you put fans on the side panel as exhausts you will just take most of the fresh air from the front and immediately exhaust it making a pocket without proper airflow under the part of the GPU. Pushing air towards the GPU making positive pressure and letting it exhaust passively is the most ideal solution, loot how good Torrent is in terms of GPU cooling and that case has only intake fans.
tons of cases offer bottom intake tho. Also very good.
Gosh I love these so much. Extremely happy with this design language, and finally might have an option I feel really drawn to as an upgrade from my Define R4. 👀👀 Only complaint I have is that it's of course missing 5.25" bays, but that's easily resolved with an external enclosure for the Bluray drive. On that note, I suggested they consider making external enclosures to compliment their cases. Would be great to see, especially if they consider modular designs so you can keep a given case, and just swap the electronic guts for upgrades.
Aaaa, though I'd strongly prefer steel accents on the black and walnut case. That alone might spur me to consider the white and oak case. RIP.
A case like this almost makes me regret hiding my pc in my desk. Great looking case!
"Gets Excited about side mount fans."
"Immediately says he's not going to use the side fan mount when he finds it."
I swapped the glass front panel on my H1 with a ventilated wooden one and it's been great! Looks awesome, adds airflow
curious, did you buy this somewhere or make it yourself? have a link?
i’ve been wanting a wooden case for a while, did you make the new panel or buy it somewhere
@@Trippyslothh Bought it from Ghost Sheets which has been shutdown for a while now, but maybe someone else is still making some
@@tylerjohnston4389 Bought it but the company who I bought from shutdown
love it, more of a furniture design approach. we need more like this
The answer is yes! I love the design for it, and it goes well with my office and desk.
Easily the best looking case from Fractal since the Define series.
Recently built in a Fractal Design Torrent and it was a great experience. Detailed instructions, lots of options for dealing with wiring mess, and a fantastic design for airflow.
I currently have a nzxt h510. I've been looking at the torrent since launch but the price is hard pill to swallow at least here in Canada how you liking it anything your didn't like during build?
@@friendlynukacoladealer The build was very pleasant. I would say the case is quite large and heavy though, but this does also mean you won't have any trouble fitting things inside. However, I would say it's not worth upgrading if you already have a decent case like the NZXT H510, the benefits just won't be that noticeable. I had a much older case so the upgrade was definitely worth it for me.
@@FaceJP24 Thanks for the response! I agree it ain't really worth upgrading specifically for the cost. Besides it's stunning appearance. Main benefit would be thermals (H510 elite glass front) and mesh front is hard to come by where I live. Might just wait till one's on sale eventually and pull Trigg. Take care.
I'm the information technology manager for a medium-sized manufacturing company. One of my job responsibilities is replacing or upgrading our workstations when needed. I have an aversion to pre-builts due to the often lackluster quality, and I dislike OEM offerings due to the fact that they often utilize proprietary elements that can't be replaced or repaired with readily available, standard parts. As such, I tend to custom build nearly all of our PCs.
And every single on of them has been in a Fractal Design case.
There's a reason Puget Systems, probably the only pre-built PC manufacturer I would ever consider buying from, ALSO uses Fractal cases in nearly all their products.
Suffice to say, I can personally vouch for Fractal, and I'm excited to see them coming out with more great products.
There's really not that much wood on the case, so safety shouldn't be a huge issue. Pretty cool aesthetically!
I don't think wood would be much of a safety Hazzard even if the case was made only from wood
unless you have a 4090 with the new 12 pin
@@noamtsur or a Gigabyte power supply
@hristiyansavov3060 Just rip out that Gigabyte PSU and replace it with a semi or fully modular SeaSonic. Problem solved in 10-15 minutes.
@@Ichibuns I was joiking... I don't own such a power supply and if I am in a market for a PSU, I would go for a Corsair or Seasonic
I’ve been shopping for computer cases for WEEKS. In 15 years of PC building I’ve never found a case I liked. I saw this drop this morning and immediately bought it. The most inspired and beautiful case I’ve ever seen in my life.
