Fractal Design Define R6 Case Review - its LEO's FAV CASE of 2017!

[@Neumah]

No RGB is a plus in my book.

[@spiznas]

And you can add RGB to any case. People were adding RGB well before case manufacturers included it by default. Look at the NZXT 700i - much more expensive compared to the very similar S340 due to the fancy smart rgb bullcrap.

[@cuzzinator]

Afflictionzv1 You mean other than paying for something you don't want or need?

[@Neumah]

Afflictionzv1 The point is the trend of RGB absolutely limits the choices if one doesn't want to pay for it. Key word; trend - meaning more cases come with RGB, and less cases come without it. That's why it's nice to see Fractal skipping RGB so there actually is a choice.

[@overdadeirojervoso]

Neumah the case has a blue led inside the start button. You aren't paying for RGB, you are paying for an led wich can only light up blue ;D

[@overlord580]

Jervin Nothing is perfect, but i can tell you, when you push that button, you get so satisfyed fealing, you don't care about collor.

[@zeekyaw]

$120 Option with both side panels lined with sound dampening foam will be perfect for those looking for silent case and doesn't care about TG/RGBs...

[@TheTechGoose]

I believe that they do have a solid panel case which is lined. Might be worth checking out? www.fractal-design.com/home/product/cases/define-series/define-r6-black

[@overdadeirojervoso]

Fractal define cases and be quiet cases are rivals in silence, showing equal noise levels in tests. So no. If people want to go for a silent case, they will decide between fractal design and be quiet.

[@eerik9000]

01:45 I want a sealed silent case and find BeQuiet's products to be ugly. That's why I went with Fractal Design (R5).

[@stobe187]

I have the R6 blackout TG and I absolutely love it. Understated, easy to build in, classy. Add in decent thermals and nice noise reduction qualities and it is a killer case IMO.

[@rrd3k3]

I'm in love. I must build in this case this year. Amazing review, as always Leo

[@AC_Milan1899]

Truly a work of art. Belongs in a museum.

[@jo05dk]

I bought a Define R5 when it launched, and atm i have seven HDDs in it. It's used as my home server. Lots of people use the Define cases for servers, because of the focus on low noise and support for many HDDs. That said the R6 clearly speaks more to the gamer than the previous Define cases, so on that level i agree that support for many HDDs isn't quite as needed here. I rather like the look of it, but wont buy one. The R5 fits my needs better :)

[@noxious89123]

/r/Datahoarder?

[@Nite-owl]

Does anyone know if a 280mm AIO rad (Corsair H115i) will fit in the ceiling of this case with the hdd cage still in place? or even the floor?

[@NLBoots]

That happy face :) Nice review Leo. Thanks!

[@jayw350]

Fractal sure does know how to make a badass case with a sleek, minimal aesthetic. My only complaint is that I will need to do some minor modifications to use and ODD with a front radiator in open mode.

[@noxious89123]

External USB ODD. Problem solved. I shared your concern when I started looking at modern cases and found many don't have space for an ODD, but then I thought about it and realised that I've probably used my DVD burner only twice in the last 12 months! Time for an external one that I can just stuff under my bed.

[@100mph]

17 minute review of the case and he doesn't ever show the front or any other angle except for the side of the case

[@KitGuruTech]

KitGuru is primarily a review website - click the link and head over there where you will see photos from all angles.

[@michaelolsson5193]

No rgb is a big plus in my book.

[@brooklynforge4591]

I would love to build a threadripper build in this case, and I have multiple velociraptor hard drives still I use for storage. so keeping the panel for storage bays is great

[@Graun]

Air "flow like a champ" haha! That's an overstatement!

[@imdrecordings]

That mic you are using is a side address mic, not a front. You have the capsule pointed down, toward your hands and lap...which is why you sound so muted and far away, with ambient room sounds.

[@54carlje]

What about airflow through the front? Doesn't the front panel block the air flow?

