The Fractal Design Pop Air Series is a promising foray into a more affordable market segment Fractal has been trying to gain a proper foothold in for some time. With pricing starting at an attractive $80 for the less flashy flavors, this could be a barrier of entry for budget-minded fans of the brand. Looking at the colored, RGB variants, that unique selling point should grab the attention of a broader audience that may not primarily be concerned about the actual cost of the chassis.

With its solid build quality, it also feels different than previous attempts of more budget-oriented enclosures from the brand, and fun little details like the tray behind the bottom front cover and color accents do make for a cool-looking case, with the ARGB power button something even far more expensive enclosures don't offer. Looks tend to carry greater weight when one hopes to spend less, thus adding a further reason for going with the funky Pop Air.

There are a few odd choices, however, like the limited ARGB controller functionality or choice to limit ceiling AIO sizing. While the latter may be in favor of potentially slightly better thermal performance, one could argue having the ability to go bigger in terms of cooling offsets gives the Pop Air a slightly longer life span as one is inevitably bound to go bigger and better over time. Lastly, the 5.25" bays, while a real flash from the past, could have actually been useful with a bit more thought around the cover that hides this area of the case. In its current implementation, it is unlikely to find use as it would adversely affect the overall design and looks of the case. Fractal could have included a secondary or two-parted cover for use of these with displays or fan controllers, for example. Lastly, but also just as importantly, other brands in the $90 range manage to include the USB-C I/O these days, but lack little extras like the radiator offset brackets the Pop Air does offer.

In the end, it all boils down to price, looks, and function with a budget-minded case. While there are a lot of nifty extras and some shortcomings here and there, the Fractal Pop Air is a cool-looking, solid chassis with three fans that is fun to look at without breaking the bank. And that mix should ultimately be plenty enticing for budget-minded enthusiasts, so we can recommend it without reservation.