Other fractal design. Fractal Design Define C case review and testing

During its existence, Fractal Design has already created quite a large number of externally similar buildings. Unskilled in technical issues the buyer will clearly find it difficult to figure out which one is right for him. After all, the internal structure differs fundamentally, and this is reflected in the name only by a couple of letters. For example, a new product from Define C is extremely easy to confuse with Define S. Therefore, do not be lazy to look at the manufacturer's official website and, of course, read our reviews of these wonderful chassis.

So what are we talking about? Oh yes - about new version Define C. More precisely, about its slightly reduced version - Define Mini C. The basic design concept of this case is minimalism. It got rid of the extra 5.25 ″ compartments, bulky 3.5 ″ racks hard drives(but rarely does anyone use more than two such drives). And we tried to reduce the external dimensions as much as possible without compromising compatibility with standard components. And, following the lead of modern fashion, they covered the power supply with a casing, thus dividing the internal volume into two parts. Sounds good already? Then read the review further to learn more about everything.

Specifications

Model
Product page	fractal-design.com
Type of shell	Mini-Tower
Dimensions, mm	412 (H) x 210 (W) x 413 (D)
Material	ABS plastic, Steel
Weight, kg	6,9
Colour	Black
Form Factor	MicroATX, Mini-ITX
5.25 ″ devices	-
3.5 ″ external devices	-
3.5 ″ / 2.5 ″ devices internal	2/3 (2.5 ″ drives can be installed instead of 3.5 ″)
Expansion Slots Supported	5
Fans	front - 3 x 120 mm / 2 x 140 mm (1 x 120 mm installed) rear - 1 x 120 mm (installed) upper - 2 x 120/140 mm (optional) bottom - 1 x 120 mm (optional)
Interface connectors	2 x USB 3.0, mic-in and headphone-out
Other	Soundproofing front, top and side panels, easily removable dust filters at the front and bottom, removable drive cage, support for CBO radiators, replaceable magnetic grill on the top panel, Velcro for cable management
Recommended cost, $	100

Packaging and delivery set

Although the packaging of the case is devoid of color printing, it has the most important thing - detailed Technical information about the product, its various angles and carrying handles. Protection against damage during transportation is quite common: two foam dampers and a bag.

A set of small parts for the body is packaged in separate bags and folded into a small white box. Here things were discovered such as:

body assembly instructions;
leaflet in red explaining the terms of the warranty;
top panel magnetic metal filter;
six disposable cable ties;
metal adapter for a Phillips screwdriver for mounting motherboard racks;
eight racks of the motherboard;
four screws with a hexagonal head for mounting the power supply unit;
eight screws to secure the motherboard;
20 small screws for fixing 2.5 "devices;
eight large screws for mounting 3.5 ″ hard drives.

Appearance

In the exterior design of the Define Mini C, Fractal Design has remained true to itself. It is a completely straight black parallelepiped. The front panel is made of plastic with a texture stylized as brushed aluminum. It does not open and has no elements on itself, except for the indicator window at the top in the middle.

External ports are located on the upper edge of the front panel. There are two 3.5 mm audio inputs for microphone and headphones, a small reset button, a beautiful round system start key and two USB 3.0 ports. All ports are vertically oriented, which means they are prone to rapid dust build-up.

A dust filter can be easily removed from the bottom of the front panel, which covers the bottom of the case. This is an extremely successful solution that allows you not to move the case at all when you need to clean it from dust.

After dismantling the lower filter, a recess is formed under the front panel, for which it can be easily removed by pulling. There are a number of large ventilation holes on the sides of the panel, and from the inside it is glued with a layer of noise-insulating material. No wires are tied here.

The front panel was closed from the inside by another dust filter. Thus, all openings of the case through which air enters inside are protected from dust.

This filter is made of high quality fine mesh, glued to a plastic grid. The grille itself is held in place by three stops and two plastic latches.

There are oblong holes behind the filter, suitable for mounting three 120mm or two 140mm fans. One 120mm propeller with a white impeller is already pre-installed here for blowing.

The left side door is flat and solid. It has a stamped handle on the back and two knurled mounting screws that are attached directly to the panel (reducing the risk of losing them).

From the inside, the door is glued with a layer of noise-insulating material. Torsional rigidity is excellent.

The right panel is completely similar and interchangeable with the left one. It also has a layer of noise insulation inside.

Most of the top metal panel is closed by default with a ModuVent plastic plug. In this form, the case can be used as a shelf or stand without any problems.

If you remove the plug by prying it from the inside of the case, a glued layer of noise insulation will be found on its back side. And on the top panel we see a large-mesh grille, on which two 120- or 140-mm fans can be fixed. The oblong mounting holes are offset towards the left panel. This facilitates the installation of CBO radiators - the likelihood that they will conflict with protruding elements of the motherboard is reduced.

If during the operation of the case the priority is not silence, but cooling, then the plastic top cap can be replaced with a metal mesh. This mesh will be held on the chassis by means of magnetic tapes fixed along its entire perimeter. In practice, this is another dust filter (preventing dust from entering the case when the system fans are turned off) and a decorative element.

The grid magnetized into place looks like this.

The rear panel looks pretty standard. At the top there is a large-mesh ventilation grill on which a 120mm exhaust propeller is pre-installed. Five expansion slots are covered with traditional Fractal Design in white ventilated reusable plugs. There is another small grill to the right of the slots, and at the bottom there is space for the power supply.

The PSU mounting frame is removable, held in place by two thumb screws. With its help, the power supply unit can be oriented both with the fan up and down. But its main purpose is to simplify the installation process. The PSU is initially attached to the frame itself, then slides into the chassis and is fixed with these two screws. Very convenient considering the limited space for manipulation inside.

The entire bottom panel of the case is covered with a removable dust filter, which we mentioned earlier. It is removed in the forward direction.

This is what the filter frame looks like.

On the bottom panel, the rear grill is responsible for ventilation of the power supply, and the drive cage is attached to the front. It can be removed and one 3.5 ″ can be hung on the grill. HDD or one 120mm fan. So the Define Mini C also has a partially modular design.

Rubber feet, in a plastic clip, stylized as chrome-plated metal. Their height is only 10 mm.

Let's take a look at the interior of the case.

