Fractal Design Define R3 Case Review

Overclockers.com · 03-10-11, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Fractal Design kicked off the launch of the Fractal brand products in the United States at CES 2011. Before the recent release of their products in the U.S., prospective U.S. buyers had to find Fractal Design products at Canada based retailers, such as NCIX, for the cheapest shipping options. Newegg has now started to list Fractal Design products, including the Define R3. Today, we have the pleasure to introduce the Define R3 to the U.S. consumers unaware of Fractal Design and their products.

... Return to article to continue reading.

I.M.O.G. · 03-10-11, 12:41 PM

Really nice case, and I think the price seems about right - pretty reasonable with all the features. It has got some tough competition in this pricing bracket however, like the HAF932 - it sells on newegg for $140 right now with free shipping and a MIR (MIR brings the HAF932 price down to $120, but I hate mail in rebates). Shipping on the Define R3 is $15, so more or less, these cases almost work out to identical prices - which means buyers should decide which has the features and styling they prefer.

Really fine looking case, and I like the finer touches included. Thanks for the writeup Matt!

MattNo5ss · 03-10-11, 01:06 PM

Thanks for the opportunity!

The HAF932 isn't a bad case by any means, but the following features put Define R3 ahead of the HAF932 in the price/features category, in my opinion. Adding all of these features to the HAF would cost quite a bit of money and time, but if they're not wanted, then I guess it wouldn't matter

Black interior.
Rubber grommets or channel molding on the holes in the motherboard tray.
Dust filters on all of the intake fans.
Noise reduction material.
Strong single channel fan controller for 3 fans, even runs my Deltas!

A few things I like about the HAF are pretty much the few cons of the Define R3.

More 5.25" bays. Kind of the opposite of the R3, I think the HAF has too many 5.25" bays
Installing a knobbed fan controller in a 5.25" bay without worrying about a door. Although, the door not quite closing on the R3 may or may not be that big of a deal to some people.
Comes with more and better fans.
Small window at the top of the side panel.

Again, this is just my opinion and it comes down to what the customer is looking for.

I.M.O.G. · 03-10-11, 01:24 PM

Thanks for that, I was kind of doing a comparison on my own at newegg between what the differences are, but I didn't get a good sense of what should stick out. Thats a good summary.

Have you compared much against the Antec 900? You don't have to do all my work for me.

But I'm just looking at this cases features and good price, and trying to think of what else is popular in this price range.

If this was their plan to establish themselves in the US market, it is looking like a really good initial entry.

MattNo5ss · 03-10-11, 01:32 PM

I owned the original Antec 900 for a couple of years, and I like this case A LOT better. I'll look into the details to make sure I haven't forgotten anything, and I'll post my opinions on the 900 as well. I could check out the 902 as well, I'm not sure how much better it is than the original.

EDIT:

The comparison to the original 900 is pretty much exactly like the comparison to the HAF932 above, except the 900 doesn't have enough cable management holes or a cut out for CPU cooler installation in the motherboard tray. The 900 does have a "L-M-H" fan speed control switch on all of its case fans. The 900 can be had for a lot lower too though, $100 shipped ($80 shipped AMIR). When I bout the 900 I got it on sale for $55 shipped.

The Antec 902 looks like the direct competition to me at $130 shipped. The only difference between the 902 and the 900, that I see, is that the 902 has the black interior and a huge cutout in the motherboard tray for CPU cooler installation. It still seems to be missing a hole close enough the the PSU so you can optimize your cable lengths. The 902 uses silver/chrome screws and screw requiring a screwdriver on the PCIe slot covers, but those are minor details.

So, the comparison between the 902 and the R3 is a lot like the R3 vs HAF932 comparison as well, except remove black interior from the R3 list and replace with better cable management. Example: On both the 900 and 902, the hard drive SATA/Power connectors stick out towards the motherboard which could cause issues with some GPUs. Plus, with the hard drive connectors towards the right side panel like in the R3, it makes for a much cleaner look.

Omsion · 03-10-11, 07:36 PM

Nice review

I've had my eye on this case for quite a while, but somehow managed to miss that it comes with a fan controller. I think this confirms it as my case of choice for my next build...whenever I get around to it in the next year

MattNo5ss · 03-10-11, 09:20 PM

Thanks!

