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Thread: Fractal design Node 304

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    • kmac's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Gigabyte GA-P55-US3L
      • CPU:
      • Intel Core i5 750
      • Memory:
      • 2GB Corsair DDR3
      • Storage:
      • 2 Samsung F3 500GB each
      • Graphics card(s):
      • ATI HD4770
      • PSU:
      • Enermax Modu 82+ 525W
      • Case:
      • Lain -Li PC-7FN Black
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 7 Prof 64 Bit
      • Monitor(s):
      • Dell U2412M

    Fractal design Node 304

    Just replaced the case of my home built NAS with the Fractal Node 304. It is ideal for a NAS as it can take 6 HDDs ( if you don't have a long graphics card).
    I have on-board graphics so no issues there. Some opinions on this case from my recent upgrade:

    1) Good build quality and finish -except for the thumbscrews which could be better
    2) Good that all three sides come off as it gives easy access for installation
    3) Excellent stock fans ( 2 x 92cm front, 1 x 140cm rear) with built in fan controller for all three (all three need to be set the same at either 5v, 7v or 12v using sliding switch on rear)
    4) Excellent as a quiet PC - inaudible from 1m with 3 case fans set to 7v and heatsink fan (1 x 120cm) set to 1500rpm
    5) Plenty of space inside especially as I'm using a Seasonic 80+ 300W PSU in SFX format (exceedingly quiet PSU)
    6) Not much scope /provision for cable management (partly as SATA cables I'm using are 50cm long and PSU is not modular so has redundant strands)
    7) Screwdriver needed to secure HDDs and PSU

    Some pics

    Xigmatek Thor's Hammer heatsink with a Lian Li 120cm fan and Zalman fan controller I had lying around




    Need to tidy up cables - will probably get some 15cm SATA cables which should help




    Top view - still plenty of space for additional HDDs - one front fan blows straight at heatsink fan.



    Highly recommended case for a NAS (probably a bit on large size for a HTPC but front brushed aluminium panel wouldn't look put of place in an AV set-up)

    Was thinking of getting the Lian Li PC-Q18 but it is considerably more expensive (and only things over the Fractal is all aluminium construction, external optical drive bay, and hot swap HDD bays)
    I had optical drive and hot swap bays in my old case but never really needed them so went for the cheaper Fractal case.
    Last edited by kmac; 16-12-2015 at 12:59 PM.

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