New <£80 Micro-ATX chassis includes space for up to 280mm radiators, as well as space for as many as seven cooling fans and two graphics cards.
New <£80 Micro-ATX chassis includes space for up to 280mm radiators, as well as space for as many as seven cooling fans and two graphics cards.
Fractal Design have been a little quiet in recent months, ominously so. We have heard nary a peep from the creators of the ground-breaking Define R2 in the last six months with the exception of the new iOS app and website redesign; although not uncommon, it’s sometimes quite disconcerting. Thank goodness therefore that they were just keeping their power dry for CeBIT this year.
Today Fractal Design are revealing their latest small form factor chassis – the Node 804. Built to accommodate micro-ATX motherboards, the case takes exterior design cues from the previous Node mini-ITX chassis whilst still being large enough for 280mm radiators, two graphics cards and a vertically-mounted motherboard. This is made possible through the use of a cube footprint and dual-chamber design which optimises the use of space and cooling.
Thanks to this innovation the Node 804 can house both 280 and 240mm radiators in the front as well as additional cooling fans at the rear and floor. Five PCI expansion slots allows the use of two dual-slot graphics cards with an slot between for improved air flow to the previously obstructed card’s cooler (motherboard layout permitting). Furthermore there’s enough space for modular HDD bays (up to 10 x 3.5″ and 2 x 2.5″) and a slimline optical drive if required.
Specifications
* Micro ATX and Mini ITX motherboard compatibility
* 8 – 3.5″ HDD positions
* 2 – 2.5″ dedicated SSD unit positions
* 2 – Extra positions for either 3,5″ or 2,5″ drives
* 5 expansion slots
* 10 – Fan positions (3 x 120mm Silent Series R2 fans included)
* Filtered fan slots in front, top and bottom
* CPU coolers up to 160 mm in height
* PSU compatibility: ATX PSUs up to 260 mm deep
* Graphics card compatibility: Graphics cards up to 320mm in length. Graphics cards up to 290 mm in length may be installed if a fan is installed in the lower position in the front.
* Velcro strap for easy cable management
* Clear Window side panel included
* Colors available: Black
* Case dimensions (WxHxD): 344 x 307 x 389 mm
* Net weight: 6 kg
Cooling system
* Front: 4 – 120mm fans (included is one hydraulic bearing 120mm Silent Series R2 fan, 1000 RPM speed)
* Rear: 1 – 120/140mm fan (included is a hydraulic bearing 120mm Silent Series R2 fan, 1000 RPM speed)
* Rear: 1 – 120mm fan slots (included is 1 hydraulic bearing 120mm Silent Series R2 fan, 1000 RPM speed)
* Top: 4 – 120x140mm fans (not included)
* Fan controller: 1 – Integrated fan controller for up to 3 fans (included)
Water cooling compatibility
* Front (right chamber) – 240 mm radiator configurations up to 60 mm thick (with fans) and 278 mm tall are allowed.
* Front (left chamber) – 240 mm radiator configurations up to 60 mm thick (with fans) and 278 mm tall are allowed. Using a radiator in this position prevents the use of a fan in the top position just next to it.
* Top (right chamber) – 240/280 mm radiators up to 130mm hick (with fans) may be fitted if the HDD drive bays are taken out or placed elsewhere. No limitation to thickness.
* Top (left chamber) – 240 mm radiator configurations up to 130 mm thick (with fans) will fit. Radiators in this position limits the height of memory modules to 48 mm tall.
Maximum radiator configuration: 1x240mm,1x280mm and 2x120mm radiators simultaneously.
Front interface
* 2 – USB 3.0
* Audio in/out
* Power button with LED (blue)
* HDD activity LED (white)
* 8 – 3.5″ HDD positions
* 2 – 2.5″ dedicated SSD unit positions
* 2 – Extra positions for either 3,5″ or 2,5″ drives
* 5 expansion slots
* 10 – Fan positions (3 x 120mm Silent Series R2 fans included)
* Filtered fan slots in front, top and bottom
* CPU coolers up to 160 mm in height
* PSU compatibility: ATX PSUs up to 260 mm deep
* Graphics card compatibility: Graphics cards up to 320mm in length. Graphics cards up to 290 mm in length may be installed if a fan is installed in the lower position in the front.
* Velcro strap for easy cable management
* Clear Window side panel included
* Colors available: Black
* Case dimensions (WxHxD): 344 x 307 x 389 mm
* Net weight: 6 kg
Cooling system
* Front: 4 – 120mm fans (included is one hydraulic bearing 120mm Silent Series R2 fan, 1000 RPM speed)
* Rear: 1 – 120/140mm fan (included is a hydraulic bearing 120mm Silent Series R2 fan, 1000 RPM speed)
* Rear: 1 – 120mm fan slots (included is 1 hydraulic bearing 120mm Silent Series R2 fan, 1000 RPM speed)
* Top: 4 – 120x140mm fans (not included)
* Fan controller: 1 – Integrated fan controller for up to 3 fans (included)
Water cooling compatibility
* Front (right chamber) – 240 mm radiator configurations up to 60 mm thick (with fans) and 278 mm tall are allowed.
* Front (left chamber) – 240 mm radiator configurations up to 60 mm thick (with fans) and 278 mm tall are allowed. Using a radiator in this position prevents the use of a fan in the top position just next to it.
* Top (right chamber) – 240/280 mm radiators up to 130mm hick (with fans) may be fitted if the HDD drive bays are taken out or placed elsewhere. No limitation to thickness.
* Top (left chamber) – 240 mm radiator configurations up to 130 mm thick (with fans) will fit. Radiators in this position limits the height of memory modules to 48 mm tall.
Maximum radiator configuration: 1x240mm,1x280mm and 2x120mm radiators simultaneously.
Front interface
* 2 – USB 3.0
* Audio in/out
* Power button with LED (blue)
* HDD activity LED (white)
At first glance a slight niggle may be restricted air flow to radiators mounted in the front, but no doubt that will be addressed in reviews. With that cavaet, the 804 looks like a very interesting case. It’s set to go on sale for $109.99/£79.99, and as such is generally competitive with similar sized and appointed cases. There is no news yet on release date.
