Fractal Design Black Aluminum / Steel Node 605 FD-CA-NODE-605-BL ATX Media Center / HTPC Case

Pros: This case is attractive and the best quality i have ever seen in a computer case! the case is made of solid heavy steel. and it looks like a piece of stereo equipment which is what i was looking for, and it fits 140mm fans, so it can still get good airflow and yet be quiet. which is also another reason that i bought it. when listening to high end audio, you cant have your computer sounding like a vacuum cleaner. It has a fan speed controller located on the right side, when paired with a few quiet fans this case is practically silent.

Cons: The fans that come with the case are decent but could be a bit quieter, i can hear them in a quiet room. the white metal brackets that hold the hard drives in place could be a bit more sturdy.
also, when using a cd/dvd rom drive you cannot fit a full atx motherboard in this case.

Other Thoughts: I have purchased other cases in the past through online retailers and sometimes when they arrive they aren't the same quality as the images lead you to believe. (cough cough Lian-Li)
I found this case in a local store on display and as able to check it out. i could tell this was a much higher quality product than the other ones i saw, so i bought it right then. if i had known at the time it was available here @newegg i would of bought it here and saved some money.

I bought this to fit in my entertainment center with my stereo equipment, and it does nicely. it looks great. if i ever have a need for another one like this i wont hesitate to buy it again, this time it will be from newegg.

Pros: Sleek and Beautiful.
Quiet, keeps everything cool. I'm usuing five 120mm fans total and I never hear a thing when im using my machine.
Fits a full ATX board.
Inconspicuous in my room, very small power indicator.
Fan control built into case.

Cons: None. Just make sure to read the specs so you are aware what you are buying, user errors should never be considered cons.

Other Thoughts: Bought his case because I wanted to build a high end gaming PC in a case that didn't look like it fell off an alien space ship. Exceeds my expectations in every way. I put a full ATX motherboard in the case, two GTX 680 Superclocked graphics cards, four 120mm case fans (two come included with the case, pre-installed), a 750w power supply, and a low profile heat sync on my i7 3770k chip. The cable management is divine and my heat levels are extremely low with great airflow throughout the case. This is without a doubt the future of next gen gaming, HTPC cases that provide the ultimate gaming experience.

Some things to be aware of for all users:

1. If you put an ATX motherboard in this case, there is no room for an optical disk drive (DVD, Bluray, etc). This will be a dealbreaker for some but with the future of digital dowloads growing this shouldn't be a big deal.

2. The case comes with two hard drive cages that can mount up to four hard drives (SSD or or standard) they hang in the case and it is very sleek BUT if you want to install high end graphics cards (Nividia GTX 660 and above or relative AMD equivalent) they almost all measure 11'' long meaning that you will have to remove at least one hard drive cage limiting you to two hard drives instead of four.

3. The case is not very deep. This means that you will need to shop around for a low profile heat sync for your chipset. Liquid cooling is not an option for this case reaslistically with a full ATX motherboard due to the fan set up built into the case and space constraints. I bought a Silverstone NT06-PRO low profile fan from Newegg and its working fabulously.

Final Thoughts:
Whether you're building a home theatre system and just need a quiet HTPC or are going to build a gaming powerhouse this case displays a versatility and amazing look that warrants the price tag. I highly reccomend this product.

*All my advice is from a full ATX motherboard perspective, mATX and ITX boards will not have some of the space constraint issues I did so good luck and build an awesome machine!

Pros: High quality parts, micro ATX leaves lots of room for cable management, everything fit like a new pair of socks. (Tight and snugg)

Cons: The fan control switch and the front accessories board were not attached/halfway attached, but easy fix. Had plenty of extra screws. Slimline drive was a bit tricky, but all worked out. Might have to do some modd. to the case if your using a ATX mobo to fit the slimline drive.

Other Thoughts: Used this for my HTPC build, seems alittle to warm after a few movies. Might add 2 80mm fans to the back and another 120mm fan on the side. Heat may be from fanless PSU. Blue led on the power button is VERY BRIGHT!!! I will deff purchase a fractal design case again!!!

Pros: Looks beautiful! Fit and finish is excellent. built-in fan controller is perfect (though a 3rd fan would've been GREATLY appreciated) I put a pair of color-change vegas 80mm's on the back, WAY cool effect, when they're off the simple power button led looks subtle and smooth (albeit a touch on the overly bright side especially for a case with such an elegant understated design)

Cons: The optical drive situation is a JOKE. There IS a place such things with a mediabox, and I Really would've preferred full-size (especially when it's only after the fact that most of us learn that a laptop drive also requires a very specific adapter-plug) One of these included would've been GREATLY appreciated rather than have to search around town only to have to go backhome and order oneup...