[@KitGuruTech]

Nope, not really. There is significant ventilation through those slots that let the fans breath. Head to the KitGuru page and you will see temperatures with both Core i7-8700K/GTX 1080Ti and Threadripper on liquid cooling. Naturally those figures are with the front panel closed and both side panels installed however the top Moduvent was open, as shown.

[@michaeltschuertz]

Focus of the define line is silence. If you want more airflow the meshify is the one you want.

[@RobVandal]

The fans sit back a little bit so that allows good airflow to come in from the vents on the side of the front panel. The vents are about half inch or so.

[@speedbird8326]

I think no RGB is a huge plus !!!

[@halistinejenkins5289]

sticking with my R5. tired of the copy cat psu shroud tempered glass look every other case manufacturer has fallen into line with to cater to the masses. they should have made that psu shroud removable but i'd say it's for structural support since they did away with the drive cage that supplied this support in the older R series cases. they still haven't given the option to change the front power "led" from blue.... i also miss the solid feel of the R4's front door with it's magnetic latching system. just felt smoooooth. if you had one, you know what i mean. i feel let down by this case. I like the glass better than the acrylic. i love the solid top to maintain symmetry better. the top mod vents are pretty much my only gripe with the R5 other than no included filter if you take them off. other than the glass side and solid top, i think this case takes a step back. i dunno.....i doubt i get one.

[@andrewmp6]

Should i buy this in white or view 71 in white ?

[@ViralWatchMedia]

This case has an necessary amount of hard drive cages, like who would even use this? probably not for the regular PC gamer and more for someone who has a shit ton of hard drives for some reason like a streamer or someone who runs a server on their rig?

[@noxious89123]

User "ThrobbinHood" apparently, his comment is further up than yours. Whinging that he shouldn't have to pay for more cages if he wants to fill them all!

[@Nite-owl]

Not every case buyer is a "gamer", I'm certainly not and I appreciate a case that allows me to continue using the 4 HDD's that I currently have. If I have 6tb of data on my drives, why should I have to ditch them, spending 5x the cost on SSD's. I'm sure I'll get onto replacing them with SSD's eventually (my OS is on a small one) but they still work fine so I'll replace them as and when they fail. Some of us aren't building a fresh PC build, or don't see the value in spending as much on an ssd as the CPU, just so we can spend yet more money on a smaller case that has no room for our dinosaur hdd's.

[@tomzgadnij2112]

What water cooling will fit to the top after installing the 5.25 drive? 280mm/360mm can you fit?

[@gbchk]

I saw you have a white power/HD LED on this case - is that stock on the "blackout" version? Or is it only on the add-on type C front panel?

[@parkerxgps]

was wondering the same thing. I had to mod my define to get a white led. now I'm not so special.

[@gbchk]

I actually got a reply about this from Fractal support. Black and White have blue LEDs, Blackout and Gunmetal have white. The add-on panel doesn't actually have anything to do with the LED because it's a separate piece. So I ordered a white LED replacement in advance of my R6 preorder arriving and am hoping the mod is similar to the R4/R5. No idea why they keep using the blue LEDs, they look so fucking cheap.

[@noxious89123]

Agreed, blue LEDs look tacky. The year 2000 called, they want their blue shit back.

[@andreygrabarchuk8289]

Parker Young did you do the mod on an R6? How did you manage to get the power button assembly out? I was too scared of breaking the plastic and left it alone, then just left the connectors unplugged. Actually looks pretty good with no LEDs at all.

[@parkerxgps]

R5 mini. I used a heat gun to soften the glue and pulled the l.e.d's that way. Twas easy and I didn't have to mess with the button. Kinda thinking about mounting a second button light on the backside. Whites aren't as bright and evident as blue. The glow isn't quite the same.

[@bgm1911]

With the way this case is designed (storage options are one example), who is it marketed for? I'm kinda at a loss, as it seems it trying to accommodate all, but failed.

