Watch our Fractal Torrent (original) review here: ua-cam.com/video/HBxo2_lwKps/v-deo.html And our Fractal Torrent fan hub validation here: ua-cam.com/video/R1EcppuGxCY/v-deo.html GN 3D Coaster Packs are now on back-order! store.gamersnexus.net/products/3d-coaster-pack-4-component-coasters (This amazing 4-pack of fully custom coasters that we designed and made uses high-quality materials and vibrant, PC-centric designs that you won't get anywhere else. It also supports the weeks of testing we do on content like this! Last time, stock sold out in about 36 hours. Make sure you back-order soon!)
Hi, wanted to ask in regards to dust build-up for the front fans, is there a filter there or could you recommend a video on a case with one? Currently looking at the Meshify 2 Compact due to it. Have a bit of an issue with dust build-up over time due to being near city center when there's a wind in summer, it's also not really possible to take a case outside for spring cleaning like I used to it when I used to live in a house, so just being able to take dust filters would be a huge plus. The 30 EUR difference between the two is not enough to really matter since it seems based on your tests that the Torrent Compact should be a bit quieter with the larger fans, so would be worth the extra cost to me. And thanks for the videos, they've generally been quite interesting over the last few years.
Wow, you are super late on that case's Review image Lian Li Lancool III comes out, and you need that much time then the review is for ass because most of the people did buy at this point then the Lancool III Case... I hope you are faster on Lian Li Lancool III Review before it comes out...
If any of you guys were too lazy to watch through the whole video, Steve’s main critiques of the Compact Fractal Torrent was mostly price point, cable management (which is the main problem as the width was scaled down proportional to the height, and the back glass panel is smooshed right up against the cables.), and decreased clearance for gpus and cpu coolers (174 mm of cpu cooler clearance, which is still pretty good, but not as good as the regular torrents 188mm.) Other than that it’s a good case by a great brand. Thank you GN for the video!
@@regwatson2017 for sure, cable management is what sets it back, but what makes it worse is the glass being compressed against the cables, which is not generally what you would want.
@@Fly_By_Gaming I had an Anidees AI Crystal that had its back glass panel shatter from cable clutter a couple years ago. The pressure on the glass was pretty gentle, I was able to thumb screw it down without stressing it, but I guess after a couple of years, it just blew apart.
The cable management would certainly be annoying but he did say the dual 180mm fans were a big value ad that makes it more comparable to cases that were slightly less expensive, plus fans.
One note about tempered glass. One of my hobbies is fish keeping. Aquariums use tempered glass for the bottom sheet because of how strong it is. A 50 gallon aquarium puts 0.59 PSI of pressure on the glass due to the weight of the water. Larger tanks put even more pressure. What tempered glass really doesn't like is ununiform pressure. That's why you can smack it with a hammer and it'll be fine, but an icepick with a half as much force will cause it to shatter. A bulge in your panel won't necessarily lead to it shattering. When you fill aquariums, the glass literally bulges out from the weight of the water a quarter of an inch or more depending on the capacity of the tank. People build frameless tempered glass tanks. All depends on the thickness of the glass.
Sorry to be the pedantic one, but pressure on the bottom of the tank only depends on the height of the water in the tank, not the volume of water. pressure (psi) = fluid height (ft) x fluid density (pounds per gallon) x 0.052. fresh water has a density of approx. 8.34ppg.
if you have pebbles on the bottom, the same principle applies. the easiest way is to calculate 2 pressures, one for height of pebbles, and one for the height of water above the pebbles, then add both together. Very roughly, you could expect pebbles in water to have a density in the order of 16.7ppg to 19ppg
Really wish case manufacturers would stop putting tempered glass on the cable management side as it's pointless, increases costs, and now there's 2 panels to worry about potentially shattering at some point (very unlikely of course but still). Also it's worth noting besides having a modular power supply, keep in mind the length of your power supply. I have a Meshify C Mini that I originally put in a longer length power supply and it made cable management quite difficult, but now I've got a shorter length PSU and it's much more manageable. If you want to make it really easy and plan to use cable extensions you could use a SFX PSU, many of them come with a ATX mounting bracket
@@mrovi789 Interesting, just a shame the right side panel isn't metal by default on the TG version (there is an all metal version). If you want the white Torrent though then it comes with a metal right side panel by default
Yeah at least the evolv x had nice covers for the wires. Same reason i dont like the last revision lian li showed for the v3000 plus. They took away a side mount rad location and made the back panel glass. Idk who thought that was a good idea.
Yeah that pretty much rules this case out for me forever even with its obvious performance benefits. I don't mind glass panels on my cases but one is enough. Two of them is, I think, completely unnecessary.
The white version of this case has glass on one side only. I bought this case when it came out in Australia a few weeks ago - Got the compact white. I don't think I would have bought it if it was glass on both sides, but it appears the compact white version is glass on one side only. When building in it, a significant amount of effort went into cable management so that side would not bulge/pop out - but still needs the screw.
I would have ordered the white version of the nano if I had known, seeing the tempered glass on both sides when I got mine out of the box was a legitimate shock
I got the Torrent Compact GN is reviewing here, as you said, a significant amount of time did go into cable management. I was able to close the back glass without bulging. But I still screwed down the glass to feel safe.
I’ll throw in my comment requesting a review of the Nano as well. I’m a fan of mini-itx builds (especially for my family who travels) and it will be interesting to see how it works compared to it’s bigger brothers.
I bought a p1 when i went itx because i have a nice seasonic psu that i just got a couple years ago and didnt want to replace it. Very few itx cases with full size psu support. Cant wait for the nano review.
I've always found tempered glass on the cable management side panel to be completely unnecessary and annoying. Just put steel there - no one cares that much about cable management that they want to see it through glass
@@EverythingisFire One the older meshify the solid panel version costed $10 less than the glass ones (I actually bought the steel one because of that) but they have stopped that starting with the meshify 2.
@@EverythingisFire That'd be Newegg being Newegg. Canada Computers (which seems to be the only reputable online source left to Canadians) has the steel compact at $220 and the glass at $245 - about the price hike one would expect. (Note that as this is a Canadian retailer, these are Canadian prices, so that $150 price is $190 on the exchange rate alone, and the other $55 comes from the Canada markup - most tech stuff we get lands in American ports and then is trucked up across the border, which substantially alters the price of things. Plus probably some duties that apply.
I purchased this case like two weeks ago, and I really like the size and how computer components fill it out more compared to the original Torrent case. However, I did have an issue with the case system panel connectors. My case came with screws put on too tight, so every time the fan cover/grill was put on, it would engage and hold the reset button down. Causing the pc to go in an endless reset loop. It took me all day to figure out the issue. I had literally replaced and swapped every part before realizing it was the case. So if you're having a booting up problem with the case, first check your case system panel connector cables, specifically the reset button.
@@jonirenicus9407 I guess they missed this for the same reason I would, connecting all those case connectors is a pain when the power switch is all you need. ;)
Instead of adding "compact" and "nano" to the end, I think Fractal Design should have named the cases (in decreasing size): Torrent, Stream, and Trickle.
I guess those would detract from the whole point of calling it Torrent though - it sounds like air is washing powerfully over the system. Stream and Trickle sound like the performance took a big hit.
I built a Fractal Meshify 2 rig today. Having experience with mostly compact Fractal cases in the past (yeah yeah I'm a fan; I have a soft sport for their designs, sue me) using a large case today was suuuuuuch a breath of fresh air. Cable management was a pleasure, not a challenge. Everything was easily reachable. My rule-of-thumb advice is to buy the biggest case you can. If you don't absolutely positively 110% need a smaller case due to space constraints, do yourself a favor and go big. You will not regret it. (BTW, the Meshify 2 is smaller than the Torrent. The Torrent is kinda especially humongous.)
I have the Meshify 2 Compact and its a blessing to work with. Cable Management is a small hassle but not nearly to a level where i would say its annoying. The Torrents are nice but Meshify for me is still Fractals best Case so far (from a "work with" standpoint ofc.. in terms of Termals its not their best but its still excellent :P ).
@@Y0G0FU I have experience with the Define C, which is similar in size. Please trust me when I tell you that the non-compact Meshify 2 is a step up. I doubt you don't believe me, just emphasizing. :) And I agree with you on your choice, of course. :) I think the Torrents are too "gamery" in their design. The Meshifies are just so elegant and look great in a living room, like a high-end speaker. That abstract geometric front panel is, IMHO, a masterpiece of case design. Airflow isn't quite as omg as the Torrent, but it's still very high up there! There is no reason to be jealous of the Torrent, at least for reasonable builds.
I second this advice. I know small builds are all the rage lately and they are indeed very cool. But some day you're gonna have to open the thing up to troubleshoot or upgrade, and on that day you'll wish you had a case with some space. I have a Thermaltake View 71 TG Snow, but I run it without the front TG panel for better airflow. I think Fractal hardly existed back when I bought it, but they're high up on my list when it's time to buy a new one.
