Conclusion
...for the enthusiast who wants to tie a tiny motherboard to full-size components and indulgent cooling, Nano S arrives with an emphasis on ultra-high-end hardware.A fair few chassis manufacturers dabble in other key components such as power supplies and, in recent years, all-in-one liquid coolers. It's a healthy portfolio to have, yet it can lead to unavoidable crossover as any one product from a company's range should inevitably work with another.
Fractal Design's Define Nano S is a prime example. Introduced as a mini-ITX enclosure, the new addition to the Define Series range retains support for just about any ATX power supply from Fractal's stable, as well as a choice of one or two expandable Kelvin Series coolers.
The consequence of that is a mini-ITX chassis whose dimensions are larger than most users' expectations of a small-form-factor PC. Aiming instead for the enthusiast who wants to tie a tiny motherboard to full-size components and indulgent cooling, Nano S arrives with an emphasis on ultra-high-end hardware. Geared specifically for users contemplating a couple of radiators in a custom loop with pump and reservoir, this is ultimately a case suited to only a particular type of build.
Want a mini-ITX case with an ATX-style layout that enables you to go crazy with liquid-cooled hardware? Fractal Design's Define Nano S will be right up your street.
The Good The Bad Makes light work of an ITX build
Familiar Define Series aesthetic
Plenty of liquid-cooling potential
Can house a powerful graphics card Looks sparse without liquid cooling
GPU and PSU in close proximity
Not actually that small
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The Fractal Design Define Nano S chassis will be available to purchase starting March 2016.
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