Fractal Design Node 304 in white: when will they release it?

[thismafiaguy]

The Node 304 is quite a good alternative to the Bitfenix Prodigy. It's smaller than the Prodigy, but still accommodates full size graphics cards and big CPU coolers. I'm planning to build a Mini-ITX system with it, and I think the white version will look pretty nice. But it's still nowhere to be found, and I can't imagine it should take a lot of development time to paint an existing case in a different color.

 

[LandoCommando]

I actually wrote Fractal Design and asked. They said it will be available in September. Here is the response from them:

Hello XXXXX,
Thank you for contacting us here at Fractal Design. The Node 304 White should be available in for purchase in North America by the middle of September. Should you have any other questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to call or email.

Best Regards,
Sean

 

[thismafiaguy]

September? That's a bit disappointing considering that I was expecting it this month. According to the announcement articles from May, it was "coming in July" for $89. Ah... What a headache it is to build a mini ITX system! I'm also waiting for ASUS to release their Z87I motherboards. This just kills so much excitement.

 

[LandoCommando]

Thismafiaguy,

Sorry to be the one to give you the bad news. I was looking at getting my hands on one this month, doing my build, and then just having to worry about getting a video card at the end of October when BF4 comes out.
This will be my FIRST mini-ITX small form factor build. From other posts I've read and from videos on YouTube, it seems like the biggest pain with building a SFF system, especially the Node 304, is that PSU spacing with a larger GPU. Since I've already got my PSU picked out (Silverstone MODULAR 140mm long PSU with Silverstone Short-cable set) I already have gotten past that hurdle. Also, from what I've read, the Silverstone PP05 short cable set makes working inside a SFF case MUCH MUCH easier. I guess we'll see. Would love to see pics of your setup once you start.

 

[thismafiaguy]

This will be my first mini-ITX build as well! I had an AMD FX-8350 rig until the OS decided to take a dump and I decided to get a fresh start. Unfortunately, there aren't any mini-ITX motherboards for AM3+, so I have to make the pricey switch to Intel. I'm most likely going to go with the ASUS Z87I-Pro motherboard when it's released. It's likely going to be cheaper than the Z87I-Deluxe, but with 90% of the features of the Deluxe.

I actually had to dig around quite a bit to find a suitable PSU. I could've taken the easy way out and got the Corsair CX600M, which was semi-modular and very suitable for this type of build. But I wanted 80PLUS Gold efficiency and full modular cables so the cable lengths can be fully custom. I decided on the Silverstone ST65F-G, and I already ordered custom length sleeved cables for it, which hopefully will just be long enough with some slack. I'll post pictures when I get the case and install the motherboard and PSU into it.

I really wish ASUS didn't go with the gold/black theme on their Z87 motherboards though. It matches absolutely nothing, my case theme is going to be black/white, so gold probably won't mix in very well. Eh, maybe I can get the new Corsair Vengeance Pro RAM in gold to match it.

 

[LandoCommando]

Thismafiaguy,

LOL, great minds think alike. I am either going with 1 of 2 motherboard/CPU setups:

#1. Gigabyte GA-Z77N Socket 1155 with an Intel i5 3570 cpu
#2. Gigabyte GA-Z87N Socket 1150 with an Intel i5 4570 cpu

Last time I priced out both pairs when sales are on, there is only a $7 difference so #2 seems the better option in terms of future upgradability. If #2 is a lot more, I still think #1 will work out just fine for my needs.

In terms of the PSU, I also agree. I'm getting the either the Silverstone ST-60F (600w psu with 150 x 86 x 140 dimensions) OR the Silverstone ST55F (550w psu with 150 x 86 x 140 dimensions) along with Silverstone's PP05 short cable set. All of the videos I've seen and articles I've read say that a compact MODULAR psu is the way to go if you're looking at putting in a video card so you won't run into GPU spacing problems.

 

[thismafiaguy]

I'm stuck with the ASUS motherboards because I need the 8pin CPU and the 24pin power connector right next to each other on the edge of the board. I already ordered my cables and they are not going to reach anywhere else on the motherboard. I did some digging for Node 304 builds, and I've concluded that the biggest challenge will be cable management. So many builds have airflow restrictions due to excess cables. That's why I estimated my cables to just reach the connectors and nothing more.

I'm probably going to get the 4770 at a MicroCenter, which should be about $270 with tax. Still spending about $500 on this build, even after selling my AMD combo.

 

[thismafiaguy]

Update: The Node 304 White is now available on Newegg and Amazon, along with many other retailers. I ordered mine from Rakuten for $97.99 which does feel a bit steep considering that the Node 304 Black is now down to $54.99, but I expected the full retail price on release. I should have this build completed by the end of next week if all the parts get here.