Blogs Fractal Design Define R2 - Follow Up

Fractal Design Define R2 - Follow Up

 

Thank you for that.

Fractal Define R2 here I come.

 

Thanks for the review. This very well might be my next case. It's a bit more GF friendly than my Raven RV01

 

I thought that we might see results like this. Regardless of how well this case ventilated, either stock or with additional fans, I was sold the moment I saw it. That said, this is a stunning result.

What were the noise levels like with the extra Silent Eagles? I know that the fans used are quite quiet in their own right, but this rig had 5 case fans... This will be the more interesting result for me.

 

bit-tech, you legends, thanks for taking the time to re-test!

 

thank you - it's now the hottest (see what I did there) candidate for my next case

 

Thanks for the re-test Bit.

 

amazing! many thanks!

if my case dies, this will be by next one! or Antec makes another one that doesn't look like crap.

 

Thank you.

Amazing result.

 

yay!
Was is still nice and quiet?

 

Thanks for the re-test

This will be my next case also then.

Fractal designs owe you thanks for certain.

regarding the comments about any case having improved performance if you strap extra fans on it....

Should this case have come with the extra fans for many users it would have cost more for little benefit.

It is my view FD took the correct option and put the requisite holes and mounting points for those who would like improved cooling to have more cooling with little effort whilst keeping the base price (and noise levels) as low as possible.

The placement of fans as we have seen (raven were looking at you) has often been disasterous for other cases in these tests.

I think personaly this is just another way in which this case excells - perhaps finally a case that can satisfy everyone.

regardless It'll be a couple of months till my newbuild but at least one component is settled.

 

btw - where were the fans located - from the review it sounds as if there were 4 free slots

 

Thank you. Very much appreciated. If we could just get a subjective idea of how much louder it was (if at all)? Also, as above, where did you put the fans?

Thanks again!

 

Although we understand the objective behind testing the cases as they come, we all felt that case could do a little bit more and since almost isn't rich to do such a thing, it was easier for BT to re-test and throw in some results.

Thanks for it

 

Thanks for the update Baz!

Also as others stated above, any noticeable difference in noise?

And while you're at it can you make us all breakfast?

 

The R2 has the following fan mounts:

2 x 120mm front
2 x 120mm (or 140mm) top (covered out of the box)
1 x 120mm back
1 x 120mm Side (covered out of the box)
1 x 120mm in the floor (next to the PSU)

I am assuming bit filled the back, top and possibly the side with fans.

 

Well done guys, thanks for listening to us out here.

I disagree though, while a "well it ran that hot out of the box" is an approach which I admire you for sticking to with such passion, I believe it is flawed.

You have lovely graphs for temperature, and we all know it's the killer stat that makes or breaks a case. So if a case manufacture put in some rotten old high CFM fans in their case they can (in theory) push them up the thermal graphs.

Yes, you'll comment on the noise and the el' cheapo fans, but the graph will still be around.

My second point is your choice of a passive GPU, how many readers or purchases of the cases in question will be using a passively cooled GPU? Let alone one in a case with so little airflow from the get-go.

I would love to see, BT do a two step review (Yes I know it'll take you longer - sorry - no pain no gain)

1) Review the case as it comes (just as you do)

2) Review the case as it could be (EG looking at a case and saying, that air-flow is pants, lets add in some more fans!)

Thanks again.

 

Fantastico! Thanks guys!

A very interesting result. I assume it was front and top slots that were used? Looks like the front drive cage, filters, baffling and door dont make a huge ammount of difference all told. More so considering the fans arnt the strongest around.

But now the question is just how much louder is it over say the 902? Opening those vents is bound to let some noise out.

I think this one off was well justified in that its offered nearly a unique oppertunity to see what kind of diference all these fans make. Personaly I would like Lian-Li to offer cases sans fans for a bit cheaper as I carry over my own anyway.

Maybe this is an article BT/CPC could expand in the future; the most db/temp efficent fan set up? Do you really need a truckload of deltas for a 4Ghz 920?


Off topic abit; I do admire that BT stick to thier guns about stuff and has a standardised testing procedure, but there is room for a little improvement. The board, cpu and hsf I have no problem with, but the passive gfx card is not really representative of the majority of setups. A 4870 with its toasty vrms would be a good bet (maybe even CF?).

Now the tricky issue of case fans... tested as sold is by far the simplest approach I agree, but I believe that you are testing the case and not the fans it happens to come with (although it should not be too hard to make a comment on thier apparent performance). But then its true that any case will do well temp wise when a bunch of fans are thrown at it. Ultimately its down to how much time the staff want to invest in every case they review... Ow, my head.

 

Woohoo!
Thank you Bit-Tech.

Pretty much as we all expected I think, I think I found my next case.

 

The question is, will it run crysis better?