Internal organization

Fractal Design Define Mini C supports vertical installation motherboards MicroATX and Mini-ITX formats. Permissible height declared by the manufacturer cpu cooler is 170 mm. According to our measurements, 175 mm models can fit here. The possible length of expansion cards in all slots is up to 315 mm, taking into account the fans installed in the front of the standard thickness (25 mm). The permissible length of a standard power supply is up to 175 mm, inclusive, although taking into account the possibility of displacing and dismantling the drive cage, this figure can grow to 200 mm or even more. The inner volume of the body is divided into two parts by the casing. In the upper part there is a motherboard with video adapters, and in the lower part there is a power supply unit and a basket with 3.5 ″ drives.

The space under the top panel to the edge of the motherboard is 30 mm. Installing heatsinks, fans here and connecting the motherboard connectors shouldn't cause any problems.

On the rear panel, a 120mm fan is preinstalled for blowing out. Its position can be adjusted in height within 30 mm. PCI slot blanks held in place with thumb screws

The lower part of the body is fenced off from the rest of the volume by a non-removable metal casing. As always, this is done more for aesthetic reasons than for a desire to separate the thermal zones. Although, in terms of noise reduction, such a solution may even be useful in some way. There is a ventilation grill in the back of the casing, in case the power supply is oriented with the fan upwards, and several slots for cable routing.

In the front part there is a removable cover, which is inconspicuous at first glance, which is located exactly above the drive cage.

The cover is held by two screws that can be removed from the front panel. After deleting it, the user has the opportunity to remove the drive basket and install more fans or radiators CBO. If the basket is pushed back as far as possible, then there is 60 mm of headroom between it and the front panel.

When the basket is removed completely, the headroom to the front panel is as much as 130 mm.

A 120-mm fan with a white impeller is installed in front of the blower. This is the same Dynamic X2 GP-12 as mounted on the rear panel, so we will not dwell on its characteristics in more detail.

All free space behind the motherboard tray is used as efficiently as possible. Above the large cutout for the CPU cooler's reinforcing plate, there is a bracket for mounting 2.5 ″ drives. Four large openings for pulling wires are covered with rubber shutters. Around the pallet, there are a large number of eyelets for attaching cable ties, and three Velcro strips are attached at the front for quick fixing of wires. The margin of space between the pallet and the side door ranges from 15 to 35 mm, which is more than enough for easy laying of all cables, even overlapping in a couple of layers. By the way, there is one more interesting point that you don't immediately notice. The side panel rails have rubber gaskets on the top, bottom and both sides to reduce the chance of rattling or rattling. extraneous sounds from closed doors.

The 2.5 "drive bracket can accommodate up to three drives that are secured with screws. The bar itself is held in place by a single metal knurled screw.

The power supply seat is equipped with four round rubber dampers underneath.

The cage for two drives in the individual skids is pushed forward by default. In this position, the maximum supply of space for the PSU is 220 mm.

The metal slide has rubber bumpers for the 3.5 "hard drive. You can also install a 2.5 ″ drive here as an alternative. Both the first and the second version of the disk are fixed with special screws.

If you move the drive cage closer to the rear of the case, then there is a 60 mm space in front of it. However, the space for the power supply unit will be significantly reduced and it will remain only 178 mm, which may not be enough even to rotate the fixed power supply cables. Therefore, it is better to select the optimal position of the basket for each specific assembly.

The basket can be completely dismantled by unscrewing four screws from the bottom, and then removing it through the upper plug of the power supply casing.

In place of the removed basket, you can secure one 3.5 "drive (using the long screws and rubber washers removed from the white sled). Or install one 120mm fan, which will improve the thermal performance of the video adapter. Or hide the SVO pump here.

The set of wires includes standard black cables from indicators of drive activity and system power, start and restart buttons, one USB 3.0 connector and one HDAudio connector.

Let's move on to the assembly of the system and the thermal test.

Assembly

The assembly of the system in the Fractal Design Define Mini C case proceeds without any difficulty, noteworthy... All wires can be easily laid and fixed behind the motherboard tray. Side panels snap into place effortlessly. All this just one more time emphasizes the overall thoughtfulness of the design as a whole.

The backlighting of the power indicator and the drive activity indicator is combined. The contour of the power button is weakly illuminated from it and the main blue LED located in the recess of the upper edge of the front panel shines quite brightly and blinks. If you look at it directly, this light is slightly dazzling, especially in the dark. When viewed from an angle, it does not irritate the eyes.

Test stand

The following configuration was used to test the cooling efficiency of the components in the Fractal Design Define Mini C:

processor: Intel Core i7-2600K (3, [email protected], 4 GHz, 1.330 V);
cooler: Zalman CNPS10X Performa;
motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z77MX-D3H TH (Intel Z77);
video card: ASUS R9270-DC2OC-2GD5 ( AMD Radeon R9 270);
memory: Kingston KHX24C11X3K4 / 16X (2x4 GB, DDR3-2133, 10-12-12-27-2T, 1.65 V);
SSD: Crucial M4 CT064M4SSD2 (64GB, SATA 6Gb / s);
hard drive: Western Digital WD2000JS-00MHB0 (200 GB, SATA 3Gb / s, 7200 rpm);
power supply: be quiet! Dark Power Pro 10 (550W);
additional fans: 2 x 140mm - be quiet! Pure Wings 2 (BQ PUW-14025-LS-10) 140 mm, 1000 rpm;
thermal interface: Noctua NT-H1.

Testing methodology

The heat load was created by running LinX 0.6.5 stress tests with 2048 MB of dedicated memory and MSI Kombustor 3.5.1.0 simultaneously for 10 minutes after the temperature stabilized. The hard disk was loaded with the Crystal Disk Mark 5.0.3 x64 program. At the end of the test cycle, the system was idle for 10 minutes to determine the minimum thermal readings. The ambient temperature was 23 degrees Celsius. The fan speeds of the processor cooler and the video card are fixed at the maximum speed. Peak power consumption of the system was 327 watts. Testing was carried out in a single comparison mode with an open bench. As additional fans, two 140 mm propellers with a speed of 1000 rpm were installed in front of the blower. The stock 120mm front fan has been removed. All case fans ran at maximum speed during the test. The upper panel of the case was closed with an airtight plug.

