Fractal North XL PC Case Review
Meet the Fractal North XL
Meet the Fractal North XL, a larger version of a stellar case
Fractal released their North PC case in late 2022 (see our review here), and we loved it. It wood-clad front gave the case an elegant look that stands in stark contrast to the “gamer” cases that are all too common. Now, the Fractal North has received the XL treatment, giving PC builders a larger case option for EATX system large format PC components.
Fractal’s XL series cases are designed for EATX motherboards, large graphics cards, heavy liquid cooling, and the highest-end hardware. They are incredibly popular for workstation users, those who require lots of add-on cards and heavy-duty Threadripper or Xeon processors. Now, the North XL has been added to the Fractal XL catalogue, and it is a good addition.
With its spacious design and sleek oak front, this case delivers both style and substance. It would look great on any desk, and looks much better than the cases of most pre-built workstations. It’s relatively open front design is also great for airflow. That’s something that you will see later in our thermal tests.
As the XL naming suggests, this case is larger than the standard Fractal North. This allows this case to support graphics cards that are up to 413mm long, and EATX motherboards that are up to 330mm wide. The case also ships in black or white and with either a mesh or tempered glass side panel. Today we are looking at the mesh model.
Fractal North XL Pricing and Specifications
In the UK, Fractal has told us to expect their North XL to ship for £169.99-£174.99 depending on the model you choose. For a case this large, this is a solid price. Out of the box this case ships with three of Fractal’s Aspect 140mm fans. All three of these fans are installed at the front of the case.
As mentioned before, the North XL is available with either a mesh side panel or a tempered glass side panel. With the mesh side panel, North XL buyers are also given a mount for two 120mm or 140mm fans. These fans blow directly onto the PCIe area of modern motherboards, providing additional airflow to GPUs and other add0on cards. This is great news for workstation or server users who may utilise a lot of add-on cards, or multiple graphics cards. This bracket is not available on the tampered glass version of the North XL, as it cannot generate airflow though its glass side panel.
Liquid Cooling in the Fractal North XL
Fractal’s new North XL case supports a large number of liquid cooling radiators. The case supports up to a 420mm radiator at the front. It supports up to a 360mm radiator at the top, a 140mm radiator in the rear, and a 280mm radiator on its side (Mesh version only). That’s a lot of liquid cooling potential!
