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Mid Tower Case Final Thoughts
Variety of cooling options? Check. Plenty of customization options?. Check. Solid construction and strong appearance? Check. Any way you look at it, it’s hard to find fault with the Fractal Design Define R5. The Define R4 was much lauded for it’s cooling options and design, and with the R5, Fractal Design has demonstrated that they listened to their customers and made a variety of adjustments. With HDD cages that can be fully removed and relocated along with removable 5.25″ bays, the R5 brings a level of cooling and custmization not previously found in the series. Removable 5.25″ cages, a modular door panel, top “Moduvent” covers, and additional fan mounts on the top and bottom make the R5 great successor to the R4. Fractal Design clearly took note of the success of NZXT’s H440 chassis, and have designed the R5 to succeed the R4 as the best quiet PC case around.
Define R5 Conclusion
Solid noise cancelling along with high cooling capacity means that the R5 offers great perfomance. And with the customization options at your disposal, you can tailor you build however you see fit. Granted, you have to make trade offs. For example, removing the front door will boost airflow but increase noise, and the same applies to the top panel as well. It’s really what you want more that matters.
The R5 is by no means flashy. Minimal LEDs, matte black throughout the exterior, and a few parts such as the hard drive trays and expansions slots colored white makes for a very elegant design though. The front door panel, aside from functioning to block noise, also keeps the exterior free from ugly 5.25″ inch drives, and the “Moduvent” covers on the top cover the vents when they aren’t in use. Grab a windowed version, some black internals, and add some LEDs and you’ll end up with a system that’s not only quiet, but looks great as well.
The Define R5 a mix of plastic and aluminum, which is to be expected from a case in this price range. But despite this, I didn’t feel like any of the parts were going to break or fall off. The HDD/SSD trays are even made of steel, and if there’s one place I’ve often felt build quality was a little lacking, it was wit plastic drive trays. Not with the R5 though. The previously mentioned power button is a bit questionable, but everything else about this chassis is solid.
The only issue I have with the functionality of the Define R5 is not with what was included, but what rather wasn’t included. With the now removable 5.25 bays, it would have been really nice to have seen the option to add an additional fan in the front if the bays were removed. This might seem a little difficult to do, but I think it’s something that can really be done with some thought and ingenuity. Perhaps this is something to think about for the R6? Because right now, the only reason to remove the 5.25″ cages is for the one additional fan mount on the top.
The Define R5 will sell for $109.99, with the windowed version costing $119.00. This means that it’s closest competitor is of course the NZXT H440, which also sells for $119.00. The biggest difference out of the box is that the H440 includes four 120mm case fans, while the Define R5 only has a pair of 140mm fans. But when designing your system, the R5 offers more in the way of expansion options (with bottom and additional top mounts) than the H440 does. As a result, this makes the Define R5 a much better value for those planning to create custom water cooling loops or install multiple AIO radiators.
NZXT better watch out. The H440 may have claimed the quiet performance mid tower crown from the R4, but the R5 is here now, setting a new benchmark in mid tower design with what the Define series has always been known for, customization, high performance and low noise, all at an affordable price intended for everyone.
Pros:
+ Elegant, simple design.
+ Plenty of water cooling options.
+ An interior designed for a simple, painless system construction.
+ Enough customization for everyone to build what they want.
+ I’m having to majorly nitpick to have any cons at all.
Cons:
– Removable 5.25″ bays feel like a missed opportunity to do more.
– SSD “stealth” mounts interfere slightly with cable management.
Ratings:
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Performance: 9.50
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Appearance: 9.50
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Construction: 9.25
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Functionality: 9.75
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Value: 9.50
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