@@CanIHasThisName It's not only cables that makes building inside a bigger case easier, it's pretty much everything. More options for radiator size/placement, same for fans, drives... everything. And you don't have to worry about having enough room for GPU's that keep getting bigger and bigger. Never really had an issue with cables being too short, usually there's a few extra inches. You only have to do that stuff once - if you never add or upgrade or have to fix anything. I use the same case for a long, long time, typically end up cycling 2-3 builds worth of parts through it. There might be a little more case to clean, but it's easier because you can actually reach it all. The only real drawback is that it takes up more space on the desk, and it's heavier.
@@Aleph-Noll well Linus made a video over it because was becoming increasingly prevalent on his channel and other tech channels recently , we just need a algorithm that tracks bots that spam the same thing, it’s technically supposed to be UA-cam’s job, but I guess there is worse problems.
Increased my airflow & reduced core temps 5~6C from idle and 10~15C from Cinebench by replacing the base filter with cardboard (just use the filter as a template and slide it in as a replacement "filter"). If you are using fans in the base, I'd recommend using some kind of cut-out to block airflow from outside of your base fan intakes to maximize flow out the back of the case. BTW, when routing cables, I thought "he's crazy, there's plenty of room". That lasted only until I tried to put the panel back on, though. Then it's uh, "omg, he's right, that's a MAJOR problem." It's a pretty fair effort to route the under cables so as to not bow the panel. Other than that one point, the case is a wind-tunnel and exceptionally quiet under normal use/gaming. Benchmarks will roar the fans, though.
Did you utilize the 3.5" drive slot? Been thinking about a compact torrent myself, and I don't use hard drives, so I'm curious if it's still as big of an issue with that extra space available
@@sosukelele Currently I have the Compact and it is really a nice case but avoid using Standard Hard drives in the cradle mounted to the top of the case, the noise from the hard drive ticking has driven me nuts.
@@CleanteamofNY i stuck an enterprise class WD in there for a filedump and it's been quiet after about two days of clicking - windows probably stopped indexing it or something
@@sosukelele managing to cram it there along with the cables is a bit of a pita (and i bought a fractal fully modular PSU for it, with really nice flexible cables) but once seated they all stay there even after opening the top panel
Just completed a build in this case. Cable managing took about 2 hours (I only do this every year or so so I'm not an expert). I was exceptionally glad I went with the steel panels instead of glass after coming back to this review.
I'm using a Fractal Vector RS. It was my first $100+ case. I was absolutely blown away by just how physically premium the entire thing feels. From start to finish, every part of the build process just felt so high end.
I had the same experience when building in a Fractal Design Define Mini C. I think it was cheaper than $100, but still - everything just clicked, it made sense and worked. Cable management basically happened on automatic. I think Fractal's putting a lot of thought into end user experience and functionality, compared to many other case designers.
Just finished a build with the white version (non-RBG fans) of this case and it does have a steel panel on the cable side. This doesn’t change the fact the the cable management is lacking, but at least there’s no worry about bending glass. I agree with your suggestions to limit the power supply cabling, and I did find that cable management took the longest.
I built this the other day and thought I was just inexperienced. Mines bulging a bit until I redo it tomorrow, its not a deal breaker for me as the case size and design is fantastic
Man if only GN can do ITX case reviews in the future. There is a definite standardized ITX setup that will fit in the majority of ITX cases. Something like the Asus Strix B450-itx or B550-itx motherboard, the Noctua NH-L12S or something smaller as a cooler, Corsair LPX RAM, Corsair SF600 PSU, and any dual fan GPU, and it's a test system for the majority of ITX cases. Hell, most ITX cases these days can fit big ass, triple fan - triple slot cards, due to their back-to-back layout. You're really only limited by CPU cooler height. With some cases, you have the option of being able to fit a much bigger tower cooler, like in the CM NR200P, but this would be pointed out in the review as a plus for the case.
@@Davidx_117 True, but it's still going to keep the CPU cool enough. The point is to compare how good the cases perform thermally relative to each other.
@@killerful I understand, but the data may not necessarily be applicable compared to bigger tower coolers since the NH-L12S has a different fan orientation and airflow direction but this is something that should be tested. To resolve this I think you'd have to have 2 standard coolers for ITX cases, ones like the NR200, Fractal Nano, H200, etc that can take a tower cooler and then for the even smaller cases the NH-L12S comes in
Just an FYI for anyone that might be interested in this case and watching this review, I've gotten this case and I absolutely dislike the tempered glass back panel. I personally don't understand why they even put it there, since you basically never look at your cables at the back anyway. There's a reason why basically every other case on the market has a solid back panel instead. This is why I contacted Fractal directly and they shipped me a solid back panel for my Torrent Compact, free of charge. Twice actually, since the first one was a little bit defect due to the pad that's used to pull the panel off, was slightly off and not aligned with the top of the panel itself. No issues though at all, contacted the support again and they sent me another one right away. And hence, thus far, from my short experience with Fractal's support, a very good one in this regard.
@@NZIGNANTI I just emailed their support and asked if it were possible to get an steel right side panel, instead of the TG one. They asked for my cases serial number which is located underneath on the front feet. The next thing I got was an tracking number and then picked it up at my local postal office. So basically yes, since you've already purchased the case which is over $100 in itself so...
I love the data driven approach to reviews y'all have had for years, especially comparing to so many other options. There is a small mistake in your chart @ 18:50; while the Torrent Compact is at the top with the coolest CPU, the rest of the chart is sorted by GPU temps instead of CPU temps.
I have this case and everything Steve says is true. I didn't want RGB or glass, I wanted a solid good airflow case for work and not show, and this case is excellent in the solid side panel version with the exception of the cable management. I had trouble with the side entry style SATA power connectors for the SSD trays not letting the side panel close so have ordered a new corsair RMi power supply with individually sleeved cables , alternatively you can just get a set of cablemod cables which have the end entry, doubled up SATA power connectors. In the mean time I had to slice off one side of he SATA power connections to make it fit and only run one SSD.
Always look forward to your content. I've built 6 PC's for friends and family and all used Corsairs Carbide Air 540. Many will not want/use the 2 optical drive bays, but the dual chamber form factor is easy to work in and cable manage. One caveat: The Arctic LFII 280 does fit on top, but a tight fit for the board power cable connection.
I had the same issue closing the back side of a meshify 2 compact. Had to spend a while cable managing it. Very unfortunate. But still a fantastic case. Seems like they didn't learn from that case, unfortunately.
Same issue with Define 7 C. Why cant they just make the compact case identical to the large case with less height/depth and probably fans. Why do they cut all these other things?
I'm looking for a quiet and good cooling performance. Must fit ATX motherboard, going to use my current setup which is old hardare (2013) but i want be able to run a really good cpu heatsink. Might opt for Meshify 2 XL Dark Tempered Glass. No need for tempered glass but have no other option. For now im running my Zalman HD160 HTPC case :D runs quite hot under load but super quiet in idling speeds. Any inputs on the XL one?
I bought the Torrent Compact the day it came out. I did have to take my time on cable management, but made it work without having to squish the glass side panel against the cables. I am using CableMod replacement cables for an EVGA 850w G5 Supernova. I can see how it could be more of a problem if you were using a non-modular PSU, or factory sleeved cables like what comes on the EVGA modular PSU's. Aftermarket cables or flat cables would be best. I've recommended to people to remove the factory mesh sleeves from the cable groups to make routing easier. I am using an MSI X570 Tomahawk MB, Noctua NH-D15 cooler, Reference 6800 XT Midnight, two Noctua NF-A12x15's in the bottom for intake and a Noctua NF-S12A in the rear for some exhaust and everything fit great. Its a beautiful case, and has great air flow.
The other thing that sucks about the case is that the top of it is curved. I actually use the case to place my external drives and other accessories connected to the computer. The curved top probably wont let you do this as items will slide off.
I bought a Thermaltake Core X9 a few years ago and it will probably be the last case I ever buy. Turns out it was the same footprint as the filing cabinet next to my desk.
As soon as they released nano version, I bought it and did an mITX build (3080 & 12600k). Love the design and airflow of this case. Btw had no problem with managing cables, yeah it took long but they're completely fine
@@Joze10 I have a cpu fan (arctic freezer 34 esports duo) and no problems with temps, runs quietly and without any problems. Exact temps dunno, never did a test cause it wasn't needed, runs flawlessly
I love my full size grey torrent, coming from a Meshify C. I initially wanted the white version (like my C), but it was sold out for weeks and I got impatient, though I do not regret getting the grey. I really like FD's design cues. I moved the 180s to the bottom and opted for a 420mm AIO and 140s in push/pull with future plans of a custom loop. And yes, I know the torrent was designed as an airflow-focused case, but it's a damn gorgeous case and I couldn't pass it up. I agree with all the points Steve made, particularly cable management and the second TG panel. TG on the back side was not needed IMO, but at least with the full size cable management is totally doable if a bit tedious.
As soon as I heard of the release of the compact and nano I was looking forward to what you had to say. I wish I had these other options when I purchased the define 7 lol.
My chair mat is literally a piece of tempered glass (4'x6'). It handles loads really well. It just doesn't like to be hit on the edges. You would be surprised how far tempered glass can bow before it shatters. It is truly impressive!
