Fractal Design Torrent Compact Overview
The Torrent Compact is basically just a smaller version of the original Torrent. The official dimensions are 450 x 222 x 467 mm (LxWxH) and as you can see we received the white version of the case. It will also be available in black and on the black version you can select a normal side panel, tempered glass side panel (dark and light tint available) and there will be an RGB version that has two tempered glass panels and comes with two 180 mm RGB fans.
Comparing the Torrent Compact to the original it is considerably smaller, not only in length, but also in height.
Starting at the front of the case we have the front bezel which features that Y-shaped vent design that really made the original Torrent stand out. As I said in our original review it really reminds me of old server cases. The vent fins are silver, which adds a nice contrast to the case and definitely makes it stand out more. Towards the bottom left of the base there is a Fractal Design logo.
If you pull down on the front bezel of the case it will easily pop off to reveal two pre-installed Fractal Design Dynamic GP-18 PWM fans. These fans feature a optimized fan geometry for balanced airflow and static pressure and also have notched blade edges to eliminate fan hum. The front of the case will also support three 120mm fans, two 140 mm fans or radiators up to 360 mm using the included fan brackets. On the inside of the front bezel you’ll find a removeable filter. There is also a filter that pulls out from the front of the case, although you do have to remove the front bezel to access it. The filters use a nylon mesh which offers 2x the airflow of plastic filters.
As we move up to the top of the case we find all of our buttons and connections. From left to right we have headphone and microphone jacks, a USB 3.0 port, large power button, another USB 3.0 port, USB 3.2 gen 2 Type-C port, and a small reset button. The rest of the top of the case is pretty plain with no ventilation. This part and the front bezel of the case are made of plastic.
The top part of the case easily slides off to reveal your power supply mount as well as a 4th hard drive mount. This hard drive mount supports either a 3.5-inch drive or a 2.5-inch drive. By removing a thumbscrew you can easily remove it from the case. The top-mounted power supply placement allows for the entire bottom of the case to be used as an intake. There is also a built-in water-cooling fill port up top.
The main side panel of the case is a tempered glass panel. On the white version of the case it is a clear panel. There is a tool-less top-latching mechanism which allows easy removal of the panel with a single hand. The opposite side panel is is all white, but has the same tool-less mechanism which means getting in either side of the case is a breeze!
Finally coming around to the back of the case we have a pretty simple design with of course our power supply mount at the top of the case and then the motherboard mount below. The rest of the rear of the case is ventilated and there is room for an optional 120 mm cooling fan. Also to note there are four velcro straps along the rear exterior for managing the your power cable and other cables going into your motherboard.
