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GPU support is only for 2 expansions slot but up to 310mm long and 50mm thick even 70mm if you dont want to add fans. Ocuk Limited trading as Overclockers UK is a credit broker, not a lender, and is Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
The riser card sits flush with the top of the GPU mounting bar for a clean installation but it won’t matter much since there is no window option. drive mounts, a slimline optical drive mount (arguably still relevant in the living room) and even a 3.It's worth remembering that the Node 202 has a dust filter over the CPU vent whereas the windowed RVZ02 we tested did not. Even as a veteran in this industry, I can appreciate how well they illustrate everything for the next generation of SFF enthusiasts.
I used Noctua A12x15 fans and my temps peak at 77C under a stress test but stay around 60C when gaming. I think GPU should've been mounted farther away from the side, with holes and enough space to install fans to cool GPU underside.
Alternatively, the PCIe-Riser can be screwed down after installing the graphics card like I mentioned earlier. At first sight, the Node 202 appears to be just another slim HTPC case that forbids the use of full size expansion cards, a design that effectively negates the installation of any high performance video card, making it useless to gamers. As always, we highly recommend undervolting your components to maximize your cooling, save on electricity, and to configure custom fan profiles to reduce noise. With both horizontal and vertical orientation possibilities, Node 202 can be placed anywhere in the house. The case also doesn’t include any magnetic fan filters so if you’re in the market for some, be sure to keep an eye on Demcifilter as I’m sure they will release them.
Standard 25 mm thick fans would press right up against the GPU fans, and this fan stacking would create horrendous noise. SSD drives, you’ll be pleased to see that the Ridge hasn’t forgot about you, and that it supports 4x 2. After the installation, as we can see the radiator height is truly 40mm and a fan should fit no problem. That said, depending on your processor, fan, voltage, and chiplet orientation, thermal paste, and the temperature of your room, your thermal results may vary. Such a big difference may at first seem odd given how similar the two are in their internal designs but the key, we believe, is the proximity of the GPU intake fan to the ventilation area.This SKU is still good if you're trying to keep your budget tight though, which I was, and don't mind a little frustration. Temperatures are now at 60C idle and little bit under 90 when gaming (fan at 60-65% on GPU which makes it quite loud). The Fractal Design Ridge is a very welcome evolution of the Fractal Design Node 202 from yesteryear. It comes with a stand to place the chassis in a vertical position for best performance, as the intake vents are less restricted in this orientation. And I believe there's some tab that interferes with certain pcb and coolers, that makes them a bit harder to install.
Most of the case has been sprayed with a matte black paint that is highly resistant to fingerprints. You can also hide the cables between the center bar and the rizer card (in my case the 2nd Sata data cable). Not content to update an old chassis by simply adding brushed aluminum to the mix, Fractal Design decided to take all the feedback from the passionate Node 202 community and build a better Node Chassis for the modern enthusiast. It comes with customised connectors and tailored cables perfectly fitted for use within the Node 202, contributing to hassle-free installation and cable management.While a Noctua NH-L12S HSF would have been my personal choice of heatsink for this chassis, the Scythe Big Shuriken 3 ( reviewed here) put up an equal fight in our testing. Registered office: Klarna UK Limited, 7th Floor, 33 Cavendish Square, London, W1G 0PW, United Kingdom. For these results, I ask that you keep in mind that I am using an older Ryzen 2700X with a TDP of 105 watts and that it was being cooled by a 15mm thick fan ( reviewed here).
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