The unique North is one of the last cases we reviewed, all the way in which again in February of 2023. It is a small, open-fronted mid tower within the fashion of the outdated Meshify C, or the newer Meshify 2 Compact. Following these naming conventions, the North ought to have been the North Compact, as a result of the brand new North XL is near a very regular dimension. It has nearly precisely the identical dimensions as Phanteks’ older G500A: massive, however not further massive. The Meshify 2 XL, for instance, is far greater than the North XL by quantity. Fractal already needed to give you Nano for its sub-Compact dimension, so if there’s ever a fair bigger SKU, it’s going to must be named the Giga North.
At $180 for all SKUs, the North XL is priced between Fractal’s personal Torrent and Torrent Compact, and on par with the HYTE Y60 and Corsair 5000D Airflow (the non-RGB variant). Out of these, Corsair’s design is the closest to the North XL; we liked the 5000D Airflow, nevertheless it’s getting old, and the value is being propped up by three years’ price of optimistic consumer critiques. As for brand new circumstances, $180 is simply above the Montech King 95 Pro (relying on the King 95’s shade). We’ll examine thermal efficiency later on this evaluation.
Fractal Design North XL Specs (versus unique North)
North XL – Mesh | North – Mesh | North XL – TG | North – TG | |
Devoted 3.5″ mounts | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Devoted 2.5″ mounts | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
Mixed 3.5/2.5″ drive mounts | 2 (2 included) | 3 (2 included) | 2 (2 included) | 3 (2 included) |
Motherboard compatibility | E-ATX (330mm)/ATX/mATX/Mini-ITX | ATX/mATX/Mini-ITX | E-ATX (330mm)/ATX/mATX/Mini-ITX | ATX/mATX/Mini-ITX |
Complete fan mounts | 9x120mm or 8x140mm | 8x120mm or 6x140mm | 7x120mm or 6x140mm | 6x120mm or 4x140mm |
Entrance fan | 3×120, 3x140mm(3x Facet 140mm PWM Included) | 3×120, 2x140mm(2x Facet 140mm PWM Included) | 3×120, 3x140mm(3x Facet 140mm PWM Included) | 3×120, 2x140mm(2x Facet 140mm PWM Included) |
High fan | 3×120, 2×140 or 2x180mm | 2×120/140mm | 3×120, 2×140 or 2x180mm | 2×120/140mm |
Rear fan | 1×120/140mm | 1x120mm | 1×120/140mm | 1x120mm |
Mud filters | Entrance, PSU | Entrance, PSU | Entrance, PSU | Entrance, PSU |
Entrance radiator | As much as 420/360mm | As much as 360mm | As much as 420/360mm | As much as 360mm |
High radiator | As much as 280/360mm | As much as 240mm | As much as 280/360mm | As much as 240mm |
Rear radiator | 1×120/140mm* | 1x120mm* | 1×120/140mm | 1x120mm |
PSU max size | 1 HDD Tray: 290mm max2 HDD Tray: 175mm max | 1 HDD Tray: 255mm max2 HDD Tray: 155mm max | 1 HDD Tray: 290mm max2 HDD Tray: 175mm max | 1 HDD Tray: 255mm max2 HDD Tray: 155mm max |
GPU max size | 413mm with entrance fan mounted/380mm with 420/360mm entrance mounted radiator | 355mm with entrance fan mounted/300mm with 360mm entrance mounted radiator | 413mm with entrance fan mounted/380mm with 420/360mm entrance mounted radiator | 355mm with entrance fan mounted/300mm with 360mm entrance mounted radiator |
CPU cooler max top | 155mm with Fan Bracket/185mm w.o | 145mm with Fan Bracket/170mm w.o | 185mm | 170mm |
Cable routing area | 29mm | 30mm** | 29mm | 30mm** |
Cable routing grommets | Sure | Sure | Sure | Sure |
Mounted cable straps | Sure | Sure | Sure | Sure |
Captive thumbscrews | HDD brackets, SSD bracket, Facet Panels, Fan Bracket, PSU Bracket | HDD brackets, SSD bracket, Facet Panels, Fan Bracket, PSU Bracket | HDD brackets, SSD bracket, Facet Panels, PSU Bracket | HDD brackets, SSD bracket, Facet Panels, PSU Bracket |
Left facet panel | Mesh | Mesh | Tempered Glass, 3mm | Tempered Glass, 3mm |
Proper facet panel | Metal | Metal | Metal | Metal |
Case dimensions (LxWxH) | 503x240x509mm (36% improve) | 447x215x469mm | 503x240x509mm (36% improve) | 447x215x469mm |
Case dimensions w/o toes/protrusions/screws | 490x240x490mm | 433.5x215x450mm | 490x240x490mm | 433.5x215x450mm |
Web weight | 9.7kg | 7.6kg | 9.5kg | 7.7kg |
Bundle dimensions (LxWxH) | 604x355x608mm | 565x326x553mm | 604x355x608mm | 565x326x553mm |
Gross weight | 11.9kg | 9.55kg | 11.7kg | 9.3kg |
*In the event you’re utilizing a rear radiator the fan bracket can solely be slotted into the underside place | ||||
**Most cable routing depth |
Specs copied from producer supplies, please learn evaluation for our personal measurements and opinions
The Construct
We have now to present a while to the case’s look up entrance, as a result of it is the rationale the North has been so in style. The XL has the identical picket entrance panel slats as the unique, nonetheless provided in “oak” or “walnut” with the white and black SKUs respectively. It seems to be nice.
