Fractal Design Arc Midi Case Review

1. Introduction2. Packaging3. Arc Midi Exterior4. Removable panels5. Arc Midi Interior6. System build7. Testing Methodology and Performance8. Acoustic Performance9. Closing thoughts10. View All Pages

Working with the Fractal Design Arc Midi Tower has been a pleasure.  There are no new major design features introduced, but the features that are included have been very well thought out.  The additional width of the chassis provides room for any type of system build, even accommodating the largest of heatsinks, up to 180mm tall.

The cable management options in the Arc Midi are as good as any case we have worked with. We really appreciate the two cutouts at the very top of the motherboard tray, which made routing the 8pin power cable as easy as we could hope for.

The Arc Midi ships with a fan controller and 3 x 140mm fans that spin at 1000 RPM, the noise emissions are impressive too, registering only 34 dBa at full speed.  If we reduce the fan speeds by as little as 10% they offer a near silent experience.  A bonus is that there are plenty of options if you want more cooling power.

Not including the 3 fans that ship with the case, there is room for 4 additional fans ranging in size from 120mm to 180mm.  The Arc Midi also provides the option to top mount a 60mm thick dual 120mm radiator for those of you that like to play with liquid cooling.

Pros:

• Simple but elegant appearance
• Excellent cable management options
• Extra wide chassis allowing heatsinks up to 180mm tall
• Removable fan filters
• Room for the largest graphics cards on the market
• Quiet fans
• Multiple options for additional cooling

Cons:

• None to speak of

What makes this case even more attractive is the price.  We were pleasantly surprised to find this chassis listed for $99.99 at NCIX.  In the United Kingdom it can be picked up for only £67 inc vat. At this price we feel that the Fractal Design Arc Midi Tower is one of the best options available at this price point.

Kitguru says: It's quiet, inexpensive, and looks great which makes it an easy choice for our top award, making it a “Must Have” item.

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