Fractal Define R5

[Medusa Cascade]

Anyone have experience with this case?

Struggling to choose a case

[Thunderball]

Decent choice for a high end non-OC system. Otherwise there are better options.

[Medusa Cascade]

Decent choice for a high end non-OC system. Otherwise there are better options.

Such as?

/10

[Faldric]

I built my pc with this case 1 week ago. Very solid and well thought out case.

[Thunderball]

Such as?

/10

Depends on your CPU cooler size/airflow needs/quantity of storage items/5,25 inch option needs/aesthetic preference. You go significantly cheaper without losing anything most of the time.

[Grimbold of Skullcrusher]

I build a PC for my GF using that case - I cant say anything bad about it. Also I have couple of friends using it as well - no complains so far. It is a bit expensive for a case, but worth it...

[Fascinate]

Its a bit dated having a door and optical drive slots, but its built well and has great dust filters.

[Tommi]

I got this case a month ago, and I love it. Very well built, but heavy.

Decent choice for a high end non-OC system. Otherwise there are better options.

Running a i7 4790K here @ 4.5Ghz and a GTX 1080 @ 2.1Ghz. Max temps are 55C on processor and 65C on gtx 1080. Using a Noctua NH-D15.

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Its a bit dated having a door and optical drive slots, but its built well and has great dust filters.

You can take the optical drive bay completely out and remove the door if you so wish.

[Anzaman]

Been using one for 1½ years now, haven't noticed any problems.

[Fascinate]

I got this case a month ago, and I love it. Very well built, but heavy.



Running a i7 4790K here @ 4.5Ghz and a GTX 1080 @ 2.1Ghz. Max temps are 55C on processor and 65C on gtx 1080. Using a Noctua NH-D15.

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You can take the optical drive bay completely out and remove the door if you so wish.

Right, i just think the H440 is a better option if you dont need an optical....the one plus the R5 carries is the full length dust filter on the bottom that is removable from the front. Whole industry should take that approach, lets you maintain the PC without moving it or reaching around weird spots : )

[Tommi]

Right, i just think the H440 is a better option if you dont need an optical....the one plus the R5 carries is the full length dust filter on the bottom that is removable from the front. Whole industry should take that approach, lets you maintain the PC without moving it or reaching around weird spots : )

Oh god yes, that bottom dust filter is amazing to get out without lifting whole PC up. The H440 is also a very nice case.

[Thunderball]

I got this case a month ago, and I love it. Very well built, but heavy.



Running a i7 4790K here @ 4.5Ghz and a GTX 1080 @ 2.1Ghz. Max temps are 55C on processor and 65C on gtx 1080. Using a Noctua NH-D15.

There are cases $20-35 cheaper that will achieve the same results or better. 4.5GHz on a NH-D15 is nothing serious also.

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Right, i just think the H440 is a better option if you dont need an optical....the one plus the R5 carries is the full length dust filter on the bottom that is removable from the front. Whole industry should take that approach, lets you maintain the PC without moving it or reaching around weird spots : )

H440's HDD mounts are trash though.

[DeltrusDisc]

Decent choice for a high end non-OC system. Otherwise there are better options.

It's a perfectly fine choice for an overclocked system.

Ah, you have the HAF X. I used to have that. It's not as high quality as the Fractal Design cases. You probably think all that airflow is super important or that its airflow is incredibly better.

Hate to break it to you, but the HAF X has better airflow, sure, but not by as much as you'd think - my temperatures didn't change all that much when I switched from my HAF X to my Fractal Design Define R4, the sound sure changed though! For the better. 8) Fractal's cases are incredibly well-engineered, let in more air than you could imagine just looking at them, and come with higher quality fans.
@<a href="http://www.mmo-champion.com/member.php?u=601759" target="_blank">Seiko Sora</a>, if I had not gotten my R4 when I did, I would have gotten an R5.

It has housed both an overclocked i5-2500K and now an overclocked i7-5820K with an overclocked GTX 970, previously 760. I currently have 3 HDDs and 2 SSDs in it, as well as an ODD.

Do you have any specific questions about it?

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There are cases $20-35 cheaper that will achieve the same results or better. 4.5GHz on a NH-D15 is nothing serious also.

Simply saying there are cases that are cheaper that will achieve same results or better without posting them takes away all of your credibility.

