Hardware Fractal Design R2 Case Review

http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/2010/01/15/fractal-design-r2-case-review/1

Relative newcomer to the case market, Fractal Design, is out to impress with it's latest chassis: the R2. With key noise reduction features, removable vent covers and extremely clean, angular styling, does it have what it takes to compete?

 

Everytime I see such a case I am asking myself what the point of having big air intakes behind a closed door panel is (so much more as the panel has sound dampening material glued to it) .

 

Nice review. Been waiting for one. As you sad the thermal performance is bad at stock level but most people around here have a couple of extra 120mm fans around to upgrade the case. Would have been nice to see what 2-3 more fans can do in the case.
About the price its a lil cheaper here in finland with a price of 89€ at my local shop and thus in a different class than the CM 922 or the other cases you talked about in the review. Defo a case for my next upgrade (I really need an upgrade )

 

could you (please please) just throw in a few fans, and run a bit something; no need for scientific accurate graphs or the like; just a general impression of how much better the thing is with all the fans mounted?

 

+1

 

I've been waiting for this review for some time, so thanks. But yeah, I would also like to see what it would do full of fans.After all, the majority of your readership wouldn't use it as is. I do understand your testing methodology and I'm sure somebody will tell me off for suggesting such a thing, but I'd really appreciate it.

Also, can we please have a review of the Lancool K62 after you previewed the Dragon series so many months ago?

 

This is the type of case I like the look of. Simple and clean.
Unfortunately I'm stuck with this Cosmos-S

 

Loving the outlooks. Quite frankly I hope they made a more expensive version with an even better (maybe aluminum) construction. I saw the same chassis in Xigmatek Midgard and wasn't too impressed. I'm sure the bitumen helps make it more rigid, but I just love the outlooks and clean internal design to bits.

Looking forward to seeing other manufacturers hop into the lotsa-3,5"-drivebays-bandwagon, who needs the stupid 5,25" bays anyway.

 

Interesting results, but for server case it is perfect. The included fans used at lowest speed via included fan controller, 6 HDD's, Sempron 140 board cooled by passive Ninja -> HDDs are all in range of 40-45°C, CPU is at low temps too.

 

to review this case without adding the additional fans seems rather unfortunate.

Many of us have been looking to this case for our next upgrade but naturaly assume we will have to add the fans the designers have given the option for.

however we are no more in the light now than we were before

It seems a great case, you clearly like it, but we still dont know if its any good?

 

Good looking case, pity about the fan situation!

 

+1

 

+1

 

and it would be nice if you could remove the HDD bays

 

Another +1, I'd like to see a review of it full fan'd up to the max and then a comparison to the other cases which would be a similar price after the additional expenses.

 

When I first saw this case I really liked it. When I did some more research on it a number of things put me off it again. Some of them have been commented on in the article, others have not. It's still a great case in the price range, though. Maybe the Define R3 will be more to my liking...

 

@azrael

what other things were you concerned about?

+ 1 to another look with fans

 

Well, some of it is "cosmetic", i.e. the flimsy door, the lack of a reset button, the disparate sizes of the case feet.

Also, I could use at least 1 additional 5.25" drive bay (in a perfect world all cases would consist of only 5.25" bays letting me convert the ones I need to 3.5" bays, much like the Lian-Li PC-P50).

 

+1

 

+1, <3ed the review, been waiting on this one for a while, I like the R2 because of its subtle design.