Well, here we have something from Fractal Design to test again, something that goes beyond the usual formulas. The Terra case falls into the SFF (small form factor) category, but unlike many similarly sized solutions, there is room for a large graphics card. This makes the Terra an attractive small case for a gaming PC or a workstation reliant on the power of the GPU. But all this is traditionally discussed in more detail.
Mounting
For easier installation, be sure not to skip the step of fitting the graphics card into the removed frame with an extended PCI Express cable. I ignored this step and mounted the graphics card into this extension when it was bolted to the case. I was prevented from installing the graphics card 100 percent by the chassis structure – couldn’t fully tighten the locking screws for the card. You can fit a Mini-ITX motherboard right away, it won’t interfere with anything.
You can place a 2.5″ storage drive behind the front panel. Two Velcro pull-tabs simply grab it and won’t let go. Simple yet effective. Care must be taken to ensure the correct orientation of the storage connectors. From the back, on the right side, the power cable is routed. You won’t be able to plug the storage through that.
Another position for 2.5″ storage is on the floor of the case. The storage screws onto the bracket from the accessories. You then secure it into the holes in the floor with the hook and screw in the pre-prepared hole. It’s easy to hit the right one even with more holes. If you just need one storage drive in the position directly behind the front panel, you can also use the floor for a 120mm fan. There are pre-made holes for it as well.
To complete the installation, the only thing missing is to install the power supply, or the graphics card. Due to the compactness of the case, it is possible to fit only SFX or larger SFX-L format power supply. The placement of the connector in the power supply played in my favor. It was on the opposite side to the front panel and so the extension from the case plugged in without difficulty. If the power supply connector had been closer to the panel, plugging in the power extension would not have been a cakewalk. Its stiffness and cable length would not have been helpful.
You can mount a graphics card into the case only up to certain dimensions. Its maximum length can be 322 millimeters, which is still a great value for such a small case. The bigger limitations come when it comes to the depth of the graphics card, which changes with the position of the tray depending on its width.
On the graphics card side, there is also an option to place a 120 mm liquid cooler radiator. However, in this scenario the graphics card cannot be longer than 200 mm and also the 2.5″ storage drive can’t be installed on the bottom side.
You need to be patient with the installation, especially with the cable management. Even if the case is open when mounting, every inch counts when closing it. Thanks to the three Velcro pull-tabs and the holes in the floor, even longer cabling can be secured as needed. But I can’t imagine what the cabling would look like if an additional 120-millimeter fan was placed under the power supply.