Also, I know you're quoting someone, but saying things like "4.5GHz on a NH-D15 is nothing serious also." just makes you sound rude and almost like the type of person who thinks 4.5GHz on every processor is the same, when I know you know it's not. :P

I personally run my i7-5820K with some serious voltage at 4.3GHz, it produces a LOT of heat, and believe me, you put your hand behind my case, you can feel it. ^_< I think your obvious dislike of this case is a bit unbecoming of you... I'm having a hard time believing what little logic you're using against it.

Sooo... for the OP's sake, I will share an incredibly in-depth video on just how wonderful the R5 is!

[Arbiter]

Going to have to chime in myself and shut down the arguments stating that the R5 isn't that great.

It's a fantastic case. I own 2, actually. One housing an overclocked 4790K and overclocked 980ti with both being on air. The other is housing a 2500K and GTX 770 both overclocked as well.

The door isn't an "outdated features". It's a feature that allows for the options of optical drives while keeping sound dampening material on the front to reduce noise. It's an extremely quiet case with great air flow and different configuration option. If you don't need optical drives, the Define S is also a great options to save a few dollars and is very similar. Adds a few extra features for custom loops even.

It was arguably one of the best cases for the price for a good part of last year, and is still a fantastic case for the money. That said, Phanteks has also been releasing some very nice cases for competitive prices that makes it good competition against the R5. If you're unsure about the R5 I'd recommend checking out some of their cases and making a decision yourself. It's hard to go wrong with Phanteks and Fractal Design. They offer fair pricing and great build quality.

[Fascinate]

Going to have to chime in myself and shut down the arguments stating that the R5 isn't that great.

It's a fantastic case. I own 2, actually. One housing an overclocked 4790K and overclocked 980ti with both being on air. The other is housing a 2500K and GTX 770 both overclocked as well.

The door isn't an "outdated features". It's a feature that allows for the options of optical drives while keeping sound dampening material on the front to reduce noise. It's an extremely quiet case with great air flow and different configuration option. If you don't need optical drives, the Define S is also a great options to save a few dollars and is very similar. Adds a few extra features for custom loops even.

It was arguably one of the best cases for the price for a good part of last year, and is still a fantastic case for the money. That said, Phanteks has also been releasing some very nice cases for competitive prices that makes it good competition against the R5. If you're unsure about the R5 I'd recommend checking out some of their cases and making a decision yourself. It's hard to go wrong with Phanteks and Fractal Design. They offer fair pricing and great build quality.

I wasn't referring to the door as being outdated, but the mere fact it was designed with optical drives in mind. No one has a perfect system yet to reach the dust filter, ideally someone comes up with a solution where you have no doors or no front panel to remove to access the front filter (sliding out from the side with a tab makes the most sense to me).

[DeltrusDisc]

I wasn't referring to the door as being outdated, but the mere fact it was designed with optical drives in mind. No one has a perfect system yet to reach the dust filter, ideally someone comes up with a solution where you have no doors or no front panel to remove to access the front filter (sliding out from the side with a tab makes the most sense to me).

Hey at least you can take them out easily.

COOLER MASTER AND CO. I AM LOOKING AT ALL OF YOU.

[Arbiter]

I wasn't referring to the door as being outdated, but the mere fact it was designed with optical drives in mind. No one has a perfect system yet to reach the dust filter, ideally someone comes up with a solution where you have no doors or no front panel to remove to access the front filter (sliding out from the side with a tab makes the most sense to me).

While it may be useless to you, it's still useful to some people. I for one still have a BluRay player plugged in. The door keeps it hidden and the side window variant cuts off before the optical drivers shown. They're all modular as well so you can remove what you don't need and if you don't need any once again they offered an S variant at a lower cost for this very reason. Having options is better than having no options. None of this is a downside. It just means that it might not be for you.

As for the dust filter...well as you said no one has come up with a perfect solution. Because of this, you can't fault Fractal for not being the first. Filters aren't needed to be accessed every day and when they do need cleaning they aren't difficult to reach. Many more issues to focus on that are more important in regards to case features.

[Aleksej89]

Fractal design has pretty and elegant cases.

Personally i only buy cases with at least 1 fan hole each on top, front, side, back and bottom.
Big 200x200mm fans are best, biggest air force and the most quiet.

[DeltrusDisc]

Fractal design has pretty and elegant cases.

Personally i only buy cases with at least 1 fan hole each on top, front, side, back and bottom.
Big 200x200mm fans are best, biggest air force and the most quiet.

Except for when one case has sound proofing and other has gaping holes and no sound proofing at all.

FD vs CM.^^

[Denpepe]

I like Phanteks cases or Inwin, but those last ones are usually expansive as hell.