It's a great case, you won't be disappointed. That fan controller is a beast considering it's included with a case.

mjw21a · 03-11-11, 01:10 AM

I've had this case here in Australia for a year now and can't say I've any gripes.

I don't think not being able to close the door with a fan controller with knobs is an issue at all. There are decent and reasonably inexpesive touch screen controllers available. I use the NZXT Sentry 2 in mine.

Likewise, do you really need more than 1 optical drive?

Having said that, I think the case had far more HDD bays than will ever be needed so an extra 5.25 bay wouldn't have hurt.

The case is nice and quiet and has great airflow. The good old Coolermaster Sileo 500 is quieter though using that case while gaming in summer tends to lead to overheating. The Fractal Design Define R3 is as far as I'm concerned the best case on the market when silence and cooling are important to you.

CvK · 04-11-11, 06:15 PM

Had one for about 2 months now.

The airflow is not great with the stock fans but I added a couple of Gelid Wing 14s at bottom and top and it's great now whilst still quiet.

Especially installing a fan at the bottom, blowing straight onto the graphics card, has a significant effect on temps.

Very happy with my purchase and would highly recommend.

stunt · 04-13-11, 11:34 AM

I just finished my 3dr build in this case. Being a die-hard Lian-Li fan, There's no comparison (dollar for dollar) because of airflow configs, wire management, and sound deadening. Bang for the buck is very high on the Fractal also. I would like to see them give at least one more 5.25 bay though. My builds have one BluRay and the USB 3.0 adapter in the front. I would also like to see the side panel clips made a bit more HD. They bend too easy for my liking. You can see them here.
http://corecomputerco.com/?page_id=39

MattNo5ss · 04-13-11, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CvK

Had one for about 2 months now.

The airflow is not great with the stock fans but I added a couple of Gelid Wing 14s at bottom and top and it's great now whilst still quiet.

Especially installing a fan at the bottom, blowing straight onto the graphics card, has a significant effect on temps.

Very happy with my purchase and would highly recommend.

Thanks for the input on your experiences

Adding more fans will definitely put this case over the top.

Quote:

Originally Posted by stunt

I just finished my 3dr build in this case. Being a die-hard Lian-Li fan, There's no comparison (dollar for dollar) because of airflow configs, wire management, and sound deadening. Bang for the buck is very high on the Fractal also. I would like to see them give at least one more 5.25 bay though. My builds have one BluRay and the USB 3.0 adapter in the front. I would also like to see the side panel clips made a bit more HD. They bend too easy for my liking. You can see them here.
http://corecomputerco.com/?page_id=39

I can see how those clips could bend, but I didn't have a problem with them in my limited use of the case.

Yeah, one more 5.25" bay would be nice. It's not like you would lose a HDD/SSD spot since you can use an adapter.

Thanks for your input, it seems our opinions on the case are very similar.

stunt · 04-13-11, 05:01 PM

I'm still having a hard time believing I'm paying 110 bucks for this case. Again thinking back to my Lian-Li's. This is only case I have not used fan controllers on too.

MattNo5ss · 09-20-11, 09:29 AM

Bump with an update

Fractal-Design has recently released a USB3.0 Upgrade Kit for the Define XL and Define R3/R2 cases for those of you who were disappointed in the lack of USB3.0

Define R3/R2 USB3.0 Upgrade Kit
Define XL USB3.0 Upgrade Kit

03-10-11, 12:41 PM	#2
I.M.O.G. Glorious Leader Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Rootstown, OH	Really nice case, and I think the price seems about right - pretty reasonable with all the features. It has got some tough competition in this pricing bracket however, like the HAF932 - it sells on newegg for $140 right now with free shipping and a MIR (MIR brings the HAF932 price down to $120, but I hate mail in rebates). Shipping on the Define R3 is $15, so more or less, these cases almost work out to identical prices - which means buyers should decide which has the features and styling they prefer. Really fine looking case, and I like the finer touches included. Thanks for the writeup Matt! __________________ The OC Forums Way We are a team. We are a community. We are a fellowship made strong by mutual respect and shared dedication to the task of enriching all who come here. The OC Forums Thank You Thread Put your computer to work for our OC Forum Teams! Try out our POST TEMPLATES, they save you time answering common questions! I spend half my money on CPUs, GPUs, and Liquid Nitrogen. The other half I waste.
	QUOTE Thanks

