I’ve got unfinished business with my Fractal Design Era 2, on account of a faulty motherboard that scuppered my initial plans to build a mini gaming PC inside the petite chassis. I’m righting this wrong in as spectacular a fashion as I can muster, fitting bleeding-edge gaming gear, courtesy of an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 and AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D, into what should be an impossibly small space. I couldn’t be happier with the final result.
Below you’ll find my build log, which you can follow along and build your own mighty SFF (small form factor) PC if you can get the parts together. I’ll also provide some performance analysis, covering frame rates and vitals (noise, power consumption, and temps). So, without further ado, let’s get to forging a PC for the ages.
Components
For those unfamiliar with it, I recommend reading my Fractal Design Era 2 review for a more in-depth look at the case. There’s more to this striking chassis than its Smurf-like colour scheme (though it does come in white and brown too).
In short, this is a mini-ITX case with 19 litres of capacity. The main draw of this dinky box is its removable shell, which makes system installation far easier than most other chassis in its class. The Fractal Design Mood also pulls a similar party trick, but I prefer the look of the Era 2.
Fitting a GeForce RTX 5090 into the Era 2 is no small feat, and it specifically requires the use of a Founders Edition. This card’s cooler is far more petite than its peers, being small enough to even qualify for Nvidia’s ‘SFF-Ready’ categorisation. Measuring 137 x 304 x 40mm, this graphics card meets Fractal Design’s maximum supported with no problem, and it even has 22mm of length to spare.
“Fitting a GeForce RTX 5090 into the Era 2 is no small feat.”
The main challenges that I’ll face with fitting an RTX 5090 card into this tight space concern cable management and cooling. Nvidia’s decision to angle the 16-pin PCIe Gen 5 connector is fine in a big case, but doesn’t play as nicely in the confines of a smaller chassis. Then again, neither does a 575W TDP, but I’m quietly confident I’ll be able to get temperatures under control.
Robin to my Batman is an AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D. This choice of CPU is admittedly overkill considering my target resolution for this system is 4K, in which case even a Ryzen 5 9600X would do just fine. However, using this X3D processor does mean I won’t be leaving any frames on the table (not forgetting the bragging rights this CPU brings too), plus its eight cores give me more multi-threaded headroom as well.
As much as I would like to have used a Ryzen 9 9950X3D for this build, I felt its 170W TDP would place undue pressure on cooling for minimal gains in gaming performance. Perhaps if my curiosity gets the better of me, I’ll try AMD’s flagship in the Era 2. For the moment, though, I’m more than satisfied with my choice of chip.
Cooling my CPU is a Fractal Design Lumen S24 V2. This 240mm AIO water cooler is more than up to the task of shifting 120W of my Ryzen 7 9800X3D, and provides a classy dose of RGB flair to the build. I’ve gone with this method of cooling over an air-based alternative as it means I can provide better airflow to my graphics card, while still keeping the CPU cool, on account of the Era 2’s movable spine (more on that later).
“Enter a splash of Noctua NT-H2, the Austrian firm’s finest grey goo.”
As I’ve previously used the Lumen S24 in another build, I’ll need a fresh dose of thermal paste. Enter a splash of Noctua NT-H2, the Austrian firm’s finest grey goo. A tidy line down the middle is my preferred method of application, but all techniques end in tears when it comes to cleaning AMD’s jigsaw heatspreader design.
It’s difficult to go wrong with memory on AM5, unless you’re talking about the unforgivably high DRAM prices right now. For this system, I’ve gone with 32GB (2x16GB) of G.Skill Trident Z5 Neo RGB DDR5-6000. These sticks are a great match for my CPU, particularly thanks to their CL28 (CAS latency 28) timings.
For those curious, at the time of writing, this DRAM kit costs a whopping £350, up from £140 just a few months ago. That pricing makes these sticks the third-most expensive part of the build, not far behind the Ryzen 7 9800X3D (£390) and, of course, GeForce RTX 5090 (£1,599). Yeesh.
While there’s little reason to use a PCIe Gen 5 SSD for gaming, I’m using a WD_Black SN8100 2TB for storage in the spirit of pushing the performance envelope as far as possible. This drive has all the speed and capacity I’ll need for Windows 11 and plenty of games to boot.
Better still, as a modern example of Gen 5 storage, it doesn’t require extravagant cooling methods such as a fan or enormous heatsink. This drive will run happily under the care of my motherboard heatsink without fear of thermal throttling.
Speaking of motherboards, here’s the foundation upon which all my components will call home – an Asus ROG Strix B850-I Gaming WiFi. There is a slightly higher-end variant of this mini-ITX board with an X870 chipset that I sadly don’t have to hand. However, since USB 4 is the only nicety I’m missing out on, I see little issue settling for this B850 model instead.