Would love for fractal to make this in a ITX form factor!
Your mom or wife:
I see you’re using that 1970s dehumidifier in the basement now
Fractal:
Yes
I modded wood into a case a few years ago much like this! Great move from fractal!
I actually bought one of these, the white TG one. Everyone thinks it looks amazing, and I agree. I got a cheap white coolermaster AIO and a AsRock X570 steel legend MLB, more for the looks than anything and it’s a super clean build.
If this case had a miniITX version I'd instantly buy 10.
Gotta love Fractal. They also have one of the best customer services I have ever seen. Broke a sidepanel once, and they sent me a new one free of any charge.
That was FOUR YEARS after I bought the case!
perfect way to make a bonfire, throw intel in it too
It's cute. I like the style. Personally, I wouldn't mind a little more brass/steel, or even more wood. Or even just more wood-tone color options like cherry wood or ebony. But all considered, to make a nice professional PC build that isn't rainbow unicorn barf to the max, it looks great! I might even consider this case for my next build. I'm only slightly disappointed by the offness of the color. Not white and not black? That's not going to match any components. If I did buy this case for my next build, I see some painting, sanding, and staining in my future. LOL
I love Plouffe’s reviews, he has such a calm energy about him.
The outro had me cracking up
ty butter
@@nicholasplouffe3316 😍 keep up the great work!
So glad somebody finally addressed how difficult the CPU power connectors are to do with motherboards screwed in.
This isn’t a wooden case, it just has wooden elements glued on it.
This case case in black with Asus ProArt mobo & GPU combo (black with brass accents), Noctu NH-U12S in black and a nice RAM kit with all black heat spreaders is about the best blackout combo for us RGB haters. I've seen some really nice blackout builds in this case. Always been a fan of Fractal Design cases.
oh hell yeah, now I know what I'm buying for my next case
Ill see you in court
@@Mr_Vosakisen I'll be with you
I think this case is not only fitting for living room setups. Even for minimalist setups, this case brings just this little color touch you need. So in short, this case looks just amazing.
Oh wow, this is amazing! I thought this would be one of those $300 cases that are really awesome jut you can never justify actually buying. But 130 is perfectly reasonable! Damn! Now I only wish there was one with a drive bay 😫
I've been avoiding this video along with Hardware Canuck's video because I knew it would make me want this case. "I don't need a new case, I don't need a new case. My case is fine. My case is fine."
Darn you LTT.
This case is definitely for LGR
I find myself not liking traditional PC cases. As soon as I laid my eyes on this one, I knew it was perfect for me. Currently waiting on its delivery. Wish me luck on my first build!!!! 🎉
Honestly this is by far the best looking case in years, reminds me of the design language of a lot of the premium sff cases. Well done to the fractal design team
I feel like fractal has seen my recent searches for living room furniture and went "yeah no he's got a point, wood looks GREAT"
What about a case made of cardboard boxes?
It would probably be too boxy tbh
You're truly ahead of ur time
Linus did that.
@@conkerman01 he did? I haven't even watched the video 😭 there is no way
Hell Yess I wood absolutely buy this case. It's awesome, it's fresh, it's organic, it's minimalistic and original while not being invisible.... I absolutely love it
One of the prettiest basic cases I've ever seen.
I just built my PC with the Fractal North and I’m glad I’m not the only one who messed up and installed my rad before plugging in my pump and fans 🙈.
Aside from the headroom, this case is baller and has perfect build quality 👌.
They finally got it!
Let’s be honest, the young who can throw whatever the fuck they want in their space good in them but for the rest of us with a wife and kids, the looks matter!
That thing actually looks like a nice peace of furniture.
Replaced be quiet with that one on my shopping list for my next build!
Not gonna lie, Plouffe rambling when building in the case sounds like my brain when I am trying to sleep. The editing on this video made it even more uncanny.
