Fractal Design Launches the Pop Series of Cases

[TheLostSwede]

Fractal fuse style and function in the Pop Series - a brand-new case family. Pop Air features a mesh front to prioritize airflow, while Pop Silent offers sound-dampened panels and a closed front to help minimize sound. While Pop Air and Pop Silent might differ in their ambitions, both styles offer a solid build quality, a straight-forward layout, and a uniquely stylish design expression.

Pop Air brings attitude to airflow, melding precision engineering with dynamic design. This includes a range of cases with vividly colored motherboard plates, drive trays and exterior accents for a fresh, expressive feel. The functional focal point of Pop Air is at the front, where a honeycomb mesh provides access to fan-powered cooling. As with all Pop Series cases, the front also introduces a neatly concealed storage drawer which can be used to stow away desktop clutter or be replaced to host up to two optical drives.

[Editor's Note: we've just posted our in-depth review of the Fractal Design Pop]




Pop Silent combines quiet performance with a sleek, minimalist design aesthetic. It features a sound-dampened closed front, side panel, and top to help deliver an all-round quieter experience. Its clean appearance and sound-dampening functionality allow Pop Silent to serve as a quietly stylish case for mixed use, productivity, and lighter gaming.

If one distinction was not enough, both Pop Air and Pop Silent are available in Mini and XL versions to offer a truly diverse and flexible range of cases for a wide variety of build aspirations. Whether looking to create a large airflow-centric gaming system or a small and silent productivity partner, Pop Series offers a strong, stylish, and versatile option.

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[80-watt Hamster]

Where was this case three months ago!?* I coulda had a V85.25 bays! Dang; maybe I'll have to buy a couple just to have on hand, since quality 5.25-compatible cases basically don't exist anymore. In fact, it's really tempting to get a white one and repaint the exterior panels (Fractal's recent chassis are impressively modular). Cuz you know what I miss from the pre-window days? Primer gray interiors. You could actually freaking see what you're doing without a 10,000-lumen worklight.

*Got a Define 7 Compact instead, which is good, but, you know, no five-and-a-quarters. :-/

 

[bonehead123]

Although I like the idea of the colored interiors and a few of the other features, it's a shame all of it was wasted on an otherwise same-ole-same-same-lame-lame-boring-AF- rectangular boxen of yesteryear copy-rinse-repeat design...

But it is cheap, so there's that, hehehe

 

[eazen]

Although I like the idea of the colored interiors and a few of the other features, it's a shame all of it was wasted on an otherwise same-ole-same-same-lame-lame-boring-AF- rectangular boxen of yesteryear copy-rinse-repeat design...

But it is cheap, so there's that, hehehe

It’s practical 99% of people don’t care to have something fancy and this isn’t made for that. There are enough artistic or special cases, this is the “normal everyday line”.

 

[Chaitanya]

Where was this case three months ago!?* I coulda had a V85.25 bays! Dang; maybe I'll have to buy a couple just to have on hand, since quality 5.25-compatible cases basically don't exist anymore. In fact, it's really tempting to get a white one and repaint the exterior panels (Fractal's recent chassis are impressively modular). Cuz you know what I miss from the pre-window days? Primer gray interiors. You could actually freaking see what you're doing without a 10,000-lumen worklight.

*Got a Define 7 Compact instead, which is good, but, you know, no five-and-a-quarters. :-/

Unfortunately its either 3.5" drives or 5.25" drives but not both can be used at same time.

 

[Dragokar]

I already mentioned it in the review comment, nice case but USB-C optional is really sad!

 

[trsttte]

Oh look a properly engineered and built alternative to the nzxt h-whatever series, well done fractal. Even the inclusion of the 5.25 bay in a very unobtrusive way is a real positive and something that deserves praise

Rip nzxt lol

Unfortunately its either 3.5" drives or 5.25" drives but not both can be used at same time.

