Needless to say, I never built a SFX build before. Until I heard about the Fractal Terra, announced at Computex 2023! I actually caught GNexus video about it the week of Computex, and immediately started obsessing over it. My girlfriend got the hint. GPU Max Dimensions: 322 x 72 x 131 mm / 322 x 62 x 145 mm in Max GPU Config, 322 x 43 x 131 mm / 322 x 33 x 145 mm in Max CPU Config Inside, Terra hides smart features such as a stepless slidable central wall, allowing users to adapt the space ratio between compartments by up to 30 mm. This gives builders the freedom to design their small form factor gaming PC around their component choices, including the option to incorporate a in a space-saving 10.4 L case. Balancing performance and temperature on high-end parts is always going to be the biggest challenge with a SFF PC, yet achieve the right compromise and the payoff is worth it. Our Terra build is great for high-framerate 1440p gaming, powers through everyday work, and keeps noise levels down to a minimum. All temperature measurements are presented as Deltas – meaning the ambient temperature has been deducted from the CPU temperature giving us a Delta. Data shown in the charts represent the average component temperature over the length of the test as measured by HWiNFO and then the last 15 minutes of the data are calculated to get the average. The ambient temperature during thermal tests is between 20-22⁰C.

The Fractal Design Terra is an extremely compact case. It has a volume of only 10.4l and is just 343 × 153 × 218 mm small. This means that it can also be easily accommodated on smaller desks. With its design, which also uses some wood, it also blends in well with the living space. The Terra is also processed to a very high standard. The outer shell is made of anodised aluminium. The sides can be easily folded up and the lid can also be easily removed via a strap made of imitation leather. Compact and Flexible Add natural materials to your setup with a front-facing panel cut from sustainably sourced solid walnutHello LTT community! Over the weekend my girlfriend gave me a Fractal Terra as a birthday present! I’ve wanted a SFX case for as long as I’ve known about Dan’s Case… My only complaint about Dans case (me being in the US) was availability and how long the design process took… I watched the C4 case go through a lot of iterations from 2017-2023… Artificially cranking up the load with Cinebench R23 reveals average temperature across all six performance cores peaks at 69°C, while the four efficient cores top out at 62°C. Interestingly, peak temperature increases to 72°C with the Noctua FD-1 fan duct removed, so there is a definite benefit for such an accessory in a compact build. It’s always fascinating to see manufacturers attempt to shoehorn extra features into itty-bitty cases, and inevitably, some work better than others. Terra’s weak points revolve around fan and storage mounts. There is technically support for a 120mm bottom-mounted fan beneath the PSU, but you’ll need to use a small SFX supply, as our Fractal Ion SFX-L 500W Gold unit obscures that spot.

A central moveable motherboard spine allows users to adjust space between compartments to increase space for dedicated graphics cards or taller CPU coolers. Exterior styling features anodised aluminium in a choice of three different colours combined with a small Walnut trim panel that houses the power button and front I/O, giving the case a unique and sophisticated appearance.

Motherboard Spine is adjustable, which affects the min/ max GPU width and CPU cooler height. If GPU width is increased, CPU cooler height will decrease and vice versa. The max width of the GPU is also dependent on the height. There are two different scenarios (H<131mm, H>131-145mm). See manual for detailed info. Front panel I/O connectivity consists of a single USB 3.1 Gen2 Type-C port and a USB 3.0 Type-A port, as well as an LED-illuminated power button. It has been a while since my last proper case review, and even longer since I last looked at a new SFF chassis, so when Fractal Design got in touch to say they had a new highly compact mini-ITX case ready to launch… I was very eager to take a look. The Fractal Terra combines a tiny 10.4L small form factor with Scandinavian design elements and the ability to cram in high-end hardware. But can this new compact ITX case from Fractal deal with the current hardware demands and is it an improvement on what came before it? Let’s find out. Oh and it comes with a PCIe 4.0 riser cable, too, which is a necessity when you're kinda forced into vertical mounting.

The case is primarily designed with CPU air cooling in mind but it is possible to install a 120mm radiator or AIO inside the Terra.Also, since this is a new SFX build, I opted for the Silverstone SX1000 Platinum… a bit overkill, but I wanted to future proof this build in case I find a deal on a 40 series RTX card. GPU temperature on the other hand is excellent. Even when case side panels are removed the temperature remains consistent so the heavily ventilated panels are doing their intended job, which is good news for cooling. Since removing side panels makes little to no difference in thermal performance, fan speeds are neither increased nor decreased so noise levels also remain stable when changing the case configuration. Again this is a good sign that the ventilated panels are doing their job efficiently and the case is able to cool the hardware sufficiently. Closing Thoughts Compact dimensions of 343mm x 153mm x 218mm (LxWxH) and a tiny 10.4L capacity make the Terra one of the smaller Mini-ITX cases on the market.

KitGuru says: The Fractal Terra might not suit every PC spec but it's a very good-looking, compact mini-ITX case that will support high-end hardware and looks like the ideal option for a living room media PC, or any other use you can think of. Fractal Design Terra is an extremely compact mini-ITX chassis with a capacity of just 10.4L, the case measures just 343mm x 153mm x 218mm (LxWxH) so it sits towards the smaller end of the mini-ITX scale which is fine because that surely is what mini-ITX is all about. Fractal has chosen a combination of wood and anodised aluminium for the exterior of the Terra with an internal chassis frame made from steel. Meet Fractal Terra — a PC case designed and engineered to reshape the small form factor gaming experience.Experience powerful, uncluttered gaming, with the ability to install a GPU up to 322 mm long in a space-saving 10.4 L case (excluding feet) The Terra includes a box of accessories such as screws, cable ties and a 2.5-inch drive bay as well as a PCI-e Gen4 riser cable and power supply extension cable. In its default configuration, the Fractal Terra produces thermal results as we would expect, the CPU temperature is a little on the high side but that’s due to the ultra-low profile CPU cooler used. The case will allow for the installation of larger coolers, but the CPU temperature is still within AMD limits. Even though the Fractal Terra may not offer great support for AIOs or water-cooling radiators and huge graphics cards… it’s no detriment to the case. I would never expect this case to be used as a base for a main gaming PC or high-end editing rig, it's more ideally suited to a media PC or casual living room gaming rig that sits under a TV unit, so its compact size and hardware support is ideal for this type of scenario. Taken as a whole the Fractal Terra is a very good mini-ITX case. Its compact design means it will likely fit in any space while the stylish looks should appeal to anyone looking for a new small media PC case that can sit in the living room and not look out of place. The modest hardware support should be enough for most users, but if you want a mini-ITX and an RTX 4090 you need to look elsewhere – for everyone else, it's more than enough.