Test results

All components of the system, with the exception of the video card, are cooled quite well in this chassis, their temperatures remain at an acceptable level. Especially when you consider that the top panel of the case was closed at the time of the test, and it was ventilated exclusively by two front and one rear fans. Therefore, a loss of seven degrees in the temperature of the video adapter can be considered uncritical. But what surprised me was the good cooling of the hard drive. After all, he was in a separate chamber and was not blown directly by any fan.

conclusions

These conclusions are fully applicable not only to Define Mini C, but also to its larger brother Define C. It differs only in three parameters - it is capable of accepting ATX motherboards, has seven PCI slots and a little more weight.

The body of the Fractal Design Define Mini C was tested so close to the ideal chassis that I could not find any flaws in it. He simply absorbed all the best that the evolution of the Define series has come to and can definitely be recommended for purchase.

Nice build

hard drives

disadvantages

The guys with the fractal made a difference in saving on the front panel - everything is fine in it !!! ... BUT .... in the older version there is a soundproofing of the front plastic panel and in this case it was removed! ... and in vain ... when installing three 140 fans on the front, there is an eerie resonance (at different speeds) !!! and the body becomes buzzing ... BUT this problem is solved by buying a couple of sheets of car noise insulation (vibration insulation sheet 2 mm thick and a sound insulation sheet of the type of porous material 5 mm thick) and gluing the front panel. After this procedure, the air circulation (air intake) is not disturbed and the resonance goes into oblivion :) ... and the second minus is the absence of ventilation holes above the PCI slots as in the older version ... I decided to install PCI plugs with large perforations from Gelid. (Native plugs none other than thickness)A comment

Complain Did the review help? 18 4

motherboard

disadvantages

you have to pay extra for the quality, the Swedes are great! price - scares away.A comment

An engineering masterpiece.
Want to good body soundproofed ?? -Choose FRACTAL DESIGN Define S.
Before this case, there was a Zalman z9 plus, the difference is felt in noise, quality, design.
ps I was pleasantly surprised with a special screwdriver attachment for the motherboard mounting bolts.

Complain Did the review help? 7 1

disadvantages

for me they are notA comment

An excellent stylish case with very good air circulation and a huge space for a video card (due to the absence of an unnecessary basket for hard drives) - I highly recommend buying.

Complain Did the review help? 7 2

disadvantages

- no built-in buzzer (this is just a nitpick, what would be :))A comment

I chose the case for a long time and after watching many reviews I settled on FRACTAL DESIGN Define S. The case is very well thought out. It is immediately clear that competent engineers worked on it, not designers. Everything is well thought out and without unnecessary, unnecessary bells and whistles. The location of the HDD / SDD on the side made it possible to free up a lot of space. Those. it is possible to insert a long video card or water system there. The ability to install up to 8 fans (2 are already included), which, if properly installed, can provide excellent cooling. The HDD has rubber pads, which is very good for the silence. There are a lot of advantages of this case. I just advise you to watch a video review about him. Personally, I am very pleased.

The Swedish company Fractal Design is well known for its cases, which combine a strict appearance and a thoughtful organization of the interior space. Not so long ago, we tested a model that received positive reviews for the high quality of workmanship.

In this article, the original case will be considered. At first glance, it is no different from most other Middle Tower models, except for a large window on the side panel. But once you look at its internal structure, it becomes clear that the manufacturer has spent enough great job in terms of improving the ease of assembly and operation.

Specification:

Manufacturer and model
Frame size
Supported motherboard form factors			ATX, microATX, Mini-ITX

			3 x 3.5 "/ 2.5"
Expansion card slots
Maximum length video cards
Maximum CPU cooler height
External interfaces			2 x audio outputs
Pre-installed fans		Front Panel
		Rear panel
All seats for fans	Front Panel		3 x 120/140 mm
	Rear panel		1 x 120/140 mm
	Top panel		3 х 120/140 mm or 1 х 180 mm
	The bottom panel		1 x 120/140 mm
CBO support	Front Panel		360/280/240/140/120 mm
	Top panel		420/360/280/240/140/120 mm
	The bottom panel
	Rear panel
Power Supply
Material	Front Panel

Chassis body thickness
Side wall thickness
Case dimensions			233 x 451 x 520 mm
Net weight)
Products webpage Product page

Packaging and delivery set

The body is supplied in a standard cardboard box. On its front side there is a schematic representation and the name of this model. It is also indicated here that we had at our disposal a modification with a large transparent plastic window on the side panel.

The main advantages of this new item are listed on the back of the box:

the design provides for increased sound insulation and optimal distribution of air flows inside;
provided support for water cooling systems with a radiator up to 420 mm long;
Uses Moduvent's proprietary soundproofing plugs for the vents on the top of the case;
the presence of two Fractal Design Dynamic GP14 fans (140 mm) in the package;
the presence of dust filters on the front and bottom panels;
hidden slots for five drives behind the motherboard tray;
the possibility of installation inside the tank and pump CBO.

The Fractal Design Define S Window comes with the following components:

set of screws for fastening motherboard, fans, drives, SVO and case covers;
two fasteners for fixing the CBO tank;
cable ties;
user manual and short instructions.

Such a set will be able to satisfy the needs of almost any user, given the fairly simple design of the case itself.

Appearance

The Fractal Design Define S Window model has a strict and laconic appearance. It is made of metal and painted in matte black, so fingerprints are almost invisible. On the side edges of the front panel there are ventilation grilles for free air access inside.

The bezel itself is completely solid and has no door or optical drive bays. The only functional element here is the hard disk activity LED (located at the top) with a moderate brightness.

The three plastic Moduvent plugs already mentioned are located on the top wall of the housing. Their use increases sound insulation. If improved cooling of internal components is a priority, then fans can be installed instead of one or more of them.

Nearby is the control panel, which contains the following interfaces: two USB 3.0 ports, audio outputs for connecting headphones and a microphone, as well as power and reset buttons.

The left side panel has a large transparent window, through which you can consider the internal organization of the components in system unit... With the presence of LEDs inside, such a solution will look quite impressive.

The right side panel is completely solid and is secured with two fixed screws that can be removed even without a screwdriver.

At the bottom of the rear panel there is a compartment for the power supply. Above, there are reusable white plugs for expansion card slots, which look quite original. At the very top there is a place for the interface panel of the motherboard and for mounting a fan with a diameter of 120 or 140 mm (the set includes a Fractal Design Dynamic GP14 turntable with a diameter of 140 mm).

