There are a lot of motives behind constructing a Mini-ITX PC: Would you like your PC to seem like a console? Or, would you like the smallest PC doable? Whereas it’s onerous to suit highly effective elements into the size of a PS5 or Xbox, Fractal Design allows you to no less than give it a go along with its latest console-sized ITX chassis, the Ridge.
The $129.99 case is offered in both black (as examined) or white, with an identical material entrance face. However notice that there are not any followers supported up entrance. Air is moved by a pair of 140mm PWM followers that sit above the motherboard, subsequent to the GPU space. And whereas this helps maintain GPU temperatures low, the perforations on the facet panels aren’t sufficient to maintain CPU temps equally chilled, as we’ll see later in testing.
Specs of the Fractal Design Ridge
Sort | Mini ITX |
Motherboard | Mini-ITX |
Help | |
Dimensions (HxWxD) | 14.5 x 14 x 3.7 inches |
Max GPU Size | 12.8-inches |
CPU Cooler Top | 2.75-inches |
Exterior Bays | X |
Inner Bays | 4x 2.5-inch SSDs |
Enlargement Slots | Small type issue GPU: 3 |
Full size GPU: 4 | |
Entrance I/O | 2x USB Sort A 3.2 Gen 1 |
1x USB Sort C 3.1 Gen 2 | |
Different | 1x PCIe riser card |
Entrance Followers | None |
Rear Followers | 2x 140mm |
Prime Followers | None |
Backside Followers | None |
Weight | 12 kilos |
Guarantee | 1 12 months |
Options of the Fractal Design Ridge
The Fractal Design Ridge is the businesses latest ITX chassis, which takes inspiration from the 2015-era Node 202. And very similar to that case, the Ridge is sufficiently small to imitate a console.
When it got here to designing the Ridge, Fractal Design was conscious of the success of the 202 and aimed to modernize it. The latest Fractal chassis is constructed of metal and options perforations on the edges for air consumption, in addition to a canvas-like perforated entrance. And that entrance is an attention grabbing function, for certain.
As an alternative of bringing again the 90-degree help stand from the 202, the Ridge includes a stand that makes the case seem like it’s floating an inch or so above your desk.
If the design has thrown you off, that is a pc case, not a contemporary speaker. So the Ridge wants every thing from cooling help, room for drives and correct IO. On that final depend, what the Ridge delivers is honest, particularly for an ITX case. The entrance IO options one USB 3.1 Gen Sort-C, two USB 3.0 and a combo audio jack on the backside entrance.
As anticipated, the Ridge has no room for 3.5-inch drives, however storage help is in any other case chic for its dimension. The Ridge can match a complete of 4 2.5-inch SSDs or onerous drives and go toe-to-toe with some mid-towers we’ve reviewed. Two SSDs could be put in behind the motherboard tray, like 99.9% of laptop instances, however the latter two are mounted behind the entrance panel. I don’t like this location because it seems like that house may’ve been used for 80mm followers, however should you want 4 2.5-inch drives, that is the place two of them will go.
Inner Structure
The Inner format of the Fractal Design Ridge, is to be anticipated from an ITX case: congested. You’ll additionally want an SFX or SFX-L energy provide, due to the narrowness of the case. That mentioned, when the motherboard set up was completed, I used to be in a position to determine the remaining by myself, however Fractal features a improbable instruction guide.
Standing at 14.5 x 14 x 3.7 inches (HDW), the Ridge is a really lanky case. Low-profile CPU coolers like Thermalright’s AXP120-X67 slot in simply high quality, however the most top allotted for CPU coolers is 2.8 inches (70mm). As a result of the graphics card is stowed behind the motherboard tray, you’ll be able to match playing cards as much as 12.8 inches (325mm) lengthy. However don’t count on to put in a contemporary top-end right here. Our EVGA RTX 3050 XC matches simply high quality, however something way more than two slots thick goes to run up in opposition to the followers and the inside body of the case.
The quantity of further followers that may be put in within the Ridge is spectacular but in addition considerably impractical. The facet fan mounting bracket helps followers or radiators as much as 280mm in diameter, however the prime of the case solely helps three 80mm. To be trustworthy, I want Fractal included three 80mm followers as an alternative of the 2 140mm Facet 14 PWM followers. Don’t get me incorrect, the Facet followers are improbable, however who has 80mm followers sitting round?
Testing {Hardware}
Our ITX case testing {hardware} makes use of an Intel twelfth Gen “Alder Lake” 12600K, cooled by a Thermalright AXP120-X67 SFF. Our graphics card is an EVGA RTX 3050 XC. We don’t have comparisons with different instances within the checks beneath as a result of the Ridge’s slim profile means we wanted to make use of a distinct cooler than we do with bigger instances.
Acoustic Outcomes for the Fractal Design Ridge
Our acoustic take a look at consists of three eventualities: We run the CPU at full load, the CPU and GPU at full load, and an optimized mode. The CPU full load take a look at runs the CPU and case followers at their most velocity. For the CPU and GPU full load acoustic take a look at, we additionally stress the EVGA RTX 3050 XC and set the followers at 75% velocity, as a result of in gaming the followers by no means run at 100% and are far too loud once they do.
For the optimized mode, we run the GPU fan velocity at 30% and run the CPU and included case followers on the lowest velocity that they are going to spin.
The Ridge comes with two Facet 14 PWM followers, designed for radiators, so don’t count on silence. I want to say that as a result of this case may be very loud– particularly when cranked to full velocity. After I set the case and CPU followers to max RPM, we hit 55dB, which is fairly ear-piercing. In fact, in most conditions, the followers wouldn’t spin so quick. However even in our CPU/GPU stress take a look at with the case followers working at half velocity, the Ridge was nonetheless considerably noisy at 47dB.
Thermal Outcomes for the Fractal Design Ridge
For the thermal checks, all case and CPU fan speeds are set to 100%. The Core i5-12600K is ready at a 4.3GHz clock at 1.12v on all efficiency cores, to make sure constant energy consumption throughout take a look at eventualities.
The thermal outcomes from the Ridge are fascinating. The CPU thermals are fairly unhealthy for a Core i5, however the GPU’s temps are nice.
Nonetheless, I’m not that stunned. The GPU we use for compact instances isn’t all that highly effective, and with no case followers up above the CPU, the facet panel design clearly isn’t pulling in sufficient cool air over the CPU to maintain temperatures decrease.
Backside Line
The Fractal Design Ridge is one other attention-grabbing case design by the Swedish firm, and with the right {hardware}, it may be a killer HTPC. Nonetheless, the perforations on the facet usually are not air-cooler pleasant and the dearth of included 80mm followers is unlucky.
Would I like to recommend this case for a high-end AM5 or Intel twelfth or thirteenth Gen setup? No. Nonetheless, if you wish to run one thing like a 65W Ryzen 5 5600X, this case will just do high quality. If you wish to pack in additional highly effective elements, it is best to go for a case that’s a bit greater – or no less than wider.
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Supply By https://www.tomshardware.com/opinions/fractal-design-ridge