03-10-11, 01:06 PM	#3
MattNo5ss b4n4n4 dr4g0n d00m3d m0d3r4t0r Overclockers.com Editor Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: AL	Thanks for the opportunity! The HAF932 isn't a bad case by any means, but the following features put Define R3 ahead of the HAF932 in the price/features category, in my opinion. Adding all of these features to the HAF would cost quite a bit of money and time, but if they're not wanted, then I guess it wouldn't matter Black interior. Rubber grommets or channel molding on the holes in the motherboard tray. Dust filters on all of the intake fans. Noise reduction material. Strong single channel fan controller for 3 fans, even runs my Deltas! A few things I like about the HAF are pretty much the few cons of the Define R3. More 5.25" bays. Kind of the opposite of the R3, I think the HAF has too many 5.25" bays Installing a knobbed fan controller in a 5.25" bay without worrying about a door. Although, the door not quite closing on the R3 may or may not be that big of a deal to some people. Comes with more and better fans. Small window at the top of the side panel. Again, this is just my opinion and it comes down to what the customer is looking for. __________________ i7 3770K \| Asus Maximus V Gene \| 4x2GB Dominator GT DDR3-1600 6-6-6-20 \| eVGA GTX670 SC \| 50GB OCZ Vertex 2 \| SeaSonic SS-1000XP i7 2700K \| Gigabyte G1.Sniper M3 \| 4x2GB G.Skill Eco DDR3-1600 7-8-7-24 \| eVGA GTX680 \| 256GB OCZ Vertex 4 \| SeaSonic X750 E8700/E6750/P4 631 \| Rampage Extreme & EP45T-Extreme & Commando\| Whatever I Can Find Laying Around... O/C Author Profile \| HWBot Profile \| Heatware (89-0-0) \m/ OverClockers mATX L33T Club \m/ Projects: Copper-Framed, MDF Station \| PVC-Framed, MDF Station \| Custom Cascade Cart/Case \| Untitled TJ07 Build
	QUOTE Thanks

03-10-11, 01:24 PM	#4
I.M.O.G. Glorious Leader Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Rootstown, OH	Thanks for that, I was kind of doing a comparison on my own at newegg between what the differences are, but I didn't get a good sense of what should stick out. Thats a good summary. Have you compared much against the Antec 900? You don't have to do all my work for me. But I'm just looking at this cases features and good price, and trying to think of what else is popular in this price range. If this was their plan to establish themselves in the US market, it is looking like a really good initial entry. __________________ The OC Forums Way We are a team. We are a community. We are a fellowship made strong by mutual respect and shared dedication to the task of enriching all who come here. The OC Forums Thank You Thread Put your computer to work for our OC Forum Teams! Try out our POST TEMPLATES, they save you time answering common questions! I spend half my money on CPUs, GPUs, and Liquid Nitrogen. The other half I waste.
	QUOTE Thanks

03-10-11, 01:32 PM	#5
MattNo5ss b4n4n4 dr4g0n d00m3d m0d3r4t0r Overclockers.com Editor Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: AL	I owned the original Antec 900 for a couple of years, and I like this case A LOT better. I'll look into the details to make sure I haven't forgotten anything, and I'll post my opinions on the 900 as well. I could check out the 902 as well, I'm not sure how much better it is than the original. EDIT: The comparison to the original 900 is pretty much exactly like the comparison to the HAF932 above, except the 900 doesn't have enough cable management holes or a cut out for CPU cooler installation in the motherboard tray. The 900 does have a "L-M-H" fan speed control switch on all of its case fans. The 900 can be had for a lot lower too though, $100 shipped ($80 shipped AMIR). When I bout the 900 I got it on sale for $55 shipped. The Antec 902 looks like the direct competition to me at $130 shipped. The only difference between the 902 and the 900, that I see, is that the 902 has the black interior and a huge cutout in the motherboard tray for CPU cooler installation. It still seems to be missing a hole close enough the the PSU so you can optimize your cable lengths. The 902 uses silver/chrome screws and screw requiring a screwdriver on the PCIe slot covers, but those are minor details. So, the comparison between the 902 and the R3 is a lot like the R3 vs HAF932 comparison as well, except remove black interior from the R3 list and replace with better cable management. Example: On both the 900 and 902, the hard drive SATA/Power connectors stick out towards the motherboard which could cause issues with some GPUs. Plus, with the hard drive connectors towards the right side panel like in the R3, it makes for a much cleaner look. __________________ i7 3770K \| Asus Maximus V Gene \| 4x2GB Dominator GT DDR3-1600 6-6-6-20 \| eVGA GTX670 SC \| 50GB OCZ Vertex 2 \| SeaSonic SS-1000XP i7 2700K \| Gigabyte G1.Sniper M3 \| 4x2GB G.Skill Eco DDR3-1600 7-8-7-24 \| eVGA GTX680 \| 256GB OCZ Vertex 4 \| SeaSonic X750 E8700/E6750/P4 631 \| Rampage Extreme & EP45T-Extreme & Commando\| Whatever I Can Find Laying Around... O/C Author Profile \| HWBot Profile \| Heatware (89-0-0) \m/ OverClockers mATX L33T Club \m/ Projects: Copper-Framed, MDF Station \| PVC-Framed, MDF Station \| Custom Cascade Cart/Case \| Untitled TJ07 Build Last edited by MattNo5ss; 03-10-11 at 02:03 PM.
	QUOTE Thanks