You can still put one of them on the side (or both if you're crafty, they designed it for just one tray but it looks like both would fit with little effort). The 2*5.25 also supports 3 hotswap bays (or whatever you feel like putting there)

 

[Chaitanya]

Oh look a properly engineered and built alternative to the nzxt h-whatever series, well done fractal. Even the inclusion of the 5.25 bay in a very unobtrusive way is a real positive and something that deserves praise

Rip nzxt lol



You can still put one of them on the side (or both if you're crafty, they designed it for just one tray but it looks like both would fit with little effort). The 2*5.25 also supports 3 hotswap bays (or whatever you feel like putting there)

These days I have 3x3.5" along with need for 1x 5.25" for Blu Ray burner(to archive files) so with this case its going to be difficult to install both in this case(atleast there is still option of Define and CM694 for users who have multiple 3.5 and 5.25 drives).

 

[Chrispy_]

Looks okay, but it's quite clear that solid side panels are dead.
What if I don't want RGBLED, and what if I don't want to install all the bloatware necessary to DISABLE all the RGBLED that I didn't want in the first place?

 

[eazen]

Looks okay, but it's quite clear that solid side panels are dead.
What if I don't want RGBLED, and what if I don't want to install all the bloatware necessary to DISABLE all the RGBLED that I didn't want in the first place?

There are a lot of cases that either don’t have windows or come with the option to change the window with a solid panel or different versions of the same case at the shop.

 

[AsRock]

Nope, would not buy, PSU in the wrong place for my needs, and i do not want to encourage air flow though the slots to GPU.

 

[80-watt Hamster]

Looks okay, but it's quite clear that solid side panels are dead.
What if I don't want RGBLED, and what if I don't want to install all the bloatware necessary to DISABLE all the RGBLED that I didn't want in the first place?

Disagree. Strongly.

What's the RGB comment in regard to? This case doesn't have any.

EDIT: I'd posted this before the TPU review went up, and was basing my comment on the Silent version. M'bad.

 

[eazen]

Disagree. Strongly.

What's the RGB comment in regard to? This case doesn't have any.

This case has optional RGB.

 

[MxPhenom 216]

Would be nice if their website wasn't broken so I can get more info on the Silent XL.

 

[trsttte]

These days I have 3x3.5" along with need for 1x 5.25" for Blu Ray burner(to archive files) so with this case its going to be difficult to install both in this case(atleast there is still option of Define and CM694 for users who have multiple 3.5 and 5.25 drives).

If you're able to settle for a slim blu ray burner there are single 5.25'' adapters that combine a 3.5''hdd with space for either a slim optical drive or a 2.5'' ssd. With that you could have your 3 3.5'' hdd + slim optical + 2.5'' ssd. Not the best case for the use case but still possible

Naturally the more unusual a setup gets, the harder will be to fit with common options

 

[Chrispy_]

Disagree. Strongly.

What's the RGB comment in regard to? This case doesn't have any.

The case is but one of many components, good sir.

If you try and buy a fan, a cooler, a GPU, RAM, or a motherboard these days whilst actively avoiding RGBLED, you will discover quite quickly that around 75% of the options available to you have RGBLED and a good portion of those will have rainbow vomit if you don't install software. RGBLED cables aren't for powering the LEDs, those are on by default. They're for sending the bloatware software signals to the LEDs and "off" is a colour that requires the software in most cases.

Budget cases often waste money on tempered glass. For those of us who don't want to see inside our cases because they just sit under the desk, it would be nice to have a cheaper steel side panel and $5 removed from the price tag. Even if the case is out of immediate sight under a desk, it's still spewing unwanted rainbows out into the room. Not everyone loves ARGBLED being forced upon them. It's crazy that I have to explain this but here we are.

If you like ARGBLED stuff and enjoy tinkering with the proprietary mess that is ARGBLED software from several different vendors, then great - you'll be happy. If, on the other hand you are like me you will be displeased that you have to pay extra for a window you don't need, then install a few bits of software you don't like or want, to disable lighting you didn't want to deal with or pay for, but were forced to from lack of choice in the market.

 

[trsttte]

Looks okay, but it's quite clear that solid side panels are dead.
What if I don't want RGBLED, and what if I don't want to install all the bloatware necessary to DISABLE all the RGBLED that I didn't want in the first place?

