Maximum PC - USA (2022-03)

RARELY ARE WE this excited to check out
a PC case. This is Fractal Design’s first
full-tower case in a while, marking a
departure from the comparatively basic
Meshify 2 XL and Define 7 XL, both
scaled-up versions of existing chassis.
The Torrent was designed to be big and
beautiful from the get-go, aiming to
deliver a large-scale desktop experience
with best-in-class cooling and Fractal’s
usual clean aesthetics.
It’s certainly big, with support for
E-ATX and oversized motherboards and
a ton of fan space. Five PWM fans are
included, either Fractal Design’s stock
Dynamic or Prisma RGB offerings,
depending on the model. Unusually,
three of these 140mm fans are mounted
in the bottom of the case cavity on a
removable bracket, with a full-length
air vent running along the underside.
The feet hold the Torrent more than an
inch above whatever surface you place it
on, ensuring plenty of room underneath
for exhaust airflow. At the front of the
case, two hefty 180mm fans draw in air
through the front grille.
There’s no rear fan, which we could
deduct a point for but, in practice, it
makes little difference. The base fans
are more than sufficient for good airflow,
and the lack of a rear fan makes installing
chunky motherboards easier. In fact,
installing a full system in the Torrent is
a breeze (pun intended) thanks to the
wealth of available space inside the case.
Fitting a standard ATX mobo is easy, and
Fractal Design has implemented a great
PSU solution; your power supply nestles
into a sleek shroud in the roof of the case,
taking up no room at all.
The side and front panels are easily
removed with push-pins, so stripping
the case for a build takes seconds.
Cable management is also a surprisingly
pleasant prospect, as the Torrent comes
pre-equipped with velcro strips and
rubber-sealed holes. There’s ample
room behind the motherboard plate to
route cables, even if you’re making full
use of the HDD and SSD mounts.

Set airflow to 11

Fractal

Design

Tor r ent

8

VERDICT Fractal Design Torrent

TSUNAMI Easy to build in;

five fans included as standard;

great airflow; stylish design.

DRIBBLE Plastic parts feel cheap; stock

fans can get noisy.

From $190, fractal-design.com

SPECIFICATIONS

Form Factor Full Tower

Motherboard Support E-ATX, ATX, mATX, ITX

Colors Available Black, White, Gray

Window Available Yes (tinted/non-tinted)

3.5-inch Support 2

2.5-inch Support 4

Radiator Support 420mm (front),

420mm (bottom),

140mm (rear)

Fan Support 3 x 140mm (front),

3 x 140mm (bottom),

1 x 140mm (rear)

Dimensions 9.5 x 20.9 x 21.4

inches

Graphics Card

Clearance

16.7 inches

CPU Tower Clearance 7.4 inches

Weight 30.2lbs

For a full-tower case, there isn't a

huge amount of drive space on offer

here. Similar frames from Corsair and

MSI provide more room for HDDs (the

Torrent only has two dedicated brackets

for 3.5-inch drives) but with space at the

bottom of the case reserved for fans or

radiators, it’s hard to see where more

drives could fit. It’s a minor niggle though,

as most builders will only use one or two

mounts—or forgo the brackets entirely in

favor of mobo-mounted M.2 drives.

THE HEAT IS GONE

In terms of practical use, the Torrent hits

all the marks. The front I/O is clean and

well-equipped, and powerful systems

should have no trouble dissipating heat

here. Thermal performance in initial

tests (with a bottom-mounted radiator

from an AIO CPU cooler) was stellar, the

large front fans working overtime to keep

case airflow high even during intensive

stress testing. The fans get a bit noisy

at full spin, so builders who are serious

about keeping fan hum to a minimum

might benefit from replacing them with

quieter models from BeQuiet! or Noctua.

At first glance, the construction of the

case looks great; the front panel’s design

is striking, and the bottom fans illuminate

the internals of your build wonderfully.

The Torrent comes in black, white, and

gray variants (with RGB and tinted glass

as optional extras) and the colors serve

to accentuate the clean, striking design.

Unfortunately, some of the build

materials aren’t quite up to snuff.

Although the frame is solid steel, the

front panel is plastic (as are the roof and

feet), which feels a little cheap to the

touch. It reduces the overall weight of the

case somewhat, though, so we still feel

comfortable recommending the Torrent

to anyone looking to assemble a new

E-ATX system. –CHRISTIAN GUYTON

MAR 2022 MAXIMU MPC 87