The Fractal Node 202 is an interesting enclosure to say the least! In typical Fractal Style the exterior remains stylish without any frills. Spec wise the Node 202 looks like it means serious business, combining a slim design yet being able to serve as a gaming setup. The dual chamber concept and the implementation of the riser system is a big bonus in our books. The included SFX 450W Integra PSU with tailor made cables blends in perfectly in this Node 202 case.

The temperature testing showed one major flaw in this intriguing concept; due to the slim design the end user is limited to max mm CPU coolers. The Thermalright NH-L9X65, used in the photo-shoot, required some extra clearance, thus the removal of the top cover dust filter was needed, plus adding a few spacers to slightly lift the top cover. The higher elevated GPU temperature also indicates a lack of airflow. This could be resolved by adding two bottom 120mm fans, though again one is limited in space and thus fan choice. A few mms could have made a world of difference for this Fractal Node 202.

Does this mean the Fractal Node 202 is not as gaming ready as Fractal announces. Nope it can handle a decent gaming card, as long as you make sure you don’t pick a high wattage one. Storage wise the lack of an optical drive is not that big of an issue. The choice to keep everything compact and to only support two 2.5” drives means the total cost price of your setup will be influenced big time if you need tons of storage.

Fractal design has delivered a great and again added another sleek looking design to their ever growing line-up with their Node 202 enclosure. The build quality is good and the look of the chosen components remains directly Fractal recognizable. We especially appreciated the dual chamber configuration which keeps the main heat sources (CPU/GPU) separated. The clever PCIe riser card allows you to install up to a dual slot GPU up to 310mm in length, though keep in mind there is no active cooling included out of the box. The in our sample included SFX 450W Integra 80 plus Bronze power supply had no issues to power our Z97 setup with an AMD Radeon HD6970 card during our gaming tests. This while remaining pretty silent during heavy load. Besides the minor installation woes we can recommend the Node 202 for those that want to build a compact gaming ready setup. The launch price seems steep, retailing around 85 Euros and plus minus 160 Euros with the Integra 450W power supply, though one has to keep in mind the offered slim design, yet Fractal managed to support a dual slot cooler GPU. Especially the latter is a big plus if one intends to assemble a tiny powerhouse. Nevertheless keep in mind the above mentioned temperature results and choose all of your components wisely!

PROS:

• Slim & elegant design
• Supports GPUs up to 310mm length
• Integra 450W SFX PSU with adapted cable length
• Horizontal or vertical placement
• Dual chamber design

CONS:

• Only two 2.5 drives supported
• Too long front panel cables
• Average GPU cooling out of the box

We wish to thank Heili from Fractal Design for the Node 202 sample inclduing the Integra PSU.Sven from ASUS for the Maximus VII Impact motherboard.Harry from Corsair for the Dominator Platinum memory kit.Tones for the endless support over the years!