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Though it’s also available with a tempered-glass panel similar to its competitors, the version of the North we’re testing has a mesh left side that leaks noise just as easily as air. When heard from the other side, the case sounds similarly noisy to its competitors. Facing the question of how a case could have both the best voltage regulator and second-worst GPU temperatures in its class, we looked at the North’s factory front-fan placement just above the power-supply tunnel and determined that it should be perfect for GPU cooling. We don’t like unanswered questions, but with one test point showing clearly superior performance and another showing merely acceptable performance, need we torture ourselves further? Because some of our devices round to the nearest whole number before that data is charted, it’s possible for two identical results to be shown as one degree apart due to rounding issues. The Fractal Design North appears to have the coolest CPU temperatures, but a slight chill in the air reminded us that it might actually be tied for first.
Dust filtration is available only for the front and bottom panels, the latter being a slide-out filter that covers the power supply air inlet. That may be enough filtration for most builds, as the dual 140mm intake fans that hide behind the front panel will tend to push air out of the case’s other holes.Behind the painted-steel right side panel are a dual-2.5-inch-drive tray, a passive four-fan PWM power hub, a recessed cable loop, and a power-supply tunnel with two 3.5-inch drive trays. A box for the included hardware kit is included in one of the 3.5-inch bays, and all the extra mounting holes seen in the blown-up portion allow one of the trays to be slid forward in 1.5-inch increments. Power-supply length may be limited to as little as 165mm or extended up to 280mm depending on the number of trays installed and their placement. North reimagines the gaming PC, introducing natural materials and bespoke details to make gaming a stylish addition to the living space. Fusing design and airflow engineering, the case features fine-patterned mesh ventilation and an open front with real walnut or oak panels. The design is complemented by sleek brass or steel details and an integrated tab for easy access to the top of the case. Inside, North offers an intuitive interior layout and generous compatibility. One other thing I noticed is that Asus’ full-ATX (9.6-inch-deep) motherboard fits a full 1.25 inches behind the inward-angled cable passage holes. This means that those oversize (10.6-through-10.8-inch) enthusiast-class motherboards of the past will fit, even though this case doesn’t carry the Extended ATX (EATX) label. Discount the front face, and the North is a fairly typical modern PC case whether in its mesh or glass side-panel variants. The other accents are nice, but it's the wood-slat portion that really sets this case apart. Performance is generally on par for what it is, with the exception of the GPU thermal testing we did. But that may be cutting it too fine for a case like this; the aesthetics are the real selling point.
While the side panel on the right is an ordinary painted sheet, left panels are available in both tempered-glass and mesh-faced varieties. The mesh part is reinforced as shown. The top of Fractal’s North chassis supports two 120mm fans or two 140mm fans, but in terms of liquid cooling radiators, the case only supports 240mm designs. Larger 280mm radiators would interfere with motherboard components. If you look at the bottom right of the image below, you should be able to see that cables are clearly visible past the North’s PSU shroud. It is a shame that Fractal did not cover this area with a removable panel, though it is worth remembering that this area of the case is not visible when looking at the case from most normal angles. How often do you look at your PC from a rear leaning angle?Â
The Verdict: We Say, "Timmmm...ber!"
Extra holes on the bottom of the 3.5-inch drive trays make these compatible with 2.5-inch drives, as well. It’s a mid-tower chassis with around 45 l of volume. The looks are inspiring, with a front panel made of natural materials. We’ll find two 140 mm fans in the bundle (both placed in the front). There are four variants of the chassis: Like most modern PC cases, Fractal’s North chassis is designed to be broadly compatible with a variety of PC hardware configurations and can support graphics cards that are up to 355mm long. Out of the box this case ships with two front mounted 140mm Aspect PWM fans, and its front I/O supports two USB 3.0 connections and a single USB Type-C 3.1 Gen 2 connection. When it comes to cable management, Fractal’s North chassis is a mixed bag. While it has a lot of tie down locations for cable ties, the case does not have many pass though locations at the top of the chassis, which makes it challenging to route cables for motherboard connected fans and All-in-one CPU liquid coolers. The only cable routing option at the top of this case is at the top right, and it is only large enough for 8-pin CPU power cables and not much else. Remember what we said about a slight chill in the air? The North appears to be the second-worst at feeding cool air to our graphics card, but if not for possible rounding errors may have ended in an actual tie for worst.
Three front USB ports including one USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C with fast charging support and speeds up to 10Gbps Under the cover is a mount large enough to fit the builder’s choice of two 120mm or two 140mm fans. Additional slots that look like they could hold fans don’t appear to be spaced for any familiar fan sizes. Here’s what the top panel's cover looks like removed. It has no filter, but many people who use its fan mounts may configure those fans as exhausts.
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Fractal’s North chassis is not designed to highlight the hardware inside. The North is a minimalistic case design with a natural Scandinavian aesthetic, which makes the case best suited for stealthy non-RGB PC builds. There is a reason why this case does not feature a full side panel window.Â
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