03-10-11, 07:36 PM	#6
Omsion Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Chicago and/or NJ	Nice review I've had my eye on this case for quite a while, but somehow managed to miss that it comes with a fan controller. I think this confirms it as my case of choice for my next build...whenever I get around to it in the next year __________________ Current 2500K \| ASRock Z68 Pro3-M \| TR Venomous X EVGA GTX 460 768MB \| 2x4GB G.Skill (F3-12800CL9D-8GBSR2) Seasonic X650 \| Fractal Design Define Mini
	QUOTE Thanks

Fractal Design Define R3 Case Review

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03-10-11, 09:20 PM	#7
MattNo5ss b4n4n4 dr4g0n d00m3d m0d3r4t0r Overclockers.com Editor Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: AL	Thanks! It's a great case, you won't be disappointed. That fan controller is a beast considering it's included with a case. __________________ i7 3770K \| Asus Maximus V Gene \| 4x2GB Dominator GT DDR3-1600 6-6-6-20 \| eVGA GTX670 SC \| 50GB OCZ Vertex 2 \| SeaSonic SS-1000XP i7 2700K \| Gigabyte G1.Sniper M3 \| 4x2GB G.Skill Eco DDR3-1600 7-8-7-24 \| eVGA GTX680 \| 256GB OCZ Vertex 4 \| SeaSonic X750 E8700/E6750/P4 631 \| Rampage Extreme & EP45T-Extreme & Commando\| Whatever I Can Find Laying Around... O/C Author Profile \| HWBot Profile \| Heatware (89-0-0) \m/ OverClockers mATX L33T Club \m/ Projects: Copper-Framed, MDF Station \| PVC-Framed, MDF Station \| Custom Cascade Cart/Case \| Untitled TJ07 Build
	QUOTE Thanks

03-11-11, 01:10 AM	#8
mjw21a Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Australia, Brisbane	I've had this case here in Australia for a year now and can't say I've any gripes. I don't think not being able to close the door with a fan controller with knobs is an issue at all. There are decent and reasonably inexpesive touch screen controllers available. I use the NZXT Sentry 2 in mine. Likewise, do you really need more than 1 optical drive? Having said that, I think the case had far more HDD bays than will ever be needed so an extra 5.25 bay wouldn't have hurt. The case is nice and quiet and has great airflow. The good old Coolermaster Sileo 500 is quieter though using that case while gaming in summer tends to lead to overheating. The Fractal Design Define R3 is as far as I'm concerned the best case on the market when silence and cooling are important to you. __________________ CPU & HSF: AMD FX-8120 & Noctua NH-D14 Mobo: Asus M5A97-EVO RAM: 16GB (4Gx4) DDR3 2133 G.Skill RipjawZ F3-17000CL11Q-16GBZL Storage: 1x 120GB OCZ Vertex II SSD, 1x 250GB Samsung 830 SSD, 1x 1.5TB Samsung Silencer Series HDD GFX: 1GB Gigabyte AMD HD6870 OC + Yamakasi Catleap Q270 SE 27" IPS LED LCD Audio: Turtle Beach DSS 2 w/ Turtle Beach P11 Headset Case: Silverstone Temjin TJ04-E w/ Side Window PSU: 550W Antec EarthWatts Platinum My rig piccies & links "Under democracy one party always devotes its chief energies to trying to prove that the other party is unfit to rule - and both commonly succeed, and are right." H.L. MENCKEN
	QUOTE Thanks