I was really in love with this case because of the intake layout. Being able to add a couple bottom-mounted 120mm fans to move air up into the GPU is a big selling point to me, and I love both the aesthetic of the front panel and the big 180mm fans. However, the tempered glass panel on the cable management side is a deal breaker for me. It just adds extra fragility, and unlike a component side panel, it doesn't generally have LEDs to show anything off. I really hope they rectify that in a future version, as I'd love to buy this case. Guess I'll be using my Meshify C for a while longer.
This looks perfect for me who already have a few 120mm noctua fans lying around. If it already competes closely with the original Torrent with just 2x 180mm front fans, I imagine adding 2x 140mm bottom intake fans will make it even better especially for GPU temps
Picked up this case last week. Cable management is indeed annoying, but as I stuck with only using m.2 drives and only added a single rear fan, while using a modular power supply, it worked out fine. I would not recommend adding sata drives or anything else that will increase the number of cables.
I wish Fractal would have included an Aluminum plate for the bottom of the case. I assume it would improve temps by a bit because the air coming from the intake fans won't be able to escape to the bottom.
Bought this and transferred my build from the old Meshify C as soon as it released (from NewEgg of all places. All it was available on). I had to get a little creative with the cable management on the backside, but managed to get it looking decent while allowing the back TG to lay flush. Don't even have to use the retention screw. I have no RGB on the inside, but there are cable extensions. I love this case.
It's unfortunate that Fractal Design refuses to sell the black Torrent cases with a solid backside panel despite much of the exact same feedback that Steve and many others have. Even if you are fine with it unless you are using RGB SSDs back there or some RGB lighting, there really is no point in having a tempered glass backside panel. However, it's important to note that the White versions DO have a solid backside panel, so if you don't mind a white-colored case, then that solves much of the cable management woes. Feels like Fractal just wants either to force you to buy 2 glass panels or buy a more expensive color variant really. :/
i bought the white one and was confused why it is solid on the side according to the pictures - i didnt realize there was a difference to the black one, that's just odd but I wanted the white one anyway so i m glad
I would probably buy this as my next case, it just looks and performs good. And I would be already placing quite a bit of money on looks so I would buy custom look and length cables from something like cablemod. That said I do think tempered glass panel on other side should be optional purchase.
Bought this as an upgrade to my decade old Corsair Air 540. Cable management was certainly a chore, but managed to get it all in, plus a 3.5" HDD, after an hour or so of cable management. No issues with bowing. I have some sleeved extensions I'd like to work back into the case, but that project will come another day.
Both the Compact and the Nano are 222 mm wide rather than the 242 mm of the "standard" Torrent. I guess those 20 mm (4/5ths of an inch) make quite a difference for cable management. A pity Fractal felt the need to "shrink" the case in that dimension as well. :/
Fractal has made some strange decisions here. It is actually pretty substantial for a case with "Compact" in the name. They wanted to minimise the size while keeping the two front 180 fans, so the height is justified. But it can only fit one 180 fan on the bottom, so the length is kinda pointless. And they shaved off a little bit of width at a considerable expense of cable management. The glass panel on the right, the curved top, the feet obstructing bottom fan mounts. I mean the case is overall really well made and a solid performer, so it's a real shame about the flaws.
My personal favorites #1. Lian Li Lancool-II Mesh #2. Corsair 4000D Airflow #3. Lian Li Lancool-215 I also got a Rosewill Thor v2 recently for my server box, and going back and looking at the old GN review of it was very fun to see. You don’t see Steve much in it, but you do catch glimpses of that shorter haired Tech Jesus.
I have a simple air-cooled non-RGB build and there's plenty of cable management space. $150 is a tough to swallow for a case, but it looks good and performs well. I got the steel panel one, which looks a lot better to me and is more practical. It easily fits a Noctua NH-D15, even with the fan above the RAM shifted up to provide a gap above G.Skill Flare X5 RAM. There seems to be even more room for taller RAM, but I can't say exactly how much.
I haven't really understood glass panels on the backside of the motherboard. That's where I want to hide things. I would hate a SKU split but I wish metal side panels were standard on a lot of cases. I don't care about seeing what is inside my case, much less the nest of wires. I hide my case away anyways.
They already do have that SKU split as you call it - the white Torrent Compact case has a metal side panel. Also some colors on the original Torrent have metal, but mine is Grey and it has glass. I was surprised to see that since I'm pretty sure that wasn't the case for Steve's black model.
It looks nice but that cable management looks like a nightmare compared to the P500a which I have. Its good to see that case still high up on the charts and its great to use, with plenty of space on the back and it's SSD mounts behind the motherboard
I love my P500A, I have a 420mm radiator in the front, and a 360mm radiator at the top, with plenty of room to route the hoses. However I'm thinking about changing the top one to a 280 mm, and then drilling a fill port on the top, and installing a square acrylic pump res combo where the cable management slides are at. I have a monoblock on the motherboard and a GPU vertically mounted with a water block, so I'm going to have like this RGB all acrylic look inside the P500A. This case is the tinkerer's dream, glad you have one too!
Been running the Torrent for 3 months now, flawless performance, whisper quiet, best air cooling case on the market. Period. L.E: looks small compared to my former 760t.
I can't wait for people to stop overusing the Lian Li PC-O11 and start using these. I dont understand tg panels on the back side where the cables and etc reside. Nonetheless, It's a very sexy case, but I personally prefer my Phanteks P600s still.
Honestly kinda wish I had gotten this one instead of the full size. If I knew they were making this I might have waited. Definitely still happy with the full size, but I did kinda underestimate how big it is. With a standard ATX air cooled build there ends up being a lot of empty space in there. Also with a modular power supply and just nvme storage, I don't think I'd have any issues with the cables.
The standardized fan testing is meaningful to me because it shows that in the Fractal Torrent Compact the 180mm x 38mm makes little difference. In the full size Fractal Torrent the 180’s actually do matter. Many years from now when a Fractal Torrent has a dead fan this knowledge is good.
@@MissMan666 imagine if you repair or refurb old PCs or something and in the future you come across these cases. Now imagine you discover one or both front fans are dead, and they are this weird 180mm size nowhere to be found. From the GN test data, it appears that the “Torrent Compact” case can be fine with 140mm fans substituted in their place while the full size “Torrent” case does take a little penalty to thermals because it’s just so darn big or something. It’s very OCD anal, but I found it to be a fun insight gleamed from GN’s Charts. Long live GN.
For those who do not need a window, this case is ideal - as there is a solid version without glasses. In addition, in white version, in this case there is only one window, there is a solid panel on the side of the cable.
A little disappointing you chose to not include the Corsair 220T Airflow in the charts. I know you _personally_ hate the look but its very comparable in size and cost, comes with 3x140mm, and it does look great in white. It objectively performed well in your tests. Its seems like an extremely relevant comparison.
I still use the fractal focus G (black) and love it. Have never had any issues upgrading with what I want to upgrade to. Airflow is pretty good. Cleaning the filters are decently easy as well..not to mention good price point if you aren't looking for stellar looks.
I’m currently rebuilding my pc in a torrent nano case, it looks fantastic and has great airflow, but I’m considering ditching my aio cooler as it doesn’t fit WITH my gpu (it’s 1cm too long). Either that, or I change the gpu. Despite that, I love the look of that case and really excited to get my pc up and running again
@@anonymouszillouette8404 I’ve got a corsair H100i platinum rgb se, it’s got two 120 fans and a thick radiator. My gpu is quite old, evga gtx 1080ti and it’s unusually long for a gpu. Pretty sure most 30 series gpus are shorter than mine, so if you’re using something more up to date, you shouldn’t have a problem 🤞
@@TheSjuris true, I think it depends a lot on the number of fans on the gpu, mine has three, so it’s quite long. But you can get more modern gpus that only have two fans, making them shorter. I highly recommended people do their research better than me 😅 though I was only a cm off so not too bad haha
Just finished a build in this case when i found this video. Yes cable management is a thing... Problem is more in diffrent powersupply cables that companies use. The ones from Corsair are a bit more difficult to work with. Used a Seasonic powersuply which uses flat cables for everything exept the 24 pin cable. Also the white case doesnt have a glass panel on the back side. This is made out of metal. A bit more easy to get it close.
I'm not convinced this isn't just Steve being the contrarian for the sake of making a snappy video. Like he's really playing up what looks to be a pretty small "problem". I don't know. Just the vibe I got from the video.
I don't know man, he only really talked about it in the build section and the summary/final thoughts. Also this was an overall positive review, just happens to be that was the only real con of the case, and for some it may be a deal breaker so I get why they spent some time getting specific. I have to admit I think double glass panels are kind of unnecessary, I don't have bad cable management, but I also don't care if I can see them or not.
Maybe they should just ship all models with metal panels on the cable side. It's only the RGB one that has glass on both sides, and I have to wonder why. Does anyone really want glass on that side anyway?