At the bottom of the case, there is one seat for a fan with a diameter of 120 or 140 mm. If you do not use it, then the length of the compatible PSU increases from 170 mm to 300 mm. As it should be in quality solutions, a large dust filter (290 x 140 mm) is installed at the bottom to clean the drawn in air stream.

And four large rubber feet provide the body with a stable position on the surface and prevent damage to it. The height of the front and rear legs is the same and is 15 mm, but the diameter of the rubber part is slightly different: 25 mm for the front and 30 mm for the rear.

The overall build quality of the case is at a high level. There are no gaps or loose parts. The edge is processed very solidly, so there are no sharp edges at all.

Internal organization

Fractal Design Define S Window allows you to install motherboards ATX form factors, microATX and Mini-ITX. The thickness of the metal chassis of the body is 0.8 mm, and the side walls are 0.83 mm. The absence of the usual storage cage inside allows you to install an oversized video card up to 425 mm long (430 mm according to our measurements). If no CBO fans or radiators are used on the front panel, then the available space will be 450 mm (457 mm according to our measurements). The case also allows the use of a sufficiently large processor cooling system with a height of up to 180 mm (182 mm according to our measurements).

The right side wall is covered with soundproofing material that can absorb noise from computer components. Under the cover there are slots for five drives. In the right upper corner there is a large cutout that allows you to freely place almost any reinforcement plate on the back of the motherboard. Space up to 40 mm wide is provided for hidden cable management, as well as built-in cable ties to securely fix the cables.

On the left side of the large niche are three slots for 3.5 or 2.5-inch drives, which are equipped with anti-vibration pads. On the right (under the motherboard) are two more hidden bays for 2.5-inch SSDs.

Removing the front panel reveals three seats for 120 or 140 mm fans, which are covered with a dust filter (190 x 130 mm) on a magnetic mount.

The turntables themselves are mounted in a special slide. This allows you to adjust their height position.

Initially, there is one Fractal Design Dynamic GP14 fan with a diameter of 140 mm, similar to the one fixed on the rear panel.

The set of cables for connecting the front panel interfaces consists of:

connectors for connecting power / reset buttons and LED indicators (800 mm long);
USB 3.0 ports (700 mm long);
pads for audio connectors (940 mm long).

Additional adapters for fans with MOLEX (PATA) connectors are not included, so if you need to install more coolers, you can purchase them separately.

Assembling your Fractal Design Define S Window computer is very easy. This is mainly due to the fact that there is no basket for drives and optical drives inside. In our case, we used a large ATX motherboard and closed-type CBO to cool the processor. Its radiator takes up one 140mm fan bay.

As you can see, there is still plenty of room inside for free air circulation and the installation of five additional turntables. In general, a more overall SVO will fit here, consisting of a reservoir with a liquid and a full-size pump.

There is ample space behind the motherboard tray for cable management. Complete ties allow you to conveniently fix and lay them. The main thing is that up to five drives can be placed here, which absolutely will not interfere with the installation or dismantling of other components.

Testing

The test bench was used for testing the enclosures
Choose what you want to compare Fractal Design Define S to

In the process of testing the Fractal Design Define S Window case, only two complete 140mm fans on the front and rear panels were used to blow the components, the blades of which were 900 and 950 rpm, respectively. At the same time, the noise generated was very quiet and absolutely comfortable.

According to the results of testing, the maximum temperature of the processor under full load was 55 ° C, and the maximum temperature of the video card was 78 ° C. And if the first indicator is comparable with the results of compared analogs, then the temperature of the video card is noticeably higher. The reason lies in the different number of complete fans: almost all of the competitors presented in comparison have from three to five turntables preinstalled. If desired, the user can equip the Fractal Design Define S Window with additional propellers, improving the thermal performance of the internal components. The main thing is that even in its basic state, the novelty provides a low noise background and acceptable temperatures of the main units.

conclusions

After a detailed acquaintance with the case, we can conclude that it will appeal to lovers of high-quality and thoughtful devices. This is primarily achieved due to the large amount of free space inside. There is no basket for accumulators, which frees up space for installing the tank and the CBO pump.

At the same time, there are five drive slots, three of which are equipped with anti-vibration pads and can be used to install 3.5 / 2.5-inch drives. They are located in a hidden niche behind the right side wall and absolutely do not interfere with the assembly of the system unit.

The internal space is almost completely given over to install a variety of motherboards, oversized video cards up to 450 mm in length and massive processor cooling systems up to 180 mm in height. The length of the power supply unit can be up to 300 mm, which will be enough even for powerful kilowatt solutions. And for the organization of cooling, there are two complete low-speed 140-mm fans and six more seats.

At the same time, the Fractal Design Define S Window is distinguished by excellent ergonomics. This is manifested in the presence of removable dust filters, convenient hidden laying of wires, rubber stands for the location of the power supply and other similar trifles that at first glance may be invisible, but their absence immediately manifests itself during assembly and operation.

Separately, you need to highlight the Moduvent plugs on the top panel of the case. They are equipped with sound insulating pads and can be removed at random to replace the fans.

As a result, Fractal Design Define S Window can be recommended not only to owners of CBOs, but also to those who want a spacious, well-ventilated case with a thoughtful and reliable design for assembling a productive system.

Advantages:

high quality assembly and processing of parts;
excellent ergonomics and attention to detail on the part of the developers;
stylish design;
8 seats for fans;
dedicated space and fasteners included in the delivery set for fixing the CBO tank;
dust filters on the front and bottom panels;
the use of soundproofing material on some panels;
large transparent window on the side panel;
hidden 3.5 / 2.5-inch drive bays that don't clutter up the inside of the chassis;
rubber feet on the bottom of the case;
no rattling or vibration of the structure or components during operation;
the ability to install oversized video cards, processor coolers and heatsinks CBO;
large space, rubber inserts and integrated cable ties for convenient hidden cable management.

Peculiarities:

bottom location of the power supply;
no basket for 5.25-inch devices.

Fractal Design is one of the few companies that I love everything they do. We can say with confidence that from the moment we first met their products in 2013, and up to of the moment, this manufacturer constantly raised the bar for quality and modified its chassis, taking into account the wishes and comments of buyers. And the most important thing that has not changed over time is the basic concept of the practicality and functionality of these cases. In this review, we'll take a look at their latest flagship chassis, the Define R6, which comes in eight different color options with or without side glass.

