Minimalistic design with Reverse Connector support
Fractal Design has just launched (actually 5 days ago at the time of writing) a new variant of their popular North case—the North XL RC, built specifically for the trend of Reverse Connector (RC) motherboards.
It’s a quiet but meaningful update that greatly improves cable management that complements the North’s already minimalist design.
This new release extends the North family, bringing compatibility with motherboards like MSI’s Project Zero, Asus BTF, and Gigabyte Stealth—all of which route power connectors behind the motherboard tray.
As far as I can see, only the White color option is launching with RC support, but Ive reached out to Fractal to get this cleared up.
Fractal North is top tier
I’ve built my last two machines in the original Fractal North case (not XL) and I’ve loved the experience. The layout is intuitive, the build quality is top-tier, and the wooden front panel looks tasteful rather than tacky. I actually remember seeing the Fractal North feature reel a few years back (embedded below), and I was immediately impressed. I actually showed it to my wife, and even with zero intertest computer cases, she thought it looked nice. 10/10.
I’ve always appreciated that the North represents a step away from the over-designed “gamer” and RGB aesthetic. It feels refined and mature. It’s practical and feels rooted in Scandinavian design, which, to me, means great functionality with a visual calmness.
Key Specs – Fractal North XL RC
- Features actual real wood
- Supports rear connector ATX and mATX motherboards + Mini-ITX boards
- Steel chassis with tempered glass side panel
- Two drive brackets for 3.5″ or 2.5″ drives
- Two dedicated 2.5″ SSD mounts
- Seven expansion slots
- Front I/O: USB 3.2 Gen 1, USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 Type-C, and 3.5mm audio jack
- Comes with 3 × Momentum 140 mm fans pre-installed
- Ready for liquid cooling setups
- GPU clearance: up to 415 mm
Why the RC version matters
Reverse Connector motherboards still aren’t mainstream, but they’re gaining traction.
Being able to route all cables to the back side of the motherboard means less visual clutter, which suits a case like the North even better. This update doesn’t change the materials or thermal design; it just makes the case smarter for the builders who care about how the computer looks on the inside.
This is the kind of quiet product update that makes sense. No hype, just refinement.