HEY GN!! I plead again for you to share a buying/tear down experience from a pre built PC via Costco. I have looked at options from Costco, the description and specs alone are a hot mess. Love to see what someone might actually receive! You’d have to get a membership- but “if you’re not 100% satisfied, we’ll return your membership fee”
I had this case for a few days and for my uses I needed to bottom mount the 2x180. In the intake config, the fan hubs touch the metal on the bottom and cause a terrible noise. Only configuration I found without noise was flipping them to exhaust, which ruined thermals. Pretty disappointed by this lack of attention to detail by Fractal and not sure how it was missed in this review.
Perfect timing! Somehow managed to get a GPU at MSRP and can finally start ordering the rest of my build. Ya'll set the gold (platinum?) standard for PC component reviews. The world is a better place with Gamers Nexus.
Was torn between Torrent Compact, NZXT 510 Flow, and Lian Li Air Mini. Went with Lian Li Air Mini because I didn't feel like paying an extra $50 for shipping on top of the compacts higher price tag. Air Mini and Flow was free shipping. The torrent compact does look amazing though. And those thermals!
Superb results from this case, far better than I'd have predicted, many thanks GN. It's really well designed and engineered but PERSONALLY the deal-breaker for me is the looks. Aesthetically it's a total eyesore. Sorry Fractal team. It's a no from me 👎
Okay.... I just noticed something, the maximum GPU size in this thing is 330mm. I just learned some high-end GPU's don't fit in that, make sure you check this before you buy.
*The crypto market has been favourable in the past weeks, I keep missing out on this opportunity, I'm most certainly very impatient how can I ever make a profit in the crypto market.*
I think trading is easier with proper guidance, especially from a proffessional it really helps reduce the chances of running into losses. All thanks to Mr Salvador McConnell He changed my life, I was able to pay off my mortgage
@Watson Jordan Thank you for this. I just looked him up on google and impressed with the information I came across. Will definitely reach out to him. Thanks again 😊😊
I've owned 3 Fractal cases now: R3, Meshify and Torrent. The Meshify is the only one that is designed as if they had anticipated that people might actually want to pick the case up... The R3 front panel pops off if you apply and pressure at all to it. The Torrent top cover does the same. They make good cases but I don't understand why they seem to want you to drop them after a panel detaches itself while being carried. The Torrent wouldn't even have this issue if they just put screws on the rear of the top panel, surely no one needs to regularly access the PSU chamber to warrant a quick release cover? Also the Torrent back panel clearance is made even worse by them using silly locking lugs to attach the panel instead of just screws. It means where you normally can get away with squeezing stuff closed you cannot do this because the pressure pops the panel off. Again, what benefit is a quick release mechanism providing here?
Bro the Torrent does have screws for the top panel. My Torrent has them and this very review mentioned them. Go check your accessories box, they're probably still in there. They have little screws for the side panels too, which are optional. You didn't go through the instruction manual too thoroughly, it shows all this.
What were fractal thinking! The only reason I won't buy this is due to the space at the back, I'm thinking this was intentional as to not take sales away from the standard Torrent, either that or they can make more money from improving it on the next iteration. I just can't understand why case manufacturers always get something wrong, I'm starting to think it's deliberate.
Thanks for the awesome reviews, just recently got this case based of your very helpfull and extensive reviews (and because imo it's the best looking case I've ever seen) and am very happy with it, although as mentioned cable management was quiet difficult (even with just 3 drives and no RGB) and it took me over 2 hours for a simple air-cooled build (would definitely recommend a modular PSU with this as me not having one of those greatly increased the time it took me) One extra thing to watch out for is that even without bottom fans it's hard to find a place for a GPU support that sits on the bottom of the case as it's mostly mesh
They did the same thing with the meshify2 compact, when they made both compact cases they made the width narrower. 9.45 ' to 8.74" on the Torrent compact and 9.45" to 8.27" on the Meshify2 compact. If they would have left the wider like there full size they could have left more room in the back and higher cooler in the front or better fit a 240 AIO in the Meshify2 compact. They also made both cases shorter in legs for less air flow from bottom.
I have the Torrent Nano, which I actually like a lot. I am/was are water cooling junky. I sort of had a rough few months with everything breaking (2 pumps, multiple fittings, 1 radiator, 1 psu). Because of this I decided to go air cooling. I do free lance work from home so every day I'm not working, I'm losing money. Replacing a fan takes 5mins vs 2 hours pulling out cables and dealing with the loop. To make things worse I also have a ITX MB, which always means a weird AF case. Now I have a problem... all the ITX cases are WEIRD AF. Super small, super tall, super skinny, super flat... where are the normal desktop itx cases? So I went on a search, and came across the Torrent Nano! Finally a itx case that support desktop hardware! If you are used to ITX, the cable management is pretty good. If you are coming form ATX, things get a little tight. That being said, I would recommend going with air cooling because it helps reduce the cables. Although it is possible to do water cooling. It is hotter than water cooling, but not by much. However, this is the coolest running case I've had for air cooling. I had the s2 and r5... those get a little toasty. Maybe its my hardware, but this performs pretty well with my set up. So far I have actually be pretty happy with it. Its cool, quiet, and easy to work in (compared to most itx cases). If you want and ITX case but still want the desktop hardware and experience this is the case for you.
Just bought Torrent Nano yesterday. Totally agreed with you about tempered glass on back side (I think it would be nice if there is option with normal steel backcover? and tempered glass on the front).
Watch our Fractal Torrent (original) review here: ua-cam.com/video/HBxo2_lwKps/v-deo.html
And our Fractal Torrent fan hub validation here: ua-cam.com/video/R1EcppuGxCY/v-deo.html
GN 3D Coaster Packs are now on back-order! store.gamersnexus.net/products/3d-coaster-pack-4-component-coasters (This amazing 4-pack of fully custom coasters that we designed and made uses high-quality materials and vibrant, PC-centric designs that you won't get anywhere else. It also supports the weeks of testing we do on content like this! Last time, stock sold out in about 36 hours. Make sure you back-order soon!)
Why are case manufacturers even making opaque glass side panels? isn't a metal side panel both lighter and cheaper?
Hi, wanted to ask in regards to dust build-up for the front fans, is there a filter there or could you recommend a video on a case with one?
Currently looking at the Meshify 2 Compact due to it. Have a bit of an issue with dust build-up over time due to being near city center when there's a wind in summer, it's also not really possible to take a case outside for spring cleaning like I used to it when I used to live in a house, so just being able to take dust filters would be a huge plus.
The 30 EUR difference between the two is not enough to really matter since it seems based on your tests that the Torrent Compact should be a bit quieter with the larger fans, so would be worth the extra cost to me.
And thanks for the videos, they've generally been quite interesting over the last few years.
ua-cam.com/video/LHF_46PFaUQ/v-deo.html..
Wow, you are super late on that case's Review image Lian Li Lancool III comes out, and you need that much time then the review is for ass because most of the people did buy at this point then the Lancool III Case... I hope you are faster on Lian Li Lancool III Review before it comes out...
Here is some crazy Air-flow mod~
ua-cam.com/video/iIBArk3R9RE/v-deo.html
If any of you guys were too lazy to watch through the whole video, Steve’s main critiques of the Compact Fractal Torrent was mostly price point, cable management (which is the main problem as the width was scaled down proportional to the height, and the back glass panel is smooshed right up against the cables.), and decreased clearance for gpus and cpu coolers (174 mm of cpu cooler clearance, which is still pretty good, but not as good as the regular torrents 188mm.)
Other than that it’s a good case by a great brand.
Thank you GN for the video!
Tq
That's enough to say no deal to me. Those things are important not minor details.
@@regwatson2017 for sure, cable management is what sets it back, but what makes it worse is the glass being compressed against the cables, which is not generally what you would want.
@@Fly_By_Gaming I had an Anidees AI Crystal that had its back glass panel shatter from cable clutter a couple years ago. The pressure on the glass was pretty gentle, I was able to thumb screw it down without stressing it, but I guess after a couple of years, it just blew apart.
The cable management would certainly be annoying but he did say the dual 180mm fans were a big value ad that makes it more comparable to cases that were slightly less expensive, plus fans.
One note about tempered glass. One of my hobbies is fish keeping. Aquariums use tempered glass for the bottom sheet because of how strong it is. A 50 gallon aquarium puts 0.59 PSI of pressure on the glass due to the weight of the water. Larger tanks put even more pressure. What tempered glass really doesn't like is ununiform pressure. That's why you can smack it with a hammer and it'll be fine, but an icepick with a half as much force will cause it to shatter. A bulge in your panel won't necessarily lead to it shattering. When you fill aquariums, the glass literally bulges out from the weight of the water a quarter of an inch or more depending on the capacity of the tank. People build frameless tempered glass tanks. All depends on the thickness of the glass.
Sorry to be the pedantic one, but pressure on the bottom of the tank only depends on the height of the water in the tank, not the volume of water.
pressure (psi) = fluid height (ft) x fluid density (pounds per gallon) x 0.052. fresh water has a density of approx. 8.34ppg.
if you have pebbles on the bottom, the same principle applies. the easiest way is to calculate 2 pressures, one for height of pebbles, and one for the height of water above the pebbles, then add both together. Very roughly, you could expect pebbles in water to have a density in the order of 16.7ppg to 19ppg
Now I know why goldfish only have a memory of 10 seconds.....