Finally, a Corsair SF1000L PSU serves as the conductor of watts for this build. This SFX-L power supply is 30mm longer than a standard SFX model. In retrospect, I’d have preferred to work with the latter, given the space constraints at play, which will become readily apparent during the building process.
Now, with introductions out of the way. Let’s get building!
Build log
I begin by lifting the outer shell of my Era 2 away from the frame. It’s this feature in particular that made me want to return to the case and fulfil its potential as a system, as I knew it would make for a relatively convenient and fun building experience. It’s also rather fetching to the eye, if I do say so myself.
“There’s nothing quite like the blank canvas of a bare chassis.”
There’s nothing quite like the blank canvas of a bare chassis, particularly one that’s so skeletal without its outer shell. It’s at once both exciting and intimidating. These feelings are all the more palpable knowing I’m putting together an obscenely powerful yet minute machine, my imagination taking hold and illustrating how the final build will look.
Romanticisms aside, it’s time to get to work. My first order of business involves playing the part of computer chiropractor and shifting the Era 2’s spine setting to ‘3’.
This is how Fractal Design recommends configuring the case for an AIO water cooler, according to the user guide, and it’s easy to see why. There’s enough room for a pump that’s 55mm in height but, more importantly, it allows space for a triple-slot graphics card 58-63mm wide, providing my GeForce RTX 5090 with ample airflow.
“Never forget that your board’s box serves as a suitable surface for this initial set of installs.”
Stepping away from the Era 2 for the moment, I next populate my motherboard with CPU, RAM, and SSD. Never forget that your board’s box serves as a suitable surface for this initial set of installs. Next comes a glob of thermal paste and marriage of cooler to processor. Then power supply cables follow, sans the 16-pin wire for my graphics card, for a step that’s not entirely necessary, but I thoroughly recommend.
With the system outside the case, I make sure everything’s working accordingly. It’s far easier to troubleshoot any component problems at this stage than deal with them when wriggle room is in short supply. I now also get the busywork of installing Windows 11 and updates out of the way too, so I can get to enjoying this tiny rig once its shell goes back on.
Satisfied with the state of the build, I disconnect the SF1000L from the board and set about nesting it inside the Era 2’s PSU cradle. Before sliding in the unit, I take the opportunity to conveniently connect the C13 plug and route my CPU 8-pin and GPU 16-pin cables through the case’s spine (cheers to Fractal Design for that tip).
Four screws on the base and one screw in the tray later, the unit is snug, secure, and ready to plug into the wider system. I’ve done my best to minimise the arch from curving these cables downwards, and I’d encourage anyone using the Era 2 to do the same as early as possible. This is particularly pertinent advice to heed when using an SFX-L power supply such as mine, as proper clearance between PSU cables and fans is vital and tricky to fix later in a build.
It’s now time for the centrepiece of the system to enter the fold. However, before Founders Edition meets case, I temporarily loosen the C14 plug to give me more room to work, and to make sure the two don’t bump heads during installation. Then it’s just a case of feeding the graphics card through the cutout at the front of the case, sliding it into the PCIe riser, and presto. Well, not quite, there’s still the 16-pin power connector to fit, but close enough.
However, it’s here that a not-so-obvious disadvantage of installing a GeForce RTX 5090 into the Era 2 comes into play. That PCIe riser I mentioned is Gen 4, slicing the total bandwidth available to both my graphics card and motherboard, which are each Gen 5, in half. This sounds worse than it actually is, though, amounting in real-terms to a minor loss in performance of 1-2% at most.
Here comes the trickiest part of all, the motherboard. Placing a board inside the case isn’t difficult, nor is screwing in the four screws into their respective stand offs, but now I have to wire up this rats nest of cables. It’s for this reason I haven’t installed the ATX 24-pin plug yet, so I can more easily access fiddly front panel wires and USB headers, as well as fans and CPU power sockets.
“Here comes the trickiest part of all, the motherboard.”
Fractal Design ships the Era 2 with zip ties which, while useful, aren’t to my taste owing to their single-use lifespan. I would love to have seen some more velcro straps included in the accessories box, like the ones you’ll see running along the base. Instead, I’ve gone with some crude plastic strips that I’ve twirled together. The goal here is to minimise bulge, not create the prettiest build, since the panels will cover the internals.
With all hardware in place, it’s time for one last test before sealing up the system. Both 3DMark results and an extended Cinebench 2024 run confirm all is well, so I gently slide the outer panels down the rails, tucking in the ever-so slightly protruding AIO tubes as I go. Finally, I feed the underpanel into place and the build comes together with a satisfying click.
