Results: Very low noise level (33 dBA)
The Era 2 case is an evolution of the original model (Era ITX), where Fractal Design also changed the approach to the ventilation holes. Be it in terms of the top panel or the side, larger perforations. How the Era 2 will make its mark and stack up against competing SFF cases remains to be seen. Despite the detailed analysis, this is still the first case to pass our new testing methodology.
Results: Very low noise level (33 dBA)
Note on vibrations: In our analysis, we did not encounter measurable vibration in any of the tested fan configurations of the Fractal Design Era 2.
Why is there a missing value next to a case in the chart?One possible reason is that the fans could not be configured to the specified mode. Either because the minimum speed is too high or the maximum speed is too low. A second reason could be that the available cooling performance was insufficient for some of the tested components, which resulted in a drop in performance. The temperature values are always achieved (and compared) at comparable performance.
Continue: Results: Limit of audibility (31 dBA)
- Contents
- Exterior details...
- ... and interior details of the Fractal Design Era 2
- Testing methodology
- Results: Maximum performance
- Results: Higher performance (45 dBA)
- Results: Medium performance (42 dBA)
- Results: Lower noise level (39 dBA)
- Results: Low noise level (36 dBA)
- Results: Very low noise level (33 dBA)
- Results: Limit of audibility (31 dBA)
- Results: USB port speeds
- Conclusion
On testing methodology:
1. Going for L9 over L12x77 is certainly a better choice as the former is basically guaranteed to fit in any cases (if you must only use two coolers). Still, I think having more coolers in the arsenal would be more “fair” to the cases being tested. The inability to use larger air coolers like the L12S, or liquid coolers like what this case is designed for, heavily penalizes this case.
2. There’s a good reason that the stock fans should be used when provided, but I wonder what you would do if the case comes with no case fans but intend you to use some?
3. I think there should be additional noise and spectral analysis for when fans are pressed against the side panels and/or fan mounting hardware. Somewhat related, removing cooler from noise level may not be appropriate in some cases, where the intake panel is located close to the cooler.
4. Can you explain why E-cores are disabled?
Specific for this case:
1. “Both side panels are heavily perforated. Firstly on a relatively large area (approx. 50 %)”…
By 50%, are you referring to the area where the vents are present? If we’re talking about open area %, by my rough estimation it’s only around 25% at the most open areas.
2. The bottom dust filter looks interesting, seems similar to the metal filter you have tested. I’d imagine it being quite favourable to airflow.
3. Despite Fractal installing the bottom fans as intake at stock, it is in fact inferior to bottom exhaust, even when using liquid coolers on top. Machines and More on YouTube (https://youtu.be/vyNmPt6nBTI?si=3IF5SPVDaiIT2EmF&t=890) has extensively tested various fan layouts and load scenarios, and found that flipping the bottom fans to exhaust are always better (for both CPU and GPU). And this makes a lot of sense in sandwich layout cases – you’re aiming to pull air from the sides and exhaust hot air via other routes. When there’s airflow from the bottom, the case internal pressure increases, which means less air will be pulled in from the sides, leading to marginal gains or even negative effects.
Yes, the NH-L12Sx77 cooler does not fit in the Era 2 and we had to adjust the fan position in the case of the Mood case as well. The NH-L9i cooler has better compatibility due to its smaller dimensions, but at the price of lower cooling performance. Of course, I agree that in an ideal world, tests with liquid coolers would be great too. But these are already beyond the available capacity in terms of time.
In the future we will deal with spectral sound analyses with respect to different fan modifications in the framework of the evaluation of the level of psychoacoustic optimizations. Unfortunately, there is no time for this now due to too much pressure on tests of components from other categories.
The E-cores were disabled because of the higher heat flux achieved on the P-cores, which the coolers are also able to keep cool while maintaining a stable performance.
The 50% is not meant to be the “open area”, but the “total area covered by the perforation”. I accept that the wording could have been clearer. My head was already in other topics when writing the article, haha. And you probably know which ones… 🙂
On time requirements, a reasonable compromise would be to reduce the resolution of sound tests… that is, test fewer sound levels. I don’t think testing 6 sound levels so close together would lead to a different conclusion than, say, 3-4 sound levels spread wider apart (e.g. 31, 33, 39, 45 dBA). I’d say it’s the same for fans too, and the extra time gained could be better used for other things (for example by testing more fans, or by expanding the range of sound testing to something like 31/33/39/45/51 dBA etc.)