Love people actually making wood cases again, even if its just the front. I have an ancient wood case that looks like a vintage radio that I need to replace as it has seen many better days but I can't find one that I like, this may be the one, and it looks great, it don't matter if its black or white.
Thanks, a five dollar screwdriver for seventy...
Just picked up the white one with the mesh side panel, really nice case. I just have minimal RGB on the cpu heatsink fans and it gives it a nice color ambiance without being over the top.
2:43 - They've got 120 and 140 mounts. If you can do two 140s then this would be able to do a 280 rad. And it can definetly do a 360 in the front with three 120s.
Skateboarders: Shut up and take our money!
He didn’t need to take the radiator out. That strip on the side panel is also removable so you can get to those hard to reach spaces.
My uncle is a carpenter and whenever I dream about having actually learned with him, I think how much of a market for bespoke electronics cases made out of wood is there...
not for an "older" gamer, just one who wants a computer that's well designed and doesn't have to stick out. this thing is beautiful
Maaan, I _just_ cleaned and re-cabled-managed my current case last week.
I swear if I didn't suffer through that right now, I would buy this in an instant. This case looks fucking gorgeous
As an 80's kid, the black version of the case makes me think it was designed by Atari. Anyone else grow up with a 2600? Not Ryzen!
This is probably the first case where you can that Fractal Design is a Swedish company. :D I have been wanting for this wood and brass look on computer cases since the 1990s... I always found 70s hi-fi equipment to look absolutely gorgeous! Heck, my Steam Controller would even match this as I have applied Atari 2600 inspired decals with wallnut details on it. :D
I wish they made this in a full tower version, that supported a 360 rad on the top. Could also be big enough to support the new GPU coming this year in a full tower form. If they made a full tower of this design I would buy one in a heart beat.
360 rad could be installed in the front
FYI, if you have a 6 + 2 power cable to plug in, i've found that doing the 2, then holding it in place with a single finger and adding the 6 into the recepticle does a good job of getting everything plugged in properly. it's much easier than trying to hold everything aligned and plugging it into recepticle.
Ok, I need the black case asap. That is literaly what I have day dreamed about having. Beautiful design!
I have a black and wooden lamp and a black and wooden desk. When i saw this im like immediately im buying this. It is so relaxing and minimalist like definitely my style.
My issue is there are no dust filters over the intakes. Maybe not an issue in a super clean house, but in a dusty house that case will be caked in 6 months.
i don't like the look (as a fractal meshify owner), but i can respect the decision to try something new. one of the few innovative companies in that field
I bought the North yesterday, best case I’ve ever been in. Got a white one.
Fun fact: I made a wooden front panel and legs for my NFC S4 Mini about two years ago. Really fits well in my living room as an HTPC.
I love FD so much, With their recent designs too. First the pop mini making ODD's cool again and now bringing back good' old side panel fans. Maybe vertical GPU mounting will get way more popular with future cases.
I love you he said there wouldn’t be much room for the fan headers before putting the radiator in and proceeds to put the rad in first anyway xD
love this case I just finished my dream build in one. The mesh side mount saved my build!
Do you know what case i want?
A gunmetal grey case with copper's iconic orange shine and hue everywhere.
Maybe a watercooled rig with copper fins that arent painted.
Now THATS an aesthetic that i'd actually be interested in!
That mess side panel is sick af, I recently bought a Noctua heatsink and its almost flush against my side panel i have right now so i usually just keep it off, but this might fix my whole issue super easy. Thanks POOF!
Ordered one the white one today! Perfect for replacing my aging (12+ years old) and now dull Lian Li ATX-case.
This gives me 1970's vibe. It really reminds me of an OLD stereo my parents had.
Its been over 10 years since I bought my Cooler Master Half-X.
It is still 100% functional, but... this case won me over.
One thing that I would of loved to see is the not sure what to call it, " the utility upper section where the ports are " I would of loved for these to be modular ( front/side/top )
If they manage to do that, this case will be the best in my eyes, I would gladly pay 100 usd extra just for this option.
