The Fractal Design Arc XL has a the E-ATX form factor. Extended ATX is a slightly deeper version of the ATX standard which is designed to provide all the advantages of ATX but with slightly more room. Using the E-ATX standard, the case can house motherboards and power supplies with form factors ATX, E-ATX, Micro-ATX, XL-ATX and Mini-ITX. The dimensions of the case itself (LxWxH) are 552mm x 232mm x 572mm.

The Fractal Design Arc XL has nine expansion slots, so there is plenty of room for extra components, which may be a deciding factor when planning on the longevity and build type of a PC system. The case has four 5.25" drive bays, which is enough to house an optical drive and a couple of hard drives, while still having space for plenty more HDDs with the eight 3.5" drive bays that are also available. You can even install an SSD or laptop-sized HDD using one of the nine 2.5" drive bays. Installation of hard drives into these drive bays is made all the more easier by screwless rails that allow tool-less mounting.

Made primarily of Steel, the Fractal Design Arc XL is built to be strong and well-ventilated. Steel cases are generally fairly cheap and sturdy, but also tend to be quite heavy. Whatever your case's material, it is important to keep a consistent airflow so that heat doesn't build up inside. It is therefore advised that you make use of the available built-in case fans and fan installation sections.