Specifications

Model
Product page	fractal-design.com
Type of shell	Midi-Tower
Dimensions, mm	465 (H) x 233 (W) x 543 (D)
Material	Steel, plastic, glass, aluminum
Weight, kg	12,4
Colour	Black
Form Factor	ATX, MicroATX, Mini-ITX
5.25 ″ devices	1
3.5 ″ external devices	–
3.5 ″ / 2.5 ″ devices internal	6/2 (2.5 ″ drives can be installed instead of 3.5 ″)
Expansion Slots Supported	7+2
Fans	front - 3 x 120/2 x 140 mm (2 x 140 mm installed) upper - 3 x 120/140 mm (optional) rear - 1 x 120/140 mm (1 x 140 mm installed) bottom - 2 x 120/140 mm (optional)
Interface connectors	2 x USB 3.0, 2 x USB 2.0, mic-in and headphone-out
Other	Tempered glass side window, dust filters on the bottom, front and top, built-in hub for six 3-pin and three 4-pin PWM fans. Soundproofing on the front, top and side panels, easily removable top panel, front door with a change in opening side. Modular Drive Bay Design
Recommended cost, $	150

Packaging and delivery set

The box of the case looks quite utilitarian and informative. Monochrome printing on the sides of the package contains all the sheets necessary for the buyer, which include schematic images of the product in assembled and disassembled form, a listing of its advantages and specifications... Internal protection against damage consists of two foam dampers, one PU foam pad, a plastic bag and two films covering the side window. There are carrying handles on the sides of the box.

Assembly instructions and documentation are right in the box in the package. The kit is contained in a separate box located in the 3.5 ″ drive tray. On the one hand, it shows the list and purpose of the parts, and on the other, it shows what and how to connect the built-in fan controller. The package includes:

PC assembly instructions and red warranty information sheet;
six disposable plastic cable ties;
soft microfiber cloth for wiping glass;
one brass motherboard stand;
adapter for a Phillips screwdriver for motherboard racks;
four hexagonal screws for the power supply;
32 small screws for mounting 2.5 ″ drives;
15 screws for the motherboard and fixing the trays of 3.5 ″ drives;
Four knurled metal screws for mounting 5.25 "devices;
24 flat head screws for 3.5 ″ hard drives;
four spare knurled screws for the side panels.

Appearance

At first glance, the exterior of the Fractal Design Define R6 has not changed compared to the R4 and R5 versions - it is still the same classic rectangular black box. But, already removing it from the package, the differences are felt literally with your own hands. The body has noticeably added in weight and strength to its design. The front panel for the first time in the history of the series has a brushed aluminum coating, which only added solidity to this product. The drive activity indicator remains in its place, in the cutout in the center near the top edge.

The front panel, as before, is a thick plastic door, glued on the back with a layer of noise insulation. The door is held on latches, which simultaneously function as hinges. The hinges themselves can be moved on both sides, which will allow you to adjust the opening of the front panel both to the left and to the right. Behind it at the top there is an easily removable plug of the only 5.25 "compartment, and the rest of the space is occupied by the ventilation grill of the inlet dust filter, which has inclined deflectors. The filter is held by a simple latch at the top and can be easily removed for cleaning. Outboard air in this case is taken through the holes on the sides of the front panel. Recesses for opening the panel are made in the upper half of the side faces.

From the bottom, just as easily, a dust filter slides out, covering the entire bottom panel of the case. Thus, the protection and cleaning of the case from dust is simplified as much as possible.

Both filters, front and bottom, are made of high quality fine mesh, glued to a plastic frame.

External ports are traditionally located on the upper edge of the front panel. There are two 3.5 mm audio jacks, a recessed system restart button, a beautiful round start button, two USB 2.0 and two USB 3.0 ports, all of which are painted black. The system power indicator is built-in under the bezel, along the perimeter of the PC start button.

Since our version of the case is called Black TG (Tempered Glass), a solid, rather transparent (more precisely, 33% tinted) window is installed in place of the left panel. It is interesting that it is not attached to the usual screws in the corners, but is glued to a metal frame, which opens in a guillotine type, turning to the side.

The workmanship of the glass is impressive. As well as the fitting of the details of this case. By the way, the vents on the sides of the front panel also increased significantly in size by reducing the profile of the grille partitions and turning them into transverse deflectors.

Through the use of a metal frame and stiffeners, transparent panel turned out to be very reliable. In addition, it allowed to reduce the thickness of the glass to 2.5 mm and reduce its weight. The panel is held by two knurled screws and has two stamped handles at the back. They are needed in order to snap the door to the side. The fact is that it holds perfectly even without screws. There are round head metal pins in the back at the top and bottom.

When the door is closed, the pins snap into the plastic clips on the body, and the panel is fully fixed. It can only be opened by applying an effort directed to the side. It is recommended to use ordinary screws only when transporting the chassis.

The right side of the case is solid and metal. It also has two stamped handles and two metal thumb screws.

The inside of the right door is glued with a thick layer of noise insulation. It is very sturdy and also has pins in the back for quick locking in the closed position.

The top panel is metal. Most of it is a removable cover that snaps off when you press the round plastic button in the upper left corner of the rear of the chassis. This decision came to replace the collapsible plastic ModuVent segments, which were used in previous versions of the housing.

It looks like this. To insert it back, you need to press the edge of the lifting cover along its entire length, from the side of the lock button.

After dismantling the cover, access to the inside opens. The metal grill on the bottom is also removable, held by four small screws. And it even has a slot for the SVO filler hole with a diameter of 25 mm. The mounting holes here are shifted towards the left panel, away from conflicts with the components of the motherboard. As a result, you can hang three 120- or 140-mm fans here, or radiators of the appropriate size, 360 or even 420 mm long and of arbitrary thickness.

But that's not all. A filter similar to the one at the bottom and front can be removed from the metal cover of the top panel. This is done with difficulty, I had to use a screwdriver as a lever to disconnect these parts. This moment was either not thought over, or not fully described in the instructions. On the reverse side of the cover, a layer of noise-insulating material is glued.

Then the metal cover can be set aside and the filter can be placed over the top of the ventilation hole, thereby significantly improving the cooling of the case. Or put it back in and increase the noise reduction from the internal components.