@@buggerlugz6753 Huh! That's an interesting thought.... What did you say about goldfish?
@@cerealport2726 height is generally increased the larger you go up in aquarium size. So yes, larger tanks put even more pressure on the bottom panel.
Really wish case manufacturers would stop putting tempered glass on the cable management side as it's pointless, increases costs, and now there's 2 panels to worry about potentially shattering at some point (very unlikely of course but still). Also it's worth noting besides having a modular power supply, keep in mind the length of your power supply. I have a Meshify C Mini that I originally put in a longer length power supply and it made cable management quite difficult, but now I've got a shorter length PSU and it's much more manageable. If you want to make it really easy and plan to use cable extensions you could use a SFX PSU, many of them come with a ATX mounting bracket
You can buy metal ones from them separately. I have ordered one with metal but was sent with glass..
@@mrovi789 Interesting, just a shame the right side panel isn't metal by default on the TG version (there is an all metal version).
If you want the white Torrent though then it comes with a metal right side panel by default
Yes it is annoying. I have left the protective film on the right side.
Yeah at least the evolv x had nice covers for the wires. Same reason i dont like the last revision lian li showed for the v3000 plus.
They took away a side mount rad location and made the back panel glass. Idk who thought that was a good idea.
Yeah that pretty much rules this case out for me forever even with its obvious performance benefits. I don't mind glass panels on my cases but one is enough. Two of them is, I think, completely unnecessary.
The white version of this case has glass on one side only. I bought this case when it came out in Australia a few weeks ago - Got the compact white.
I don't think I would have bought it if it was glass on both sides, but it appears the compact white version is glass on one side only.
When building in it, a significant amount of effort went into cable management so that side would not bulge/pop out - but still needs the screw.
ua-cam.com/video/LHF_46PFaUQ/v-deo.html..
I would have ordered the white version of the nano if I had known, seeing the tempered glass on both sides when I got mine out of the box was a legitimate shock
I wanted to get the black, non-rgb version of the case but I have no interest in glass on the right side of the case.
The problem with glass panels is sounds of the fans travel’s in such a way that it’s not worth the overpriced costs
I got the Torrent Compact GN is reviewing here, as you said, a significant amount of time did go into cable management. I was able to close the back glass without bulging. But I still screwed down the glass to feel safe.
Fractal Torrent Compact is a beast of air cooling case, but I can't wait for Torrent Nano review, I like the mITX size of that even more
I’ll throw in my comment requesting a review of the Nano as well. I’m a fan of mini-itx builds (especially for my family who travels) and it will be interesting to see how it works compared to it’s bigger brothers.
I still wish they called it the mini torrent
@@MikeColley it should excel, as it's 15L larger than what cam be considered "SFF".
I bought a p1 when i went itx because i have a nice seasonic psu that i just got a couple years ago and didnt want to replace it. Very few itx cases with full size psu support. Cant wait for the nano review.
But will it fit a strix 3080?
I've always found tempered glass on the cable management side panel to be completely unnecessary and annoying. Just put steel there - no one cares that much about cable management that they want to see it through glass
I don't understand it either. I'm pretty much forced to get the white version of the case because of that.
It’s the manufacturer justification of a higher price tag…
@@christophervanzetta I just checked Newegg. It's weird that the steel panel version costs the same as the TG one's.
@@EverythingisFire One the older meshify the solid panel version costed $10 less than the glass ones (I actually bought the steel one because of that) but they have stopped that starting with the meshify 2.
@@EverythingisFire That'd be Newegg being Newegg. Canada Computers (which seems to be the only reputable online source left to Canadians) has the steel compact at $220 and the glass at $245 - about the price hike one would expect. (Note that as this is a Canadian retailer, these are Canadian prices, so that $150 price is $190 on the exchange rate alone, and the other $55 comes from the Canada markup - most tech stuff we get lands in American ports and then is trucked up across the border, which substantially alters the price of things. Plus probably some duties that apply.
I purchased this case like two weeks ago, and I really like the size and how computer components fill it out more compared to the original Torrent case. However, I did have an issue with the case system panel connectors. My case came with screws put on too tight, so every time the fan cover/grill was put on, it would engage and hold the reset button down. Causing the pc to go in an endless reset loop. It took me all day to figure out the issue. I had literally replaced and swapped every part before realizing it was the case. So if you're having a booting up problem with the case, first check your case system panel connector cables, specifically the reset button.
I would like GN to see and test this.
@@jonirenicus9407 I guess they missed this for the same reason I would, connecting all those case connectors is a pain when the power switch is all you need. ;)
I would shit myself if that happened to me
good info to know.. Now I wont even connect the reset button at all.
Instead of adding "compact" and "nano" to the end, I think Fractal Design should have named the cases (in decreasing size): Torrent, Stream, and Trickle.
Could also be “Spring”
Dribble 💦
I guess those would detract from the whole point of calling it Torrent though - it sounds like air is washing powerfully over the system. Stream and Trickle sound like the performance took a big hit.
@@libertyprime9307 That's what makes them funny.
Balls
I built a Fractal Meshify 2 rig today. Having experience with mostly compact Fractal cases in the past (yeah yeah I'm a fan; I have a soft sport for their designs, sue me) using a large case today was suuuuuuch a breath of fresh air. Cable management was a pleasure, not a challenge. Everything was easily reachable. My rule-of-thumb advice is to buy the biggest case you can. If you don't absolutely positively 110% need a smaller case due to space constraints, do yourself a favor and go big. You will not regret it. (BTW, the Meshify 2 is smaller than the Torrent. The Torrent is kinda especially humongous.)
I have the Meshify 2 Compact and its a blessing to work with. Cable Management is a small hassle but not nearly to a level where i would say its annoying. The Torrents are nice but Meshify for me is still Fractals best Case so far (from a "work with" standpoint ofc.. in terms of Termals its not their best but its still excellent :P ).
@@Y0G0FU I have experience with the Define C, which is similar in size. Please trust me when I tell you that the non-compact Meshify 2 is a step up. I doubt you don't believe me, just emphasizing. :)
And I agree with you on your choice, of course. :) I think the Torrents are too "gamery" in their design. The Meshifies are just so elegant and look great in a living room, like a high-end speaker. That abstract geometric front panel is, IMHO, a masterpiece of case design. Airflow isn't quite as omg as the Torrent, but it's still very high up there! There is no reason to be jealous of the Torrent, at least for reasonable builds.
I built my first pc in that case roughly 2 months ago, didn't expect it all to be that easy. Definitely a well thought out case and well built.
I second this advice. I know small builds are all the rage lately and they are indeed very cool. But some day you're gonna have to open the thing up to troubleshoot or upgrade, and on that day you'll wish you had a case with some space. I have a Thermaltake View 71 TG Snow, but I run it without the front TG panel for better airflow. I think Fractal hardly existed back when I bought it, but they're high up on my list when it's time to buy a new one.
@@CanIHasThisName It's not only cables that makes building inside a bigger case easier, it's pretty much everything. More options for radiator size/placement, same for fans, drives... everything. And you don't have to worry about having enough room for GPU's that keep getting bigger and bigger. Never really had an issue with cables being too short, usually there's a few extra inches.
You only have to do that stuff once - if you never add or upgrade or have to fix anything. I use the same case for a long, long time, typically end up cycling 2-3 builds worth of parts through it. There might be a little more case to clean, but it's easier because you can actually reach it all.
The only real drawback is that it takes up more space on the desk, and it's heavier.
Fractal knows how to make their cases look nice for sure
@🍎apple🍎 bruh, why are bots the most prevalent among big tech UA-camrs?
@@Fly_By_Gaming the people who control the bots things nerds are the easiest target for this sort of thing maybe? no idea
@@Aleph-Noll well Linus made a video over it because was becoming increasingly prevalent on his channel and other tech channels recently , we just need a algorithm that tracks bots that spam the same thing, it’s technically supposed to be UA-cam’s job, but I guess there is worse problems.
@@Fly_By_Gaming Its better than the ones that post videos of verses from the Quran, that trash can go right the fuck away
@@Fly_By_Gaming It's almost as if youtube allows it
Increased my airflow & reduced core temps 5~6C from idle and 10~15C from Cinebench by replacing the base filter with cardboard (just use the filter as a template and slide it in as a replacement "filter"). If you are using fans in the base, I'd recommend using some kind of cut-out to block airflow from outside of your base fan intakes to maximize flow out the back of the case.
BTW, when routing cables, I thought "he's crazy, there's plenty of room". That lasted only until I tried to put the panel back on, though. Then it's uh, "omg, he's right, that's a MAJOR problem." It's a pretty fair effort to route the under cables so as to not bow the panel.
Other than that one point, the case is a wind-tunnel and exceptionally quiet under normal use/gaming. Benchmarks will roar the fans, though.
Did you utilize the 3.5" drive slot? Been thinking about a compact torrent myself, and I don't use hard drives, so I'm curious if it's still as big of an issue with that extra space available
I'm using a bottom fan but have also plugged the empty space between that fan and the front of the case. It does make a difference.
@@sosukelele Currently I have the Compact and it is really a nice case but avoid using Standard Hard drives in the cradle mounted to the top of the case, the noise from the hard drive ticking has driven me nuts.
