Rumor Fractal Design ERA ITX - 16.7L SSF Mainstream Chassis

Gonna just dump all the pics I got...

Product box (from a possible early T&E unit?)



 

Boil

SFF Guru
Original poster
Nov 11, 2015
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Seems there are five colors in total, so I am guessing what I read as Silver White Oak on a Google search is actually two colors, Silver & White Oak.

The panels are aluminum, so that helps with the higher pricing. There are also optional wooden top panels!

To me, it seems like all colors are represented in the tease Fractal Design released a few days ago on their Twitter feed.

The Blue color really made me nostalgic for the early 1990's Silicon Graphics workstations, but I will probably get a Grey chassis!

I have seen this listed (again, on web stores that have since pulled) from US$160 to US$180; this leads me to believe all the colored bits (panels & PCI bracket cover & power button) are all aluminum, as does the fact that the rear panel is all that is supporting the upper & lower frame rails. Seems like that wouldn't be something that would have a long life if plastic?

Anyway, until Wednesday the 18th of March rolls about, all we can do is speculate!

Enjoy!
 
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manoueltiger

Trash Compacter
Mar 10, 2020
38
24
Mmmmmmmh I’m a little disappointed by these photos...
I thought that fractal would make a nzxt h1-like
But it´s as good as the ncase m1....
And what about the airflow ? I’m a little suspicious
I’m not interested at all... too bad
 

rfarmer

Spatial Philosopher
Jul 7, 2017
2,586
2,700
I really like that blue color. At least they have an optional top panel instead of only having the TG one, probably work pretty well with a 240mm AIO. Venting in the sides looks a bit limited for a good air cooled build.
 

Boil

SFF Guru
Original poster
Nov 11, 2015
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I really like that blue color. At least they have an optional top panel instead of only having the TG one, probably work pretty well with a 240mm AIO. Venting in the sides looks a bit limited for a good air cooled build.

The mesh top panel is not an option, you get both it & the TG with the chassis. You also get both ATX & SFX brackets.

But there seems to be optional top panels made from wood available!

There are vents on the bottom & the box says it supports dual 140mm fans on the bottom. I would do dual 140s on the bottom as intake & dual 120s on the top as exhaust (thru a radiator).

Since I am currently using a MSI GTX 1070 Sea Hawk X hybrid GPU with a 120 AIO, I would swap my Noctua NH-U12A (which would never fit in the ERA anyway) for a Corsair H60 120mm AIO & run dual 120 AIOs while I wait for Big Chungus Navi to show its face.

At that point I will think about a full custom loop in the ERA, D5 pump on the rear exhaust grate & a "the radiator is the reservoir" philosophy!

The Blue really takes me back to the early 1990's and the Silicon Graphics workstations; but I am pretty sure I am going to get a Grey one, and slap a SGI cube logo on that.
 
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JDragon

Average Stuffer
Aug 22, 2018
86
64
Love the colors and appreciate what they are doing with the design, excited to see some mainstream options beyond the usual black or white boxes (or RGB infested transformer looking cases).

120mm clearance means the Noctua C14S will be the go to cooler and that’s a fine option. Curious to see if the bottom fans can be mounted with a GPU, looks like a tight squeeze. If it can the case looks like it might actually have reasonable airflow with bottom and CPU intake and top/rear exhaust (mesh panel).
 

TLN

Average Stuffer
Mar 9, 2020
57
32
I quite like it and I agree on blue color. I wish it got perforation all over side panel for better cooling.
And it better be all metal for that kind of money. Not sure if I'm interested in this or I'd stick to somethign like conswole at this time.
 

Boil

SFF Guru
Original poster
Nov 11, 2015
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Took a look at Fractal’s website and it looks to be an aluminum outer shell. And wow, it has wood top panel options! Please give me a walnut top with silver case and I will be over the moon.

Placeholder page: https://www.fractal-design.com/products/cases/era/

Good catch...! I guess they figured the cat was out of the bag, let's put something up...?

Era is a unique and elegantly understated feat of both design and technical engineering—a compact chassis free from the excessive restrictions traditionally associated with small form factor systems.
Wrapped in aluminum and offering a variety of top inserts ranging from premium wood to tempered glass, Era blends into any environment. Despite a modest 16 liter footprint, it readily accommodates dual slot GPUs, AIO water cooling units up to 240 mm, high-end processors, and up to four storage devices.
Compact, sophisticated and stylish, Era redefines the small form factor for those looking to make a design statement without sacrificing the power and functionality of professional grade hardware.
 

Windfall

Shrink Ray Wielder
SFFn Staff
Nov 14, 2017
2,117
1,582
I love the Gold, it seems to be just matte enough!

Awesome job grabbing all those photos!

Ugh....

Despite a modest 16 liter footprint

At the least, it's a step in the right direction....
 

JDragon

Average Stuffer
Aug 22, 2018
86
64
Alright, this link:


References Silver White Oak, but the model code just has "SI" on the end, which would indicate Silver.

So I think the White Oak is a model that is White, with an Oak top panel rather than the tempered glass...?

Sorry @JDragon , looks like no Silver with a Walnut top panel for you...
Hoping they have a variety of wooden tops available for aftermarket purchase, walnut is my dream but any darker color wooden top with silver would be awesome.
 

Arboreal

King of Cable Management
Silver Supporter
Oct 11, 2015
805
803
Although I can’t see it on the F-D site, it is shown for pre order on Amazon UK at 141 GBP for the Titanium Grey with Walnut top. The release date is tomorrow, 18th March.
Great to see something new and different, especially an alu shell in 5 colours.
 

Mackan

Airflow Optimizer
Jun 2, 2016
302
160
This can't be the "perfect ITX case" and "revolutionary design" that the Fractal CEO talked about. Add to that "We've been working on it for two years together with probably the largest manufacturer of hardware computer circuits in the world". I don't see any complicated circuits? The power button? The power cable?

So they must have another ITX case coming. Probably smaller. Or worse, it's cancelled.

Anyway, good that they dare to release another ITX case.
 

Boil

SFF Guru
Original poster
Nov 11, 2015
1,253
1,094
Hoping they have a variety of wooden tops available for aftermarket purchase, walnut is my dream but any darker color wooden top with silver would be awesome.

Possible, or it just might open a game of "Trade Your Top Panel"...!, wherein a group of SFF aficionados communicate amongst themselves & swap top panels...

Although I can’t see it on the F-D site, it is shown for pre order on Amazon UK at 141 GBP for the Titanium Grey with Walnut top. The release date is tomorrow, 18th March.
Great to see something new and different, especially an alu shell in 5 colours.

I am torn between the Titanium Grey & the Blue...

This can't be the "perfect ITX case" and "revolutionary design" that the Fractal CEO talked about. Add to that "We've been working on it for two years together with probably the largest manufacturer of hardware computer circuits in the world". I don't see any complicated circuits? The power button? The power cable?

So they must have another ITX case coming. Probably smaller. Or worse, it's cancelled.

Anyway, good that they dare to release another ITX case.

Marketing hyperbole...! We will know more come Wednesday...!
 

Arboreal

King of Cable Management
Silver Supporter
Oct 11, 2015
805
803
I see that there are comments saying that the anodised alu looks a bit plastic.
More photos of actual cases will be needed to see whether that is the way it is.
Part of me is thinking, dip all that lovely dyed alu in a stripping solution and get a raw metal and/or distressed look. ??

BTW, thanks @Boil for posting this up, as it has passed my by