Our original review was of a white North, however seeing each, we’ve got come to favor the darker variant with gold accents.
One warning from our unique evaluation nonetheless applies: case lighting is a waste contained in the XL with the mesh panel. At greatest, it is invisible, and at worst, it silhouettes the reinforcements within the facet and entrance panels.
There are two essential issues that the XL’s extra area will get you: extra clearance for elements and extra flexibility for cooling.
Concerning elements, the main change is that the XL can match GPUs as much as 413mm with out eradicating any followers, which is sufficient to fill a 16-inch pizza. That is up from 355mm within the unique. The 4070 Ti we use for case testing matches within the unique North, however there’s not sufficient area for Gigabyte’s GPU assist bracket; the XL, nevertheless, has sufficient area for each the assist bracket and the GPU.
The XL additionally reduces the issues with clearance that the unique North’s facet fan bracket (unique to the Mesh model) had with each CPU and GPU coolers.
To start out with, there are solely two doable positions for the bracket within the XL versus three within the unique, which is extra of a simplification than a downgrade. Placing the bracket within the higher place will largely profit downdraft coolers, however it might probably match over tower coolers as much as 155mm tall, which is sufficient to match even the Peerless Assassin that we use for case testing. Transferring the bracket to the decrease place focuses cooling on the GPU.
It is suitable with most GPUs, however it might put some pressure on cables with extraordinarily extensive playing cards with energy connectors on their edges, just like the 4090 FE or the MSI Twin Frozr mannequin from our outdated case testing bench. That is one measurement you need to examine earlier than shopping for: the full distance from the floor of the motherboard to the facet fan bracket is 165mm.
Fractal has used customary gap spacing on the complete rear of the case inside its air flow cut-outs, together with within the PCIe slot covers and the highest of the PSU shroud, which means that case followers may be mounted in successfully any location the place there’s sufficient area—and because the XL has more room, extra areas are viable. This actually opens up cooling choices in ways in which don’t essentially seem on a spec sheet.
This does imply that the complete high of the PSU shroud is see-through, although, which does not assist the glass-sided SKU to look its greatest. In case your PSU cables do not match the colour of the case, they will be absolutely seen. The white variant would go greatest with customized cables until going for a black-and-white theme.
The holes additionally imply that the shroud high is now not a doable mounting location for the 2 included 3.5″ drive brackets, so though the North XL’s whole drive capability is identical as the unique’s, there’s one much less alternative about the place to place these drives.
The official absolute most capability is 4 2.5″ drives and two 3.5″ drives, and that is with double-stacked drives.
Nonetheless, the XL’s dimension makes it extra sensible to really use the mounts with out competing for cable area, in order that’s a giant optimistic for these utilizing non-M.2 drives.
The unique North was sufficiently small that becoming something bigger than a 240mm CLC was formidable, with a tough restrict at 360mm. The XL can match a 420mm radiator within the entrance, though we would primarily advocate doing so with open-loop cooling. Closed loop coolers perform greatest in a tubes-down orientation, and a 420mm CLC oriented tubes-down can be a decent match within the North XL. This isn’t lethal for the pump in the identical method that positioning the pump on the high of a loop is, however it’s extra more likely to introduce effervescent noises as air on the high of the tank finds its method into the tubes. It will occur extra as permeation will increase.