@@CleanteamofNY i stuck an enterprise class WD in there for a filedump and it's been quiet after about two days of clicking - windows probably stopped indexing it or something
@@sosukelele managing to cram it there along with the cables is a bit of a pita (and i bought a fractal fully modular PSU for it, with really nice flexible cables) but once seated they all stay there even after opening the top panel
Just completed a build in this case. Cable managing took about 2 hours (I only do this every year or so so I'm not an expert). I was exceptionally glad I went with the steel panels instead of glass after coming back to this review.
I'm using a Fractal Vector RS. It was my first $100+ case. I was absolutely blown away by just how physically premium the entire thing feels. From start to finish, every part of the build process just felt so high end.
I had the same experience when building in a Fractal Design Define Mini C. I think it was cheaper than $100, but still - everything just clicked, it made sense and worked. Cable management basically happened on automatic. I think Fractal's putting a lot of thought into end user experience and functionality, compared to many other case designers.
Just finished a build with the white version (non-RBG fans) of this case and it does have a steel panel on the cable side. This doesn’t change the fact the the cable management is lacking, but at least there’s no worry about bending glass. I agree with your suggestions to limit the power supply cabling, and I did find that cable management took the longest.
I built this the other day and thought I was just inexperienced. Mines bulging a bit until I redo it tomorrow, its not a deal breaker for me as the case size and design is fantastic
Man if only GN can do ITX case reviews in the future. There is a definite standardized ITX setup that will fit in the majority of ITX cases. Something like the Asus Strix B450-itx or B550-itx motherboard, the Noctua NH-L12S or something smaller as a cooler, Corsair LPX RAM, Corsair SF600 PSU, and any dual fan GPU, and it's a test system for the majority of ITX cases. Hell, most ITX cases these days can fit big ass, triple fan - triple slot cards, due to their back-to-back layout. You're really only limited by CPU cooler height. With some cases, you have the option of being able to fit a much bigger tower cooler, like in the CM NR200P, but this would be pointed out in the review as a plus for the case.
I think the problem with using a Noctua NH-L12S is that it makes 0 sense for some of the bigger ITX cases
@@Davidx_117 True, but it's still going to keep the CPU cool enough. The point is to compare how good the cases perform thermally relative to each other.
@@killerful I understand, but the data may not necessarily be applicable compared to bigger tower coolers since the NH-L12S has a different fan orientation and airflow direction but this is something that should be tested. To resolve this I think you'd have to have 2 standard coolers for ITX cases, ones like the NR200, Fractal Nano, H200, etc that can take a tower cooler and then for the even smaller cases the NH-L12S comes in
Just an FYI for anyone that might be interested in this case and watching this review, I've gotten this case and I absolutely dislike the tempered glass back panel.
I personally don't understand why they even put it there, since you basically never look at your cables at the back anyway. There's a reason why basically every other case on the market has a solid back panel instead.
This is why I contacted Fractal directly and they shipped me a solid back panel for my Torrent Compact, free of charge. Twice actually, since the first one was a little bit defect due to the pad that's used to pull the panel off, was slightly off and not aligned with the top of the panel itself. No issues though at all, contacted the support again and they sent me another one right away.
And hence, thus far, from my short experience with Fractal's support, a very good one in this regard.
Very valuable Info thanks alot!
What! Is calling them and asking for a side panel a way to get a free panel?
@@NZIGNANTI
I just emailed their support and asked if it were possible to get an steel right side panel, instead of the TG one. They asked for my cases serial number which is located underneath on the front feet. The next thing I got was an tracking number and then picked it up at my local postal office. So basically yes, since you've already purchased the case which is over $100 in itself so...
@@Daweliosweet I'm gonna try it
I love the data driven approach to reviews y'all have had for years, especially comparing to so many other options. There is a small mistake in your chart @ 18:50; while the Torrent Compact is at the top with the coolest CPU, the rest of the chart is sorted by GPU temps instead of CPU temps.
lo yes , but i look cool with my hair do for the take
I have this case and everything Steve says is true. I didn't want RGB or glass, I wanted a solid good airflow case for work and not show, and this case is excellent in the solid side panel version with the exception of the cable management. I had trouble with the side entry style SATA power connectors for the SSD trays not letting the side panel close so have ordered a new corsair RMi power supply with individually sleeved cables , alternatively you can just get a set of cablemod cables which have the end entry, doubled up SATA power connectors. In the mean time I had to slice off one side of he SATA power connections to make it fit and only run one SSD.
Always look forward to your content. I've built 6 PC's for friends and family and all used Corsairs Carbide Air 540. Many will not want/use the 2 optical drive bays, but the dual chamber form factor is easy to work in and cable manage. One caveat: The Arctic LFII 280 does fit on top, but a tight fit for the board power cable connection.
I had the same issue closing the back side of a meshify 2 compact. Had to spend a while cable managing it. Very unfortunate. But still a fantastic case. Seems like they didn't learn from that case, unfortunately.
The Meshify 2 Compact is also great, yeah. As long as you can stomach the extra time to manage it, it's great!
I had to be more minimal on my last build and try to keep the cabling simpler. It worked out, but more space back there would have been nice.
Same issue with Define 7 C. Why cant they just make the compact case identical to the large case with less height/depth and probably fans. Why do they cut all these other things?
ua-cam.com/video/LHF_46PFaUQ/v-deo.html..
I'm looking for a quiet and good cooling performance. Must fit ATX motherboard, going to use my current setup which is old hardare (2013) but i want be able to run a really good cpu heatsink. Might opt for Meshify 2 XL Dark Tempered Glass. No need for tempered glass but have no other option.
For now im running my Zalman HD160 HTPC case :D runs quite hot under load but super quiet in idling speeds.
Any inputs on the XL one?
Very curious to know how adding 2x140 mm fans to the bottom would affect the GPU temps.
I bought the Torrent Compact the day it came out. I did have to take my time on cable management, but made it work without having to squish the glass side panel against the cables. I am using CableMod replacement cables for an EVGA 850w G5 Supernova. I can see how it could be more of a problem if you were using a non-modular PSU, or factory sleeved cables like what comes on the EVGA modular PSU's. Aftermarket cables or flat cables would be best. I've recommended to people to remove the factory mesh sleeves from the cable groups to make routing easier. I am using an MSI X570 Tomahawk MB, Noctua NH-D15 cooler, Reference 6800 XT Midnight, two Noctua NF-A12x15's in the bottom for intake and a Noctua NF-S12A in the rear for some exhaust and everything fit great. Its a beautiful case, and has great air flow.
The other thing that sucks about the case is that the top of it is curved. I actually use the case to place my external drives and other accessories connected to the computer. The curved top probably wont let you do this as items will slide off.
Foam tape :D
Chewing gum!
Shag carpet!
Velcro!
Epoxy resin!
I was able to close the cable management side flush first try. I was worried, but I spent the time and love the case.
Stopped rocking glass panel and RGB a long time ago. Solid panels, high airflow, low temps and low noise for me.
Easier said than done. Those products are very premium these days, with glass and RGB being the cheap route.
I bought a Thermaltake Core X9 a few years ago and it will probably be the last case I ever buy. Turns out it was the same footprint as the filing cabinet next to my desk.
As soon as they released nano version, I bought it and did an mITX build (3080 & 12600k). Love the design and airflow of this case. Btw had no problem with managing cables, yeah it took long but they're completely fine
what are temps? do u have a aio or cpu fan?
@@Joze10 I have a cpu fan (arctic freezer 34 esports duo) and no problems with temps, runs quietly and without any problems. Exact temps dunno, never did a test cause it wasn't needed, runs flawlessly
I love my full size grey torrent, coming from a Meshify C. I initially wanted the white version (like my C), but it was sold out for weeks and I got impatient, though I do not regret getting the grey. I really like FD's design cues. I moved the 180s to the bottom and opted for a 420mm AIO and 140s in push/pull with future plans of a custom loop. And yes, I know the torrent was designed as an airflow-focused case, but it's a damn gorgeous case and I couldn't pass it up. I agree with all the points Steve made, particularly cable management and the second TG panel. TG on the back side was not needed IMO, but at least with the full size cable management is totally doable if a bit tedious.
That catch was flawless as the top fell over. Eye contact maintained and all
As soon as I heard of the release of the compact and nano I was looking forward to what you had to say. I wish I had these other options when I purchased the define 7 lol.
My chair mat is literally a piece of tempered glass (4'x6'). It handles loads really well. It just doesn't like to be hit on the edges. You would be surprised how far tempered glass can bow before it shatters. It is truly impressive!
I was really in love with this case because of the intake layout. Being able to add a couple bottom-mounted 120mm fans to move air up into the GPU is a big selling point to me, and I love both the aesthetic of the front panel and the big 180mm fans. However, the tempered glass panel on the cable management side is a deal breaker for me. It just adds extra fragility, and unlike a component side panel, it doesn't generally have LEDs to show anything off. I really hope they rectify that in a future version, as I'd love to buy this case. Guess I'll be using my Meshify C for a while longer.
