Fractal Design Define S

This is going to be be mine next case when I get back into water cooling. My current case is actually modded like that. I hacked off all the drive bays and optical bays :D
 
nice case, i also like the thermaltake v31, $70 case, and its amazing
 
I don't like that they didnt increase height of the case, making more room for radiator above motherboard. You can't fit there anything thick, and even slim radiators with fans will be problematic, will be very close to motherboard, also covering part of it.
Another problem is, you can't fit two triple rads at same time.

Seems like they wanted use practically same frame as R5, so there are these limitations.
 
I am thinking about trying this case also. I like clean and simple when it comes to my cases. Plus I like the fact that all of the hard drives are mounted out of sight.
 
aerial- said:
I don't like that they didnt increase height of the case, making more room for radiator above motherboard. You can't fit there anything thick, and even slim radiators with fans will be problematic, will be very close to motherboard, also covering part of it.
Another problem is, you can't fit two triple rads at same time.

Seems like they wanted use practically same frame as R5, so there are these limitations.
Click to expand...

No, that's actually not the case (no pun intended).

They are the only manufacturer that knows how to make a case where fans/rads hang over the motherboard.

The Define R5 and S have fans that are 20mm off-set more than other manufacturers, giving you more space between the fans and motherboard components. Both the Arc Mini R2 and Node 804 have the same feature, though because they aren't 235mm wide, so not as much.

In fact, the Define R5/S have the 140mm fans offset so much that you could use low profile RAM with a 140mm based radiator and still have it hang over the motherboard. I wouldn't recommend doing this as they don't have the removable top panel that some other manufacturers do, but it's doable.

Trust me on this, I have all three of these cases because I'm crazy and have test-fit them all.

I will likely pick up the Define S as I am going to try and put the fans between the chassis and front bezel with silverstone FF12x fan filters and see if that enables a 360mm radiator in the front and top concurrently, and hopefully one of the rads in push-pull.

Gar818: I have a TT V31 too and right now I have dual 360mm radiators in it fitting just fine. Swiftech MCR320-XP in the front, and Alphacool UT60 in the top, both in push only cooling a 5820k plus dual Sapphire R9 290X 8GB cards. I forgot to plug the PWM pump fan header in the top and I was done the install, and somehow because of the removable top panel, was able to get the top unscrewed with only the rear screws acting like a hinge while still holding the radiator with a couple of screws, and get the PWM DDC fan cable into the top CPU fan header. Lucky. I'll think about this a bit better next time. Ugh.

Here's a couple of posts for you:

http://community.thermaltake.com/index.php?/topic/1459-finished-penumbra-v/


Original test fit photo:

http://community.thermaltake.com/index.php?/topic/1271-core-v31-dual-360mm-radiators/

The only reason I chose this over the Define R5 is because of the bigger window. If the Define S had been around at that time, that would have been my case. It is too water cooling friendly/focused to ignore.

Sorry Vittra for hijacking your thread. ;)
 
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I'm aware of that, but there are some motherboards with very tall radiators so it is close.
Another factor is aesthetics, there is window. You don't want top mounted radiator visually "touch" the motherboard, or cover part of it. Sure if mounting of radiator is shifted towards side panel, so technically you can fit it, it just looks bad.

Here is example of what I'm talking about. I know it is not define case, but similar frame:

99c.jpg


Yes it does fit, but looks bad, and is very tight fit.
I'd much rather prefere the case being few centimeters taller, but easily fit thick or push/pull radiator above the motherboard.
Another issue - you can't fit two triple radiators there, one front, one top, they simply won't fit. However if case was slighty taller or longer, it could.
Only explanation why they didn't do it, is to use same frame to cut costs.
 
I agree it looks better without it overlapping, but I don't necessarily think it looks bad either. It would look better if it was in a pull config IMO, but it's covering a couple capacitors and the clips for RAM: not a big deal so long as it all fits.

I don't know if this would be worth switching from a R4.
 
aerial- said:
I'm aware of that, but there are some motherboards with very tall radiators so it is close.
Another factor is aesthetics, there is window. You don't want top mounted radiator visually "touch" the motherboard, or cover part of it. Sure if mounting of radiator is shifted towards side panel, so technically you can fit it, it just looks bad.

