Fractal Design Define R2 ATX Tower Case

Zap · Post by **Zap** » Mon Apr 05, 2010 8:22 am

frostedflakes wrote:Appears to be lower quality than a case like the P183 and lacks the same fit and finish, but at 2/3 the price you can't really complain.

Oh, people can, and will complain...

QuietCat · Post by **QuietCat** » Wed Apr 21, 2010 11:23 pm

Yes, and now they can complain in plain Canadian too. Only $99 this week and in stock at: http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php? ... omoid=1009

The end of May has come early. Not that I'm complaining.

thejamppa · Post by **thejamppa** » Thu Apr 29, 2010 9:34 am

Wilhelm-Tell wrote:I don't like it.

Why fill it with Bitumen? Seems like a third grade solution...

Can't be good for planet earth either. Plus the smell...

Bitumen is good, effective vibration reducer and its rather cheap. Get correct bitumen it doesn't smell barely noticable and all smell is gone in few days.

Planet Earth has stood for billions of years, it will be here when mankind is history. well over 95% species that have inhabitated this planet have died in extinction. Meteor hit in Juacatan peninsula killed 99,8% of global life.

So Earth will survive and Earth has time, unlike human beings..

To me, Bitumen is prime choice as I love modding my computers. I've used bitumen for 4 cases in my life. Its always been good. Yet, we really cannot argue personal preferences.

It seems like R2's F&F is bit hit and miss, but for price point it offers alot properties and fairly good looks. It certainly has great cooling capacity. I hope next time they would make sides thicker secc steel, like compucases sides have been really good and thick for the pricepoint.

But I have to agree with many here: For money, Fractal R2 offers alot good properties and value. No case is perfect but R2 is good base for modder.

zyrobs · Post by **zyrobs** » Tue May 18, 2010 3:55 am

Wow, that case is very impressive. The main reason I'm not switching from my P183 right this instant, is because my motherboard only has 4 SataII and 2 SataI connectors, and no free PCI-e for additional Sata cards.

But I'll surely get that case for my next PC, in a year or maybe two. Hopefully by then they will have another revision with better QC and perhaps some improvements (sort of how the P183 improved the P182).

And as for whoever mentioned the stiff silicone grommets: if I see it right from the screenshots, the HDD frame is perfect to use elastic suspension (something not possible or problematic with the P183). Which makes this the ultimate noiseless HTPC case: absolutely minimal vibration, decent enough cooling, and a fuckton of HDD space.

KayDat · Post by **KayDat** » Tue May 18, 2010 9:31 am

From what I can see of the photos, the front door hinge doesn't go 270 degrees, unlike the Antec cases. Can someone confirm this?

faugusztin · Post by **faugusztin** » Tue May 18, 2010 10:02 am

No, it doesn't. The maximum is about 100 degrees.

rpsgc · Post by **rpsgc** » Sun May 30, 2010 9:03 am

Was the fan ticking really noticeable? Noticeable enough to replace the fans?

Either this case or the Lancool K56 will replace my Solo sometime in the future.

rpsgc · Post by **rpsgc** » Wed Jun 02, 2010 8:31 am

Also, wouldn't placing the sidefan on the bottom produce almost the same effect cooling-wise without the added noise from the "flimsy" side panel?

justravis · Post by **justravis** » Sat Jun 05, 2010 7:50 pm

JugsteR wrote:Should the hard drives really be placed in that direction?
It kind of defeats the "hide cables at the back" theme.

Rotating them would make more sense, if there is enough space.

/J

I never saw an answer to this question.

Can the hard drives be placed in reverse?

rpsgc · Post by **rpsgc** » Sat Jun 12, 2010 8:19 am

rpsgc wrote:Was the fan ticking really noticeable? Noticeable enough to replace the fans?

rpsgc wrote:Also, wouldn't placing the sidefan on the bottom produce almost the same effect cooling-wise without the added noise from the "flimsy" side panel?

MikeC, would you mind giving your feedback on those points? Or stop by my thread here:
viewtopic.php?t=59095&highlight=

Thanks.

rpsgc · Post by **rpsgc** » Sat Jun 12, 2010 8:21 am

justravis wrote:I never saw an answer to this question.

Can the hard drives be placed in reverse?

Yes.

In fact, the HDDs are supposed to be installed with the connectors facing the other way so the cables are hidden. Like this.

justravis · Post by **justravis** » Sat Jun 12, 2010 10:27 am

to b honest, i assumed the hard drives were installed that way.

another forum member pointed out SPCR did install them with the connectors on the left.

i just wondered if there was enough room for the connectors once the side panel was attached.

Fractal Design Define R2 ATX Tower Case

Re: hard drive orientation?

Re: hard drive orientation?