The rear panel of the case looks generally standard, but has a number of its own peculiarities. In the upper left corner there is a large plastic button, pressing on which releases the lock of the upper metal panel. The seat behind the ventilation grill on the right can accept 120 or 140 mm propellers and their vertical position is adjustable within 20 mm. In addition to seven regular PCI slots, covered with white ventilated reusable plugs, there are two more expansion slots on the right, into which you can install the video adapter vertically using a special extension cable (not included in the package). These slots also have standard white caps held in place with regular screws and a decorative cover on top of them. The PSU seat has a separate bezel held in place by two knurled metal screws. The PSU is screwed to this frame with ordinary screws, after which it can be attached to the case in the orientation both with the fan down and up.

The entire base of the case is covered with one solid dust filter, which is removed forward and held in four separate plastic sleds. It is especially nice that on the left side of the base of the case there is now a metal plate with the model code and serial number products.

At the bottom we see two arrays of ventilation grilles with large cells. The front ones can be equipped with two 120- or 140-mm fans, or even an SVO radiator. At the back is the ventilation of the power supply.

The legs are metal, with a rubber base, 17 mm high to the body and approximately 11 mm to the level of the dust filter. They hold very tenaciously to the surface of the table.

Now let's take a look at the chassis interior.

Internal organization

The Fractal Design Define R6 chassis supports vertical installation of ATX, MicroATX and Mini-ITX motherboards. The allowed CPU cooler height is 185 mm. The possible length of expansion cards in all slots is 300 mm to the side rack. If the width of the graphics card does not exceed 150 mm, or the stand is removed, the allowable length increases to an insane 440 mm along with the fans installed in the front of the standard 25 mm thickness. The case accommodates a power supply unit up to 190 mm long with fans mounted on the bottom panel. If they are not there, then the supply of space for the power supply unit at close range to the hard drive baskets grows to 310 mm.

The stock of space from above to the edge of the motherboard does not exceed 25 mm, therefore, when installing the SVO radiator here, you need to take into account the height random access memory with which there may be a conflict. Ideally, the height of memory and other components on the board should not exceed 36 mm. With the front pillar, you can attach two 120 or 140 mm fans, or a similar radiator here. If you remove the storage baskets and the side rack, you can place three 120 or 140 mm fans, or 360 and even 420 mm long CBO radiators. Naturally, in the latter case, installation of the 5.25 ″ device from the front will become impossible.

A 140 mm fan is preinstalled on the rear panel of the hood. All filler caps for the seven main expansion slots are held in place by knurled screws. The vertical plugs are secured with ordinary screws. To remove them, you will have to unscrew another screw from above, which presses the decorative sliding bar.

All three 140mm fans installed in this chassis are new series Dynamic X2 GP-14. They have standard configuration frames and an impeller with seven blades. It uses a mechanism called LLS as a bearing. Unfortunately, one can only guess about the principle of its device, since even this abbreviation is not deciphered anywhere. Judging by the MTBF of 100 thousand hours, and the characteristics from the official website, it is likely that this is a kind of variation on the theme of a hydrodynamic bearing with magnetic stabilization of an axial sleeve. The maximum propeller speed is 1000 rpm, the minimum starting voltage is 4 V. The performance is normal (declared within 116 m3 / h), the static pressure is low (only 0.71 mm H2O), but the noise level is quite acceptable, and from a closed the case, this fan is almost inaudible. The black ribbon 3-pin power cord is 500mm long. These fans leave a good impression of themselves and do not make you want to replace them immediately after purchasing the case.

The casing of the power supply unit is perforated with small diagonal holes, from which we can conclude that its function is more decorative. For pulling wires in it there is one small hole in the back and one large one in front, closed with a rubber shutter. If desired, you can attach a proprietary PCI slot extension cable (Fractal Design Flex VRC-25), or two carriages for 2.5 ″ drives, screw holes are provided for this.

In front of the chassis there is a longitudinal metal post, the distance to which from the rear panel is 300 mm. The rack supports hard drive cages, which are positioned so as not to fall into the plane of the expansion slots. This part, if desired, can be dismantled and moved to the side of the motherboard tray.

The longitudinal post has a removable door that is held in place by two knurled screws. It has a decorative purpose and covers the mounting holes of the hard drive cages, which can be additionally screwed on this side for greater reliability.

There is a lot of interesting stuff on the motherboard pallet. On the right, there is a large cutout for the reinforcing plate of the processor cooler. There are two rubberized holes above it for pulling wires. Two more large holes with rubber shutters are located in the center. Two reusable Velcro fasteners are attached to them, allowing you to quickly and easily assemble a bundle of wires. I counted 13 lugs for attaching cable ties, taking into account those on the bottom of the case. The clearance from the pallet to the side panel is 23 mm wide.

On the right, in the middle of the pallet, there are two white carriages for 2.5 "drives held by knurled metal screws in the middle of the pallet. If desired, they can be rearranged on the power supply casing.

In the front of the case there is a bay for hard drive cages, which are white carriages that hold one side of the longitudinal stand and the other side of the motherboard tray. The fixing element is the knurled metal head screws. There are four baskets at the top. To the right of them is the fan controller board. Up to six 3-pin propellers can be connected to it, which will run at maximum speed, and three 4-pin fans, the speed of which can be controlled using a PWM signal from the motherboard. To do this, you will need to include the complete controller wire in any PWM connector of the board. This device is powered by the SATA Power connector.

Two 140mm fans are preinstalled at the front, the same model as the rear propeller. There are only six drive baskets, but up to 12 baskets can be installed over the entire height of the chassis in any position.

There are two more storage baskets at the bottom. 3.5 "hard drives are attached here through rubber pads with long screws, and 2.5" drives are screwed on with small screws directly. Each carriage has an eyelet in the lower right corner that can be used to attach a cable tie if needed.

The power supply seat has four rubber dampers on the bottom. The power supply unit slides in from the rear panel and is held on special frame, which we already talked about earlier, because there are no problems with connecting wires.

The front panel is easily detached by pulling on the notch from the bottom. Supports six plastic tulip mounts. No wires are connected to the panel.

This is what the front metal panel looks like without the plastic front:

As you can see, two 140 mm or three 120 mm fans can be fixed here using ordinary screws. The 5.25 ″ compartment mount is removable, held in place by two screws. Unfortunately, there is no complete fit between it and the front panel, so there is a high probability that dust will pass there, bypassing the filter, as it was in previous revisions of this chassis.