[@stobe187]

In the open layout this is really suitable for a gaming build (I have one myself, and it works really well), with the storage layout it is perfect for a productivity/editing rig that requires a lot of hard drives. Why do you say it "failed"?

[@e1337prodigy]

Mmm that gun metal looks so nice. I think this might be my next case. Thanks for your videos absolutely love them, so much info. Edit: The one thing that does annoy me is the top, like you said you have to remove the top to exhaust hot air, which means does it have filters?

[@blazingmatty123]

im eying one of these up myself, though im not too sure about the top rad placement, i know the mounts are offset but i've never been a fan of rads covering over my board and all that :P but then a 35mm rad shouldn't cover over too much

[@wizzgamer]

I thought the rear brackets where white yet there black in this video why is this?

[@zaaajac]

wizzgamer Probably because it was blackout version.

[@Molo9000]

Isn't this just an R5 with some cosmetic changes? I still don't get why cases that wide don't support 180mm fans.

[@hapkimankb]

Can't find this case available for purchase anywhere.

[@lukasperuzovic1429]

It's being released Jan 8

[@fabiandee8178]

Not your best review but some valid points made. Those black sleds look better on the blackout model than the white ones on the black version. I went for the solid panel version because it was £20 cheaper, a fraction quieter, less likely to break, easier to fit the panel as it is lighter, and also that if I have the open configuration, it will look a bit empty with my innards with the glass. Also I can't be bothered to clean it and it will be facing away from me as I have the pc on the left...So there have you some reasons why you wouldn't want it lol The ODD blanking plate posh? lol I always thought they looked a bit cheap and nasty personally. Never liked the styling either.

[@tomzgadnij2112]

Is it possible to move the motherboard from left to right ?? and the same with the tempered glass panel can be moved from left to right?

[@noxious89123]

Nope. Take a look at the be quiet! Dark Base 700 / 900, they're more like what you're asking for.

[@petermitchell6348]

I have just spent all afternoon and most of this evening making a build with this case, and I have to say this case is the absolute pants to work with! Who on earth thought it was a good idea to place the PSU in it's own compartment? I find the wiring so difficult with both access and lighting that I have had to stretch all the wires out of the back of the case and have left the psu outside also. I realy wish I had stayed with Corsair!

[@rasmussen75]

Fractial Design is just top of the clas, have the R5, Define Mini C and the Focus G... the last one is a cheap one.. but still good.. have bin in contact with there Technical support, and the are just great...

[@user-mfsc-2024]

any room on the top for push pull cooling config ?

[@KitGuruTech]

There is room at the top for push or pull but probably not push AND pull. Given the huge amount of space at the front of the case that is the obvious position for the cooling system.

[@teeperhoag8655]

Could you run a HardwareLabs GTX360 in the front and GTS360 on the top without any issues?

[@KitGuruTech]

I don't see why not. There is plenty of space up top for the 30mm radiator, provided it is set back near the rear fan, leaving a decent amount of space for a thick front radiator, although you will need to check the space required for pump/reservoir/mounts and the length of your chosen graphics card.

[@dynastes4938]

Nice review :) I must say, though, I would definitely leave the top panel as is and not open it up. Then again, if you want the last bit of silence, you would probably not go for an AIO anyway, neither in the top nor anywhere else.

[@allisterw9]

what size res ?

[@dafitza]

When is this thing actually available to buy?

[@kingofkings3651]

dafitza sometime next week from what I hear that's how long it takes retailers like amazon Best buy etc to put them up

[@MGDKHZNA]

Can msi gt70 2OD- dragon edition 2-support-intel 2.5 inch ssd nvme-750-series ? Heeelp

[@spiznas]

Can i fit a bluray drive and a 360 rad in either the front or the top? Or would 2x360 rads with 5.25" device be possible?

[@ThrakazogZ]

From what I can see, no to both questions.

[@spiznas]

I think you're right, unfortunately. It's a shame that so many cases come out with compatibility for 360 radiators both in the top and front - but not at the same time.

