Mid-Tower Case Final Thoughts

Many have compared the Suppressor F51 to the Fractal Design R5, claiming that Thermaltake has simply ripped off the R5’s design. I have reviewed the Define R5 here on benmarkreviews.com, and yes, they share a number of similarities. But if they were identical, what would be the point of having a Suppressor F51? For starters, it’s a good bit larger. This means additional air cooling, additional water cooling options, and compatibility with E-ATX motherboards. Additional improvements like the rear 3.5″ mounts and the magnetic dust filter on top are great additions.

Suppressor F51 Conclusion

The Suppressor F51 performs about as well as you might expect from any case. It has all the features you could need while running nice and silently. However, considering that you can install up to nine 120mm fans, we really could have used more fan plugs.

I wouldn’t call this especially elegant or good looking. It’s really just a black box, and I definitely dislike the grilled design of the front panel. Thankfully it’s hidden so long as the door is closed. On the plus side, I appreciate the exterior’s resistance to scratches and fingerprints.

Not only is this sizable for a mid-tower, but it’s incredibly well built. At no point did I feel that something was going to break, snap off, or get stuck. Of course, the build does make the case a little heavy. My sole complaint was the design of the inner thumbscrews securing the HDD bays. Instead of placing them on the outside, they are located directly next to the motherboard tray, making access a little awkward. They were also extremely tight, forcing me to use a power drill to get them off.

Functionality was looking all fine and dandy…until I pulled off the front cover and saw the second filter. Why in the world would you include a 200mm then place it behind a filter that doesn’t cover it? While you probably won’t see significant dust accumulation from that, it’s still such an obvious design fault you can’t help but wonder. Also, I mentioned earlier only having four fan plugs from the controller means you’ll have to invest in additional equipment to control more than that. I do like the mounting system on the backplate. The H440 is limited to 2.5″ drives without the trays while the Define R5 can only use the ODD bays, but the F51 isn’t, which is good for people like me who use both 2.5″ and 3.5″ drives.

The Suppressor F51 is currently available online for $119.99 (Newegg | B&H | Amazon), making it slightly more expensive that the Define R5 and H440. But I might consider the price justified overall giving the added cooling features. I only wish it also had just a little bit more modularity, then it could be considered an excellent value.

Despite it’s similarity to the Define R5, it’s still a strong product if you want a little bit more room or that extra cooling. But if neither of those are necessary, or the few extra perks like top filters or rear mounted 3.5″ drives don’t appeal to you, you’ll probably prefer the H440 or Define R5.

Pros:

+ Sturdy construction.
+ Resistant to marks and oily fingerprints,
+ Plenty of cooling potential.
+ Soundproofed, modular design.
+ Filtered front, top, and bottom.
+ Mounting points for 2.5″ and 3.5″ drives on back.

Cons:

– Poor filtration for side vents.
– Difficult to remove HDD cages.
– More expensive than a H440 and Define R5.
– Only four connectors to the fan controller.

Ratings:

• Performance: 9.00
• Appearance: 8.75
• Construction: 9.25
• Functionality: 8.75
• Value: 8.75

Final Score: 8.9 out of 10.

Quality Recognition: Benchmark Reviews Silver Tachometer Award.