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My second issue is that, given space constraints, you can't install a modern GPU and bottom case fans. Technically you might be able to install extremely slim fans, but there will be 1 or 2 mm clearance between your GPU's fans and the case fans. Your GPU might even be sitting directly on top of the fans. Those slim fans don't really do a great job cooling, and the close proximity of the fans to the GPU won't necessarily improve thermals. In general, this case is very well-designed, well-built, and does pretty much everything that it needs to do very well if not extremely well. Air cooling is an excellent option for this system due to the large intake fan on the front of the case, while options for adding a water cooler are quite limited. You can't add a fan or radiator to the top of the case. You could install up to a 240mm radiator on the front, but this would require removing the preinstalled fan.
To put this case through its cooling paces we will be using a test system consisting of an Intel Core i5-11600K, Sapphire RX 6800 XT 16GB and an SSD. This system allows us to produce a substantial amount of heat and effectively test the Fractal Design Torrent Nano‘s cooling capabilities. TLDR: Intel i7 12700 paired with an EVGA RTX 3060 Ti FTW3 Gaming ULTRA, 750 W PSU, 32 GB 3600/18 memory. I also have one more comment - I don't see how you would (easily) fit a front-mounted 240mm AIO in this case without a lot of planning. Obviously it fits because Fractal says it fits. If you want to go this route (which I wouldn't recommend, this case is designed for airflow), you should install the AIO before you install any other components. Also, you can only fit a bottom-mounted AIO (which you shouldn't do) if you don't install a graphics card. For as long as I can remember, I've had love of all things tech, spurred on, in part, by a love of gaming. I began working on computers owned by immediate family members and relatives when I was around 10 years old. I've always sought to learn as much as possible about anything PC, leading to a well-rounded grasp on all things tech today. In my role at PCMag, I greatly enjoy the opportunity to share what I know. Fractal Design's Torrent cases change things up a bit from most modern PC cases by putting the power supply and a drive bay above the motherboard mounting tray instead of below it. This makes it impossible to place fans on the top of the case, but also makes the chassis much easier to work in. Adding the power supply literally couldn't be simpler—you just pull off the top panel, put the PSU in place, and screw it in. Another advantage to this design is you can add or remove cables from a modular power supply here without removing the PSU, which is difficult if not impossible to do in chassis that locate the PSU at the bottom of the case in a tunnel or under a shroud.If you buy this case, you should 100% buy 2x 140mm front intake fans if you want to get maximum cooling performance for your GPU. Also, make sure you buy fan splitters and aRGB splitters because you're going to need them. This case would look fantastic with cable extensions or custom cables. However, it will be tough to fit your custom ATX power cables in these cable management channels. My GPU is 285mm long. In the default configuration, the GPU will just barely fit underneath the fan, so it can accommodate a longer GPU. For reference, the RTX 3080 Ti FE is 285mm long. The EVGA RTX 3090 Ti XC3 Gaming ULTRA is 300mm long, so that will easily fit in the case in this configuration as well. It helps the customer to reduce costs as you don't have to hunt around for a specific low profile CPU cooler or a short SFX power supply and pretty much the only concession you have to make is the form factor of the motherboard. Building a system inside the Torrent Nano is somewhat different than you'd expect from a modern PC case. That's not unusual for a Mini-ITX case, but while many Mini-ITX chassis tend to be challenging builds due to their compact design, the Torrent Nano is delightfully easy to work in. My GPU is 285mm long. In this modified configuration, there is about 1.5" (38mm) of space between the end of the GPU and the fans. For reference, the RTX 3080 Ti FE is 285mm long. The EVGA RTX 3090 Ti XC3 Gaming ULTRA is 300mm long, so that will easily fit in the case in this configuration as well.
The Torrent series of high-performance PC cases is built entirely around the purpose of providing the most amount of airflow possible right out of the box while supporting high-end hardware that requires particularly big cooling systems, according to the manufacturer. The open component layout, which includes a top-mounted power supply compartment and Mini-ITX/DTX support, a large open front grille and bottom intakes, and, probably most importantly, a 180 x 38 mm Dynamic X2 PWM or Prisma ARGB PWM fan are some of the outstanding features. My CPU temps were immediately worse due to less cooling. Idle temps increased to 32 - 35 C, gaming increased to 50 C, and standalone Cinebench R23 runs increased to 74 - 75 C after running the benchmarks for an hour. The main interior compartment is designed to hold the motherboard and up to a triple-slot 335mm graphics card. Not only does this make the Nano able to support most video cards, it gives you plenty of room to maneuver when installing your motherboard. CPU cooler clearance is excellent for a Mini-ITX case, with coolers up to 165mm in height supported. Fractal Design's new Torrent Nano is an interesting case that does a decent job of cutting the original Torrent down to size. The end result is a small case that is supplied with a single 180mm fan and which supports Mini-ITX/Mini-DTX with full sized hardware in the other departments. I've seen other reviewers complain that the top panel is easily scratched but I haven't noticed this after about 3 months of use, and I've removed it at least 10 times. I've had the PC on top of my desk and underneath it as well. I've leaned the top panel against the wall, had it fall to the floor, and its still pristine. I think those comments may have been reviewers trying to identify a negative given they only spent a day or two with the case instead of a few weeks/months.
The Design: A Half-Size Torrent
What we did not expect was that temperatures inside the Torrent Nano would be quite so high as they were. Simply looking at the Torrent Nano gives the impression that air flow should be very good indeed. As you can see from our testing chart we had plenty of headroom and were a significant distance away from any problems so really this is a reminder that small form factors builds always force you to make compromises. Adding storage devices is similarly easy. The Torrent Nano has two 2.5-inch drive mounts that reside behind the motherboard mounting tray. There's also a drive mount next to where the PSU goes on the top of the case, which can accommodate either a 2.5-inch or a 3.5-inch drive. Removable top bezel and routing clips with velcro ties make for easy installation and cable management
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