I actually bought this case after your video and upgrading from Terra to Era 2 - mainly due to the 280mm Aio - I managed to cram one in but will need to re-do the cable management - Thanks a ton and subbed !
I recently built my own gaming setup with this case. An SFXL from Corsair was my first choice, but due to the cheap, plastic wrapped cables Corsair includes with the PSU, I changed to an SFX PSU with braided cables. As others have pointed out, the orientation of the pre-installed fans vs the PSU is bad. However, for overall GPU temperatures, it's better to flip the bottom fans to exhaust, so both top and bottom fans push air out, sucking air in through the sides. Changed to AIO (Corsair) config to pull, so fans on top of the radiator. In my case this was a better choice for cable management as it meant some cables could touch the radiator. All in all I'm really happy with the setup and temps (i9 12900K at 80°C max load, RX 7900 XTX at 76°C Hotspot max load). Most games I play run completely silent (BG3 for example). Great case.
Nice build! You likely know this by now and I have not read through comments to see if this was pointed out, but you could totally fit that Arctic 280 cooler. You just need to swap out those fans with a low profile fan.
I spent my sunday hesitating between a normal m-ATX transparent RGB thing, and a more subtle classic option with this exact case for a mid range config 7600X and a RTX 4060. You just convinced me, it's beautifully done and very nice videography too. I can use your video as a tutorial when I get the parts, so well done, it looks sooooo nice.
Gravity would not let it happen, unless the fans are pressed on them. One of the advantages of running the PSU like that. If it was the other way around, yes a grill is recomended as the cables can get in the fans over time tanks to gravity, unless they are secured very tightly.
A beautiful (albeit very premium) case for you to build a PC in it would be the Thorzone NanoQ S and R version. It is one of the few ITX cases that can hold both a 240/280mm AIO and the biggest GPU’s at the same time. I would love to see a build with the 9800X3D and a very large GPU or something:)
Hello. Nice build and narration. Don't feel too bad about the Frezeer 3 280 not fitting, because that thicc boy is too big even for a decent number of standard ATX cases.
M2 can fit a bigger gpu, bigger psu, bigger air cooler, micro atx mobo. Although i enjoyed the Era 2 more and would choose it over the m2 as long as the components fit, the ncase is the better case.
@@Renegade_Rabryn Thanks for the reply. I guess I'll have to wait to see what the 5000 series specs are. Very attractive case at the current $169 pricetag in the US. A lot more plug and play than the M2 or a Formd T1, even if it sacrifices some clearance in comparison to the M2. I also like how it offers the sandwich style design, which I find very aesthetically pleasing. I wish Fractal could take this case but give it regular mesh panels instead of the one piece shell. Or offer shells with different designs that might be more conducive to airflow. I do have one other question if you don't mind. Since you have so much experience testing different cases, strictly for gaming, would you say there are any real performance drawbacks to SFF versus MATX or regular ATX cases? I've only done midtowers for the builds I've assembled, and really would like to try SFF for my next build. I'm just worried that I'm somehow going to have worse performance due to higher thermals, as I'm planning for this to be a very high-end build for 4k. Or is that really not a concern for some of the more quality / spacious SFF cases? I'm not planning to do any productivity tasks on this thing, where worse thermals might have an impact. Keep up the good work regardless!
I like the idea of SFF , my only concern is being unable to using a proper full sized air tower cooler such as a Cooler Master MA824 or Noctua. Using a disposable AIO or tiny air cooler freak me out.
The Arctic radiators are just over a cm thicker at 38mm (one of the reasons they have better cooling performance) so when you combine them with the fans they're out of spec for the Era 2.
With a max GPU length of 326, I would assume that would be for someone using the SSD tray that you removed? My 6800XT is 330mm supposedly, but I noticed you had PLENTY of room length-wise to fit a larger GPU? Or am I missing something lol. Also, my card is listed as a "2.8 Slot" GPU. I dont see why it wouldnt fit but what do you think?
326 would be with the ssd cage removed. If you have a 3 slot gpu you would adjust the spine for 3 slots....but then you'd have less room for cpu cooler height.
The fact that the PSU exhaust is pointing against the intake of bottom fans is the stupidest design decision ever. For such a large SFF case it's really disappointing to see that something like this was deemed acceptable given the remaining space available in the case. This will recycle the warm air straight back into the PSU. Maybe okay over shorter periods but still a silly decision and frankly i feel like fractal should know better.
Not as much of a problem as you'd think, they ran the numbers when designing the case, the difference is not even worth it. But now cable management is a lot easier and you have less wasted space for the tubes of the aio. If it didn't had a fan on the bottom, maybe have the PSU mount directly at the bottom would be so good. But again 1 or 2 degree difference isn't much.
I don't really consider this case to be sff. Its nearly the size of some smaller mff cases like the sama imo series. IMHO, if you want to go sff, you might as well donit properly with a sub 15 liter case. I mean, i know that the nr200 exists, and it's larger than this, but its way more user friendly and supportive of air cooling.
