Heat Be Dammed…
An air guide diverts hot hard drive air away from the power supply, towards the cable storage area, whenever a second fan is added to the Define XL’s lower front-panel mount. We once again question the cost of such intricacies versus the benefit, but Fractal Design has somehow managed to retain a moderate price.
...And Dammed Again!
A second air guide blocks the motherboard area from the power supply, completing the separation of cooling. The primary intake fan cools the motherboard chamber, the second intake fan cools the lower hard drive chamber, and the power supply draws air from beneath the case.
Power Air Filtration
A dust filter beneath the power supply slides out easily from the back of the case for cleaning.
The Dead Panel
Fractal Design uses a high-density synthetic material, similar to old-fashioned asphalt mat, to deaden vibrations of the side panel. Both it and the foam-covered side-vent cover are finished in textured cloth.
Defined For XL Motherboards
The Define XL supports Extended ATX (SSI-EEB) motherboards and cards up to 13.2” long with its upper hard drive cage installed. Those who need extra room for full-length cards will find that removing that cage extends the card length limit to 18.5”. The upper cage is also mountable in both longitudinal and transverse orientation.
Lian-Li PC-B25S
Lian-Li has its own way of making a quiet case without violating its traditional principles. Those principles include the use of high-quality medium-thickness aluminum alloy panels and accurate manufacturing methods to assure a lightweight, yet durable product.
PC-B25S Hidden Exhaust
The PC-B25S uses a foam-lined air guide to direct the noise of its 140 mm top-panel fan away from users. Another 120 mm fan assists it, and Lian-Li even includes a duct for that one (to be shown in our installation coverage).
Hidden Intakes
A louvered front panel covers two intake fans, preventing direct noise from reaching the user. The front panel also shields the user from noise, and is covered in acoustic foam. We like redundant noise reduction.
PC-B25S Under Cover
Both 140 mm intake fans have screw-on filters. Fortunately those screws don’t have to be removed, since the filters are notched to slide out with the screws only slightly-loosened.
Hidden Filters
Lian-Li places two clip-on filters at the bottom of its case, which unfortunately means tipping the PC on its side for access. Fortunately, this passive vent is not likely to get much use with the front-mounted intake fans running.