In order to expand the case's capabilities in terms of installing large SVO radiators, you can move the side stand to the side of the motherboard. To do this, you will need to remove the front fans, 5.25 ″ bay and remove two screws each at the top, front and bottom of the chassis. Then move the panel and screw it back.

As a result, the hull will be able to simultaneously take on board SVO radiators of 420x140 mm format at the top, 360x120 mm or 280x140 mm at the front, and 240x120 mm or 280x140 mm at the bottom. V this option the chassis assembly becomes extremely similar to the Fractal Design Define S in terms of internals. The front cutout of the PSU shroud is 175 mm long, which should be enough for the thickest heatsinks.

The top panel in this case is removable and usually requires only four screws to be removed to remove it. However, if the longitudinal bar is attached to the pallet side of the motherboard, you will need to unscrew two more screws from it in order to completely remove the bezel.

Even with this type of assembly, there is still room in the case for two 3.5 ″ hard drives. They can be hung vertically, on the side post at the back, by first screwing in the flat head screws through the rubber grommets.

The set of wires includes a USB 3.0, HDAudio, USB 2.0 connector, standard cables from the system start and restart buttons, power and drive indicators, a four-pin PWM connector and a SATA Power connector from the fan controller. All cords are black and long enough to connect to the motherboard.

Let's move on to assembling and testing the system.

Assembly

The assembly of the system in the Fractal Design Define R6 case is straightforward. The chassis is ideal for those who like to frequently change components in their system, as everything has direct and unhindered access. The wires are distributed behind the pallet without any problems.

Through the transparent side window, all the insides of the case are perfectly visible. At the same time, extra cables are hidden from view.

Additional illumination of the components, most likely, will not be needed, although when assembling a massive circuit of the CBO, many will definitely not resist the temptation to add a couple of LED strips here.

The blue indicator of the system operation is hidden under the start button and is almost invisible. The drive activity indicator LED has become dimmer and unobtrusively blinks blue when accessed operating system to the discs.

Test stand

The Fractal Design Define R6 used the following configuration to test the cooling efficiency of the components in the Fractal Design Define R6:

processor: Core i5-6600K (3, [email protected], 2 GHz, 1,300 V);
cooler: Zalman CNPS10X Performa;
motherboard: ASUS STRIX Z270G GAMING (Intel Z270);
video card: MSI N770 TF 2GD5 / OC (Nvidia GeForce GTX 770);
memory: Hyperx savage HX424C12SBK2 / 16 (2x4 GB, DDR4-2133, 15-15-15-36-2T, 1.20 V);
SSD: Crucial M4 CT064M4SSD2 (64GB, SATA 6Gb / s);
hard drive: Western Digital WD2000JS-00MHB0 (200 GB, SATA 3Gb / s, 7200 rpm);
power supply: Aerocool P7-650W Platinum (650 W);
thermal interface: Noctua NT-H1.

Testing methodology

The heat load was created by running LinX 0.6.5 stress tests with 2048 MB of dedicated memory and MSI Kombustor 3.5.1.0 simultaneously for 10 minutes after the temperature stabilized. The hard disk was loaded with the Crystal Disk Mark 5.2.2 x64 program. At the end of the test cycle, the system was idle for 10 minutes to determine the minimum thermal readings. The ambient temperature was 25 degrees Celsius. The fan speeds of the processor cooler and the video card are fixed at the maximum speed. Peak power consumption of the system was 404 watts. Testing was carried out in a single comparison mode with an open bench. All case fans ran at maximum speed during the test.

Test results

Although significantly more propellers could be added to this case and open top panel to improve ventilation, we decided to test it in stock condition, as it is out of the box. Thus, the thermal test passed with three stock turntables and a closed top panel. And I must say that it turned out quite well. The noise level was quite low, despite the fact that the fans of the processor and video cards were running at full speed and roaring with all their might. In terms of processor temperature, the loss is 7 degrees, and for the video card - 9 degrees. The difference in the rest of the components was from two to four degrees, and the hard drive did not heat up under load, keeping the same temperature as in idle. In general, even in the stock state, the case copes without any problems with cooling an overclocked system with an average level of thermal power. And to improve the cooling system, there are tremendous opportunities. It all depends only on the wishes and current needs of the user.

conclusions

Fractal Design Define R6 is another masterpiece from the Swedish company, which is the result of painstaking work on the mistakes of previous series. It's also nice that the company's engineers took into account the feedback and wishes of the IT community and ordinary customers. The result is a beautiful and very practical case, which has a lot of weight, high strength, spaciousness and thoughtful design.

Of the external improvements, it is worth noting the aluminum front panel, a modular top panel with opening through a button, side panels that are fastened with latches, which ensures their quick dismantling. The side glass no longer requires separate screws and can be dressed like a regular panel with a minimum of effort. The front door can be hinged to open in either direction, and all dust filters are quickly and easily accessible for service. The front panel can now be removed separately from the external ports; there is no need to disconnect the cables beforehand.

The inside of the case has a modular design, which equally easily allows you to implement massive air or liquid cooling, build in a large number of drives, accommodate components of any size, and choose the desired balance between the level of ventilation and noise isolation. And the built-in hub will allow you to easily connect all the fans that can be installed in the case, without worrying about whether the motherboard has enough connectors.

There were only two shortcomings found, and they are not particularly significant. The first is that the top metal cover is difficult to separate from the filter grill, which causes both parts to be scratched. The second point is a long-standing illness of the series, which consists in the fact that dust, as before, can penetrate inside through an uncovered 5.25 ″ compartment.

The Fractal Design Define R6 is recommended for anyone looking for a solid and well-thought-out case with a strict design. It has everything you need to build a system of any heat output, air or liquid cooled.

Type of shell:	Mid-Tower
Material:	Steel, aluminum, tempered glass
The weight:	11.6 kg
Slots:	7 + 2
Disk bays:	3x 3.5 "
Disk bays:	2x 2.5 "
Mat. fees:	Mini-ITX, Micro-ITX, E-ATX, ATX
Dimensions:	543 x 233 x 465 mm
Front fans:	3x 120/140 mm (2x Dynamic X2 GP-14 140 mm pre-installed)
Rear fans:	1x 120/140 mm (1x Dynamic X2 GP-14 140 mm pre-installed)
Top fans:	3x 120/140 mm
Bottom fans:	2x 120/140 mm
Side fans:	N / A
Input Output:	USB 3.1 Type-C
	2x USB 3.0
	2x USB 2.0
	1x Earphone
	1x Microphone
Fan / LED controller:	N / A
Compatibility:	CPU cooler: 185mm
	GPU: 440mm
	PSU: N / A

Packaging and contents

The Fractal Design Define S2 case comes in a brown cardboard box with an image on the front. On the back there are painted functions and a diagram of the disassembled case. On one side you will see a table of specifications, and on the other - a picture of a different type of case.