For radiators over 240mm in dimension, followers have to be mounted to the surface of the chassis and radiators on the within so as to clear the PSU shroud cutout.
As for the highest mount, the area above the motherboard’s high edge has been greater than doubled, from 3cm to 7cm. That’s an enormous dimension enchancment for bigger builds and leaves loads of room for cables even when utilizing the highest fan mount, which now matches the aforementioned huge 180mm followers. Additionally, the additional case width shifts the highest mount farther from the motherboard, so mounting a radiator with followers within the high slot is now much less more likely to battle with VRM heatsinks or RAM. Nonetheless, we would all the time prefer to see a detachable mounting tray only for ease of entry.
The cutouts under the motherboard have not actually modified, however the width of the case makes them extra usable, since beforehand they’d be partially blocked by an ATX PSU.
The included followers are 3x 140mm Aspect 14 PWMs with a max rated pace of 1,700RPM. All three followers are mounted on the entrance of the case, fully filling the entrance slots with zero room to spare.
The built-in fan hub merely splits one four-pin PWM enter throughout 4 channels, so there’s one further, however every fan additionally has a daisy-chain connector, which means there are nonetheless 4 open plugs for added followers out-of-the-box.
If you wish to add your individual, it might be preferable to make use of four-pin PWM followers in order that every part can stay PWM managed.
Fractal has an excellent observe document for taking E-ATX assist critically and in a method that’s much less more likely to set off one other E-ATX rant from us. The North XL continues that development with standoffs and cable cutouts to suit full 12″x13″ SSI-EEB boards. To be able to assist the extra standoffs, the motherboard tray is fully flat somewhat than having a cable channel on the entrance.
In consequence, the utmost cable clearance may be very barely smaller than the unique North’s (29mm versus 30mm by the spec sheet), however the XL maintains that clearance throughout the complete motherboard tray.
3cm is appropriate, not superb, however fortuitously, we exist in at the least 3 dimensions — and that’s not counting the 4th dimension that Bitfenix banishes its airflow to. The whole quantity accessible is far larger than within the unique.
There are six velcro ties included that observe probably the most logical cable administration paths, in addition to a seventh on the rear of the case to tidy-up peripheral cables. We might borrow that tie to handle the CPU energy cables as a substitute.
We solely bumped into minor fit-and-finish points throughout our construct: the slot for inserting the PSU into the rear of the case has extraordinarily tight tolerances which will require some further drive. Additionally, the highest panels on our evaluation samples (particularly the tempered glass variant) do not snap into place as tightly as the unique’s, which is an issue because the high panel cannot be screwed down. The panel can slip round simply if you attempt to choose it up.
To recap the areas we predict Fractal did the perfect, there’s extra room for every part. The additional clearance on the high of the case makes it extra accessible through the construct course of, and it opens up extra cooling choices like 180mm followers or radiators that will not get in the way in which.
Additionally, the facet fan bracket that comes with the North XL Mesh is extra usable, because it’s more likely to clear any given GPU or CPU cooler than it was within the unique North. As for elements, Fractal has accomplished greater than the naked minimal to assist E-ATX boards, making this case a candidate for Threadripper workstations.
It’s been seven or eight years since we’ve fully modified the {hardware} right here. This makes not one of the knowledge on this evaluation akin to prior case critiques. We’re refining our methodology to supply extra correct data and can be capable to present plenty of cool habits with new sorts of approaches to cooling.
For our graphics card, we’re utilizing a Gigabyte AERO GPU, which has a flow-through cooler that has an impression on CPU thermals. This made it the principle cause we switched {hardware} since that has clearly change into the strategy to video card design as of late, which we need to signify in our testing.
For our CPU cooler, we’re nonetheless utilizing an air cooler within the Thermalright Peerless Assassin, which we selected as a result of it holds strain rather well.
We’re additionally utilizing a KryoSheet somewhat than paste, which helps with knowledge consistency.
We’ll share extra about our methodology in a subsequent piece.