I mean no disrespect but you can't really just keep on saying its just a good case again and again after just 1 build. It makes its sound like its heavily sponsored segment. You can say it only after testing it for everything. Thermals, airflow, rigidity etc.
Als das ERA 2 vorgestellt wurde, wollte ich es unbedingt haben .... aber es ist irgendwie nicht richtig durchdacht .... werde wohl doch beim DAN H2O bleiben ...
God tier cable management, great soundtracks
I actually bought this case after your video and upgrading from Terra to Era 2 - mainly due to the 280mm Aio - I managed to cram one in but will need to re-do the cable management - Thanks a ton and subbed !
This video quality and editing are top tier! Thanks!
Can't wait for this to be cheaper in a couple more years or when more competition arises💗 i love the first one!
I hear ya. It is a bit on the pricey side.
I recently built my own gaming setup with this case. An SFXL from Corsair was my first choice, but due to the cheap, plastic wrapped cables Corsair includes with the PSU, I changed to an SFX PSU with braided cables. As others have pointed out, the orientation of the pre-installed fans vs the PSU is bad. However, for overall GPU temperatures, it's better to flip the bottom fans to exhaust, so both top and bottom fans push air out, sucking air in through the sides. Changed to AIO (Corsair) config to pull, so fans on top of the radiator. In my case this was a better choice for cable management as it meant some cables could touch the radiator. All in all I'm really happy with the setup and temps (i9 12900K at 80°C max load, RX 7900 XTX at 76°C Hotspot max load). Most games I play run completely silent (BG3 for example). Great case.
I just did a build in this case last week, and your cable management is do next level im about to reroute all my cables
0:39, exactly what makes this "one of the best, high quality filters out there"? 😂
Nice build! You likely know this by now and I have not read through comments to see if this was pointed out, but you could totally fit that Arctic 280 cooler. You just need to swap out those fans with a low profile fan.
I spent my sunday hesitating between a normal m-ATX transparent RGB thing, and a more subtle classic option with this exact case for a mid range config 7600X and a RTX 4060. You just convinced me, it's beautifully done and very nice videography too. I can use your video as a tutorial when I get the parts, so well done, it looks sooooo nice.
@biznatch1791 that'll be an awesome little system. Message me on instagram if you run into any problems.
Thank you so so much for actually showcasing cable management. Cheers
🫡
Quality of this video is really high, love how the fractal era looks but also love the terra, I can’t choose lol
I prefer the Era 2 over the terra
pretty nice, I would use some grill covers for the aio fans just to be sure that no cable or tubes block the fan
Gravity would not let it happen, unless the fans are pressed on them. One of the advantages of running the PSU like that. If it was the other way around, yes a grill is recomended as the cables can get in the fans over time tanks to gravity, unless they are secured very tightly.
Gret build!
But, Imust confess, I fell in love with your cable management.
A beautiful (albeit very premium) case for you to build a PC in it would be the Thorzone NanoQ S and R version. It is one of the few ITX cases that can hold both a 240/280mm AIO and the biggest GPU’s at the same time. I would love to see a build with the 9800X3D and a very large GPU or something:)
I'll contact Thorezone to see if they'll supply a sample, but I have my doubts.
Hello. Nice build and narration.
Don't feel too bad about the Frezeer 3 280 not fitting, because that thicc boy is too big even for a decent number of standard ATX cases.
I can tell you take inspiration from Devyn Johnston very nice quality and very clear earned a sub
Appreciate the support!
I had similar issues with cable management, several times i rerouted things to make it neater. Guess it just comes with the SFF territory.
I like the way you explain every detail, this is so good
What do you think about the thorzone tetra ?
Haven't used the tetra so can't comment on it
Bro you kept your word and did it ! 🔥🔥🔥🔥
All hail king Fractal, you know what it is !
Fractal dropped this 👑
the best looking case design recently imo. its a shame its as big as it is. i would be all over it if it was the size of a terra.
Me: I am gonna do the best cable management also me covers up whole thing inside non visible case.
Hello ! Incredible build quality, do you think a liquid freezer III in 240mm would fit ? Or the thickness of the radiator will be a problem here too ?
I don't want to say because I don't know
Try searching on the web. That's how I found out that 280mm won't fit in a majority of ATX cases because of clearance, it's a thicc boy.
I want to see someone air cool this case
10:09 would switching to a lower profile fan be better in terms of cooling ? Cause I love simple Arctic AIOs (not a fan of RGB)
great content subscribed
cool, video! what's the model of the cooler you ended up using?
ROG ryuo III 240. It ended up being an awesome little 240 aio.
@@Renegade_Rabryn thanks!
Thanks for the informative video. How would you say this compares to the NCase M2?
M2 can fit a bigger gpu, bigger psu, bigger air cooler, micro atx mobo. Although i enjoyed the Era 2 more and would choose it over the m2 as long as the components fit, the ncase is the better case.
