Fractal Design Node 304 Mini-ITX Case Review
Node 304 Exterior Impressions
Fractal Design kept the overall look and feel of the Node 304 as minimalist as possible. They state that the Node series “offers a stylish way to integrate the computer into your home”. This is evident, as the Node 304 should look great in any living room as there are no bright flashing lights or strange angles to throw off the flow.
The front bezel is made out of plastic and is plain, except for the little Fractal Design name and power indicator in the lower right corner (hidden by the Legit Reviews logo). There are no 5.25″ drive bays available on the Node 304.
The left side is fairly plain, except for a large vented area. This area takes up 9.75 x 4 inches (LxH), as the entire panel measures 13.5 x 8 inches (LxH), it takes up over half the side.
The back side of the Node 304 is a little different than standard cases. Instead of a power supply mount, we have just a power supply connector. A large 140mm exhaust fan, which could be replaced with a 120mm. In the upper right corner is a fan speed controller, similar to what we have seen on other Fractal Design cases. In the bottom right are two expansion ports, which indicates a PCI-E video card could be used. The expansion ports are held in place with screws, and a metal cover cover that slides up when a thumbscrew is loosened.
The right side is vented as well, however this side is much smaller, 5 x 2.5 inches (LxH). At the front edge is the front I/O cluster.
A closer look at the front I/O cluster shows standard inputs. From the top, microphone, headphone, 2x SuperSpeed USB 3.0, and power button. To the left of the power button, part of the front power LED can be seen.
Plain top, nothing exciting here. However at the top of the front bezel we see that it is vented to allow some airflow into the front intake fans.
The bottom doesn’t present anything too exciting. There are four rubber feet to keep it from sliding and reduce vibration. The power supply intake is filtered by a removable filter, however the case will need to be lifted in order to remove the filter for cleaning.
