Introduction

Many European companies that manufacture PC hardware were founded during the past few years, and the vast majority are basing their business model on European quality and design prowess. Fractal Design is one of these companies. The Swedish manufacturer of cases, cooling, and power supply products quickly became globally known for their minimalistic, simple, and functional designs. Today we are looking at their latest cubic Micro-ATX case, the Node 804.

AnandTech has reviewed several Fractal Design cases in the past, from ITX cases to super-tower behemoths. A loyal reader would find it hard not to notice the striking visual similarity between the Node 304 and the Node 804, but these two cases however are nothing alike. The Node 804 is designed to house a powerful Micro-ATX gaming system, placing it in direct confrontation with cases such as the Corsair Carbide 240 Air. Is the Swedish minimalistic design that retails for $92 capable of facing the competition in the North American market? We will find out in this review.



12oz Coke can for size reference

Fractal Design Node 804 Specifications Motherboard Form Factor Micro-ATX, Mini-ITX Drive Bays External Slim Slot-Loading Optical Drive Internal 8 x 3.5" (internal drive cages) 2 x 2.5" (front panel) 2 x 2.5"/3.5" (chassis bottom) Cooling Front 4 x 120mm (one included) Rear 1 x 120mm (included) 1 x 140/120mm (one 120mm included) Top 4 x 140/120mm (optional) Left Side - Bottom - Radiator Support Front 240mm (both chambers) Rear - Top 240mm (both chambers), 280mm (right chamber only) Side - Bottom - I/O Port 2x USB 3.0, 1x Headphone, 1x Mic Power Supply Size ATX Clearances HSF 160mm PSU 260mm GPU 320mm (290mm if intake fans are installed at the front) Dimensions 307 mm × 344 mm × 389 mm (H×W×D) 12.09 in × 13.55 in × 15.32 in (H×W×D) Prominent Features Highly effective dual chamber case layout for best possible cooling. Minimalistic design with an elegant brushed aluminum front panel Three Fractal Design Silent Series R2 fans included All intakes feature removable dust filters providing a dust-free interior. Featuring a window side panel to show off your set up in style. Fan controller included. Five expansion slots that allows for multiple GPU setups. Price $92 at the time of this review

Packaging and Bundle

The packaging of the Node 804 pretty much resembles the focus of the company – minimalism. Externally, it is just a brown cardboard box with a simple schematic of the case printed on it. Inside the box however, the case is protected by oversized Polystyrene foam pieces, providing more than ample protection during transport.

The bundle is frugal as well, limited to just the hardware necessary to install components inside the case, a few small cable ties, and a manual. All of the provided screws are black and the manual is very well written.