Fractal Design NODE 304 Mini ITX Casing Review

Is it possible to make the Node 304 a gaming computer? Yes it is, right here I have the ASUS Radeon R9 280X DirectCU II TOP, ASUS ROG Maximus VII Impact Z97 Mini-ITX Motherboard in place, and a Cooler Master V6 GT in place.

NZXT S340 Mid-Tower Desktop PC Casing Review

One thing I must clarify is that the Node 304 does not have an opening on the motherboard tray so you may encounter hindrance when it comes to installing heatsinks with backplate.

Another issue is that heatsinks with backplate often require you to pre-mount or go through certain steps to mount it correctly so the cramped space might be altogether too challenging to get things up and running. You have been warned.

In the image below, you’ll see that there are 2 PSU. I’m sorry I couldn’t make it any clearer here but what I’m trying to show is that a modular PSU is often longer and when you use a modular PSU it takes up a lot more space, hence making it impossible to install any graphic card.

NZXT S340 Mid-Tower Desktop PC Casing Review

Non-modular PSU works fine but you’ll now be dealing with another set of problem – cable management. The cables’ only possible location would be front, obstructing most part of the airflow generated from the dual 92mm fans at the front.

NZXT S340 Mid-Tower Desktop PC Casing Review

Realistically speaking, the casing is better suited for non-gaming purpose. A light-gaming setup with AMD APU and R7 graphic card might be alright.

The Verdict

Fractal Design NODE 304 Mini ITX Casing retails at USD 99, it’s on promotion on Newegg for USD 59.99 at the time of this article. 😀

Don’t expect much flexibility out of the casing, the space constraint is too limited BUT it works very well as a classy looking casing that fits into any modern environment. Subtle, sleek and sexy.

goldfries recommended

Unlike my other casing reviews – there’s no FINAL output for this casing because as you can see from the review, whatever modifications you make are still covered by the case.