Introducing the Fractal Design Define R5
Fractal Design’s Define series are aimed primarily at users who are looking to make their new PC as quiet as possible, and have a number of sound-dampening features. The latest edition to this range is the Define R5, which sells at PC Case Gear for $150 AUD. Let’s see if it’s a good buy at that price, and how it goes silencing my test rig.
The Box and Packaging
The front of the box tells us what product we have, and has a sketch of the case. Most of the marketing is on the back of the case, with nine main points which are repeated in other languages. Basically, here’s the list of features:
- Sound-blocking foam on the front and side panels
- Plenty of room for water cooling
- Covers for unused fan vents
- 2x quiet 140mm fans
- Dust filtering
- Removable HDD Cages
- 2x 2.5″ bays behind motherboard tray
- Front door which can be mounted to open in either direction
- Screwless mounting for the left side panel
That’s a decent set of features there, but it’s not uncommon for a case of this price range.
The left hand side of the box has a list of specifications, while the other side has a sketch of the case with the side off, and indicates exactly which model we have. It looks like this one is the TI (titanium grey coloured) variant.
The case comes packaged in the usual way – inside a plastic bag with foam on the top and bottom. In the way of accessories, we have a manual, five zip ties, a few zip-lock bags – which contain the various types of screws used, the motherboard standoffs, and the rubber grommets for the HDD bays, and a Philips-head screwdriver socket for the standoffs. There are also some Velcro ties, which come pre-installed behind the right hand side of the case. The manual is very comprehensive, and goes into pretty much everything one needs to know about this case, from the usual installation instructions, to the removal of the drive bay cages, and the possible water cooling setups.
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