@@Renegade_Rabryn Thanks for the reply. I guess I'll have to wait to see what the 5000 series specs are. Very attractive case at the current $169 pricetag in the US. A lot more plug and play than the M2 or a Formd T1, even if it sacrifices some clearance in comparison to the M2. I also like how it offers the sandwich style design, which I find very aesthetically pleasing. I wish Fractal could take this case but give it regular mesh panels instead of the one piece shell. Or offer shells with different designs that might be more conducive to airflow.
I do have one other question if you don't mind. Since you have so much experience testing different cases, strictly for gaming, would you say there are any real performance drawbacks to SFF versus MATX or regular ATX cases? I've only done midtowers for the builds I've assembled, and really would like to try SFF for my next build. I'm just worried that I'm somehow going to have worse performance due to higher thermals, as I'm planning for this to be a very high-end build for 4k.
Or is that really not a concern for some of the more quality / spacious SFF cases? I'm not planning to do any productivity tasks on this thing, where worse thermals might have an impact. Keep up the good work regardless!
That case also costs here in europe over 220 euro...
Reminds me of the Xbox 360 Slim
I like the idea of SFF , my only concern is being unable to using a proper full sized air tower cooler such as a Cooler Master MA824 or Noctua. Using a disposable AIO or tiny air cooler freak me out.
All depends on the cpu and application being used.
It just depends on your use case. I do both work and gaming on my PC, and a LP cooler easily handles a 7800x3D without breaking a sweat.
May have to turn down the wattage a bit to reduce temps, but thats fine because performance barely takes a hit
whats your favorite sff case so far?
Probably this one.
Why could you not fit the Arctic III 280? Was it the power supply that was too big?
Would an Arctic III 240 fit you reckon?
The Arctic radiators are just over a cm thicker at 38mm (one of the reasons they have better cooling performance) so when you combine them with the fans they're out of spec for the Era 2.
With a max GPU length of 326, I would assume that would be for someone using the SSD tray that you removed? My 6800XT is 330mm supposedly, but I noticed you had PLENTY of room length-wise to fit a larger GPU? Or am I missing something lol. Also, my card is listed as a "2.8 Slot" GPU. I dont see why it wouldnt fit but what do you think?
326 would be with the ssd cage removed. If you have a 3 slot gpu you would adjust the spine for 3 slots....but then you'd have less room for cpu cooler height.
@ surely 330 would fit too right ….lol
The fact that the PSU exhaust is pointing against the intake of bottom fans is the stupidest design decision ever. For such a large SFF case it's really disappointing to see that something like this was deemed acceptable given the remaining space available in the case. This will recycle the warm air straight back into the PSU. Maybe okay over shorter periods but still a silly decision and frankly i feel like fractal should know better.
Should it be pointing upward forcing you to plug the cables in from the bottom? Idk
@@foxxrider250ryes, exactly that. The Fan Takes air into the PSU and out of the back... If the back shows down... Well guess what will happen. 😉
It's recommended to swap the bottom fans to exhaust, but not a big deal either way.
It’s completely, and I mean completely inconsequential.
Not as much of a problem as you'd think, they ran the numbers when designing the case, the difference is not even worth it. But now cable management is a lot easier and you have less wasted space for the tubes of the aio. If it didn't had a fan on the bottom, maybe have the PSU mount directly at the bottom would be so good. But again 1 or 2 degree difference isn't much.
could this fit a 4090 MSI Suprim liquid and an NZXT Kraken 240 Rad?
I don't really consider this case to be sff.
Its nearly the size of some smaller mff cases like the sama imo series.
IMHO, if you want to go sff, you might as well donit properly with a sub 15 liter case.
I mean, i know that the nr200 exists, and it's larger than this, but its way more user friendly and supportive of air cooling.
I mean no disrespect but you can't really just keep on saying its just a good case again and again after just 1 build. It makes its sound like its heavily sponsored segment.
You can say it only after testing it for everything. Thermals, airflow, rigidity etc.
you keep saying "best high quality" yet it isnt it loses out in practicality and design to pretty much ever other option
In what ways specifically? The only way it is inferior that someone brought up is having the psu exhaust air recycling back to the psu intake.
Als das ERA 2 vorgestellt wurde, wollte ich es unbedingt haben .... aber es ist irgendwie nicht richtig durchdacht .... werde wohl doch beim DAN H2O bleiben ...
In what ways?
326mm gpu? only? wow this is a nvidia founders only case 🤣🤣🤣 hey fractal can you build it again for normal sized GPUs or for AMD gpus (3-4cm longer) ?
Sorry but riser cables are a huge nope from me. I'd rather have the Corsair 2000D Airflow thanks.
Why are you sorry?
this is not SFF friend, its midtower
It's sff whether you think it is or not
way too large imo, especially when compared to the Terra.
The only downside to me is the wood. Give us a no wood version please.
Way too big.
19L is borderline SFF.
Still sff
That is not "SFF". My P3 Ultra is 3.9L with a discrete GPU.....I think this Fractal is like 19L!
It’s still SFF, anything that’s not ATX and uses SFF type components is SFF
It is still sff
Sonny, I would call this SFF, and what you built, Ultra SFF. 3.9L is tiny! Good job.