Cable ManagementĬable management in the Torrent Compact made me realize something: The 24-pin motherboard power cable needs to go on a diet. I know M.2 drives are increasingly popular, and motherboards now often include ports for three or more, but I still would’ve liked to see more storage support here. You get mounts for three 2.5-inch SSDs here, and there’s space in the PSU chamber for either one 2.5-inch drive or one 3.5-inch spinning hard drive. There just isn’t enough room for cables in the rear. Speaking of space constraints, my least-favorite part of the Torrent Compact is the area behind the motherboard. If you want to use a large motherboard, you should opt for the larger original Torrent, or another large case instead. And as we’ll see later, cable routing space is already scarce. However, be prepared to lose out on some cable routing options if you go that route, as larger boards end up covering a portion of the routing grommets. The Torrent Compact does technically allow for E-ATX motherboards. I even tried mounting the AIO first, then installing the GPU, but that didn’t work either. We couldn’t fit our EK 240mm D-RGB AIO in the front since we’re using a Gigabyte RTX 3070 Ti Gaming OC, which is 12.5 inches (320 mm) long. Since you don’t have the option to mount a radiator to the top of the case (remember, that’s where the PSU lives), you’re limited to impractical mounting options for liquid cooling, either in the front of the case or at the bottom. This isn’t a bad thing, but if you’re using a triple-fan graphics card, you’re cutting it close, as the case only supports graphics cards up to 13 inches (330 mm) with the front case fans installed. While I have experience with the Fractal Meshify C, that case looked small right when I first laid my eyes on it. I didn’t realize how tiny the Torrent Compact was until I started building in it. Mounting the power supply up top feels a bit retro and makes installation easier, but it affects cooling and also made for some cable routing complications (more on that later). The rest of the top panel is barren, thanks in large part to the power supply’s mounting location at the top rear of the case just like the original Torrent. The top I/O also includes two USB 3.0 ports, one USB Type-C port, a reset switch, and mic and headphone jacks. The case’s power switch gives me a sports car vibe as well: Its circular shape combined with the front panel reminds me of an engine start button. The front panel of the Torrent Compact bears an aggressive design, reminding me a lot of the grille on a supercar.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |