Fractal Design NODE 202

Darksaber · Aug 2, 2015

The Fractal Design NODE 202 can be purchased bare or with a 450W SFX PSU. Its aim is to deliver all the space you need for a compact but potent gaming rig, while also sporting the looks to go right next to your TV or even gaming console. We fill the chassis and fire it up to see if it can hold its ground in both usage scenarios.

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Nokiron · Sep 1, 2015

Where I live its actually way cheaper to buy the combo. The case with a comparable SFX PSU costs around 180 Eur. The bundle costs ~150 Eur, slightly less.

This will probably end up as the case of choice for my dedicated LAN-computer

Edit: Is that the Thermalright AXP-100R in the case? Its 58 mm high according to spec, how much space is there for cooling? (56mm seems to not be correct?)

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Fractal_Design/NODE_202/images/instmb.jpg

Assimilator · Sep 1, 2015

Tests of small cases are pretty useless without temperature and noise measurements.

Jetster · Sep 1, 2015

I need this right now. No really I needs it

Kriz · Sep 1, 2015

Assimilator said:
Tests of small cases are pretty useless without temperature and noise measurements.

This is from Silent PC Review:

System Configuration:

Intel Core i5-4690K processor
ASUS Strix GeForce GTX 980 graphics card

Screen Shot 2015-09-01 at 11.35.09 PM.png

I like Fractal Design. I built a system recently in a Fractal Node 304 (20L) and it performs very well, but it looks like the Node 202 is inferior to the SilverStone FTZ01 in this even more compact (10-15L) form factor.

That being said, if you prefer the Node 202 aesthetic over the FTZ01, then a GTX 750 or GTX 950 will be a much better option over a GTX 980 regarding heat and noise, without some very creative watercooling mods being applied.

Links to reviews on SPCR:
Fractal Design Node 202 Compact Gaming Case
SilverStone FTZ01: Mini-ITX Fortress

Nokiron · Sep 1, 2015

Kriz said:
This is from Silent PC Review:

System Configuration:

Intel Core i5-4690K processor

ASUS Strix GeForce GTX 980 graphics card

View attachment 67729
I like Fractal Design. I built a system recently in a Fractal Node 304 (20L) and it performs very well, but it looks like the Node 202 is inferior to the SilverStone FTZ01 in this even more compact (10-15L) form factor.

That being said, if you prefer the Node 202 aesthetic over the FTZ01, then a GTX 750 or GTX 950 will be a much better option over a GTX 980 regarding heat and noise, without some very creative watercooling mods being applied.

I think the lack of system fans contribute to that problem.

Assimilator · Sep 1, 2015

Kriz said:
This is from Silent PC Review:

System Configuration:

Intel Core i5-4690K processor

ASUS Strix GeForce GTX 980 graphics card

View attachment 67729
I like Fractal Design. I built a system recently in a Fractal Node 304 (20L) and it performs very well, but it looks like the Node 202 is inferior to the SilverStone FTZ01 in this even more compact (10-15L) form factor.

That being said, if you prefer the Node 202 aesthetic over the FTZ01, then a GTX 750 or GTX 950 will be a much better option over a GTX 980 regarding heat and noise, without some very creative watercooling mods being applied.

Links to reviews on SPCR:
Fractal Design Node 202 Compact Gaming Case
SilverStone FTZ01: Mini-ITX Fortress

That's exactly the info that this review should have conveyed, but didn't. Many thanks.

I like Fractal's cases too but it looks like the 202 is a swing and a miss. Those temperatures are frightening.

Nokiron · Sep 1, 2015

Assimilator said:
That's exactly the info that this review should have conveyed, but didn't. Many thanks.

I like Fractal's cases too but it looks like the 202 is a swing and a miss. Those temperatures are frightening.

Don't you think the two fans contribute to that? Which is non-existent in the Node 202.

jboydgolfer · Sep 10, 2015

great case, would be even better if you could buy one.

zalbard · Oct 1, 2015

Nokiron said:
Edit: Is that the Thermalright AXP-100R in the case? Its 58 mm high according to spec, how much space is there for cooling? (56mm seems to not be correct?)

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Fractal_Design/NODE_202/images/instmb.jpg

I am curious about that as well!