04-11-11, 06:15 PM	#9
CvK New Member Join Date: Apr 2011	Great case Had one for about 2 months now. The airflow is not great with the stock fans but I added a couple of Gelid Wing 14s at bottom and top and it's great now whilst still quiet. Especially installing a fan at the bottom, blowing straight onto the graphics card, has a significant effect on temps. Very happy with my purchase and would highly recommend.
	QUOTE Thanks

04-13-11, 11:34 AM	#10
stunt Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: N.E. Illinois	I just finished my 3dr build in this case. Being a die-hard Lian-Li fan, There's no comparison (dollar for dollar) because of airflow configs, wire management, and sound deadening. Bang for the buck is very high on the Fractal also. I would like to see them give at least one more 5.25 bay though. My builds have one BluRay and the USB 3.0 adapter in the front. I would also like to see the side panel clips made a bit more HD. They bend too easy for my liking. You can see them here. http://corecomputerco.com/?page_id=39 __________________ i7-2600k* MSI Z68A-GD80 mobo8 gig G Skill Ripjaws510 120gig SSD* 1 TB WD Cav blkCrossfire HD6850s212+ CoolerAX750 PSULancool K62 case i5-650Asrock P55 xtr4 moboAsus GTX 560TI 1GHX650 Corsair PSU8 gig XMS1600120G Intel SSD 500g hot swap2x2 TB F4 drivesLancool K62 case (workhorse) E6700975 Intel moboHD4850* 8 gig Ripjaws* 2x80 raid 02X2 TB storage (server)620 Corsair PSU (6 years old)*Fractal Design case
	QUOTE Thanks

04-13-11, 05:01 PM	#12
stunt Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: N.E. Illinois	I'm still having a hard time believing I'm paying 110 bucks for this case. Again thinking back to my Lian-Li's. This is only case I have not used fan controllers on too. __________________ i7-2600k* MSI Z68A-GD80 mobo8 gig G Skill Ripjaws510 120gig SSD* 1 TB WD Cav blkCrossfire HD6850s212+ CoolerAX750 PSULancool K62 case i5-650Asrock P55 xtr4 moboAsus GTX 560TI 1GHX650 Corsair PSU8 gig XMS1600120G Intel SSD 500g hot swap2x2 TB F4 drivesLancool K62 case (workhorse) E6700975 Intel moboHD4850* 8 gig Ripjaws* 2x80 raid 02X2 TB storage (server)620 Corsair PSU (6 years old)*Fractal Design case
	QUOTE Thanks

09-20-11, 09:29 AM	#13
MattNo5ss b4n4n4 dr4g0n d00m3d m0d3r4t0r Overclockers.com Editor Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: AL	Bump with an update Fractal-Design has recently released a USB3.0 Upgrade Kit for the Define XL and Define R3/R2 cases for those of you who were disappointed in the lack of USB3.0 Define R3/R2 USB3.0 Upgrade Kit Define XL USB3.0 Upgrade Kit __________________ i7 3770K \| Asus Maximus V Gene \| 4x2GB Dominator GT DDR3-1600 6-6-6-20 \| eVGA GTX670 SC \| 50GB OCZ Vertex 2 \| SeaSonic SS-1000XP i7 2700K \| Gigabyte G1.Sniper M3 \| 4x2GB G.Skill Eco DDR3-1600 7-8-7-24 \| eVGA GTX680 \| 256GB OCZ Vertex 4 \| SeaSonic X750 E8700/E6750/P4 631 \| Rampage Extreme & EP45T-Extreme & Commando\| Whatever I Can Find Laying Around... O/C Author Profile \| HWBot Profile \| Heatware (89-0-0) \m/ OverClockers mATX L33T Club \m/ Projects: Copper-Framed, MDF Station \| PVC-Framed, MDF Station \| Custom Cascade Cart/Case \| Untitled TJ07 Build
	QUOTE Thanks

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