Fractal Design North
Walnut wood front · Mesh side · ATX
Fractal North XL · Charcoal
Full-tower
Fractal Design North takes it — here’s why.
In our weighted Specdex score, Fractal Design North lands at 92 and Fractal North XL · Charcoal at 91. That puts Fractal Design North ahead by 1 points — a narrow margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.
Pick Fractal Design North if…
- ✓Real walnut wood front panel
- ✓Excellent airflow
- ✓Great cable management
Pick Fractal North XL · Charcoal if…
- ✓Tool-less panels on most
- ✓Cable-management channels
- ✓Dust filters
Winner by scenario
Derived from the sub-score breakdown · not a separate testBuild
Fractal Design NorthCompared on the build sub-score
Fractal Design North leads on build (95 vs 89).
Airflow
TieCompared on the airflow sub-score
Effectively tied — neither pulls a 2-point weighted lead.
Value for money
Fractal Design NorthSpecdex score per dollar at MSRP
Fractal Design North more score per dollar ($139 vs $189).
Score breakdown
Specs side-by-side
| Spec | Fractal Design North | Fractal North XL · Charcoal |
|---|---|---|
| Form | Mid-tower ATX | — |
| Dimensions | 447×215×469 mm | — |
| Front panel | Walnut + mesh side | — |
| GPU clearance | 355 mm | — |
| CPU clearance | 170 mm | — |
| Fan support | 7× 120 mm | — |
| Color | Charcoal Black, Chalk White | — |
| Type | — | Full-tower |
Fractal Design North
- +Real walnut wood front panel
- +Excellent airflow
- +Great cable management
- −Glass version pricier
- −No vertical GPU mount included
- −Front fans not RGB
Fractal North XL · Charcoal
- +Tool-less panels on most
- +Cable-management channels
- +Dust filters
- −Fan inclusion varies
- −GPU clearance limits for triple-slot cards
- −Weight on glass panels
FAQ: Fractal Design North vs Fractal North XL · Charcoal
Which is better, Fractal Design North or Fractal North XL · Charcoal? +
Fractal Design North scores 92 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 1. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.
Is Fractal Design North worth the price? +
At $139, Fractal Design North delivers a Specdex score of 92 — strongest in design.
Is Fractal North XL · Charcoal worth the price? +
At $189, Fractal North XL · Charcoal delivers a Specdex score of 91 — strongest in airflow.
Does Fractal Design North or Fractal North XL · Charcoal last longer? +
Based on our long-term update and support ratings, both ship with multi-year support. Battery and reliability scores are visible in the breakdown above.
Which is better for build, Fractal Design North or Fractal North XL · Charcoal? +
Fractal Design North — leads on build (95 vs 89). Compared on the build sub-score.
Which is the better value, Fractal Design North or Fractal North XL · Charcoal? +
Fractal Design North — more score per dollar ($139 vs $189). Specdex score per dollar at MSRP.