I’ve done it. I’ve fitted an RTX 5090 and 9800X3D into the Era 2. I dub the system Muad’dib. A fitting name for something both small and powerful, wouldn’t you agree Dune fans? Now let’s see how well this powerful SFF PC holds up under pressure.
Performance
Some notes, before we dive into performance results. I have, of course, enabled the EXPO profile on my RAM, but I’ve also consciously tweaked the system’s cooling setup. While I want Muad’dib to run cool, I don’t want this rig to be horribly loud if I can help it.
As such, I’ve used Armoury Crate’s fan tuning feature and used the application’s ‘Normal’ fan curve, which will keep everything quiet at idle but work harder under load. Additionally, I’ve set the Lumen S24 pump to run at a constant 70% as that’s the highest setting that remains effectively inaudible.
Finally, I’ve forced the primary PCIe expansion slot to run at Gen 4 speeds to maximise compatibility with the riser and avoid any problems that could occur by running a Gen 5 GPU through a Gen 4 riser in a Gen 5 slot.
Apps
To assess the broader health of Muad’dib, I’ve lifted the benchmark suite from our PC system reviews, while swapping 3DMark Time Spy for Speed Way and broadening the AIDA64 results to include all performance categories.
| Application | Muad’dib |
|---|---|
| 3DMark Speed Way | 14,064pts |
| 3DMark Steel Nomad | 14,093pts |
| AIDA Read | 58,957MB/s |
| AIDA Write | 81,483MB/s |
| AIDA Copy | 55,832MB/s |
| AIDA Latency | 76.2ns |
| Cinebench 2024 1T | 133pts |
| Cinebench 2024 MT | 1,337pts |
| CrystalDiskMark seq. read | 14,482MB/s |
| CrystalDiskMark seq. write | 13,867MB/s |
Scoring just above 14,000pts in both 3DMark benchmarks is within expectations for the Founders Edition, referring back to our initial review. That translates to 140fps in each test, which run at QHD and UHD, respectively. Not bad going for a 575W graphics card locked inside a proverbial pain box (just to keep the Dune references going).
RAM speeds are a-okay too. In fact, slimming down from four DIMM slots on a typical board to the two present on the ROG Strix B850-I Gaming WiFi actually nets relatively better latency at 76.2ns. Of course, all 32GB of my capacity is correct and present, and it’s running at 6,000MT/s without issue.
Turning attention to CPU performance via Cinebench 2024, my Ryzen 7 9800X3D is having no problems achieving tits expected scores. Both single-threaded and multi-threaded results actually are a near-match for Tarinder’s day-one scores. That’s especially good going considering the relatively diminutive size of both case and cooler in play.
Finally, SSD performance is good but strangely lower than it should be, both in terms of sequential reads and writes. Consulting HWInfo while running CrystalDiskMark, there’s no sign of thermal throttling, nor are any alarm bells ringing in the SanDisk Dashboard. Much as I’d like to restore those extra few hundred megabytes of performance, it’s a shortfall I can happily live with for the moment.
Gaming
At last, we come to the results I’ve been most excited to see. It’s time to put Muad’dib’s gaming credentials of the test. As I mentioned earlier, my primary interest lies in 4K performance, which is where I’ll focus my analysis. However, I’ve benchmarked this system across all three major resolutions for fun.
| Game | FPS @ 1080p (Min. / Avg.) | FPS @ 1440p (Min. / Avg.) | FPS @ 2160p (Min. / Avg.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assassin’s Creed Shadows (RT) | 79 / 90fps | 70 / 83fps | 52 / 59fps |
| Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail | 129 / 306fps | 127 / 263fps | 109 / 167fps |
| Forza Motorsport (RT) | 115 / 171fps | 103 / 141fps | 68 / 83fps |
| Mount & Blade II | 271 / 467fps | 250 / 379fps | 188 / 264fps |
| Rainbow Six Siege X | 419 / 535fps | 427 / 523fps | 324 / 402fps |
| Total War: Warhammer III | 90 / 138fps | 87 / 133fps | 73 / 104fps |
Assassin’s Creed Shadows proves the most taxing game in this suite, falling shy of a 60fps average by a single frame under the weight of a ray-traced feudal Japan in native 4K. In fairness to the system, problematic Windows updates could be the reason it’s short of this threshold, even with the aid of Nvidia’s hotfix. Regardless, a dash of DLSS Super Resolution will plug the gap.