The body is secured between two thick expanded polystyrene spacers. While Fractal Design protected the R6's glass panel with a large layer of foam, there is no such additional protection here. In addition, the case is wrapped in a plastic bag to protect it from fingerprints and scratches.

The kit includes a set of black screws, some fasteners, and a cloth for cleaning the case. In addition, you will find a tank mount kit and a SATA extension cable. Highly detailed manual also part of this accessory set. It will definitely come in handy so you can get the most out of this case.

Thorough inspection

Outside

Taking the case out of the box, you can immediately notice that the Define S2 is longer than tall. The overall design is obviously based on what we've come to expect from the Define family: straight edges and an aluminum front fascia. The use of these materials is a step forward from previous models.

As with all Define cases, the front panel is all-metal and has a small notch at the very top for you to see the power LED. You can remove it to reveal the two 140mm fans designed to supply air to the Define S2. On the back, everything is arranged in the traditional way with the PSU compartment at the very bottom.

Looking at the main sidebar, you might think it's not there at all. Unlike most other brands, Fractal Design has opted not to stain the glass, which provides an unobstructed view of the S2's interior. Another interesting aspect is that the glass panel has been positioned on a metal frame so that it is fixed in exactly the same way as a classic solid panel. side panel... This allows Fractal Design to offer a case in both windowed and solid versions without having to worry about different tools. The opposite side of our sample is completely enclosed, as this is where you will be routing all your cables.

The PSU compartment is equipped with a mounting frame, as during assembly you will have to install the PSU via back part housing. There are seven horizontal and two vertical expansion slots above the bay. With an optional ribbon cable and a Flex VRC-25 PCIe slot, the two vertical ones allow you to show your graphics card, for example. At the very top, you'll find another 140mm fan. This brings the total number of pre-installed cooling elements to three.

The top cover consists of two parts: a solid metal panel with sound-absorbing material on it and a plastic grill with a dust filter. This allows either maximum sound encapsulation or airflow if the Define S2 ceiling has cooling units or a radiator.

The I / O panel is separate from the front cover, so you can turn it off. Here you will find two USB 2.0 and two USB 3.0 connectors and the usual pair of audio connectors. In the middle there is a small reset button and a much more massive power switch. In addition, there is a complete USB port 3.1 Type-C.

To access the interior, simply remove the four screws holding each side panel. The traditional style interior is not ordinary. All elements in the S2 appear to be specially designed and engineered as is the case with the Define series, but there are a few elements that have also been taken from the R6.

The most notable update to the Define S2 to date is the new 3.5-inch hard drive trays, which have a more sophisticated look and feel. necessary step in the right direction. You will find two SSD mounts on the same side on the right.

Behind the motherboard tray, you will find a fan board that is powered by a SATA connector. It can work with six 3-pin and three 4-pin PWM fans, with the corresponding signal taken from the header on the motherboard. Such a board will certainly come in handy when using large heatsinks and therefore multiple fans. Fractal Design has also installed two of its Velcro strips for easy cable management.

You can take the two SSD brackets on the back of the motherboard tray and place them on the shroud if you like. But if you install your video card here, then you can no longer use the left position. Fractal Design could have simply moved both SSD mounting positions further to the right to solve this problem.

There are four rubber cushions in the rear of the PSU bay to mount the PSU on. Above are the expansion slots, seven of which are horizontal and two are vertical. The former are secured with thumb screws, while the latter two use traditional screws and are accessible from the outside of the case. At the very top, you'll see a 140mm exhaust fan with a 3-pin connector.

In the ceiling, you can clearly define the possibility of mounting fans or a radiator.

All cables inside the Fractal Design S2 are black and standard variety, so they will certainly match any modern motherboard.

Last but not least, the fan controller is equipped with a SATA connector, for which an extension cable is also included in the package.

Assembly

Installing the motherboard is done using traditional methods using the pre-installed spacers and screws provided. There are many possibilities for cable routing and hiding to keep the interior beautiful and clean.

You can mount the SSD using a dedicated mounting plate or one of the 3.5-inch drives. Both use the same assembly method as the disc, attached with traditional screws.

The power supply must be inserted through the hole in the back of the Define S2. There is a lot of space, so you can easily use really big and powerful devices without any problem.

With a side glass panel in place, the Define S2 is a real beauty.

The view through the glass side panel is rather odd, meaning we are only used to tinted glass panels and now we see completely transparent.

Conclusion and conclusions

	Fractal Design Define S2 case has an MSRP of no more than $ 150
	Excellent build quality Great attention to detail Excellent combination of materials Glass side panel is one of the best Can contain a 420mm radiator at the top and a 360mm radiator at the front Three retail-grade 140mm fans preinstalled The top cover can be easily removed Board for six 3-pin and three 4-pin fans SATA extension cable Can hold up to five drives Front cables are pre-routed, which is very nice There is a USB 3.1 Type-C port Can contain PSUs up to 300mm GPU up to 440mm The maximum height of the CPU cooler is 185mm, more than enough Interesting additional accessories if you want / need them
	Heavy for this size Fan controller is no longer included by default 2.5 '' drive bay is not ideal Metal top cover folds easily when detaching from the plastic vent / dust filter Power indicator is not very bright

Fractal Design remains true to its roots by avoiding RGB as the main body accent and it's great to see the S2 is no different. Another nice touch is the three retail-grade 140mm fans in the case. Plus, the new 3.5-inch hard drive bays don't just look good, but also allow for interesting cable routing.

The S2 lacks the usual drive bays inside, so you have as much room as possible for large graphics cards, top quality liquid or air cooling, or even large E-ATX motherboards.

Overall, the Fractal Design Define S2 takes the best of the R6, improves on many elements and offers better fans, targeting a more targeted group of potential users, which makes the case look great.

9.2 Overall score9.2 Author's rating