Overall and Final Verdict
The Fractal Arc XL is an interesting case, I love the Fractal styling and its overall build quality. The problem is combining that build quality with a case of this size leads to a case that is extremely heavy. Unless you have a specific need for a case of this size I wouldn’t really recommend it. But if you do need to build a quad GPU PC with 8 hard drives, 2 SSDs, four disc drives, and a little water cooling you shouldn’t have any trouble fitting it in the Arc XL.
Beyond the size, it was interesting to see Fractal build a case that has more of a focus on air flow than silence. Most of the cases I have reviews from them in the past have traded off fans for less noise. The Arc XL isn’t silent like some of the other Fractal case, but the small amount of noise is a great tradeoff for the amount of cooling potential they allowed. Fractal also built in a fan speed controller into the front I/O although it would be nice if it would control a few more fans. All in all the Arc XL is a great case that continues the reputation that Fractal has quickly built up. The market for a case of this size might be a little small, but it’s great to know they are giving options.