Fractal Node 304, one of the nicest case I have seen in a long long time.

[Hugo Drax]

It looks like a modern 21st century NeXT Workstation. I highly recommend it if you like a minimalistic modern professional looking build. The edges are true on the case and the bottom has a nice curve meeting the outside case cover.

It would fit well in a modern office, and if you need to build compute nodes (which I am doing) you can stack them nicely.

I will be ordering 3 more now that I see the fit and finish of the case and the size is perfect for what I plan on using them for.

Anyhow the pictures on the web site are nice, but in person its much nicer than what the pictures convey.

http://www.fractal-design.com/?view=product&prod=94

 

[NumericalMethods]

Now that mini ITX motherboards have so much to offer, and that case fits full length video cards, it really is a no brainer for me too.

Just waiting for the Haswell release to be able to purchase some new parts and then they will be occupying a Node 304 as well.

 

[Subyman]

I'm definitely liking the smaller cases. I would like to try an ITX/mAtx case when Haswell comes out. Fitting a liquid cooling system would be fun.

 

[AustinInDallas]

I've been very interested in mini-itx cases since the bitfenix prodigy case came out. It has room for everything you need

 

[Stoneburner]

Nice case. Like all fractal cases, I'm not a fan of the white touches though. I am getting rid of all the white in my Define XL R2.

 

[Charlie98]

I love my Fractal Define Mini... the build quality is awesome compared to my CoolerMaster HAF922... but there are a few oddities...

I'm not a fan of the white touches though

I don't get it. Sleek, refined, oozing quality... but where does the white come from? The HDD trays... OK, but the weird mobo knockouts? Just odd...

As far as the 304... like my Mini, the USB ports are on the side (top for my mini...) it's a pain to have to pull out the case to hook up a keyboard or HDD for file transfers. But I do like the clean front panel. Maybe something like the Corsair 550D with the USB panel cutout...

 

[2timer]

I don't get it. Why does a case this fat not have an optical drive slot?

 

[AustinInDallas]

I don't get it. Why does a case this fat not have an optical drive slot?

I'm happy this is finally happening. I always buy a drive with my new builds and never end up using them. Taking out the drive really frees up the design.

 

[dmoney1980]

A great looking case indeed! But you are limited GPU wise when it comes to the length of the card, since the PSU is mounted up front.

From the website:

Graphics cards, up to 310mm in length, when 2 HDD brackets are removed (Graphics cards longer than 170 mm will conflict with PSUs longer than 160mm)

 

[el-Capitan]

I don't get it. Why does a case this fat not have an optical drive slot?

I haven't had an optical drive in years and I have not missed it. I am glad this case does not provision for it.

The 304 has been on my wishlist for a while now, if I'd go Haswell, it'd be mini-ITX in this case.

 

[Subyman]

If I ever need an optical drive I have a USB one that I use. There is no way I need one for all my devices.

 

[Carson Dyle]

The Node 304 seems to be designed (more or less) toward a specific purpose - that of housing a small storage server. Not many people have a need to both a) stuff as many drives as possible into their desktop PC for their mass storage needs and then b) go looking for the smallest desktop PC case they can find. This makes a nicer case for a storage server or "NAS" than it does for a desktop.

Biggest problem these days with a mini-ITX case like this is finding a PSU with cables short enough that you don't spend 3/4 of your time figuring out how to stuff all of the PSU's ridiculously long cables inside a very small chassis.

 

[T_Yamamoto]

The Node 304 seems to be designed (more or less) toward a specific purpose - that of housing a small storage server. Not many people have a need to both a) stuff as many drives as possible into their desktop PC for their mass storage needs and then b) go looking for the smallest desktop PC case they can find. This makes a nicer case for a storage server or "NAS" than it does for a desktop.

Biggest problem these days with a mini-ITX case like this is finding a PSU with cables short enough that you don't spend 3/4 of your time figuring out how to stuff all of the PSU's ridiculously long cables inside a very small chassis.

Pretty much this. The Node has so much storage space, well the capability too. It should be used for a small server or a NAS, not a gaming rig.

Another small, but capable case is the CM Elite 120.

 

[aigomorla]

I've been very interested in mini-itx cases since the bitfenix prodigy case came out. It has room for everything you need

lol that is not a true mini itx case.. lol.. its more of a hard core gamer itx, to fit everything u need including a long video card case.

its double the size of my LL itx case...

The prodigy can take a 200mm fan up front.. which makes its a very big itx case.

If we were to compare it to the fractal case here, the bitfinix would also be 2x the size of this fractal case.

 

[bleucharm28]

or how Caselabs SM3 Mercury, in white....drool.....i know,i know is not true mini. It's more mATX case. But it sure is sexy.

 

[T_Yamamoto]

How do the Samsung's compare to say a Mitsubishi 91Plus??

Its like ATX. Its freaking HUGE.

Edit: it was suppose to quote the person above me.

 

[ElFenix]

lol that is not a true mini itx case.. lol.. its more of a hard core gamer itx, to fit everything u need including a long video card case.

its double the size of my LL itx case...

The prodigy can take a 200mm fan up front.. which makes its a very big itx case.

If we were to compare it to the fractal case here, the bitfinix would also be 2x the size of this fractal case.

none of these are true mini itx though, as mini itx is limited to 1 expansion slot, and nearly every one of these has 2. which makes them mini dtx.

 

[aigomorla]

none of these are true mini itx though, as mini itx is limited to 1 expansion slot, and nearly every one of these has 2. which makes them mini dtx.

lol... true.

but the ll i have is tiny....
The Q08 is like a mini cooper... the bitfinix is a freaken suburban if u scale size to size.