Other Thoughts: Looked for awhile at cases before settling on this, I'm certainly impressed with the build quality and smart layout, Compromised on the optical drive just because it does look SOO much better than the others out there. I had no hesitation instantly recommending a Fractal case to a friend who just started a new build.

Pros: - Plenty of room for my components. I got a standard ATX power supply (Antec EA-380D), a relatively short video card (MSI N640GT-MD2GD3), and a MicroATX motherboard (MSI H77MA-G43), and I had more than enough space for everything.
- Looks great. The brushed front fits in well with the rest of my components.
- Relatively shallow; I only have about 15" of depth in my entertainment center, and this fits with some room for airflow.
- Blue power light is dim enough to not distract during movies.
- Includes two fans. Not the highest quality, but decent.
- Built-in fan speed control switch in front is convenient.
- Easy wiring of front inputs/buttons/switches.
- Good internal airflow (with some modification; see below).
- Sound-dampening material on top seems to be mostly for show, but I'm sure it helps a bit.
- Hard drive location ensures good airflow; I only needed one, so I removed the second cage to improve flow even more.
- Good array of connectors to use on front if that fits your needs, but I never use them, and the flap flips up to keep the face clean (unlike many Silverstones).

Cons: - The included dust filters can negatively affect airflow quite a bit. Thankfully, each fan has a 2-screen combo, so I simply took one screen per fan out. Airflow was much improved while retaining some dust protection.
- Can't install slim optical drive with full ATX motherboard and can't install a full-sized optical drive ever. I opted to skip an optical drive entirely since I haven't used a disc in years.
- Expensive. This unit was on sale when I got it, and even though the build quality is great, I still feel like I paid too much. Would like to see it get down to around $110-120 after shipping
- Height of the unit limits what CPU cooler you can use (125mm with side fan, 95mm with top fan).

Other Thoughts: This was my first HTPC, but I've built several PCs over the years, so I'm fairly familiar with cases, and this one didn't disappoint. The threads of all the screws and screw holes were clean, there was no rattling after I got everything back together, all the internal pieces had appropriate clearance, the fan closest to the power supply had a cover, all rivets were firm, etc.

Some of the reviews on Newegg and elsewhere noted a lack of airflow, so when I got the case, I also purchased a couple 120mm PWM fans and replaced one of the included 120mm fans in addition to removing part of the dust filter screens. I now have the one original fan running on Low and the other two PWMs controlled by the motherboard, and my phone says it averages around 37dB measured from about a foot in front of the case. We can hear the fans from the couch (12-14ft away) when the room is silent, but it's just a hum, and we never notice them when we're watching/listening to media. As with all computer cases, a bit of cable management goes a long way.

I'm just using the retail heatsink/fan combo with my Core i3-3220, and I'm seeing CPU temps of 30°C or slightly below at idle with peaks around 40°C during fairly high activity (applying 70+ Windows Updates in a row). It usually hovers around 33-35°C when streaming/decoding HD video for a few hours. GPU temps are similar.

I'm very happy that I got this case and ignored some of the negative reviews online. A lot of the cons in other reviews I see around could have been prevented with more attention to the measurements of the case and components. With some very basic modifications to the fan screens, the addition of one more fan, and good cable management, this keeps my system very cool while staying relatively quiet and looking great on my entertainment center.

Pros: The case is beautiful and well made. You can tell the materials used are of a high quality. It can fit a full ATX motherboard but all in all isn't huge.

Cons: It gets really really hot in there. If I wasn't using components from an older computer I'd be worried. Also If you have a CPU cooler that is on the taller side, make sure you measure it and verify that it will fit in the case. I have an Arctic Pro 7 that only barely fits. The case really needed to come w/ more fans, I've since bought 3 more, and am using 1 old one. If you're using a full ATX board you won't be able to fit an optical drive in the case. Also if you have a longer video card it effectively splits the case in half.

Other Thoughts: Overall I really really like the case for its outward appearance. Internally the layout could be better. Now that I've added a few fans the heat is a non issue. Even though my cons list is long, I'm really satisfied w/ the case.

Pros: Plenty of room, fans are quiet (room to add 3 more), ATX design, and a great look. I've read a few review online and one complained about high temps due to a bad design. I don't see any of that. Been running for almost a week and everything is nice and cool.

Cons: Only negative is the usb 3.0 on the front. I am having an issue getting them to work. They do work fine with the USB 2.0 connected.

Pros: This thing is SHARP. Has the look and feel of a high-end AV component.

