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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.
Dual side mounted door
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.
Define 7 Compact
Motherboard fan control remains the best option, but it’s nice that the fan controller is there for those who need it. To be fair, the Obsidian 450D does have an extra 140-mm fan spinning away in its front panel, but the Corsair case also lacks the Define R5’s foam-insulated front door and top panels. As a result, more noise can escape from the Obsidian 450D, period, no matter what cooling method you choose. Thanks to all of the foam, the Define R5 seems to do a better job of muffling the worst sounds from inside the case, especially hard drive noise. The R5’s foam-insulated front door is a much better noise barrier than 450D’s open mesh panel, as evidenced by the three to six dBA gap in noise levels measured at the front of each case.
Price: $267
If you're building your own PC, one of the biggest decisions you have to make is picking the right PC case. Fractal Design makes some of the best PC cases out there, and you can find one for every type of build. However, Fractal Design offers a ton of options, so picking the best one for you can be tough. The included Multibracket lets you convertany unused fan position to an HDD, SSD or pump mount. Fractal Design’s Define R5 is the latest in the company’s Define series of enclosures. Aside from the fact that “design” is right there in the name, Fractal’s website and product literature are rich with discussions of Scandinavian design philosophy.
The Define R5 delivers lower temperatures than the Obsidian 450D for some components, while the Obsidian keeps other parts cooler. Considering the Define R5 is down a fan against the Obsidian 450D, that’s impressive. The Define R5 makes up for its somewhat fiddly drive mounting system with its incredible modularity. Those black USB 3.0 ports are up top along with the usual headphone and mic jacks, a pair of USB 2.0 ports, and a large power button flanked by a tiny, sunken reset button.
Fractal Design Define USB Computer Cases
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.
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.
Universal Multibracket - Type A (2-pack)
While the door might look like it’s made of metal, it’s really just thick plastic with a metallic veneer. I wish Fractal had made the removable ModuVent panels at the top of the case a little more finger-friendly. The company could have included some corresponding magnetic filters for these top vents, too.
If you want to go compact, Fractal Design has the Meshify 2 Compact, and for ITX builds, the Define Nano S. Perhaps most importantly (to mangle another Steve Jobs-ism), the best-designed products should delight their owners. That rare quality, along with the R5’s many virtues and sensible price, make this case an easy pick for our coveted Editor’s Choice award. According to this study by researchers at the University of Florida, the accuracy of these apps varies widely, with most over-reporting noise levels, and at least one under-reporting.
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.
Corsair includes a magnetic top filter for the Obsidian 450D in the box, so such an add-in wouldn’t be unprecedented. The Define R5’s base price is $109.99, placing it squarely in competition with our favorite mid-tower, the Corsair Obsidian 450D. The Define Series of cases focuses on delivering the perfect balance between silent operation and minimalist Scandinavian design.
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