Seldom have we had such combined emotions a couple of PC case. Fractal Design’s Torrent RGB ($189.99) has a powerful design that we are able to’t assist however love in some ways. Its set of 5 vibrant RGB LED followers are the quietest bundled followers we’ve ever (not) heard, and the case’s inside format makes constructing or upgrading a system round a full-size or bigger motherboard about as straightforward as it could actually presumably be. If it weren’t for the plastic entrance and high panels, paired with the value, we’d doubtless be wanting right here on the excellent oversize ATX or Prolonged ATX (E-ATX) chassis. Alas, massive chunks of this case’s physique are purely plastic, which makes the Torrent RGB really feel, at occasions, cheaper than the near-$200 value ought to counsel. Name this one a close to star, a PC-case choose that could possibly be improved vastly with a value lower. Or extra steel.
Design: Give Us Extra Steel!
With its edgy entrance panel that appears like an oversize heatsink, the Fractal Design Torrent RGB is eye-catching even in its unbuilt state. It’s on the massive dimension, at 20.9 by 9.5 by 21.4 inches (HWD), and our evaluate unit got here with tempered-glass panels on each side, giving it a extra polished, premium look.
The impression that the Torrent RGB is a premium case tragically falls aside, nonetheless, as quickly as you contact it. Although the tempered glass is actual, the entrance of the case, which is designed to appear like steel, isn’t steel. As a substitute it’s made out of plastic, and flimsy-feeling stuff at that. The highest of the case can also be plastic, albeit a firmer variety than the entrance, and the identical texture and stiffness of plastic is used on the underside of the case for its toes.
There’s a lot I like in regards to the Torrent RGB that as I labored to construct a PC inside the case, I grew to become more and more disillusioned with these outstanding plastic options. I can perceive why Fractal Design may need opted for plastic in these places; it cuts prices and may help to cut back the general weight. (The case, at round 24 kilos, is already expensive and heavy sufficient with out including on a number of sheets of steel.) However the plastic merely makes the case really feel a bit low-cost, particularly the flex in regards to the entrance. At a minimal, Fractal Design ought to swap to a sturdier plastic for the entrance panel in a future revision of this case.
The entrance I/O panel (which resides, really, on the high of the case) consists of two USB 3.0 Kind-A ports, a single USB 3.2 Gen 2 Kind-C port, and a pair of separate audio jacks for a mic and headphones.
The Construct Expertise
Getting a system constructed into the case couldn’t be less complicated. The motherboard mounting tray is massive sufficient to simply match any ATX, nonstandard ATX, or E-ATX motherboard. After the board is mounted, a large expanse across the edges makes connecting cables as straightforward and simple as attainable. Whereas I’ve run throughout a couple of circumstances equally as straightforward to construct in, with the Torrent RGB I see little attainable room for enchancment.
Fractal Design went in a unique course with the power-supply unit (PSU) mounting on this case, specifically “up” as an alternative of “down.” Most fashionable PC circumstances require the ability provide to be mounted on the chassis backside, usually in its personal walled-off compartment surrounded by a set shroud. The Torrent RGB as an alternative has a separate compartment on the high of the case for the PSU, accessed by eradicating two screws from the again of the case and sliding off the highest panel.
That is now, with out query, my most well-liked placement for an influence provide in a case this dimension (even when it’s a decidedly retro transfer). Once you mount the PSU in most fashionable chassis, you possibly can’t actually see what you’re doing. You shove it right into a cramped spot and attempt to maintain it in place on the within whereas bolting it on from the surface. Both that, otherwise you mount the PSU to a detachable plate, slide it in via the again, preventing cables each inch of the way in which, after which bolt it on.
When mounting the PSU on the Torrent RGB, nonetheless, the PSU is stored in full sight always and is definitely accessible. There’s no fumbling round with getting cables in or attempting to carry it in place. You continue to have to carry it, however as you don’t have something obstructing your view, it’s far simpler than regular to information every thing the place it must go.
One other main advantage of this design is which you can simply add or take away cables to a modular PSU by simply eradicating the highest panel. This is a gigantic enchancment over most different PSU-mounting places, which as a rule require you to take away the PSU so as to add or take away a cable.
Storage Scheme and Cable Administration
One space during which the Torrent RGB may use some enchancment is in its storage-drive mounts, as none of those has a tool-free design. In whole, you get room so as to add two 3.5-inch drives and 4 2.5-inch drives. None of those mounts overlaps, so you’ve a complete of six true, discrete drive mounts out there.
