Solo II vs R5 (specific questions)

Enclosures and acoustic damping to help quiet them.

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korsch
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Solo II vs R5 (specific questions)

Post by korsch » Sat Jun 27, 2015 12:38 am

I am putting together a quiet gaming build that will likely include i5-4690K, Asus Maximus VII Hero, EVGA 750W G2, MSI GTX 970,... <tbd>. My plan is to use this conservatively for a couple years, then overclock and add another GTX 970 (or upgrade the graphics card) to squeeze another couple years out of it. I did the same with my current desktop and it worked out fairly well for my modest gaming and other needs.

I currently use an old Antec Solo quite happily and I will have mechanical drives I want to suspend in the new build, so I have been leaning Solo II. But after discovering the love for the Fractal Design cases and seeing that a few DIY suspensions in them, I'm debating R5 vs. Solo II. I would probably be happy with either but each has an advantage, in my mind at least. Solo II is more the devil I know and love and has the built in suspension. The R5 is roomier and probably offers more heatsink and general cooling potential. Here are a few questions in case anyone can help:

(1) Is the drive cage on the R5 the same as on the R4 which some have modded quite easily to do drive suspension (see http://imgur.com/a/sbI1I)?

(2) I am not planning to use a side fan -- does the R5 completely sound block the side panel opening so that no sound escapes there?

(3) On the Solo II, is the new top vent a source of increased noise and what would be the quietest solution for installing an EVGA G2 750 in this case (upside down or rightside up)?

If I felt confident that a compact heatsink like the Kotetsu could cool a heavily overclocked i5-4690K (reviews seem uneven on this cooler under heaviest loads) then I would have few reservations left about the Solo II. But if I need a bigger tower cooler then maybe the R5 will make more sense?

quest_for_silence
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Re: Solo II vs R5 (specific questions)

Post by quest_for_silence » Sat Jun 27, 2015 1:16 am

korsch wrote:(3) On the Solo II, is the new top vent a source of increased noise and what would be the quietest solution for installing an EVGA G2 750 in this case (upside down or rightside up)?

As any opening, it is a path: anyway, you have to run the PSU with the fan facing up, otherwise you're heating up more the PSU sensor, likely speeding up the PSU fan (or shortening the fanless operation).

You might also wait a little for the PSU: Super Flower is releasing the Leadex Titanium with lower wattages (from 550W), so either EVGA or SF itself may offer you a better option over that proven Leadex Gold.

korsch wrote:If I felt confident that a compact heatsink like the Kotetsu could cool a heavily overclocked i5-4690K (reviews seem uneven on this cooler under heaviest loads)
Which reviews are you referring to?

Just as a side note, I've tested my Kotetsu with three different Core i7/Core i5 (2600K, 2320, 4690) and even with an AMD FX6300 @ 4.4GHz, and frankly I didn't find any substantial issue.

korsch
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Re: Solo II vs R5 (specific questions)

Post by korsch » Sat Jun 27, 2015 11:26 pm

Thanks for the reply and tip about Super Flower. Unfortunately I can't wait for the lower wattage models. I have however looked into the EVGA 650 G2 but it has been priced the same or more than the 750 recently in the retail channels available to Canadians.

As for the Kotetsu reviews, I can't tell you as I looked at so many of these comparative charts and didn't keep track of them all. Here is one that I do happen to remember: http://www.techtesters.eu/scythe-kotetsu-mugen-max/6/. i haven't settled on a cooler but I was starting to think that some beast like the PH-TC14PE would be more of sure thing in my setup, though it likely won't fit in the Solo II, which got me thinking about the R5 and so on.