I just got one with a metal side panel on the cable management side. On sale for $110 on Newegg.
yep the ones I can see now dont have the glass side panel on the cable side
Very glad to see the standardized fan testing!!
This looks perfect for me who already have a few 120mm noctua fans lying around. If it already competes closely with the original Torrent with just 2x 180mm front fans, I imagine adding 2x 140mm bottom intake fans will make it even better especially for GPU temps
Who else loves directing dust straight into your GPU? 🤣
@@christophervanzetta People who don't understand how dust filters work?
Picked up this case last week. Cable management is indeed annoying, but as I stuck with only using m.2 drives and only added a single rear fan, while using a modular power supply, it worked out fine. I would not recommend adding sata drives or anything else that will increase the number of cables.
Just forget the glass panels and get the solid steel side panel version and all mentioned problems negated.
I'm glad that you covered the Newegg story, but I've been anxiously waiting for this review to come out!
I wish Fractal would have included an Aluminum plate for the bottom of the case. I assume it would improve temps by a bit because the air coming from the intake fans won't be able to escape to the bottom.
Finally transplanted my PC to my full-size Torrent. Lovely case.
Side panel with cables should be metal with screws to hide and close cables
Bought this and transferred my build from the old Meshify C as soon as it released (from NewEgg of all places. All it was available on). I had to get a little creative with the cable management on the backside, but managed to get it looking decent while allowing the back TG to lay flush. Don't even have to use the retention screw. I have no RGB on the inside, but there are cable extensions.
I love this case.
It's unfortunate that Fractal Design refuses to sell the black Torrent cases with a solid backside panel despite much of the exact same feedback that Steve and many others have. Even if you are fine with it unless you are using RGB SSDs back there or some RGB lighting, there really is no point in having a tempered glass backside panel.
However, it's important to note that the White versions DO have a solid backside panel, so if you don't mind a white-colored case, then that solves much of the cable management woes.
Feels like Fractal just wants either to force you to buy 2 glass panels or buy a more expensive color variant really. :/
i bought the white one and was confused why it is solid on the side according to the pictures - i didnt realize there was a difference to the black one, that's just odd but I wanted the white one anyway so i m glad
man this thing looks so tempting, I just rebuilt into a mini itx airflow case but this is everything I wanted with the full sized torrent
I would probably buy this as my next case, it just looks and performs good. And I would be already placing quite a bit of money on looks so I would buy custom look and length cables from something like cablemod. That said I do think tempered glass panel on other side should be optional purchase.
Bought this as an upgrade to my decade old Corsair Air 540. Cable management was certainly a chore, but managed to get it all in, plus a 3.5" HDD, after an hour or so of cable management. No issues with bowing. I have some sleeved extensions I'd like to work back into the case, but that project will come another day.
Both the Compact and the Nano are 222 mm wide rather than the 242 mm of the "standard" Torrent. I guess those 20 mm (4/5ths of an inch) make quite a difference for cable management. A pity Fractal felt the need to "shrink" the case in that dimension as well. :/
Fractal has made some strange decisions here. It is actually pretty substantial for a case with "Compact" in the name. They wanted to minimise the size while keeping the two front 180 fans, so the height is justified. But it can only fit one 180 fan on the bottom, so the length is kinda pointless. And they shaved off a little bit of width at a considerable expense of cable management. The glass panel on the right, the curved top, the feet obstructing bottom fan mounts. I mean the case is overall really well made and a solid performer, so it's a real shame about the flaws.
Fractal got my replacement fan hub to me within 2 weeks of lodging my claim.
I'll be buying from them again for sure.
My personal favorites
#1. Lian Li Lancool-II Mesh
#2. Corsair 4000D Airflow
#3. Lian Li Lancool-215
I also got a Rosewill Thor v2 recently for my server box, and going back and looking at the old GN review of it was very fun to see. You don’t see Steve much in it, but you do catch glimpses of that shorter haired Tech Jesus.
I have a simple air-cooled non-RGB build and there's plenty of cable management space. $150 is a tough to swallow for a case, but it looks good and performs well. I got the steel panel one, which looks a lot better to me and is more practical. It easily fits a Noctua NH-D15, even with the fan above the RAM shifted up to provide a gap above G.Skill Flare X5 RAM. There seems to be even more room for taller RAM, but I can't say exactly how much.
I'm surprised there's such a little difference in the GPU temperature test between the compact and the full size with 3 bottom fans.
YES!! FINALLY! I'VE BEEN WAITING EVER SINCE I SAW THIS OUT!
I haven't really understood glass panels on the backside of the motherboard. That's where I want to hide things. I would hate a SKU split but I wish metal side panels were standard on a lot of cases. I don't care about seeing what is inside my case, much less the nest of wires. I hide my case away anyways.
They already do have that SKU split as you call it - the white Torrent Compact case has a metal side panel. Also some colors on the original Torrent have metal, but mine is Grey and it has glass. I was surprised to see that since I'm pretty sure that wasn't the case for Steve's black model.
The white, non RGB one I got has a steel rear panel. I also had no issue installing two 140mm fans in the bottom, without removing the feet.
It looks nice but that cable management looks like a nightmare compared to the P500a which I have. Its good to see that case still high up on the charts and its great to use, with plenty of space on the back and it's SSD mounts behind the motherboard
isnt the p500a eatx?
@@Victicat kind of, only up to 280mm as its not really a standard size
Bro I have that one. It’s a fucking chunker. Absolutely massive
I love my P500A, I have a 420mm radiator in the front, and a 360mm radiator at the top, with plenty of room to route the hoses. However I'm thinking about changing the top one to a 280 mm, and then drilling a fill port on the top, and installing a square acrylic pump res combo where the cable management slides are at. I have a monoblock on the motherboard and a GPU vertically mounted with a water block, so I'm going to have like this RGB all acrylic look inside the P500A. This case is the tinkerer's dream, glad you have one too!
Here is some crazy Air-flow mod~~
ua-cam.com/video/iIBArk3R9RE/v-deo.html
Been running the Torrent for 3 months now, flawless performance, whisper quiet, best air cooling case on the market. Period.
L.E: looks small compared to my former 760t.
I can't wait for people to stop overusing the Lian Li PC-O11 and start using these. I dont understand tg panels on the back side where the cables and etc reside. Nonetheless, It's a very sexy case, but I personally prefer my Phanteks P600s still.
I've always hated that look. It's uninteresting and overly boxy.
But hard drives space?
Lian Li 011 is beautiful with hard tubed watercooling.
Lianli is god tier tho
@@cj7073 literally lol...I have over 3 hard drives and 4 ssds
Fractal is just an awsome company! I love my Meshify C and I will get a Torrent Compact.
Honestly kinda wish I had gotten this one instead of the full size. If I knew they were making this I might have waited. Definitely still happy with the full size, but I did kinda underestimate how big it is. With a standard ATX air cooled build there ends up being a lot of empty space in there. Also with a modular power supply and just nvme storage, I don't think I'd have any issues with the cables.
I'm using it for my build with 12700k, I spend hours on the cable management without a really good result, but glad that is not only me
The standardized fan testing is meaningful to me because it shows that in the Fractal Torrent Compact the 180mm x 38mm makes little difference. In the full size Fractal Torrent the 180’s actually do matter. Many years from now when a Fractal Torrent has a dead fan this knowledge is good.
please explain
@@MissMan666 imagine if you repair or refurb old PCs or something and in the future you come across these cases. Now imagine you discover one or both front fans are dead, and they are this weird 180mm size nowhere to be found. From the GN test data, it appears that the “Torrent Compact” case can be fine with 140mm fans substituted in their place while the full size “Torrent” case does take a little penalty to thermals because it’s just so darn big or something. It’s very OCD anal, but I found it to be a fun insight gleamed from GN’s Charts. Long live GN.
For those who do not need a window, this case is ideal - as there is a solid version without glasses. In addition, in white version, in this case there is only one window, there is a solid panel on the side of the cable.
Brrrooooooo best comment!
A little disappointing you chose to not include the Corsair 220T Airflow in the charts. I know you _personally_ hate the look but its very comparable in size and cost, comes with 3x140mm, and it does look great in white. It objectively performed well in your tests. Its seems like an extremely relevant comparison.
I still use the fractal focus G (black) and love it. Have never had any issues upgrading with what I want to upgrade to. Airflow is pretty good. Cleaning the filters are decently easy as well..not to mention good price point if you aren't looking for stellar looks.
I’m currently rebuilding my pc in a torrent nano case, it looks fantastic and has great airflow, but I’m considering ditching my aio cooler as it doesn’t fit WITH my gpu (it’s 1cm too long). Either that, or I change the gpu. Despite that, I love the look of that case and really excited to get my pc up and running again
Bruh 1 cm, that is just depressing xD
Thinking on the Nano for my next PC, what AIO did you use?
@@anonymouszillouette8404 I’ve got a corsair H100i platinum rgb se, it’s got two 120 fans and a thick radiator. My gpu is quite old, evga gtx 1080ti and it’s unusually long for a gpu. Pretty sure most 30 series gpus are shorter than mine, so if you’re using something more up to date, you shouldn’t have a problem 🤞
@@catattac9975 not necessarily the case. My GPU is much more modern and 10cm too big for this case.
