BitFenix Portal Mini-ITX Chassis Review

Complete System

Installing hardware in this chassis was as easy as I had expected. Obviously, some consideration has to be taken to the hardware choices to get things right though. I used a smaller CPU cooler, as our usual Noctua D15 was simply too big. The graphics card support is great, but I went for a slightly shorter VEGA 64 to ensure an easier fit. Finally, a compact SFX PSU unit is required, so be sure you don’t reach for an ATX one as they’re simply too big.

As I said before, cable management and routing aren’t fancy, because there isn’t any. However, there is plenty of room in the base to bundle any excess cables out of the way. At least this way, you know they’re not going to get caught in fans or block airflow within the chassis.

The hard drive bays are easy to access too, as you install drives from the front of the chassis, not the interior. It’s a simple detail, but one that will make your life easier come install time.

Tricky GPU Cables

Our GPU power cables are quite rigid, and it did take some bending to ensure they don’t overhang the mounting rails. If they did, the chassis would not slide back into the external shell. However, if you’re using flat cables, this may not be an issue, so that’s something to consider when picking a PSU.

Fixing cables to the motherboard was really easy too. Mini-ITX builds often need nimble fingers, but this is a big chassis for such a small motherboard, so even my big hands had no issues here.

Show Off Your GPU

The graphics card looks awesome mounted on the top like this. So often you can’t see the cooler design on your GPU, but with the top panel window, this is a great chassis for showing off your favourite GPU design.

Now it’s time to slot everything back into the external chassis!

Together Again

Simply slide it back in, tighten the two screws, and you’re good to go. The whole thing looks incredibly clean and tidy, and if it weren’t for the window in the top, you wouldn’t know anything was hiding in there. Well, unless you looks around the back.

The graphics card looks amazing through the top panel. If you’ve got an LED lit GPU, it’s really going to shine through the window and looks pretty special.

Final Pictures