Page 2 - Physical Look - Outside
The Fractal Design Epoch is essentially a North with a front panel similar to the Meshify series. Our particular unit is the Black TG RGB Light Tint version; other variants include Black Solid, Black TG Light, White TG Clear, and White TG RGB Clear.
A lightly tinted tempered glass panel on the left side of the Epoch Black TG provides a view inside with about 80% coverage. It looks great, but it is too bad the coverage is not 100% like most tempered glass cases we have come across in the last few years. This may prevent you from fully displaying your latest high-end graphics card. Both the glass left panel and solid right panel are attached to the main frame via metal tabs that run along the top and bottom of each panel. Captive thumbscrews at the back are made for simple and convenient removal. The rest of the chassis is made out of quality steel panels. Other than that, the right side panel is completely blank, which you will see in the upcoming photos.
Measuring in at 455.3mm height, 215mm width, and 443.3mm depth, the Fractal Design Epoch's dimensions are quite compact for an ATX computer case. It is even smaller than the Meshify 2 Compact my colleague Aaron reviewed a few years back. It tips the scales at 17.29 lbs, which makes it one of the lighter cases out there. The reason for the Epoch series' light weight is because it does not have sound insulation materials or other miscellaneous items.
The front panel connectors are located at the top of the Epoch. The designers managed to create a level of symmetry in an asymmetric fashion with its power button placed nice and center. On both sides of the power button, we have two USB 3.2 Type-A ports. Next to the right side USB 3.2 Type-A port is a 3.5mm combination audio jack for headphone out and microphone in, while the opposite side features a USB 3.2 Type-C port. Surrounding the power button is a stylish white LED ring. There is no reset button or drive activity LED.
Shifting our focus a little bit, let us take a look at the top of the Fractal Design Epoch Black TG RGB Light Tint. Traditionally, case designers install top mounted fans to efficiently draw heat away from the processor. This makes a lot of sense, since heat rises, so we are only adhering to the natural laws of physics. Unfortunately, this is a two-way street, as it is also very easy to get a lot of dust in the system that way when it is turned off. I am not a big fan of such a design, and I really dislike it when manufacturers force me to use that opening. In this case, Fractal Design has made a compromise. The top panel is almost completely vented, but the mesh is supposed to keep dust out. I would much rather have, at the very least, a dust filter here, because the holes in the mesh are rather large and will not keep much out. That said, having three side intake fan from the factory -- more on this later -- will produce positive pressure to keep dust out during normal operation.
The top panel can be removed by pulling a tab at the back. You can install up to two 120mm or 140mm fans in this location. Of course, it can accommodate a radiator of equivalent size. This is rather small, since you cannot fit a 360mm radiator here, but the Epoch itself is quite compact, so this is not unexpected.
The back of Fractal Design's Epoch Black TG RGB Light Tint is painted black to match the rest of the chassis, and is pretty much standard for a case with a bottom mounted power supply bay. We can expectantly spot a 120mm fan opening placed adjacent to the motherboard I/O backplate. The fan itself is not included. Four captive thumbscrews, two for each panel, can be seen in our above photo.
There are seven bridgeless horizontal expansion card slots, painted black, shown in our photo above. Since they are bridgeless, you can use a vertical GPU riser kit to show off your graphics hardware. One unique feature is you can install an 80mm exhaust fan here. I personally do not recommend it, but if you need the extra airflow, this is something you can do.
Four fixed plastic feet with rubber pads can be seen on the Fractal Design Epoch Black TG RGB Light Tint. The legs provide the chassis about 2 cm rise over the surface it resides on. No bottom intake fans are supported. The rear tab of the washable power supply fan filter can be seen in our photo above, which can be pulled out for easy cleaning.
Overall, the Epoch Black TG RGB Light Tint ATX case is a solid case with regards to build quality, as one would expect from Fractal Design. This is obviously a much more economical case compared to the flagship Define 7 Dark Tempered Glass, so you will not get nearly as many cool details or features. Still, all the panels fit together reasonably well with minimal panel gaps. Nothing feels flimsy or cheap, and sharp edges are out of the question.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. Physical Look - Outside
3. Physical Look - Inside
4. Installation and Conclusion
