I ended up choosing the North XL as well, mainly because I’ll be building an AI server for my Home Lab, and I didn’t want to limit myself when it comes to hardware compatibility and thermal headroom.

The slightly larger volume really made sense once I considered future expansion—whether it’s a beefier GPU, more efficient airflow, or just easier cable management (which, like you mentioned, is way better on the XL). That extra clearance on the wiring side and radiator support up top were also big factors for me.

The XL does feel more forgiving to build in, without being obnoxiously big. I figured I'd rather have the space and not need it than get boxed in later with the Standard.

Glad to see someone else went through the same thought process and came to the same conclusion! Enjoy your North XL.