Fractal Design Pop Mini Silent Black Solid

Fractal continues to be one of the best PC case manufacturers. I'm using the Pop silent for the compute side of a home server. Specifically, I purchased it to hold two Blu-Ray drives. It fits in nicely with my other fractal builds which are in the define R5 and define C.

Used 9 of these for a bulk order of workstations. Although they're somewhat limited on total airflow, with only 2 intake fans and 1 exhaust fan, for mid-range builds that only pull about 300-500W at least, this has been no problem - just tune your fans accordingly. Our client's feedback has been lots of "this is so quiet!" and "I can't tell if it's on", etc. And of course, you get the usual build quality and consistency of Fractal Design. They're our business's go-to case provider.

Best just plane case out there for the money. This case is well thought out and has excellent features and cable management. Are there fancier cases? Yes. Are there ones with maybe better cable management? Maybe. What did this give me for my $107.54? 1. Separate basement for my power supply and 2.5/3.5 drives and BlueRay reader 2. Excellent front IO 3. Plenty of spots for my 5 - 2.5 SSDs. 4. Good cable management and attachment points to keep things tidy. 5. Easily removed magnetic fan covers to keep fans clear 6. 4 OK case fans (they are 3 pin and are definitely not Noctua specs but are a nice to have 4 with the case so you can replace as you need 7. Easily to follow directions 8. All the hardware a person would need to mount everything. Including my NVMe drives, 2.5" SSDs, and even a drawer to store extras. 9. Excellent build quality without a lot of sharp corners to cut myself on that I have done when working with cheaper cases that are oftentimes stampted. Only complaint is the fans, wish they were a slightly better quality but at this price point I cannot complain too much. Love this case!

This would be a higher review if I had bought new. I believe Fractal made a very nice case to begin with … but I bought a used one from Amazon and it’s clear that their definition of “very good” and mine are entirely different. One corner of each metal side panel is bent. The case itself has been twisted ever so slightly so the feet rock on the diagonal. There is a chip in the paint on one metal side panel and the upper corner of the plastic face panel is both slightly cracked and slightly deformed.

if N52 magnets were used to hold the cover on the hidden storage container, this case would be ideal. Its also not compatible with the most common motherboards. Fractal Design has quality cases but this one disappointed. Finally, when trying to return, the UPS store would not accept due to the qr code not being in their system so I'm stuck with the case now and lost almost $100.

The best case money can buy, especially if you have to ship! Super solid!

The idea of a quiet PC that has two 5.25 slots in the front for Optical and remmovable drives is great. The issues with the POP XL Silent are not obvious until after you build an air cooled PC and it is too late to return the case. Fractal Design's parts sales policy ensure that you have to buy another case. For this reason I give it a 3. ISSUE #1. To use the front panel USB-C port the case advertises, you have spend $35 extra for the Fractal Designs custom cable at Amazon. That is 1/3 the price of the entire case. (Come on Fractal Design, just throw it in the box and charge the $5 reasonable cable cost.) ISSUE #2: Stock fans are inadequate for air cooling. - Rear case fan is 120mm that exhausts 32 ft^3/min. A noctua D15 CPU air cooler that ends up pointing at at the rear exhaust fan, moves 83 ft^3/min. For air cooling you need a good 140mm rear case fan that exhausts at least 90 ft^min. (all at max, pwm will drop speed when not needed) - Front intake fan grill space only permits 3x120mm fans (larger fans just blow air into sheet metal). Stock fans only move 32 ft^3/min. Barely enough for the CPU cooler and mb. Nothing left for graphics cards. Need 3x120mm intake fans that can each move 80 ft^3/min. (all at max, pwm will drop speed when not needed. ISSUE #3. Air intake grill on the solid front is only a small holed strip on the right side. It does not take much dust to clog it. It would not have been so bad if there had also been one on the other side. As is, one side panel is longer than the other one. Fractal will not sell a separate mesh front. ======= UPDATE If you are contemplating air cooling, the airflow in the POP XL Silent through the small air intake panel is NOT sufficient to cool a Ryzen 7590x and Nvidia RTX 3090 ti running low to moderate loads, regardless of the fans used. You will need to remove the front panel to run higher loads, let alone add another heat source like a second graphics card. And that is not quiet. This is NOT acceptable for a case that claims to take E-ATX motherboards. If you are going to use high-end CPUs, GPUs and E-ATX mbs, do not get this case.

Great case that's put together very well. The shroud conceals the wiring very nicely, making a very organized interior. And the power source shroud keeps the heat out. You can set up the case fans in multiple ways, (blowing in, blowing out, in the back out the front, etc), and the solid black just looks cool. One caveat, it does not come with the wire to connect the external USBC port. you have to buy the connector for like another $10. Which, to me, seems like something Apple would do. Also, this case is not transparent, so if you're looking to show off your RGB components get one of these with an acrylic side panel.

Great PC case. The design is done really well and makes assembling the Pc a lot easier. If you like minimalistic design without flashing RGBs like me this is the perfect choice. The sound dampening also works great and my Pc got at least 60% quieter. I Recommend this product

I really like this case but buyers should know that you should buy components that run cool and have low power draw to make the most out of the case. Due to the sound insulation heat doesn't escape as easily. Works like a charm for me with a 200W gpu and 65W tdp cpu.

Case "monolitico" (quello che cercavo) molto ben strutturato, senza lucine o fronzoli vari, fatto per durare, eccellente documentazione a corredo.

I purchased the Fractal Design Pop Mini Silent Black as a replacement for my Core 1100, which I had been using reliably for over 5 years before moving it into another build. The case feels very well thought out in terms of layout and usability. It comes with clear and detailed instructions, making the setup process straightforward even for less experienced builders. Cable management is particularly easy thanks to the well-designed routing channels and generous space behind the motherboard tray, which helps keep the interior clean and improves airflow. Cooling configuration is solid out of the box, with two 140mm front intake fans and one 140mm rear exhaust fan already installed. This provides good airflow balance for a compact case and helps maintain stable temperatures without needing immediate upgrades. Storage and expansion options are also a strong point. The case includes two hidden 5.25" drive bays, which is increasingly rare in modern cases, along with multiple HDD mounting locations that allow for flexible storage configurations depending on your build needs. One of the standout features is the sound-dampening material on the panels, which significantly reduces operational noise. When combined with the included fans, the system runs very quietly even under moderate load, making it an excellent choice for a low-noise or home office setup. Build quality feels solid and durable, consistent with Fractal Design’s reputation. Panel fitment is secure, and the overall design prioritises practicality and airflow without sacrificing noise control. Overall, this is a well-balanced compact case that offers excellent noise reduction, good cooling potential, and very user-friendly assembly. It’s a great upgrade from older budget cases and ideal for anyone wanting a quiet, clean-looking build with good flexibility for storage and airflow.

Gorgeous. Silent. Very easy to assemble. Bigger than I was hoping for.... It's s little bit 2001 Space Odyssey, but top marks - as usual - to Fractal. I just wish they offered some smaller form factors.