Here is example of what I'm talking about. I know it is not define case, but similar frame:

99c.jpg

Yes it does fit, but looks bad, and is very tight fit.
I'd much rather prefere the case being few centimeters taller, but easily fit thick or push/pull radiator above the motherboard.
Another issue - you can't fit two triple radiators there, one front, one top, they simply won't fit. However if case was slighty taller or longer, it could.
Only explanation why they didn't do it, is to use same frame to cut costs.
Click to expand...

Considering the price point this case hits ($79/$89 USD with window), I'm sure re-usage of the R5 frame is indeed partially to keep the costs down.

However, is that the only explanation? Or is it that they are not willing to make the case any larger than it already is? A few cm here and a few cm there is something people often request on many cases for largely different reasons, and it all adds up rather quickly.

I believe offset radiator mount points are a reasonable compromise with respect to overall size and efficiency/versatility. If this case were any larger than it already is, I'd be looking at spending more to get a Case Labs instead.
 
King Icewind said:
I agree it looks better without it overlapping, but I don't necessarily think it looks bad either. It would look better if it was in a pull config IMO, but it's covering a couple capacitors and the clips for RAM: not a big deal so long as it all fits.

I don't know if this would be worth switching from a R4.
Click to expand...

Naw, unless you want a top mounted 360mm or 420mm radiator, stick with your R4. It's a nominal upgrade and only for water cooling.

aerial- said:
I'm aware of that, but there are some motherboards with very tall radiators so it is close.
Another factor is aesthetics, there is window. You don't want top mounted radiator visually "touch" the motherboard, or cover part of it. Sure if mounting of radiator is shifted towards side panel, so technically you can fit it, it just looks bad.

Here is example of what I'm talking about. I know it is not define case, but similar frame:



Yes it does fit, but looks bad, and is very tight fit.
I'd much rather prefere the case being few centimeters taller, but easily fit thick or push/pull radiator above the motherboard.
Another issue - you can't fit two triple radiators there, one front, one top, they simply won't fit. However if case was slighty taller or longer, it could.
Only explanation why they didn't do it, is to use same frame to cut costs.
Click to expand...

No motherboard has heatsinks that tall so that is a moot point.

The Define R5/S take the offset others have configured and ADDED another 20mm so any functional issues that arise from off-set fan/rad holes are even less of a non-issue. Ie. plugging in a forgotten fan cable or 8-pin EPS connector is not going to be an exercise in slice-and-dice frustration.

For example if I look at my Alphacool Ut60 radiator through the top of my "normal" offset Thermaltake V31 it's only about 5mm away from my Vengeance LPX RAM's heat sinks. With the Define R5 it would be another 20mm away, or a full inch. So it's definitely not even close to a tight fit.

As for looks, I like seeing radiators and fans in my window, but that's just me. Also with radiators like those from Swiftech where the inlet/outlet ports are close to the corners, off-set fan mounts work better than non offset because you don't have to worry about your top mounted rad's rear positioned ports clashing with I/O ports on the back shield. I prefer my top rad's inlet/outlet ports in the back, and even with some crossflow radiators this could be an issue.

Fractal does this to minimize space occupied. The R5 and S, R4, Midi R2 all have different frames so they only saved the one-time cost of a semi re-design. None of them have interchangeable panels so that's not it either.

I'm not saying you're wrong in wanting a taller case, I'm just saying that in this case it's definitely not a requirement.

I have a Phantom 820 which has over 70mm of room between the top of the chasis and the motherboard's edge and I still wish it had fan mounts pushed further from the motherboard because my favorite 360mm radiators are all in the 45-65mm thickness and I like push-pull most of the time.

Even on the Enthoo Luxe/Pro off-set fan mounts would have been much better than the center mounted fan mounts.
 
10e said:
As for looks, I like seeing radiators and fans in my window, but that's just me.
Click to expand...

Come on, seeing radiators is one thing, but I'd also like to see my motherboard.. If you use thick radiator, it will cover big part of mobo.

But you do have point, case is capable of fitting even think top radiator.
 
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