Fractal Design North review

The North is an ATX mid-tower that takes ATX, Micro ATX and Mini ITX motherboards. The TG Light variant measures 447 x 215 x 469 mm and has a volume of 42 L. Fractal Design lists a two-year warranty.

Owner feedback splits clearly. Buyers praise the looks and the solid build quality. Noise is listed as a complaint.

The front panel uses fine-patterned mesh ventilation with an open front. Two Aspect 14 PWM fans come fitted at the front. The front mount takes three 120 mm fans or two 140 mm fans. The top takes two 120 or 140 mm fans, and the rear takes one 120 mm fan.

Owners point out that no rear fan is included. If you want rear exhaust, you need to supply that fan yourself.

Radiator support is wide. The front accepts 120, 140, 240, 280 and 360 mm radiators. The top takes 120 and 240 mm units, the rear takes a 120 mm unit, and the side lists support for 2x 120/140 mm. With a 360 mm front radiator supported, the case suits a liquid-cooled build better than its modest fan count might suggest.

Noise is the weak point. Tom's Hardware measured an average of 53 dB at full fan speed. XDA measured 54 dB(A) with the fans at 50%. Owners also list noise as a complaint.

A fan-curve change fixes much of the problem at full speed. Given the measured figures, plan to tune the curve in your BIOS or fan controller rather than leaving the fans on default settings.

Graphics cards can be up to 355 mm long. Fitting a 360 mm front radiator cuts that to 300 mm, and owners flag this limit. If you want both a long GPU and a triple-fan front radiator, check your card length first.

CPU cooler height tops out at 145 mm. The case takes ATX power supplies only, with a maximum PSU length of 255 mm. There are seven expansion slots.

Storage is modest. You get two combined 3.5"/2.5" bays and two dedicated 2.5" bays. That suits a build with a few drives, not a bulk storage box.

Two related products change the numbers. The North Momentum Edition is a separate product with CPU cooler clearance up to 170 mm, GPU clearance up to 355 mm and three Momentum 12 fans. The North XL is a different, larger case with E-ATX support and GPU clearance up to 413 mm. If the 145 mm cooler limit or the GPU limit is a problem, those are the variants to look at.

Owners describe the North as solidly built, and praise for its looks is a recurring theme. That matches a case aimed at builders who care how the finished system looks on a desk.

The North suits someone building an ATX or smaller system who values appearance and build quality and wants room for a front radiator. Two included fans give a working start, and the open mesh front is built for airflow.

It is a poorer match if you want a quiet system straight away. With measured levels of 53 to 54 dB and owners reporting noise, expect to adjust fan curves. It also asks for planning around the 300 mm GPU limit with a 360 mm radiator, the 145 mm cooler limit and the missing rear fan.