God PC Case – Fractal Torrent Review

Fractal Design’s Torrent is a new high-airflow full tower PC case that aims to maximize cooling potential straight out of the box. With its unique layout and included fans, the Torrent is targeted at PC enthusiasts who want top-tier cooling performance for high-end systems, especially those using custom liquid cooling setups.

I’ve been testing the Torrent for the past few weeks with various system configurations to see how it performs for both air and water cooling. In this detailed review, I’ll cover the Torrent’s design, cooling performance, build quality, features, pros and cons, and how it compares to other high-end cases.

Design and Layout

The most striking aspect of the Torrent is its unusual internal layout. Instead of a conventional layout with the power supply at the bottom, the Torrent positions the PSU at the very top of the case behind the removable top panel. This creates ample open space in the rest of the interior for maximum airflow and cooling potential.

The rest of the layout is optimized for airflow as well. At the front are two huge 180mm intake fans, while the bottom of the case houses three 140mm intake fans. The back has the usual 120/140mm rear exhaust fan mount. With so many high-airflow fans positioned for intake, the Torrent is designed to maintain positive air pressure and efficiently direct airflow over components.

Build quality is excellent overall, with steel construction and tempered glass side panels on the TG versions. The front panel has an aggressive, industrial design reminiscent of a server chassis, with an open grille and fins that allow the front 180mm fans to intake air unrestricted.

However, my one complaint is that the front panel and top panel are made from plastic rather than metal. The front panel in particular feels a bit flimsy. Metal panels would have conveyed a more premium feel.

Cooling Performance

With air cooling, the Torrent delivered excellent CPU and GPU thermals. Thanks to the great airflow from the multiple intake fans, the CPU peaked at just 67°C under sustained load, while the GPU reached 68°C.

Throughout testing, the noise profile remained very low, as the included 180mm and 140mm Dynamic X2 PWM fans can spin slowly and still move a lot of air due to the large fan sizes. Even at full speed, noise was lower than expected.

Clearly, the Torrent excels when it comes to cooling, making it a great choice for high-TDP CPUs and powerful GPUs. The unique layout works very effectively for both air and water cooling.

Features and Build Experience

The Torrent includes a few nice features to aid building and cable management. Rubber grommets line the cable routing holes for a clean look, and the right side panel has a wide gap that lets you easily route cables behind the motherboard tray. Velcro cable straps are included to keep everything tidy.

However, drive installation could be easier. There are no toolless drive bays, so you’ll need to use screws to install both 3.5-inch and 2.5-inch drives in the dedicated trays and brackets. This is one area where other premium cases sometimes offer toolless convenience.

The removable top panel and front panel make component installation reasonably easy, though the GPU bracket requires some disassembly. Cooling-wise, you get great radiator support, with up to 420mm radiators fitting in both the front and bottom. There’s also a reservoir mount integrated into the motherboard tray.

Overall, building in the Torrent is straightforward, and the open layout gives you lots of room to work. Cable management is aided by the interior gap and included straps. The lack of toolless drive bays is a minor downside.

Aesthetics

Visually, the Torrent has an industrial, utilitarian look rather than aiming for flashy, gaming-centric styling. The exterior is fairly understated in black, though the front panel has an aggressive design.

The TG versions add tempered glass side panels to show off your components, and the RGB variant includes RGB lighting on the front fans. The lighting can be customized via your motherboard’s RGB controls.

While not the most aesthetically exciting case, the Torrent does give your system a clean, professional appearance. And it avoids usual “gamer” styling.

Pros

• Excellent cooling performance for both air and water cooling
• Unique internal layout optimizes airflow
• Very quiet operation even at full fan speed
• High build quality and sturdy steel construction
• Lots of interior space for easy building and cable routing
• Supports big 420mm front and bottom radiators
• Reservoir mount integrated into motherboard tray

Cons

• Industrial styling may not appeal aesthetically to all
• Price is quite high
• Plastic front and top panels

Verdict

The Fractal Design Torrent delivers exceptional cooling capabilities in a well-designed package. Both the layout and included fans are highly effective at keeping temps low and noise minimal, making it ideal for high-performance air-cooled or water-cooled gaming rigs.

Build quality impresses aside from the plastic panels, and features like radiator support and cable management aid building. The unconventional layout does mean GPU installation requires extra steps, however.

At $190 MSRP, the Torrent is certainly a premium product. Competing cases can be had for less, though none match the Torrent’s thermal performance.

Overall, the Torrent easily earns a recommendation for its stellar cooling abilities. It’s a great choice for PC enthusiasts building a no-compromise high-airflow system. Just be prepared to pay a premium price to get the unique design and excellent performance the Torrent offers.

Final Thoughts

The Fractal Design Torrent delivers exceptional cooling in a well-designed package, making it one of the best high-airflow cases on the market. We rate it 4.5 stars and recommend it!