All of those mounts sit behind the motherboard and should be screwed onto removable brackets so as to add them to the case. Using this mounting configuration for 3.5-inch drives is novel, although it’s exceedingly widespread for two.5-inch drives on fashionable circumstances. The three.5-inch mounts are underneath the motherboard cutout, close to the case backside.
I’ve no main complaints in regards to the variety of storage mounts or how they work, however snap-in, no-screws drive mounts could be an enchancment.
The motherboard mounting tray is lined with cutout slits that make passing cables via from one aspect to the opposite straightforward. These are nicely positioned, with simply accessed holes close to the place the entire corners of an ATX motherboard could be after it’s put in into the case. Just a few bigger holes are positioned close to the entrance of the case for getting the chunkier motherboard and PCI Specific energy connectors via, and these openings are lined in rubber to assist block cables on the opposite aspect from view and scale back edge abrasion.
On the fitting aspect of the case, the place many of the cables will reside, a number of cable ties are pre-installed to enhance cable administration. This extends to the outside rear of the case, the place Fractal Design has a number of pre-installed Velcro ties to assist maintain the PSU energy cable to the aspect so it doesn’t block the rear I/O panel on the motherboard. That’s an extra-thoughtful contact.
Feeling Out the Cooling
Cooling is a specialty and a power of the Torrent RGB. It ships with a whopping 5 of Fractal Design’s new Prisma followers. Three of those followers are Prisma AL-14 fashions; these are 140mm in dimension and are available mounted on the underside of the case. AL-14 followers are rated to provide 103.85 CFM of airflow with a noise manufacturing degree of 34.1dB(A).
Two further followers are mounted on the entrance of the case, bigger Prisma AL-18 followers which might be 180mm in dimension. These are rated to maneuver significantly extra air (Fractal Design charges them at between 43.1 and 146.8 CFM), however they’re nonetheless fairly quiet, with a noise-production ranking between 14.9dB(A) and 37.4dB(A).
I anticipated this case to be fairly the noisemaker attributable to the entire followers, however I used to be pleasantly shocked. These are literally the quietest bundled followers I feel I’ve ever heard. I couldn’t hear them in any respect with out placing my ear inside mere inches of them, with my head partially inside the open and working PC. (Hopefully, you will not be doing that very a lot.)
Additionally, the standard of the addressable-RGB (aRGB) lights appeared wonderful to me, as they seemed brighter and extra vibrant than most different included followers I normally see. A lightweight bar set under the PSU compartment provides much more glow to the case, even when it’s not fairly as colourful because the followers. Mud filters are positioned over most exterior openings to assist preserve filth from flowing into the case with the consumption air.
With the PSU mounted on the high of the case and followers pre-installed on the entrance and backside, you aren’t left with a lot room so as to add a liquid cooler to the Torrent RGB. You’d must take away a couple of of the followers first, thus taking out an enormous a part of why you doubtless purchased this case within the first place. That is in all probability the most important downside to the case, aside from the flimsy entrance panel. As a result of PSU positioning, you possibly can’t add any followers to the highest of the case, however there may be room so as to add a 120mm or 140mm radiator to the rear of the case. In case you use a big air cooler, although, you gained’t have any points, as this case can maintain any CPU air cooler with a top of 188mm or much less. And actually, the sturdy air-cooling traits are why you’ll take into account shopping for the Torrent RGB within the first place.
For controlling the followers, Fractal Design features a fan controller on the backside of the case, lined up alongside the sting behind the glass. This machine has help for a complete of 9 followers, which is a little bit of overkill given the case has room to mount a most of simply six (or, technically, seven in case you swap out the 180mm followers for smaller ones).
Verdict: One Cool RGB Cat
We began this evaluate expressing that we had combined emotions in regards to the Fractal Design Torrent RGB. These grew as we constructed and dealt with the chassis and its preponderance of plastic. However ultimately, you do not purchase a chassis to deal with it. You purchase it for its efficiency, its traits, and the way it seems to be. And in case you take a step or two again, and keep hands-off, it is exhausting to fault the Torrent RGB on a lot aside from the price-for-materials equation. The case is superb in most different respects.
The constructing expertise is pretty much as good because it will get, and so are the followers. So long as you don’t contact it, the case additionally maintains its premium impression. In case you deal with it like a museum piece, to position and admire, you will be pleased with this bigger-than-ATX bruiser. Pity about all that plastic, although.