If the R5 drive cage is not easy to modify for drive suspension like the R4 shown in the link above, then I would rule out this case which would simplify my decision making. So if anyone knows this in particular I would love to get confirmation.

quest_for_silence
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Re: Solo II vs R5 (specific questions)

Post by quest_for_silence » Sun Jun 28, 2015 2:20 am

korsch wrote:Here is one that I do happen to remember: http://www.techtesters.eu/scythe-kotetsu-mugen-max/6/

If you give a look to the SPCR review of Mugen Max, you will see that outcome is radically different (particularly if you think that several of those charted coolers were already tested by SPCR, so you may do some further comparisons), and frankly I think your concern about CPU cooling is rather groundless.

dmitch
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Re: Solo II vs R5 (specific questions)

Post by dmitch » Sat Jul 18, 2015 5:27 am

You might not have access to the german market but others who are pondering between those two options might want to consider the R5 PCGH Edition about which I posted earlier:

viewtopic.php?f=13&t=68070&p=595062#p595062

To me it very much looks like a hybrid between an R5 and the Solo II.

Quinnbeast
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Re: Solo II vs R5 (specific questions)

Post by Quinnbeast » Sat Jul 18, 2015 4:15 pm

http://www.pcper.com/files/imagecache/a ... D_BAYS.jpg
http://www.fractal-design.com/media/366 ... b219ca6bc6

I'm using the R4 myself so I'm only going on the photos above for ideas for the R5. The HDD cage certainly similar to the R4 but not identical; it has an angled section near the front and doesn't appear to have the same notches at the back (motherboard end) that you see linked in your original post. It looks like you should be able to rig something up though; nothing wrong with a little engineering challenge is there? :wink:

You shouldn't have any issues with the vent on the side panel. They have some fairly chunky inserts that attach flush with the panel, and have been improved over the R4 (which are plenty effective but little more basic).

I was a big fan of the Solo and I still have a soft spot for it (as my original silent case), but the newer members of the Fractal R series offer a little more versatility, and I find them easier to work in. The 140mm fans will shift a little more air at similar noise levels, and the wider case should allow you to take your pick of CPU coolers. I'd be surprised if you couldn't have an R5 that's just as quiet as a Solo II, while also allowing a touch more overclocking headroom.

Placid
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Re: Solo II vs R5 (specific questions)

Post by Placid » Sat Jul 18, 2015 11:03 pm

I'm on the same boat as I'm coming from a Solo, and looking for a case for my new build. The Solo II and R5 are also two of the several candidate cases that I'm contemplating.

SPCR's reviews show that the SOLO II and R5 have similar cooling performance. The R5 might be cooler if the additional fan mounts are populated, but vibration might become a problem. One of my gripes about this case is that it tries to appease the water cooling crowd by punching three fan mounts into the top, which seriously compromises integrity. The optical cage and two drive cages, being removable, are also subject to vibration.

It looks like the R5 PCGH Edition eliminated the top fans, and added an eighth PCI slot in place of the grill at the rear.

dr_traktor
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Re: Solo II vs R5 (specific questions)

Post by dr_traktor » Sun Jul 19, 2015 1:52 am

How are the R5's front fans fastened to the case?

One of my bigger gripes with the Define Mini (other than HDD vibration, which the R5 seems to be prone to as well), is that the front fans pop into a rigid plastic frame, which makes the whole case vibrate at certain RPMs. There is no way to fasten the front fans with soft rubber screws.

On the pictures I can see there is some kind of rigid (steel maybe?) frame around the front fans on the R5 as well. Can you do elastic suspension somehow?

Quinnbeast
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Re: Solo II vs R5 (specific questions)

