Twice The Radiator Space
Though the Colossus uses a 230 mm exhaust fan, liquid cooling fanatics will be even more pleased by the 2.5” of space between its fan and the top of a motherboard. Above the factory fan are mounting holes for a single 140 mm or dual 120 mm fans, and creative builders will even note that hole alignment allows a 2x120 mm radiator to be installed beneath the original 230 mm fan.
Colossus Card Mounts
Screw-free mounting clips allow fast card installation and removal. The design works with every card we could find, though anyone who has trouble will find that the holes beneath this bracket are threaded for screws.
Additional Card Cooling
If a single 230 mm fan doesn’t meet your cooling needs, Bitfenix has you covered with a 140 mm bottom fan mount. A screw-on filter covers this normally-unoccupied location, though removing it requires laying the system on its side.
Power Air Filtration
A short filter beneath the power supply slides out from the Colossus’ rear edge to ease cleaning. At this point, we have to question why Bitfenix decided not to use a longer slide-out filter to extend coverage to the bottom intake fan mount.
Colossus For Colossal Motherboards
With 13.2” of card clearance, the Bitfenix Colossus could easily swallow a 12x13” Extended ATX (SSI-EEB) motherboard. Motherboards that size would, however, cover several of the case’s cable egress grommets, making cable installation messier (but also easier). The addition of an eighth card slot also allows the installation of a double-slot graphics card in an ATX motherboard’s bottom slot.
Fractal Design Define XL
Fractal Design hides all its tricks inside a nearly-monolithic design, which is externally enhanced by its anodized aluminum face panel. In stock trim, the textured paint even does a fairly good job of hiding the optional side-fan mount.
Define XL's Quiet Face
The Define XL supports two 140 mm intake fans, but includes only one. Also included is a 120 mm bay-fan mount, behind three of the four externally-latched 5.25” bay covers.
Acoustic foam fills the door.
Defining Hidden Ventilation
Fractal Design has one of the most intricate ventilation system’s we’ve ever seen, highlighted by a row of vent holes long the right-rear edge, behind the motherboard. An exposed 140 mm fan removes some of the heat from the CPU area…
Hidden Fans Too?
…while a 180 mm fan removes the remaining CPU heat. Fractal Design places its top fan at an angle, blowing through a duct to the case’s rear vents.
Define XL Cable Management
A hinged door over the CPU support plate hole isolates the cable stow area from the main part of the computer. Though an intricate design, performance impact is likely negligible.
