Reviews - Fractal Design Node 605

[HEXUS]

Is the Node 605 the best way to take your high-end PC into the living room?

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[wasabi]

Nice looking case, but too pricey to be mainstream. I suspect most HTPC builds these days are going mini-itx with pico-psus and the likes?

[cjs150]

wasabi: mini-itx and pico-psu is more than sufficient for an HTPC. In fact a passively cooled case (wesena or HDplex are both good). IGP from both Intel and AMD are easily good enough (AMD is slightly better IMO). The only issues are whether to have a separate sound card or TV tuner card.

Just do not make my mistake and instal Windows 8 it is dreadful as an HTPC even though the interface ought to work (TV cards do not work, Lovefilm only works in desktop mode as it uses Silverlight, no DVD or Blu ray support, and if you store media on a NAS, libraries are a pain)

[this_is_gav]

Just do not make my mistake and instal Windows 8 it is dreadful as an HTPC even though the interface ought to work (TV cards do not work, Lovefilm only works in desktop mode as it uses Silverlight, no DVD or Blu ray support, and if you store media on a NAS, libraries are a pain)

TV tuners work fine, however Windows Media Center isn't included as standard. It is currently available for free for Windows 8 Pro and adds DVD support.

Alternatively there are 3rd-party TV tuners such as Media Portal.

[Percy1983]

I wouldn't want a htpc so big, with that mine is based on a micro atx board and A8-3870k in an antec micro fusion 350 which is just the right size for me.

AS much as the mini-itx stuff can be upto the job mine is a full on media server to so a little bigger makes sense.

[rox0r]

Meh, too big for a living room PC it's pretty much just a desktop tower on its side. Big woop.

[MercutioUK]

To be honest, I think you may have rammed a bit too much in the way of "power user" parts in there for a HTPC.

While a full ATX board is nice, there's plenty of rather decent mico-atx around too, often with plenty of the features you'd want in a decent mainboard.
The "2 massive cards means no hard drives" issue is a bit... silly too. I don't think there's many people going to want to drop 2 top end cards in a HTPC box. Having the ability to should have been commended rather than the fact that doing so causes it problems condemned.

Considering you could happy drop in a build based around a Z77 micro-atx, a GTX680, a decent sized SSD (or 2 with a little dickery and extra mount plates, you didn't show how drives attach though), 3TB mechanical and a good processor in there, resulting in a perfectly decent powerful computer seems quite a laudable result for a HTPC box to be honest.

I mean, if you wanted, it's not like there isn't room to shoehorn some water cooling in their with a dual 80mm rad on the back. All that from a HTPC case and you instead decide to moan about the fact you can't put a top end SLI solution in there? Really?!

I mean, it's perfectly possible to get even a GTX670 in a short length card that would allow SLI AND a full compliment of drives (minus optical) to be dropped in there. If someone's that determined to do a slightly niche build the case allows it.

I'm rather struggling to understand the mindset of the reviewer going into this review. It seems that a highly unlikely usage scenario was used to put the box down. Poor show.

Edit: I note the review was overall pretty positive so that may have been picked on as something to knock it down a bit with rather than it being an all round glowing review. Take the above "criticism" with a pinch of salt.

[Jake_UK]

Meh, too big for a living room PC it's pretty much just a desktop tower on its side. Big woop.

+1

Wouldn't ever be considered for my living room that's for sure!