@nomasporfavor lucky! 😁 need an update just haven’t got the cash rn
@@TheSjuris true, I think it depends a lot on the number of fans on the gpu, mine has three, so it’s quite long. But you can get more modern gpus that only have two fans, making them shorter. I highly recommended people do their research better than me 😅 though I was only a cm off so not too bad haha
Awesome review! I'm still more partial to the full-sized Torrent, but it's good to know that the Compact is still recommended.
Hard to beat the price and performance of the $80-$100 Meshify C tho
The Torrent cases are quite pricey. Not the best value.
The original C is mediocre compared to more modern cases and especially at the prices it's actually selling at which is $100+
Just finished a build in this case when i found this video. Yes cable management is a thing... Problem is more in diffrent powersupply cables that companies use. The ones from Corsair are a bit more difficult to work with. Used a Seasonic powersuply which uses flat cables for everything exept the 24 pin cable. Also the white case doesnt have a glass panel on the back side. This is made out of metal. A bit more easy to get it close.
Imagine having no place to hide your cables because BOTH side panels are tempered glass...
Did you guys do something with the video quality? This video looks crisp!!!! Love it!
Content is good as always! Thanks!
I'm not convinced this isn't just Steve being the contrarian for the sake of making a snappy video. Like he's really playing up what looks to be a pretty small "problem". I don't know. Just the vibe I got from the video.
I don't know man, he only really talked about it in the build section and the summary/final thoughts. Also this was an overall positive review, just happens to be that was the only real con of the case, and for some it may be a deal breaker so I get why they spent some time getting specific. I have to admit I think double glass panels are kind of unnecessary, I don't have bad cable management, but I also don't care if I can see them or not.
@@kylemiller2920 It's the title of the video...
I ordered One ! (biggest investment i ever did for a computer case.) My PS5 Mirrorsystem is complete 5700xt/3700x/m2ssd BIG AS VENTIIL-LATORS
Maybe they should just ship all models with metal panels on the cable side. It's only the RGB one that has glass on both sides, and I have to wonder why. Does anyone really want glass on that side anyway?
I really wanted dark tinted glass but I would go with the white case solely because it usesa steel panel on that side.
Awesome review as always. Curious as to how the Nano performs as well, hope you guys review that one!
Nano, nano, nano Review the Torrent Nano
looking forwardd to the nano review, I like the idea of SFF without going all the way to SSFF.
HEY GN!! I plead again for you to share a buying/tear down experience from a pre built PC via Costco. I have looked at options from Costco, the description and specs alone are a hot mess. Love to see what someone might actually receive! You’d have to get a membership- but “if you’re not 100% satisfied, we’ll return your membership fee”
I had this case for a few days and for my uses I needed to bottom mount the 2x180. In the intake config, the fan hubs touch the metal on the bottom and cause a terrible noise. Only configuration I found without noise was flipping them to exhaust, which ruined thermals. Pretty disappointed by this lack of attention to detail by Fractal and not sure how it was missed in this review.
Perfect timing! Somehow managed to get a GPU at MSRP and can finally start ordering the rest of my build.
Ya'll set the gold (platinum?) standard for PC component reviews. The world is a better place with Gamers Nexus.
Was torn between Torrent Compact, NZXT 510 Flow, and Lian Li Air Mini. Went with Lian Li Air Mini because I didn't feel like paying an extra $50 for shipping on top of the compacts higher price tag. Air Mini and Flow was free shipping. The torrent compact does look amazing though. And those thermals!
Superb results from this case, far better than I'd have predicted, many thanks GN. It's really well designed and engineered but PERSONALLY the deal-breaker for me is the looks. Aesthetically it's a total eyesore. Sorry Fractal team. It's a no from me 👎
Looks kinda 'classy' or 'modern' to me :) I got so bored of Fractal's re-hash of the Define series over the years too.
I'm impressed that they didn't call those fans "girthy"
Compact yet it's half the size of Steve.
It's all relative. For a case that can support three 180mm fans plus two 120mm fans, it sure is quite compact.
Okay.... I just noticed something, the maximum GPU size in this thing is 330mm. I just learned some high-end GPU's don't fit in that, make sure you check this before you buy.
*The crypto market has been favourable in the past weeks, I keep missing out on this opportunity, I'm most certainly very impatient how can I ever make a profit in the crypto market.*
I think trading is easier with proper guidance, especially from a proffessional it really helps reduce the chances of running into losses. All thanks to Mr Salvador McConnell He changed my life, I was able to pay off my mortgage
@Watson Jordan please 🙏 tell me how i can contact Mr Salvador McConnell I've lost alot of money trying to trade on my own😭
@Watson Jordan Thank you for this. I just looked him up on google and impressed with the information I came across. Will definitely reach out to him. Thanks again 😊😊
Access to a good information is what the investors needs to progress financially and in life. Here is a good one and I'm grateful.
I've owned 3 Fractal cases now: R3, Meshify and Torrent. The Meshify is the only one that is designed as if they had anticipated that people might actually want to pick the case up... The R3 front panel pops off if you apply and pressure at all to it. The Torrent top cover does the same. They make good cases but I don't understand why they seem to want you to drop them after a panel detaches itself while being carried. The Torrent wouldn't even have this issue if they just put screws on the rear of the top panel, surely no one needs to regularly access the PSU chamber to warrant a quick release cover?
Also the Torrent back panel clearance is made even worse by them using silly locking lugs to attach the panel instead of just screws. It means where you normally can get away with squeezing stuff closed you cannot do this because the pressure pops the panel off. Again, what benefit is a quick release mechanism providing here?
Bro the Torrent does have screws for the top panel. My Torrent has them and this very review mentioned them. Go check your accessories box, they're probably still in there.
They have little screws for the side panels too, which are optional.
You didn't go through the instruction manual too thoroughly, it shows all this.
DO NOT DONATE VIA PATREON ANYMORE !!!
Patreon takes down Ukraine charity "Come Back Alive"
Patreon also was going to steal money from the Canadian Convoy. They backed out after they realized it was illegal.
I have the compact, but have a simple build. So no bulging sides. Love the case.
What were fractal thinking! The only reason I won't buy this is due to the space at the back, I'm thinking this was intentional as to not take sales away from the standard Torrent, either that or they can make more money from improving it on the next iteration.
I just can't understand why case manufacturers always get something wrong, I'm starting to think it's deliberate.
Thanks for the awesome reviews, just recently got this case based of your very helpfull and extensive reviews (and because imo it's the best looking case I've ever seen) and am very happy with it, although as mentioned cable management was quiet difficult (even with just 3 drives and no RGB) and it took me over 2 hours for a simple air-cooled build (would definitely recommend a modular PSU with this as me not having one of those greatly increased the time it took me)
One extra thing to watch out for is that even without bottom fans it's hard to find a place for a GPU support that sits on the bottom of the case as it's mostly mesh
This is the one case I would give up my Phanteks P600s for.. I really love it and would love a white one even more!
11:06 I like that you are verifying the parts that had issues in the past. Btw, the "protective coating" on the PCB is called a "solder mask".
Awesome! I've been waiting for this!!!
Very useful, thanks a lot for the thorough review !
They did the same thing with the meshify2 compact, when they made both compact cases they made the width narrower. 9.45 ' to 8.74" on the Torrent compact and 9.45" to 8.27" on the Meshify2 compact. If they would have left the wider like there full size they could have left more room in the back and higher cooler in the front or better fit a 240 AIO in the Meshify2 compact. They also made both cases shorter in legs for less air flow from bottom.
I have the Torrent Nano, which I actually like a lot.
I am/was are water cooling junky. I sort of had a rough few months with everything breaking (2 pumps, multiple fittings, 1 radiator, 1 psu). Because of this I decided to go air cooling. I do free lance work from home so every day I'm not working, I'm losing money. Replacing a fan takes 5mins vs 2 hours pulling out cables and dealing with the loop.
To make things worse I also have a ITX MB, which always means a weird AF case. Now I have a problem... all the ITX cases are WEIRD AF. Super small, super tall, super skinny, super flat... where are the normal desktop itx cases? So I went on a search, and came across the Torrent Nano! Finally a itx case that support desktop hardware!
If you are used to ITX, the cable management is pretty good. If you are coming form ATX, things get a little tight.
That being said, I would recommend going with air cooling because it helps reduce the cables. Although it is possible to do water cooling. It is hotter than water cooling, but not by much. However, this is the coolest running case I've had for air cooling. I had the s2 and r5... those get a little toasty. Maybe its my hardware, but this performs pretty well with my set up.
So far I have actually be pretty happy with it. Its cool, quiet, and easy to work in (compared to most itx cases).
If you want and ITX case but still want the desktop hardware and experience this is the case for you.
Just bought Torrent Nano yesterday. Totally agreed with you about tempered glass on back side (I think it would be nice if there is option with normal steel backcover? and tempered glass on the front).
Been waiting for this review before purchasing
really hope a review of the fractal torrent nano will be available, have been looking at that case for a mITX build
Very happy to see a smaller option. I loved the OG Torrent, but it was uselessly massive.