Fractal Design North XL Thermals
CPU Full Load Thermals – Noise-Normalized
The primary set of thermal knowledge is for noise-normalized testing at a selected 31dBA threshold in our hemi-anechoic chamber, examined at 1-meter distance and with a noise flooring of about 13.6dBA. Noise normalizing within the chamber implies that all circumstances are set to the identical noise stage, so they’re unable to leverage extraordinarily loud, tremendous excessive RPM options to beat their strategy to the highest of the chart. This makes the enjoying discipline stage and honest, so they need to compete on deserves of the full case and cooling design, not simply brute drive.
This chart exhibits CPU thermals first.
The Fractal Torrent stays the chart chief right here, rating simply marginally higher and inside error of our open bench for calibration. The Torrent is ready to drive air instantly towards the CPU cooler, which has the bonus impacts of (1) clearing scorching air from the GPU away from the CPU typically earlier than it hits the tower, and (2) cooling the neighboring VRM elements in order that they don’t slowly warmth soak the realm across the CPU. Finally, these are principally inside error. We put the Torrent on right here as a result of it stays a case we take into account the GOAT (watch our review), at the least for its technology, and it proves that, even with a completely completely different strategy to testing and listing of components, it stays king of cooling.
The case setting the ground is the Pop Air, down at 54 levels Celsius over ambient. That’s nonetheless good in an goal sense, however offers us an 8-degree vary to work with for variations to this point — and this isn’t even our ultimate type. That comes after we re-test the Bitfenix Enso or the MSI Sekira. We really needed to bake further thermal headroom into our outcomes to accommodate hotboxes, in any other case our components would throttle too quickly to see a distinction. This can be a nice begin for exhibiting vary however leaving room for worse components.
Towards competitors: The North XL Mesh is shut sufficient to the Torrent to be thought of about the identical with this take a look at platform. Switching to glass did nothing for thermals, leaving them functionally equal.
Downsizing to the unique Fractal North Mesh elevated the temperature by 1.4 levels P-core from the XL Mesh. The glass facet had an analogous habits: A slight improve that’s inside error.
The King 95 and 5000D nonetheless do superb in an goal sense, identical to the Pop Air, however have a bigger hole fashioned. Noise normalization is a tough take a look at for circumstances that simply pack followers in each nook (just like the K95 Professional) as a result of they’re dropping RPM to some extent the place static strain can be affected. That’s why we’ve got a number of sorts of exams. We’ll take a look at the mesh variant of the K95 quickly. The 5000D is the closest dimension and elegance competitor and is shedding: At 53 levels for Corsair, the North XL is about 6 levels higher. That’s an enormous swing, and that is on the identical noise ranges. Corsair’s single central entrance fan and rear exhaust fan simply can’t sustain with the broader space circulation on the entrance of the North XL.
GPU Full Load Thermals – Noise-Normalized
Now for the GPU temperatures from the identical take a look at.
On this one, the open air bench units the bar — and that’s anticipated. In contrast to the CPU, the place it might probably profit from pressured airflow and from eviction of warmth dump from the GPU, the GPU advantages from open air when in comparison with these circumstances to this point. That’s as a result of it’s usually inside a number of slots of an influence provide shroud or a panel, each of which limit entry to air. It may well’t pull from all sides and its strain can also be diminished when in a case. Open air, it might probably pull from any course and exhaust it comparatively unimpeded.
The Torrent leads: With a 41.6 diploma GPU temperature and 27 diploma reminiscence temperature, which is one in every of our new metrics. It improves upon the North XL by 1 diploma. The Mesh and Glass variations are inside error of one another and can’t be acknowledged as to be meaningfully completely different with this configuration. That will change with an alternate fan structure, akin to mounted to the facet panel.
The conventional North is definitely a pair levels hotter than the XL, serving to set up vary early. That’s nice from a methodological perspective. The K95 Professional is subsequent, nonetheless doing superb however not as nicely. After that’s the 5000D Airflow and the Pop Air, about tied with one another.
VRM & RAM Full Load Thermals – Noise-Normalized
Right here’s one other new chart — we weren’t producing these two knowledge factors in any respect in our prior critiques.
This one seems to be at VRM thermals of a MOSFET and the SPD Hub thermals. Serial Presence Detect Hub is a chip on DDR5 RAM.
