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The Define R5 also has plentiful slots for zip ties in this area, if the Velcro straps aren’t enough. The three fan headers and SATA power connector for the built-in fan controller reside here, as well, along with two 2.5″ drive trays. If you care about system noise, using the Define’s built-in fan controller isn’t a set-and-forget process. With the fan controller on high, load noise levels are about the same, but the larger, more pleasant-sounding Fractal Design fans are doing more of the work. Accordingly, it pays to switch the fan controller between its high and low settings as needed.
Dual side mounted door
Around back, there’s another 140-mm spinner, seven expansion slots, and a mount for the power supply at the bottom of the case. To paraphrase a Steve Jobs-ism, however, it’s important to remember that design isn’t just about how something looks, but also how it works. Companies can pay as much lip service as they like to the idea of good design, but the rubber has to hit the road at some point. Let’s see whether Fractal Design’s Scandinavian approach has produced an enclosure that measures up.
Price: $267
The Define also dampened the sound of the Casewarmer’s Cooler Master Hyper D92 quite well. I noticed barely any change in system noise during the CPU load phase of my tests. Another nifty modular feature is the trio of “ModuVent” covers at the top of the case. These foam-backed plastic panels can pop out if you want to mount fans or a radiator to the R5’s ceiling, or they can be left in place for maximum silencing power.
DIYPC ARGB-Q10-BK Black USB3.0 ATX Mid Tower Gaming Computer Case w/ Dual
I am fine with completely removing the stock 3 bay cage with one that has 6 bays, or something that can attach to the stock cage or the bottom of the 5.25in bay frame/cage. While I would like 6 total 3.5in bays, I am also open to even something that adds just 2. It's a little expensive, but as I said, you're paying a premium for the tremendous build quality and Fractal Design has packed in a lot of cool features too. Plus, if you need to tweak the features, you can get additional HDD trays, SSD trays, a HDD...
Raspberry Pi 4 Model B Case Red/White - includes rubber feet
The metal drive trays at the front of the R5 can accept up to eight 2.5″ or 3.5″ drives. Still, the R5’s drive mounting scheme is my biggest complaint about the case. Mounting a drive to a tray requires four rubber grommets and screws, unlike the simpler snap-on plastic drive trays in almost every other modern case. What’s more, this mounting system means that owners will have to worry about keeping the Define R5’s included hardware organized and stored somewhere. In almost every other regard, though, living with the Define R5 is a pleasure. Fractal has clearly thought about every inch of the case, from the easy-to-use side panels and spacious radiator mounts to the generous cable-routing area behind the motherboard tray.
Dual side door
Monitors, cables, processors, video cards, fans, cooling, cases, accessories, anything for a PC build. Overall, the R5 is the quietest case I’ve tested, but it’s not going to make an otherwise noisy system quiet on its own. Silent-PC enthusiasts will still need to choose parts carefully to minimize overall system noise. With the motherboard in control of its fans, the Define R5 is anywhere from two to four dBA quieter than the 450D for the most part, both at idle and under load.
Exceptionally silent
That said, the rubber grommets are soft and thick, so maybe the extra effort will pay off with lower noise and vibration levels. While the drive cages are ostensibly tool-free, the thumbscrews used to secure them are super-tight out of the box, so a screwdriver is a must here, too. With all of the drive cages removed, the R5 can accept radiators up to 360 mm in length behind the front fan mounts, as well as extra fans or radiators at the bottom of the case.
NZXT H6 Flow Mid Tower Case - Matte Black
The Define R5’s instruction manual suggests that the bottom drive cage can be moved to the middle of the case, which is nice if you need both front radiator support and room for 3.5″ drives. For a full accounting of the various drive cage configurations that are possible with this case, check out the Define R5’s manual. Behind the door is an easily removable dust filter, a single Fractal Design Dynamic GP mm fan, and two 5.25″ bays. The door can be easily swapped to open from either side of the case, although it’s not a tool-free process. The switch for the Define R5’s built-in, three-speed fan controller can also be found here.
ASUS TUF Gaming ATX Motherboard, Black - GT301TUFGAMCASE
The Define R5 case reaches the highest level of silent computing through strategically placed dense sound-dampening material, ModuVent™ fan vent covers and finely tuned Dynamic Series fans. Should you wish to expand your system with water cooling components or more fans, the layout can easily be configured to meet your demand. The Define R5’s cable routing features are some of the best I’ve used, too.
The Meshify C is for those looking for a huge case with a ton of features packed in, all while carrying a price tag that isn't too high. If you want a full-tower PC case from Fractal Design, look no further. A community for links to products that are on sale at various websites.
With the single layer of fans, however, I avoided blocking the rear fan by sliding it down on the R5’s adjustable rear fan mount. I haven’t built a PC with a front door in a long time (remember Antec’s P180?), but the concept has lived on in the Define series. Not only does the door help to keep the exterior clean-looking, but it’s also the first line of defense in the Define R5’s silencing features. Opening the door reveals a foam-lined interior, similar to the Cooler Master Silencio 652S that Cyril recently reviewed. Fractal Design has lined the side and top panels of the R5 with this foam, too.
When I used the Q-fan system, I profiled each case’s fans using Asus’ fan tuner, and I used the Standard built-in fan profile for my tests. As I noted in my dissection of the Define R5’s interior, I’m not a big fan of this case’s drive mounting system. The Define’s metal sleds require four grommets and screws per 3.5″ drive, which feels archaic nowadays.
The Fractal Design Define Nano S is the best ITX case that the company makes. Just like the Define 7, Fractal Design has made a lot of effort to get around the disadvantages of the form factor with this one. The Define Nano S can take full-sized components and has an ATX-like layout. The case also gets sound dampening, making it a good fit for a quiet ITX build. When it comes to compact cases, it can be tough to pick the right one.
There’s also generous room for SATA power and data cables behind the drive cages—much more than in my Obsidian 450D or the Cooler Master Silencio 652S. The spacious cable area means that the side panel slides back on effortlessly, and the panel doesn’t bow out at all, even with the added thickness of the noise-deadening foam. There’s plenty of space for cable routing behind the motherboard tray, plus some thoughtful touches. Fractal includes three Velcro straps in the R5, which are used to route the front-panel cables by default.
Installing fans or radiators here will limit the length of the PSU you can install, however. Known as the finest case Fractal Design makes, the Define R6 is the case to go for for a quiet build. It also has a great airflow system and comes with some solid dust filters. The case packs in a ton of features, however, with great radiator and AIO cooling support, and a mid-tower form factor with plenty of room for all your hardware. To get the fullest possible picture of each case’s cooling performance, I tested the Define R5 using both its built-in fan controller and the Asus Q-fan motherboard fan control system. Since the Obsidian 450D doesn’t have a built-in fan controller, I tested it using the Q-fan system only.
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