There's a solid panel option (the fractal design website is suffering a bit but you can see it on the gamers nexus video)

You can also disable (some of) the rainbow garbage with openRgb, annoying but it's what it is.

 

[eazen]

If you like ARGBLED stuff and enjoy tinkering with the proprietary mess that is ARGBLED software from several different vendors, then great - you'll be happy. If, on the other hand you are like me you will be displeased that you have to pay extra for a window you don't need, then install a few bits of software you don't like or want, to disable lighting you didn't want to deal with or pay for, but were forced to from lack of choice in the market.

Just don’t use many different vendors or it will be a mess, unless you want to use special software that can regulate all different brands but afaik these apps aren’t free. I do one click every startup and everything is consolidated, it’s enough to have GPU and mainboard from the same vendor, RAM is regulated by the mainboard as well, at least my kit is. That’s 4 zones with 1 click including the light strip.

 

[Chrispy_]

Just don’t use many different vendors or it will be a mess, unless you want to use special software that can regulate all different brands but afaik these apps aren’t free. I do one click every startup and everything is consolidated, it’s enough to have GPU and mainboard from the same vendor, RAM is regulated by the mainboard as well, at least my kit is. That’s 4 zones with 1 click including the light strip.

But I still have to install one, right?
That's one more than I need, and one more than I want.

 

[eazen]

But I still have to install one, right?
That's one more than I need, and one more than I want.

Yea I was just talking generally. You’re the no rgb guy.

 

[DeathtoGnomes]

The case is but one of many components, good sir.

If you try and buy a fan, a cooler, a GPU, RAM, or a motherboard these days whilst actively avoiding RGBLED, you will discover quite quickly that around 75% of the options available to you have RGBLED and a good portion of those will have rainbow vomit if you don't install software. RGBLED cables aren't for powering the LEDs, those are on by default. They're for sending the bloatware software signals to the LEDs and "off" is a colour that requires the software in most cases.

Budget cases often waste money on tempered glass. For those of us who don't want to see inside our cases because they just sit under the desk, it would be nice to have a cheaper steel side panel and $5 removed from the price tag. Even if the case is out of immediate sight under a desk, it's still spewing unwanted rainbows out into the room. Not everyone loves ARGBLED being forced upon them. It's crazy that I have to explain this but here we are.

If you like ARGBLED stuff and enjoy tinkering with the proprietary mess that is ARGBLED software from several different vendors, then great - you'll be happy. If, on the other hand you are like me you will be displeased that you have to pay extra for a window you don't need, then install a few bits of software you don't like or want, to disable lighting you didn't want to deal with or pay for, but were forced to from lack of choice in the market.

Nice to see another member of the #sayNO2rgb fan club. I have the same problem with the new mouse ?I just bought, without Synapse I can get rid of that "freggen rainbow" as you put it.

 

[trsttte]

Nice to see another member of the #sayNO2rgb fan club. I have the same problem with the new mouse ?I just bought, without Synapse I can get rid of that "freggen rainbow" as you put it.

Supported Devices · Wiki · Adam Honse / OpenRGB · GitLab

Open source RGB lighting control that doesn't depend on manufacturer software. For Windows, Linux, MacOS. Supports a wide variety of RGB components, peripherals, accessories, and lights...

gitlab.com

A couple of Razer chroma mouses are supported (even if yours is not on the list, it might work if it uses the same protocol as the others). The program is also a portable executable, no need to install anything

 

[eazen]

I’m glad I have a old flagship mouse without rgb, that’s the nicest nonsense ever, rgb on something where you often can’t even see it. That said, the best mice don’t have rgb anyway, esports mouse like Logitech Superlight, custom brands.

 

[bonehead123]

another member of the #sayNO2rgb fan club

You can count me as a member of that club too

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
Openrgb doesn't bloat up a system that I've noticed
Bios options are easy to disable for board stuff.

As far as the bundled fans don't use them probably crap anyway.