[@ThrakazogZ]

That's a different statement from the previous 2 questions. Although a tight fit, I believe two 360 rads could be installed without issue. Keeping the 5.25 bay installed was what prevented either from working. Remove the 5.25 bay from the equation, and either one or two 360 rads should be fine....just a tight fit. Again, this is what it looks like, at least. I don't have the case yet, but will be purchasing one for my 8700k custom loop build.

[@spiznas]

Yeah sorry, second question was supposed to say 2x 360 rads withOUT 5.25". I think the 360 rad in the front ends up being too high, and you wont be able to access the ports with a second 360 up the top. Someone else has made a review video with a 360 in the front and it goes pretty high up. Although I'm sure someone will eventually manage to squish 2x slim 360s in there with a bit of modding, similar to the phanteks evolv

[@ThrakazogZ]

I was originally going to use the new NZXT H700i for my new build, so I picked up an EK 360 and EK 240 radiator. If I had known about this case, I probably would have bought 2 360 rads instead. I'm sticking with the 360 + 240 for this case, since I already have them. But, if I didn't already have them, I would have tried the squeeze....lol.

[@MagnumSkyWolf]

Sadly i'm one of those I have 6 drives. 3 SSD's and 3 HDD's

[@10mbc]

Can you retrofit the usb C front panel to the Define C?

[@lukasperuzovic1429]

Got a drill and a file?

[@rasmussen75]

www.fractal-design.com/home/product/accessories/connect-d1 or ask them

[@willsutton54]

save money and dont ship with the top plate /panel but add the type c connector as default make the panel an accessory

[@noxious89123]

Disagree.

[@lugerginyu]

Does anybody know if it's possible to have a 360 ra in the top while keeping the HDD main cage?

[@overlord580]

No, you can't.

[@lugerginyu]

Fractal says yes though

[@overlord580]

Not according to this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jYjEqX99Z812ndE .

[@michaelolsson5193]

I'm pretty sure you can. But you need to move the drive caddys down a bit.

[@lukasperuzovic1429]

I am sure you have to factor in your particular model of radiator.

[@georgep8270]

if the case was a i little longer( like 6 -12 cm between the front fans and the mobo) and taller(like 4-8cm , 4 cm between mobo and fans and 4 cm extra height in psu shroud ) 2 x 360 rads easy fit no 5.25 sacrifice possible 2nd 5.25, also easy a 240 rad at the bot . That case would be much greater.

[@noxious89123]

That would be a retardedly deep case. Get your tape measure out and check your proposed spec against any other case, you'll see what I mean. It's already over half a metre deep, and you're proposing to make it about 545mm deep!

[@georgep8270]

noxious89123 if u wanna costum loop its not that big even with my extra dimensions i am very tight with my 1080 ti poseison on a enthoo pro 560 mm deep already with d5 g2 150 res ek 360 and 240 rad and i wanna put one more 360 guess x 71 tempered glass from thermaltake is only way to go in reasonable price with no sacrifice still 2 x 5.25 . 3 hdd behind mobo 3 more at the cage or at to psu spot and plenty space , 51mm deep only negative is height 68 mm but not a issue for me .

[@black_s0ck]

I just got the case and let me tell you it looks very nice but when you try to build your customwater loop inside there is a huge amount of room for improvement. The screw points are just stupid on the front and on the bottom. Its hard to mount a d5 revo xres pump combo on the bottom with the 120mm mounting bracket. There is no way to mount it on the back drive cage. The radiators can't be aligned the top on the front one. I really don't know who is designing these cases. But a nice case overall. My last case was the fd define S, really nice case for watercooling easy pump mount much space, but the plastic front window broke and well i wanted a glass panel. I got it, with a few disadvantages.

[@zontarr22-zon]

every tech channel is reviewing this case in the same time?! lol is it such a massive importance component ?

[@KitGuruTech]

It's called a product launch. The NDA lifted at the same time globally and the fact most sites went live immediately shows that most sites considered the R6 to be important.