Shifting gears to Forza Motorsport, Muad’dib takes to ray tracing on the racetrack like riding Shai-Hulud on Arrakis (alright, last reference, promise). An 83fps average at native 4K is an excellent result by any measure, making for a butter-smooth drive.
Now it’s time to unpack the rasterised results of the suite. Starting with Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail, this MMORPG glides along with a 167fps average at native 4K. However, Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord takes performance up a notch to 264fps, while Rainbow Six Siege X provides an astoundingly high 402fps.
Lastly, Total War: Warhammer III pushes both CPU and GPU hard in its Mirror of Madness benchmark. Despite massive pressure on both components, the two still manage to return a welcome 104fps average in this strategy title.
| Cyberpunk 2077 | FPS @ 1080p (Min. / Avg.) | FPS @ 1440p (Min. / Avg.) | FPS @ 2160p (Min. / Avg.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Native | 88 / 97fps | 58 / 64fps | 30 / 33fps |
| DLSS SR (Quality) | 129 / 150fps | 99 / 110fps | 58 / 64fps |
| DLSS SR (Q) + FG x2 | 227 / 253fps | 173 / 190fps | 106 / 115fps |
| DLSS SR (Q) + FG x3 | 327 / 362fps | 251 / 274fps | 149 / 163fps |
| DLSS SR (Q) + FG x4 | 415 / 461fps | 316 / 342fps | 192 / 208fps |
Lastly, I’m turning to Cyberpunk 2077’s path tracing mode to see how much of a performance benefit the DLSS 4 suite can provide to Muad’dib. Personally, I will always use DLSS Super Resolution if it’s available, particularly when the Transformer model for upscaling is an option, and I recommend anyone with an Nvidia RTX graphics card do the same.
At native 4K, my GeForce RTX 5090 manages to keep its head above water with a 33fps average. However, even DLSS Super Resolution in Quality mode alleviates rendering pressures to the point where that frame rates rises to 64fps, almost double the starting point. To squeeze even more performance out of the card, I’ll experiment with ‘Balanced’ and ‘Performance’ upscaling presets as I would on my personal rig.
That DLSS Super Resolution 64fps average provides a stable enough performance floor to enjoy DLSS Frame Generation without latency becoming too problematic. The higher the base frame rate, the less noticeable latency becomes, making exploration with other upscaling presets all the more valuable. Still, running frame generation at x2 provides a welcome boost to motion clarity without impacting the feel of Cyberpunk 2077. However, x3 and x4 feel a touch too sluggish for my liking.
Vitals
Now I’ve seen how my Ryzen 7 9800X3D and GeForce RTX 5090 perform as part of this system, how are they holding up inside the Era 2? Quite well, all considered, I’d say.
| Idle | Load (Max.) | |
|---|---|---|
| CPU temperature | 45.9°C | 91°C |
| GPU temperature | 45.7°C | 75°C |
| Noise | ≤30dBA | 47.9-48.4dBA |
| Power consumption | 104.5W | 248.4-678.7W |
My sound level meter bottoms out at 30dBA, so I’ve noted the rig’s noise levels above as less than or equal to that value. However, once system load increases and temperatures begin to rise, fans across the board kick in with an audible oomph. A Cinebench 2024 multi-core run sees noise peak at 47.9dBA, but it’s gaming that proves slightly noisier at 48.4dBA.
For all that bluster, temperatures remain in check if on the toastier side. The GeForce RTX 5090 stays relatively cool at 75°C max, while the Ryzen 7 9800X3D reaches 91°C at its hottest. Thankfully, the CPU won’t begin to thermal throttle until 95°C, and the chip isn’t likely to reach such temperatures unless it’s under prolonged all-core stress, which is rare for gaming.
Peak gaming power consumption is slightly lower than I was expecting as well, topping out at 678.7W. This isn’t a complaint, of course, as I’m thankful to have plenty of headroom for the SF1000L and less of an impact on my ‘leccy bill.
Conclusion
Building a gaming PC of this calibre inside the Era 2 has proven a fun and fruitful experience. I now have one of the most powerful rigs on the planet in a tiny 19-litre case that’s stylish to boot. I challenge anyone not to get a kick out of that.
Happy as I am with current performance, there are a few tweaks to the setup I’d like to explore in future. Most pressingly, I’m keen to see if air cooling the CPU can provide superior temperatures. Removing the AIO cooler would also provide more room for airflow with the absence of tubes and radiator, not forgetting the bonus of no pump noise.
That said, I’m in no rush to start deconstructing Muad’dib. At the very least, I’m going to thoroughly enjoy the run up to Christmas and beyond as this rig easily shifts between my office and living room, pairing with my 4K gaming monitor and OLED TV.
