Thank you! haha Backplate made ZERO difference. It's the shroud that's actually the problem. Backplate fits fine. It's the XC3 Ultra. I assume the black will fit the same as all the others. The shroud barely fits and so the fans are right up against the side panel.
Is the side panel flex with this trick visible? How much fan clearance do you get - something like 1mm or 0.5mm?