The outcomes have open air doing greatest, with out enclosure to lure the warmth across the machine, adopted by 1 diploma from the Fractal Torrent. The North XL is about tied with the Torrent when utilizing the Mesh panel for VRM temperature, inside 1-degree of the Glass variant.
The North non-XL is subsequent, about 2 levels hotter than the North XL. That’s a significant outcome. After that’s the King 95 with the glass panel, then the glass North non-XL. Lastly, the chart closes with the 5000D Airflow and Pop Air.
This knowledge is nice as a result of it offers us a 7.7 diploma vary to this point for the VRM numbers, which is a big vary. That establishes a giant swing in thermals exterior of GPU and CPU outcomes and may begin serving to set up benefits we would not see in different elements. Right here’s one instance: The K95 had higher SPD Hub thermals than each different case, at 17.9 levels, and but its VRM thermals have been total common. That SPD Hub benefit comes from the place of its followers, which flank the reminiscence principally on all sides. That is thrilling knowledge as a result of we’d by no means have recognized about that exact design profit with our outdated testing strategy.
CPU-Solely Load Thermals – Noise-Normalized (CPU)
Subsequent up, this chart exhibits a CPU-only workload at 100%, with no GPU load this time. This is likely one of the charts we’re nonetheless establishing, so it at the moment solely options the Fractal circumstances. We’re including extra to it.
On this one, the North XL stays the chart chief, adopted by the North XL with a glass panel — these are the identical outcome. The unique North is subsequent, then the Pop Air. The whole vary right here is about 4 levels which, contemplating it’s a CPU-only workload and these circumstances are all comparatively good airflow, is an efficient begin for vary.
GPU Full Load Thermals (Full Pace)
The ultimate set of thermal knowledge is up now, with GPU thermals at full pace for the case followers with the identical managed speeds for the CPU and GPU coolers.
The Torrent leads once more right here, adopted by the XL. We eradicated another exams for time so as to accommodate the vertical GPU configuration as a substitute. On this case, we didn’t see a significant change from going vertical. That’s nice. There’s sufficient area offset from the glass panel that it’s nonetheless respiration and it’s additionally in a position to pull from the PCIe slot air flow. The conventional North descends the chart extra on this one as different circumstances can ramp their followers extra aggressively. The K95 finally ends up nonetheless within the center. There’s a comparatively extensive gulf between the 5000D with a strong panel (on the backside, which we didn’t take a look at noise for) and the Torrent, giving us an enormous nearly 9 levels of vary between circumstances which can be at the least partially respectable. We’re apprehensive to see how a lot that’ll develop with worse circumstances.
Fractal Design North XL Conclusion
We predict the Fractal Design North XL’s key competitors embrace the HYTE Y60, HYTE Y70, Lian Li O11 EVO XL, Lian Li O11 EVO RGB, NZXT H9 Flow, Corsair’s new 6500X, be quiet! Shadow Base 800 DX, and Fractal Design’s personal Torrent.
We might somewhat construct in a North XL than a North. The XL is a straight improve: extra room for elements is one factor, however even simply having more room to achieve in and transfer cables round is a high quality of life enchancment. “XL” is a little bit of a misnomer relative to the most important circumstances available on the market, although, so you need to measure out your area earlier than you write off the North XL based mostly on dimension.
At $180, Fractal is not attempting to make this case a cut price. In the event you’re attempting to stretch your cash so far as doable, Montech is the corporate to control, and we’ll possible have extra critiques of its merchandise coming quickly, just like the Sky Two and extra. Fractal’s worth relies on the options and the distinctive look of the North, which we occur to love, nevertheless it additionally has the efficiency to again it up. It’s top-of-the-line performers on our outdated charts and the XL, on our new charts, can also be doing nicely. Of the restricted circumstances we have examined to this point, solely the Torrent outperforms it, even in noise-normalized testing. The XL Mesh‘s mesh facet panel and facet fan bracket did not do a lot for our take a look at system after we used them as consumption followers however we nonetheless want to check them as exhaust followers to see if that makes a notable distinction.
Total, this evaluation is type of straightforward as a result of we have already reviewed the North and appreciated it. The North XL is essentially that besides greater.
We predict the closest competitors comes right down to the Torrent, which presents nice excessive airflow and performance however the North XL’s aesthetics make it a worthwhile consideration.