Post by Quinnbeast » Sun Jul 19, 2015 8:39 am

Placid wrote:SPCR's reviews show that the SOLO II and R5 have similar cooling performance.
I couldn't see any direct comparison here, given the variation in the test components. The Solo II is compared to the R2/R3, but the revisions to the subsequent models (and current Editor's choice) suggest it has marginally gone in favour of the newer Fractal model overall. The differences are probably still negligible, but given the OPs reference to a "heavily overclocked i5-4690K", I'd personally be more confident with the Fractal if I was starting a new build from scratch. I suppose it boils down to which compromises you think you can deal with overall. As per SPCRs Quiet ATX layout, I run 3x 140mm fans in total, two up front and one rear. The side panel and top slots are perhaps more prone to some vibration/resonance, but with O/Cing in mind, I'd prefer to at least have those options available to test out.
dr_traktor wrote:On the pictures I can see there is some kind of rigid (steel maybe?) frame around the front fans on the R5 as well. Can you do elastic suspension somehow?
Yeah, it looks like they've dropped the plastic frame from the R4 in favour of attachment to the side of the HDD framework. You should be able to at least use rubber/silicone fittings. That said, I've never heard even the slightest vibration from the R4 front fan holder. In fact, I found the Phantek F140HPs @ 500RPM sounded better in the front frame than soft-mounted at the rear; the latter gave a slight tonal noise perhaps from the mesh holes. If anything, I'm preferring the stock fans in terms of acoustics just now, but I'll be trying something like the TrueQuiet 140s or Redux 900/1200 depending on compatibility with Fan Xpert and/or my trust old Fanmate.

Placid
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Re: Solo II vs R5 (specific questions)

Post by Placid » Sun Jul 19, 2015 10:27 am

Quinnbeast wrote:The Solo II is compared to the R2/R3, but the revisions to the subsequent models (and current Editor's choice) suggest it has marginally gone in favour of the newer Fractal model overall.
You're right. The Solo II depends entirely on the lone 120mm rear fan to exhaust the heated air. The R5 with everything blocked-off still has a 140mm rear fan, plus bigger front fans and extra ventilation from the bottom; better for a hotter system. The Solo II is out, for me at least.

The R5 is a wide case, however. With the Solo under my desk, I'm running out of leg room. The wider R5 is going to get kicked every time. The door doesn't open wide enough so I will run into it regardless of where it's hinged. Removing it loses the benefit of extra dampening when the system is idle, and leaving it on, I can't open it for extra ventilation when under load. With that said, I was at a computer store a while ago and checked out an R5 in person. I like the heavy layer of bitumen. I placed my ear into every empty chassis on display to listen for the noise of the store reverberating from within them. The R5 was dead quiet, though noting outstanding enough to put the R5 over the other cases that I'm looking at.

Quinnbeast
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Re: Solo II vs R5 (specific questions)

Post by Quinnbeast » Sun Jul 19, 2015 12:30 pm

Aye, going from a 40L to a 55L case is not inconsiderable if you're already pushed for space. From recollection it's also about 5-6cm longer too. In fact, I think even the Arc Mini and the Define Mini (both mATX) edge out the Solo in terms of overall dimensions.

That said, if you're ultimately aiming for SLI 970s + O/C i5 + mechanical drives and would like a fighting chance ff keeping everything fairly cool, then the volume of a traditional mid tower seems like necessary choice. One alternative would be to ditch the bigger mechanical drives (if feasible) and see if the FT05 would suit your needs. It's closer to the Solo in dimensions, but should make easier of work of an SLI / overclocked setup.

Or, maybe it's time for a new desk / house? You know, priorities and all that ;)

Placid
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Re: Solo II vs R5 (specific questions)

Post by Placid » Sun Jul 19, 2015 10:40 pm

The SLI config wasn't me... it was the op. I just happened to be interested in the same cases. Man, we're all coming from the venerable Solo. Getting back to korsch's build...

For cooling, I can see the R5 as being well-suited for how you plan to use it. You can run it quietly for the first several years, then unblock the fan mounts with OC and SLI to keep it cool later on.

Quinnbeast
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Re: Solo II vs R5 (specific questions)

Post by Quinnbeast » Mon Jul 20, 2015 9:52 am

Oops. I'm getting too engrossed in the flow of chat it would seem. Ah well, I'm sure it's all still relevant (that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it). Maybe we need a sub-forum for recovering ex-Solo fanatics?

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