INTRODUCTION

   PC cases may not be the most interesting part of any system but at least for me they are just as important as every other component. Design/looks, build quality and interior space are the very first things i look when i get my hands on a new tower and even though looks are not that hard for any manufacturer to achieve, interior space and even build quality are not quite as easy which is exactly why nowadays the market is flooded with low-cost models that basically just look nice. For people looking for something better however we always have certain well-established manufacturers to count on since Fractal Design is clearly among them today, I’ll be taking a closer look at their Pop XL Air model (RGB Black, TG Clear).

   Fractal Design is a leading designer and manufacturer of premium PC hardware including cases, cooling, power supplies and accessories. Based in Gothenburg and with offices in the US as well as Taiwan, Fractal Design has gained a global reputation for innovative design, elegant aesthetics and solid build quality. Fractal Design products are available in over 45 countries worldwide, and are still growing.

   The Pop XL Air is available in 2 different colors (black and white) both of which sport a tempered glass side panel and ARGB support for the leading sync technologies in the market (ASUS AURA, Gigabytes Fusion, MSI Mystic Light, ASRock Polychrome and Razer Chroma). Other features include four Aspect 12 RGB fans (120mm/1200RPM/32CFM/18.3dBA/1.20mmH2O/6 ARGB LEDs), mesh front (perforated steel) for optimal airflow levels, hidden 5.25" front compartment, removable drive cage and trays and removable top and bottom air-filters. In terms of interior space, the Pop XL Air has plenty of room for most hardware components out there including for up to E-ATX sized motherboards, three 3.5" and/or five 2.5" drives, up to six 120mm fans (or 5x140mm) and/or two 240/280/360mm radiators, 185mm tall CPU coolers, 455mm long graphics cards and 205mm long power supply units. It's been a while since i did a PC case review so let's see whether or not the Pop XL Air delivers where it counts.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

The Pop XL Air is packed inside a plain cardboard box that has a product drawing at the front right beneath the company logo and next to its main specifications.

Printed on two small stickers on the left side we find the model’s name and its serial and part numbers.

An exposed drawing of the case is placed at the rear of the box right beneath its main features printed in 6 languages.

As usual the tower is wrapped inside a plastic bag and placed between two foam spacers.

Inside the box you will find 4 cable ties, 4 bags with mounting screws, 12 round rubber spacers (probably anti-vibration for the drives), warranty information paper and the user guide.

THE POP XL AIR EXTERIOR

Measuring 520mm in height, 522mm in length and 230mm in width the Pop XL Air is clearly a large size mid-tower.

As already mentioned, the right side panel is made out of tempered glass held in place via 2 rear thumbscrews.

Moving at the front we see the perforated steel fascia from where you can clearly see the 3 Aspect 12 ARGB fans behind it.

Fractal has placed a hidden compartment accessible from the lower end of the fascia.

The I/O is located at the top and includes the on/off power button, ARGB color button, two USB 3.0 ports, the usual headset and microphone 3.5" ports and a hole for a USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C port (available extra).

As you can all see the top is taken by a magnetic air-filter.

Turning the case around we find the 4th Aspect 12 ARGB fan, 8 PCI expansion slots and the PSU area.

At the base of the Pop XL Air, we find a removable air-filter right under the PSU area.

THE POP XL AIR INTERIOR

In terms of interior space, the Pop XL Air may not be the largest mid-tower out there but it does come close.

One can easily mount an 360mm radiator (or a 240/280mm) at the front.

The PSU shroud is perforated right over the PSU area.

Fractal Design has placed 2 very long openings on the motherboard tray and 2 more on the PSU shroud.

On the right side we two vertical aluminum trays, single 3.5/2.5" tray and the PSU area.

These trays are not be very thick but they are certainly very sturdy.

BUILDING THE SYSTEM

As always, the purpose of this section is not to build a functional system but rather to showcase what you can expect from the case at hand in terms of interior space.

205mm is more than enough for most sub 1KW PSU models out there (and their modular cables of course).

Even with a full sized ATX motherboard mounted there's still plenty of space inside the Pop XL Air.

With room for up to 185mm CPU coolers you should be able to fit any model in the Pop XL Air.

For this review i mounted an 56mm thick 360mm radiator at the front and an 25mm thick 240mm radiator on top.

Even with an 56mm thick radiator at the front you still have room for up to 399mm graphics cards (the GTX 590 used here is roughly 295mm long).

NOISE LEVEL TEST

After giving it much thought, we decided on performing noise tests with each PC Case we receive by placing our ExTech HD600 vertically on top of each case to measure the noise levels emanating from the pre-installed fans at both 50% and 100% with the help of a fan controller (if the case doesn't have one, i use my very own).

CONCLUSION

   Due to an old knee injury which started acting up again last year I haven’t been very active in regards to PC case reviews (obviously since my last such review was like 4 months ago) and so I hope I can get back on track soon. With that out of the way I think it’s evident from today’s review that the Pop XL Air will easily tick all boxes when one is out to get a new PC case. It looks great so it should cover most users in that regard and as for build quality and interior space you’ll really have a hard time finding an equally good mid-tower. The small storage area located at the base of the fascia is also a good addition especially if you plan on having the Pop XL Air on your desk. The 4 pre-installed 120mm ARGB fans combined with the perforated steel fascia ensure very good airflow levels inside the Pop XL Air and so adding more is not really needed. Again, if I had to nitpick I’d point out to the fact that you can’t put an 360mm radiator on top but since you can put one at the front of the Pop XL Air (and regardless of thickness at that) it’s not as important (still I would had liked to see that).

   With a price tag set at USD134.12 inside the USA (Amazon.com) and at 116.27Euros inside the EU (Amazon.de) the Pop XL Air Mid-Tower by Fractal Design is priced very well for what it offers. Yes, this may not be the most unique looking or largest PC case in the market today but it does look great, has plenty of interior space and build quality is very good so the Golden Award is clearly in order.

PROS

- Very Good Build Quality
- 3 Preinstalled 120mm ARGB Fans
- Radiator Space (Front 240/280/360mm & Top 240/280mm)
- 3 Removable Drive Cages
- Space For 185mm Tall CPU Coolers, 455mm Long Graphics Cards and 205mm Long PSUs
- Removable Air Filters (Top/Bottom)
- Hidden Compartment
- Price (For Some)

CONS

- Lacks Top 360mm Radiator Support