After years with my Lian Li O11, it was time for something fresh: the Fractal North XL brings a whole new aesthetic and airflow concept into the mix.

Some trusted parts remained – like the Aqua Computer Octo fan controller and my SSD setup (Samsung 980 Pro + 970 EVO) – but most of the hardware got a next-gen upgrade.

At the heart: AMD’s Ryzen 7 9800X3D, paired with 64GB DDR5-6000 CL28 and the monstrous ASUS Astral RTX 5080 OC (Blackwell).

Subtle but stylish RGB lighting comes from the RAM, GPU, cooler, and fans – adding a clean, ambient touch without going full rainbow mode.

Air-cooled with the Arctic Freezer III, built for serious performance, low noise, and a clean look.

Mission: All-day performance, gaming, multitasking, and a vibe I can enjoy long-term.

Shoutout to everyone who loves high-performance builds with tasteful RGB ✌️