[@zontarr22-zon]

I understand just surprised to see this product, all at once, on my wall. :) Happy holidays !!!

[@LokiDaFerret]

I hate RGB. 10 out of 10!

[@setitfree78]

How big is that res?

[@IamAshL]

setitfree78 200mm by the looks of it

[@KitGuruTech]

Click the link and head to KitGuru to read the review which includes a breakdown of the cooling hardware. The reservoir is a Singularity Computers Protium 200mm.

[@Joshkaay]

And the led on bottom of mobo 😎🤩

[@magnushovda3909]

Just bouth Darkbase 700. Really stupid of fractal to wait until 20th dec :(

[@proesterchen]

Well, Fractal didn't have any stock to sell either way. (That must have been a fun conversation when the delivery date slipped to Q1 2018)

[@tigerbalm666]

I use car mat for dampening.

[@ReZnoR2K6]

Properly integrated RGB is absolutely better. But yes, if you don't want it, why pay for it?

[@brianhoward9217]

Thanks for a very good review. Yes, great case, about as close to perfect we may get - possibly the best in it's class currently. I just hope the next version (R7) has a REMOVABLE PSU shroud. It is REALLY ticking me off that it is not removable. If I'm paying $300+ here in Australia for a Seasonic Titanium Or AXi Corsair PSU WHY oh WHY would Fractal force me to cover it up with that damn shroud when the gorgeous glass window affords such a great view of a magnificent high end PSU. It is a modular PSU so making the cables look neat is easy! No need for a shroud - OR, make it removable! Couldn't have been rocket science difficult to make it removable, surely Fractal?!! Oh, and they need to make the top twin piece roof easier to separate. Does anyone, including the reviewer, know when the R7 is due please? If these two things are fixed I will be insisting they take my money !

[@marcuswright8418]

2:18 BINGO Job Done.

[@Mynx31]

Define R6 - less modular the ever...

[@SerjStar]

na looks blant dont like the liquid cooling it doesnt look good at all its ugly

[@dcphillips1991]

They need to overhaul the looks on the Define case series.

[@GurkenkoenigZ]

no they dont

[@michaeltschuertz]

Why What Do you not like?

[@abirachman]

God please no

[@jrrambo2097]

They need to keep it simple. If you want something with more character. Then there is a whole slew of cases for that. I want an elegant sleeper. A ninja. BAhahahaha

[@Jannufi]

Just no, the simple looks of the define cases are near perfection.

[@nnalujim7848]

Ser you don't know what are you talking about, the case is a shit. Manual sucks. try to move convert to open internal layout , you will change your opinion. 1 star.

[@Mike-pd6np]

You're just an idiot lol it isn't hard to convert at all

[@christerpherhunter930]

Your sound is bad. I've never seen or heard of your channel before I saw it on my feed. I appreciate the 4k but you've lost this potential subscriber because of the poor sound quality.

[@christerpherhunter930]

You have my like though, so please improve the channel.

[@KitGuruTech]

Not sure what issue you are talking about here - the audio seems spot-on. Can you point to something specific?

[@lukasperuzovic1429]

Some sound enthusiasts are never happy

[@noxious89123]

Audio is probably the clearest I've heard all week! Don't change your setup, this guy must be listening on a potato.

[@proesterchen]

This thing is quite frankly overpriced.

[@lukasperuzovic1429]

Not really, I seen uglier, less feature having cases going for alot more.

[@proesterchen]

The one doesn't contradict the other. To me this is a 70-80 quid basic case with a tempered glass add-on, so it should be round about 95 quid.

[@Speed_7545]

proesterchen look at the nzxt 700i and then talk more. or most of lian li or in win line up.

[@proesterchen]

Mystic_ 112 How do other cases being overpriced change the fact that this one is, too?

[@Speed_7545]

proesterchen if the competition is the same price.. with worse features or same.. then it isn't overpriced