System Name	Corsair 2000D Silent Gaming Rig
Processor	Intel Core i5-14600K
Motherboard	ASUS ROG Strix Z790-i Gaming Wifi
Cooling	Corsair iCUE H150i Black
Memory	Corsair 64 GB 6000 MHz DDR5
Video Card(s)	Gainward GeForce RTX 4080 Phoenix GS
Storage	TeamGroup 1TB NVMe SSD
Display(s)	Gigabyte 32" M32U
Case	Corsair 2000D
Power Supply	Corsair 850 W SFX
Mouse	Logitech MX
Keyboard	Sharkoon PureWriter TKL

System Name	Firelance.
Processor	Threadripper 3960X
Motherboard	ROG Strix TRX40-E Gaming
Cooling	IceGem 360 + 6x Arctic Cooling P12
Memory	8x 16GB Patriot Viper DDR4-3200 CL16
Video Card(s)	MSI GeForce RTX 4060 Ti Ventus 2X OC
Storage	2TB WD SN850X (boot), 4TB Crucial P3 (data)
Display(s)	Dell S3221QS(A) (32" 38x21 60Hz) + 2x AOC Q32E2N (32" 25x14 75Hz)
Case	Enthoo Pro II Server Edition (Closed Panel) + 6 fans
Power Supply	Fractal Design Ion+ 2 Platinum 760W
Mouse	Logitech G604
Keyboard	Razer Pro Type Ultra
Software	Windows 10 Professional x64

System Name	Juliette // My HTPC
Processor	Intel i7 9700K // AMD Ryzen 5 5600G
Motherboard	ASUS Prime Z390X-A // ASRock B550 ITX-AC
Cooling	Noctua NH-U12 Black // Stock
Memory	Corsair DDR4 3600 32gb //G.SKILL Trident Z Royal Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) 3600
Video Card(s)	ASUS RTX4070 OC// ASUS RTX 4060 OC
Storage	Samsung 970 EVO NVMe 1Tb, Intel 665p Series M.2 2280 1TB // Samsung 1Tb SSD
Display(s)	ASUS VP348QGL 34" Quad HD 3440 x 1440 // 55" LG 4K SK8000 Series
Case	Seasonic SYNCRO Q7// Silverstone Granada GD05
Audio Device(s)	Focusrite Scarlett 4i4 // HDMI to Samsung HW-R650 sound bar
Power Supply	Seasonic SYNCRO 750 W // CORSAIR Vengeance 650M
Mouse	G903 and a Master Mouse MM710/No mouse, MS game copntroller
Keyboard	EVGA / Logitech K400
Software	Windows 11 Pro // Windows 10 Pro

System Name	Firelance.
Processor	Threadripper 3960X
Motherboard	ROG Strix TRX40-E Gaming
Cooling	IceGem 360 + 6x Arctic Cooling P12
Memory	8x 16GB Patriot Viper DDR4-3200 CL16
Video Card(s)	MSI GeForce RTX 4060 Ti Ventus 2X OC
Storage	2TB WD SN850X (boot), 4TB Crucial P3 (data)
Display(s)	Dell S3221QS(A) (32" 38x21 60Hz) + 2x AOC Q32E2N (32" 25x14 75Hz)
Case	Enthoo Pro II Server Edition (Closed Panel) + 6 fans
Power Supply	Fractal Design Ion+ 2 Platinum 760W
Mouse	Logitech G604
Keyboard	Razer Pro Type Ultra
Software	Windows 10 Professional x64

System Name	Americas cure is the death of Social Justice & Political Correctness
Processor	i7-11700K
Motherboard	Asrock Z590 Extreme wifi 6E
Cooling	Noctua NH-U12A
Memory	32GB Corsair RGB fancy boi 5000
Video Card(s)	RTX 3090 Reference
Storage	Samsung 970 Evo 1Tb + Samsung 970 Evo 500Gb
Display(s)	Dell - 27" LED QHD G-SYNC x2
Case	Fractal Design Meshify-C
Audio Device(s)	on board
Power Supply	Seasonic Focus+ Gold 1000 Watt
Mouse	Logitech G502 spectrum
Keyboard	AZIO MGK-1 RGB (Kaith Blue)
Software	Win 10 Professional 64 bit
Benchmark Scores	the MLGeesiest

Fractal Design NODE 202

Senior Editor & Case Reviewer