Superior build quality, with a nice finish inside and out.

Design that crams a full ATX board, up to 4 3.5 drives, and a slimline optical drive into box that is the right depth for your component stack.

Modular setup (removable HDD cages and center mounting rail) makes most parts of assembly a breeze.

Cons: Slimine optical drive mount is extremely finicky and needs vertical play to allow for height adjustment, as the short side mount was too low and made the drive scrape the opening. This single component took longer to mount than all other components combined. Included mounting screws were too long, jammed my drive.

It took a lot of tweaking to get my ODD level and at the correct height. Due to the issue with the too-long mounting screws, I eventually just left the short side unattached, which is fine for my purposes. If you intend to play DVDs or Blu Ray disks, I'd suggest choosing another case anyway... I don't think a slimline drive would be very good for that purpose.


I am heartily sick of blinding blue LEDs. I'll eventually dissect my power button to figure out some way to partially block or dim the LED.


Expensive. (Worth it, IMO, for something that won't look cheap or out of place in your stack of audio gear.)

Other Thoughts: Note to builders: Slimline optical drive CAN fit with some ATX length boards.

The mobo I chose was 12"x7.6" and I had just under 1/4" between the back of the slimline optical drive and the back of the mobo. The slimline mount is tall enough that it MIGHT be possible to overlap, if necessary.

Further note to builders: I didn't realize that a slimline SATA ODD doesn't use a standard SATA power connector, so had to wait a few extra days for an adapter to arrive.


Case fans aren't "silent," just considerably better than the vacuum cleaner roar that so many PCs have. My finished build is slightly less loud than a current-gen game console but considerably louder than an iMac.


As another reviewer noted, the Fractal Design logo looks obtrusive in pictures, but is subdued and tasteful in person.

Pros: I have built about a dozen or so HTPCs, and I have primarily used silverstone MATX cases because they looked good in entertainment centers and the build quality is excellent.

This case takes it to the next level.

The build quality is exceptional, and I was able to build a full ATX gaming rig inside.

Cons: none

Other Thoughts: Despite what the details say, I was able to install a full size 7970 (GIGABYTE GV-R797OC-3GD, 11.4") in the case with a GIGABYTE GA-Z77X-UD3H motherboard. I was even able to have keep both of the white HDD/SSD mounts installed. I am only using one SSD, and I may have had to figure something else out if I wanted to mount a HDD.

Hopefully this info helps if you were wondering the same thing.

Pros: This was my first experience with an HTPC case. The Node 605 turned out to be substantial. The thick aluminum front is reminiscent of very high end audio components. The brushed front is beautiful; and the lower front panel cover that folds out and down to reveal an SD card reader, audio jacks, and USB 3.0 jacks matches up tightly with the main body. The action on the fold down is smooth and weighty, and also with some resistance. The fans are dead silent and there is a fan-power adjustment switch outside on the right side panel that allows you to reduce or increase the fan speed depending on your needs. I thought the logo would be unattractive, but it's actually classy and doesn't distract from the beauty of the rest of the (outstanding) design. The interior top panel removes easily with two screws, and it has a dense rubber pad on the bottom (interior)--presumably to dampen noise. The build was easy. Attaching the cables was easy/straightforward. The fans have removable metal filters on the outside of the side panels, which is a good design. The HDD mounts are pre-drilled for both 3.5" and 5.25". The 5.25" holes have vibration-dampening rubber gaskets pre-attached. Additionally, the metal of the mounts is coated in something that would seem to provide additional "give" for vibrations. With a quiet Seasonic PSU installed, I didn't realize/think it was on the first time I powered-up.

Overall I was very impressed and pleased. I'm going to use this case for an office computer I'm building as well just because it looks great and the front panel has everything I would need access to, including USB 3.0 inputs.

Great purchase. Fractal seems pretty solid.

Cons: Be forewarned that the DVD drive slot on the bottom (also behind the front panel drop), while well-machined requires a slim(line) (laptop-style) ODD form factor. You can pick these up for $25 for DVD+RW; however the cheapest workable Blu-Ray solutions (which may be important to you for a HTPC) are about $80 and also require a separately-sold micro-sata adapter ($10). At that price, they also don't come with the encoding software. Further, even with the slimline drive model, it's a tight and somewhat goofy installation.

My Seasonic PSU came over-cabled, which made the installation a little tight/untidy, but that was more a compatibility issue.

The male power adapter on one of the fans (though they're daisy-chained for single-cabling) had a minor defect.

The hinges on the fold down panel could be a little more substantial, but they're perfectly adequate.