Fractal Design Define R5 ATX Mid-Tower Case (Black)

Adelley

Sep 06, 2024 09:48 PM

9,886 Posts

Joined Nov 2013

AdelleySep 06, 2024 09:48 PM

9,886 Posts

Quote from burticus

:

TWO 5.25 bays? What decade is this?

I kinda like them lol. I put 2 drawers in mine that are "push to open/lock". Gonna miss them when I build a new pc soon.

6

trza

Sep 06, 2024 09:56 PM

9,176 Posts

Joined Feb 2007

trzaSep 06, 2024 09:56 PM

9,176 Posts

I had been waiting for a deal like this for most of the year while collecting parts for a new Unraid server. Got tired of waiting and re-built in my old Lian Li case even though it only holds 3 x 3.5" HDD. I really don't want to tear it apart less than a month later. Big Grin

2

BabyTantrum

Sep 07, 2024 06:27 AM

972 Posts

Joined Jun 2017

BabyTantrumSep 07, 2024 06:27 AM

972 Posts

Quote from way-lo

:

A great case if you're still sporting an internal blu-ray writer, etc. Most manufacturers have stepped away from any case with this functionality. I'm surprised Fractal Design was still making these, to be honest.Yeah, it's missing USB-C front headers and other modern conveniences. I got mine, in titanium, in 2017 from Jet.com when they first came on for ~$85+ (great deal at the time) and it's been working well enough since.It wasn't as silent as I was hoping, but maybe my expectations were unrealistic. I had an after-market air cooler that made way more noise than anything these days. I've since upgraded the mobo to an AM5 with air cooling and it's pretty quiet until the fans rev up.In for 1 for a future build.

Which air cooler do you use?
I could reuse the optical drive from my old computer. I still have old DvDs that my family watches from time to time.
Thank you for the review/comment.

1

jms209

Sep 07, 2024 06:45 AM

1,165 Posts

Joined Sep 2014

jms209Sep 07, 2024 06:45 AM

1,165 Posts

So going to build a new PC soon, is this a good case?
Likely going to get Ryzen CPU and maybe asus motherboard.

SeriousLlama437

Sep 07, 2024 06:54 AM

911 Posts

Joined Nov 2018

SeriousLlama437Sep 07, 2024 06:54 AM

911 Posts

Quote from jms209

:

So going to build a new PC soon, is this a good case?
Likely going to get Ryzen CPU and maybe asus motherboard.

Good but old. Big.

3

balloonshark

Pro

Sep 07, 2024 07:48 PM

5,869 Posts

Joined Nov 2012

balloonshark

Pro

Sep 07, 2024 07:48 PM

5,869 Posts

I've been rockin' this case since 2016. Nice and quiet and built like a tank.

Slick_Drone

Pro

Sep 07, 2024 11:17 PM

6,937 Posts

Joined Nov 2017

Slick_Drone

Pro

Sep 07, 2024 11:17 PM

6,937 Posts

Quote from jms209

:

So going to build a new PC soon, is this a good case?
Likely going to get Ryzen CPU and maybe asus motherboard.

Fractal Design makes great cases. Can't go wrong with any of them.

NotSoSlickDealer

Sep 08, 2024 02:00 AM

111 Posts

Joined Jun 2010

NotSoSlickDealerSep 08, 2024 02:00 AM

111 Posts

I've had this case for almost a decade it seems like and I love it. Currently houses my server and it insulates the sound amazingly.

Also fractal support is amazing.

1

chong67

Sep 08, 2024 02:15 AM

16,868 Posts

Joined Jan 2004

chong67Sep 08, 2024 02:15 AM

16,868 Posts

It will be only be able to breath thru the narrow strip on the side. What for?

I always get one with direct flow in with a big front.

1

artcab

Pro

Sep 08, 2024 02:24 AM

2,240 Posts

Joined May 2010

artcab

Pro

Sep 08, 2024 02:24 AM

2,240 Posts

Quote from jms209

:

So going to build a new PC soon, is this a good case?
Likely going to get Ryzen CPU and maybe asus motherboard.

Do you need 8 3.5HDD bays? This is a server case IMO, not a gaming case. What are you building?

1

trza

Sep 08, 2024 02:35 AM

9,176 Posts

Joined Feb 2007

trzaSep 08, 2024 02:35 AM

9,176 Posts

Quote from jms209

:

So going to build a new PC soon, is this a good case?
Likely going to get Ryzen CPU and maybe asus motherboard.

It's a good case, but it shines when you want an optical drive (or anything in an external 5.25" bay) and lots of mechanical hard drives. This case is often recommended for NAS builds.

If you're going a single nvme drive on the mobo, 1-2 mechanical hdds or a couple 2.5" SSDs you might prefer a smaller case. These types of cases are very common and often less than $75.

1

wbs3333

Pro

Sep 08, 2024 03:07 AM

3,094 Posts

Joined Apr 2010

wbs3333

Pro

Sep 08, 2024 03:07 AM

3,094 Posts

Quote from burticus

:

TWO 5.25 bays? What decade is this?

There are some corporate places that still use DVD/CDR/Blu-ray drives. Maybe also Tape Drives. I think those use 5.2 bays.

samsus

Sep 08, 2024 03:43 AM

535 Posts

Joined Jul 2006

samsusSep 08, 2024 03:43 AM

535 Posts

Quote from way-lo

:

A great case if you're still sporting an internal blu-ray writer, etc. Most manufacturers have stepped away from any case with this functionality. I'm surprised Fractal Design was still making these, to be honest.

Yeah, it's missing USB-C front headers and other modern conveniences. I got mine, in titanium, in 2017 from Jet.com when they first came on for ~$85+ (great deal at the time) and it's been working well enough since.

It wasn't as silent as I was hoping, but maybe my expectations were unrealistic. I had an after-market air cooler that made way more noise than anything these days. I've since upgraded the mobo to an AM5 with air cooling and it's pretty quiet until the fans rev up.

In for 1 for a future build.

As someone that has an unhealthy obsession with PC cases and fans, I still use my R4 for a Nas. R5 is basically the same case with a few improvements.

I've always wanted silent since pentium 4 days even using cases like antec sonata 2 which farking sucked for cooling and I had to keep the side off and put a box fan on it during gaming.

Define series are basically the quietest cases I've ever used. I use fractal torrent compacts for my gaming one because it keeps it way cooler for slightly louder but my R4 was always extremely quiet under 100% load during gaming

petschska

Sep 08, 2024 04:20 AM

207 Posts

Joined Dec 2007

petschskaSep 08, 2024 04:20 AM

207 Posts

Quote from jms209

:

So going to build a new PC soon, is this a good case?
Likely going to get Ryzen CPU and maybe asus motherboard.

I've used Antec Solo and Lian-Li cases, but this blew all of them away. By far my favorite case. It is large and heavy, but relatively quiet and high quality. For those less familiar, aluminum cases are lighter but also more flexible and prone to make noise from vibration, hence the need for a heavy case made of steel to make it quieter. I wouldn't buy anything but a Fractal Design case after having owned this. Just buy it. You won't regret it.

ISKRA87

Sep 08, 2024 05:07 AM

354 Posts

Joined Dec 2016

ISKRA87Sep 08, 2024 05:07 AM

354 Posts

I have the windowed version of the case AND LOVE IT!! It is the quietest case I've ever owned. I ran 3 fractal fans (that came with the case) for 2 in, 1 out and never had any temp problems. I added a blu-ray drive and a ISOdock in the 5.25 bays. ISOdock was great to hot swap 2.5 SSDs from the front.

Fractal Design Define R5 ATX Mid-Tower Case (Black)

$75

$125

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