Take my money
Wowowowow this is so beautiful. I live in a log cabin and this would fit beautifully in my living room. If they made a smaller itx version that could lay horizontally that would look perfect in my living room next to my Marshall speaker. Its perfect!
Dude! That thing is Beautiful! I love the wooden slats, It will be so cool to see future iterations of this concept, maybe with actuated louvers, or tambour roll-tops. There’s really something magical with the materials going on here, mesh+wood+brass, it’s like having better in-game textures but on the outside of the PC instead of in it’s thoughts. Perhaps a turning point for the whole industry to enter into an arms race, employing even more exotic material science in consumer product design.
Ya know it’s funny, halfway through the outro I was thinking “ya know I like this outro” (because of the recap where you clearly stated the product name, I liked the definitive clarity in the cadence) I was really feeling it, it’s funny how different things pop out for different people and that at the exact same time I was reflecting on the quality of the outro someone else on set was like naaaaw. Lol I’m glad that there’s no debate, that those little brass feet are worth every penny, or beaver-coin or whatever you guys use up there.
I was thinking of a Corsair midi tower with dark glass, but man this case looks so elegant. My current case is also a Fractal. Love their cases. I just found out about this one after finding the North Pi case for Raspberry, so I'm staying with my home country brand. Great review mate
Pretty big miss not covering the fan mount for the side @ 4:55 IMO. That's the fan mount for the mesh side, and it can be moved vertically up and down anywhere behind said mesh. In Wendell's (Level1Techs) video, he mounted a 280mm AIO to it, which seems like an awesome niche use case, and in this video I would have loved to see more coverage on this feature. This case is a sleeper for AIO support and this mount didn't get the attention it deserves in this video: It's definitely a selling point for me.
I guess this is a reminder to always watch more than 1 video for a given product.
Charcoal mesh with that wood grain looks so nice. Personally id love some subtle white strip lighting in the front around the edges behind the wood grain.
Wight with brass would look sick
Holy hell that's a beautiful case. Definitely my next case for my next build.
I'm glad to see side fans are back in style, means my case isn't old anymore, but retro
I built in a white Corsair 4000D Airflow, removed the tempered glass from the front and replaced with their vented bamboo front plate then the entire world goes wood! I'm ahead of the curve for once!!
As someone in my 40s I love this so good
Thats gona fit perfect with my wallnut wooden speakers :D just wish it was a wooden panel on the mesh door and had some high performing bluetooth antenna built in.
I'm 15 and I like it would go very well with my wooden themed room and it's also only 170 bucks
Fractal seems to have become a niche casing rather than conventional, which makes owning it the best feeling ever!
On a side note:
FYI if you are getting fractal casings, make sure the person who is going to build it for you knows how to cable manage it, had serious bad exp for my fractal torrent.
People still pay to have their PCs built for them?
The three way version of a Y splitter should be a psi (Ψ) splitter.
This is hands down the best looking PC case I've ever seen. Holy.
I recently rebuilt my home virtualization/NAS server into a Fractal Define R5. It is damn near silent with good fans and the build quality, connectivity, and value are incredible. I've often thought about doing my next 'rebuild' into a Define 7 XL. Now, I am really hoping Fractal expands this new line of cases. If they were to create a larger version of this case with more-or-less the same features and dimensions of the 7 XL, I would buy it in a heartbeat!
I have one of those, and its huge. you can fit 18 3.5 inch drives as well as 5 SSDs. I mostly bought it for all the fan mounts within it as I needed something that could have good airflow in a somewhat hot environment during the summer. I also needed a case that could hold at least 15 drives...
Fractal just dropped absolute bangers this year. Torrent? Pop? Ridge? Now this? I wanna build more PC's in those cases than I'd ever need :D
more builders should have wood options. it's extremely classy looking. these are really sharp looking rigs