Fractal Design Node 202 - Black - Mini-ITX Slim Profile Compact Small Form Factor Computer Case – Modular interior - USB 3.0

This is my favourite case yet. Thanks to the Fractal Design Node 202 I was able to modify a larger compact system into a smaller machine, and now it's like a powerful gaming console dualbooting Windows 10 and Linux. The well engineered shape and spacing of the chassis meant I only had to exchange one or two things in my old system; whilst my old "shoebox" style case had big open gaps, the Node 202 wastes no space inside - however the hardware still keeps cool thanks to well-placed ventilation gaps on the surface.The design of the chassis allows for both vertical and horizontal style sitting and comes with a vertical stand to accomodate, I prefer to use it with the stand as I find it makes for a more compact and tidy desk area.I'm in love in this new case as it's a lot more manageable as a compact system and allows me to travel with it seamlessly since it fits into spacious backpacks without hassle and feels good to have beside my monitor when my station's unpacked.

Got this case recently to house my HTPC in the living room.It's designed well to blend in with other hi-fi kit (see pics).It is very small but still manages to support a lot of kit.One concern was that it wouldn't have space for a standard HDD (officially) but I got a standard 3.5" hard drive to fit under the graphics card in addition to a case fan. Had to remove the SSD holder to do this but it worked a treat. The SSD was placed between the power supply and the centre partition and the excess cables neatly tucked over it.The size of the case means it's going to have heat issues and indeed in the CPU side of the case with the stock Intel cooler I was hitting 50° on idle and near 70° under load. Introduced a Cryorig C7 and temps were brought down to a more acceptable 40° on idle and 50-60° under load. I would avoid overclocking for this reason.Other than the heat issue the stock Intel cooler was also noisy but with the Cryorig its near silent hardly ever going beyond the rooms noise floor. The case itself is very good at suppressing and limiting vibrations caused by the fans.Couldn't be more happy with it and at £70 it's something of a bargain.Kit list for reference: core i5 4670k, Asus z87i-pro, dual 4gb corsair vengeance pro, corsair sf450 psu, Asus gtx650, Samsung ssd 850pro, western digital red hdd, fractal silent case fan.

Pros: Looks nice, vertical or horizontal usage, fits huge size GPU, fan filters (except the top exhaust near the motherboard), fits two 120 mm fans in the video card chamber (removing the VGA additional support). Cons: Very, very difficult assembly (requires deep analysis to route/reroute cables), build quality just ok, interior plastic base is hard to attach to the metal chassis (plastic tabs). Other thoughts: I highly recommend the usage of very flexible cables, since you gonna need to bend then a lot. I found it difficult to do with the ones provided with the Corsair SFX 600 power supply. Finally, I don't recommend the usage of overclocking capable CPUs with this case, since the cooling options are very limited. I think is appropriate to use it with a lower TDP processor...

It's a fine looking case with a brilliant stand adaption, should you want a vertical setup. Fairly lightweight and about the size of a early 2000s VCR. The construction is a mix of plastic and metal and has a sturdiness about it - although it can be difficult to take the bottom panel off during installation of components due to tight plastic clasps which needs careful care to avoid fracturing them.The HUGE issue is that this product listing on Amazon clearly states that the case "Supports ATX power supplies"THIS CASE DOES NOT SUPPORT ATX POWER SUPPLIES! You will need to purchase an often very expensive SFX PSU to power your PC build.

Make no mistake - it is neither small or light. It is just pretty thin, which is just what you may need if you intend to install it on or under your desk and and you like me struggle for horizontal space.. There are other much smaller ITX cases which are really portable. Otherwise - this Node 202 feels really well made and looks cool. And it can take huge GPU and an SFX PSU.I am not a gamer, so I haven't installed a GPU yet, just a 65W CPU with integrated graphics. I didn't have any problems with the temperatures of the CPU. Honestly said, I read that many people complain about the temps of the CPU and blame the case for it, but in my opinion the area is really good ventilated - there are ample sized meshes over and just in front of the CPU cooler. My temps with a 6core 65W CPU and the tiny Noctua L9i didn't pass 60% even under constant 100% load. Of course, the cable management options inside is far from perfect, but what can you expect with a case that thin? One other thing is that I get that slightly cracking sound every time i start and shut down the PC..I am not sure if it comes from the case or from the Corsair SF450 PSU..?

It's a nice case. Best cooling performance is achieved when standing instead of lying flat as the gpu exhaust would be restricted by the table surface (Cpu and gpu exhaust to opposite sides of the case). Make sure your graphics card is 2 slots thick and not 2.5 as was the case with my sapphire pulse 5600 xt meaning I needed to angle grind a prominent screw for it to fit. The clearance for the cpu cooler narrows the number of options available. For a 65w cpu the low profile nh-l9 a or I (depending on AMD or intel) is great. More powerful cpus will probs require the blackridge which has it's own problems in terms of motherboard heatshroud compatibility / ram compatibility (particularly when upgraded to a slim 120mm fan)

First, it said that case would come as good looking one. It have more than few scratches, disc bracket was totally bent (which was fixable, but still) and accessories were thrown inside case and scratching everything inside. The box was totally smashed by deliverer, however for the money I paid it's still decent deal.