We made this part of the noise level testing a separate page for a reason. The Arc Midi R2 has major vibration problems due to its bundled fans. Not only can they be felt, but easily heard as well. The fan under the top cover is especially bad about this. We tried the other two fans in the same spot to make sure we weren't working with one defective unit, but the results were the same: the fans simply get noisy when you install them with the fan blades pointing down. Curiously, they do a lot better when they’re installed blowing air from one side to the other, though this only means that they operate within an acceptable range, not that the problem is eliminated altogether.
It’s hard to explain why a case that was designed to balance cooling and noise isn't equipped with better fans, or at least some form of vibration isolation. The issue isn't as severe when we step down to 700 RPM, and it's greatly diminished at 500 RPM. Still, this is a large flaw in Fractal Design’s otherwise very good product.
The following noise measurements were performed at idle, and they're mostly influenced by the chassis fans. Since we really didn't like the noise coming from the top cover, we hunted down some grommets we had in the lab and repeated the measurements with them installed. We used inexpensive, but effective, rubber pins, which sell for around a dollar per fan.
| Noise Levels at Idle | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RPM | 1000 RPM, Fan Screwed In | 1000 RPM, Fan Isolated | 700 RPM, Fan Screwed In | 700 RPM, Fan Isolated | 500 RPM, Fan Screwed In | 500 RPM, Fan Isolated |
| Noise Level from Front, 50 cm | 41 dB(A) | 40 dB(A) | 37.6 dB(A) | 36.8 dB(A) | 36.6 dB(A) | 36.5 dB(A) |
| Noise Level from Top Left Diagonal, 50 cm | 40.8 dB(A) | 40.1 dB(A) | 37.8 dB(A) | 36.9 dB(A) | 36.9 dB(A) | 36.5 dB(A) |
| Noise Level from Top Right Diagonal, 50 cm | 40.5 dB(A) | 40.2 dB(A) | 37.5 dB(A) | 37 dB(A) | 36 dB(A) | 36.6 dB(A) |
The numbers seem to suggest that the difference isn't very significant, varying by about 0.5 to 1.0 dB(A). The reality of the situation, however, is that the top fan's vibrations are a lot more grating than the objective measurements reveal. The other two case fans also cause some vibrations, but those are easier to feel than hear.
Despite those issues, and the fact that the Arc Midi R2 is very noticeable at its highest fan speeds, we have to admit that the components inside do benefit from excellent airflow. You get the best compromise between thermal performance and acoustics at the 700 RPM setting. Temperatures inside are low enough for stable everyday operation, and you aren't bothered by the fans. Whether or not you're able to step all the way down to 500 RPM depends on the components you're using and whether you want additional case fans. So long as you're cognizant of the power your hardware is dissipating and the cooling it'll take to cope with that power, Fractal Design's Arc Midi R2 can be both quiet and versatile.
Some Notes and Recommendations about Replacing the Fans
Let's say everything else about the Arc Midi R2 is ideal for you, and you simply want to replace its fans. Fair enough. But be aware that there are fairly strict limits imposed by the integrated controller. Fractal Design told us, upon request, that it's rated for a maximum of 0.3 A. At the full 12 V, this translates to a peak of 3.6 W for the connected fans, immediately ruling out LED fans if they get their power from the fan controller.
The Noiseblocker and Phobya NB-eLoop 120 mm fans are a premium alternative that sport a particularly good air throughput to noise ratio. They'll set you back anywhere from $21 to $29, depending on the model, but they offer good performance. Taking the power consumption ratings of the various coolers we were looking at, 1600 is the highest RPM that Fractal Design's fan controller (with its 3.6 W ceiling) can handle.
- Fractal Design's Arc Midi R2 ATX Case Review
- The Arc Midi R2's Technical Specifications
- The Arc Midi R2's Exterior
- Air Cooling, Dusty Protection, And Liquid Cooling
- Power Supply Installation And Cable Management
- Installing Optical Drives
- Installing Storage: Hard Drives And SSDs
- Motherboard And Add-In Card Installation
- Test Setup And Hardware Configuration
- Results: Fan Speeds, Temperatures, And Noise
- Addressing An Issue With Vibration
- Sizing Up Fractal Design's Arc Midi R2
Some Notes and Recommendations about Replacing the Fans
Let's say everything else about the Arc Midi R2 is ideal for you, and you simply want to replace its fans.
-Bruce
As for keeping the GPU cool, I don't that is an issue with 2 the fans in the front creating perfectly adequate airflow to keep the GPU cool unless you are using multiple GPUs. Although in time I would probably mod the window and inserting an extra fan there as that isn't a hard job to do.
Heat Sources: i5-3570K @ 4.4 GHz, Hyper 212 EVO, EVGA GTX 560Ti @ 900 MHz, 3 WD Cavier Black HD
With Define R4's often available for roughly $85 (on sale) and Arc Midi 2's typically about $65 online, I find the $20 additional cost for the sound-proofing included in the Define R4 models a very worthwhile investment.
Does your GPU have its fan at one end of the card and exhaust directly outside through the rear bracket? If it does, the reason you see lower GPU temps is likely that the slightly more positive (or slightly less negative) pressure in the case from going solid makes the GPU's HSF a little more efficient at shoving warm air out of the case. Cards with "mid-mount" fans may also benefit from this due to slightly increased vertical airflow between the GPU's top edge and case panel carrying warm air up through the case faster.
That is what I like to call structured airflow. Placing fans in the most effective places and shutting off meshed areas that allow air to escape without contributing to net cooling can achieve superior results with much less meshed area and fewer fans.
-Bruce
Side fans don't always help GPU temps, they can even hurt temps in some cases by interfering with the airflow from the GPU fan. It really depends on the case and GPU (and whether or not the front intakes do anything for the GPU), but saying categorically that having an intake there will improve GPU temps is certainly not true.
As for keeping the GPU cool, I don't that is an issue with 2 the fans in the front creating perfectly adequate airflow to keep the GPU cool unless you are using multiple GPUs. Although in time I would probably mod the window and inserting an extra fan there as that isn't a hard job to do.
in an idealist situation, the top panel fans should indeed be exhaust, but there are people in the rare occasion who want to focus on CPU cooling rather than the rest of the build, this generally calls for Watercooling with top intakes instead of top exhales. There's a moderately large temperature change when alternating the fans directions, the negative impact would be directly adding dust into your system, which can be cured by a decent air filter and regular maintenance.
Otherwise I very much like the case.
-Bruce
I did have a defective release clip for the front fan filter and an email to Fractal Designs support was answered right away and they sent me a replacement free of charge.
Very happy to see the thumbscrews on the 5.25 bays. Most snap locks now still have some give when you hit the eject button on a DVD drive. I don't like that so you still have to use screws anyway. Easy thumbscrews gets major points from me.
I did have a defective release clip for the front fan filter and an email to Fractal Designs support was answered right away and they sent me a replacement free of charge.
Yes, except the define cases still have a fan grill on the side walls. I mean a completely solid side wall, no mesh, no grill, for extra quiet.
Windowed models have no side-fan opening, and they are almost just as quiet as their standard brethren.