Early Verdict
For enthusiasts looking for a well-rounded chassis, the Fractal Design Define R6 is an extremely versatile, feature packed case that is well worth the asking price. Even if you don’t have immediate plans to install a pair of 360mm all-in-one coolers or build a custom loop water cooling system, the Define R6 gives you the piece of mind knowing that you can easily reconfigure your system at a later date to do just that.
Pros
- +
Tempered-glass side panel
- +
Filtration system
- +
Low noise
- +
Water cooling support
- +
Versatility
Cons
- -
No RGB lighting
- -
Mediocre thermal performance
- -
Price, for some
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Features & Specifications
Fractal Design has a well-established reputation for high-quality, feature-rich chassis that are surprisingly easy on the budget. We have the tempered-glass version of the company’s new Define R6 mid-tower ATX case in house for little review action today.
Specifications
After a brief departure from the company’s signature look—let's call it Fractal Design's Meshify C period—the Define R6 appears to be a return to the style that made the company's cases famous. In fact, this chassis bares a striking resemblance to the Fractal Design Define S .
The Fractal Design Define R6 mid-tower chassis comes in black, gunmetal grey, blackout, and white. Measuring 543 x 233 x 465mm and weighing almost 32lbs, this $150 chassis comes with a two-year limited warranty.
Almost the entire top of the Define R6 is covered by what Fractal Design calls its ModuVent sound-damping vent cover. Directly under the ModuVent is a plastic mesh fan filter, and below that are mounting locations for three 120mm or two 140mm fans. The cover can be removed separately from the fan filter to allow air to flow into or out of the case when fans or all-in-one coolers are installed. At the front edge of the top panel are a pair of USB 3.0 ports, two USB 2.0 ports, headphone and microphone jacks, HDD LED, power, and reset buttons.
Designed to mimic the look of brushed aluminum, the front of the case is a large plastic door with a thin aluminum insert and reversible swing that's lined with a thick layer of sound damping material. Behind the door you will find a single 5.25" drive bay opening and a large removable plastic mesh filter covering mounting locations for three 120mm or two 140mm fans. Vertical vents line both sides of the front fascia, extending from the top to bottom of the chassis. Removing the front panel is a simple matter of grabbing the lower edge and pulling.
In the rear of the chassis you'll find the standard motherboard I/O area, an opening for a bottom-mounted PSU, seven expansion card slots, and an exhaust fan mounting location that supports both 120mm and 140mm fans. The exhaust fan mounting location features slotted screw holes that lets you adjust the position of the fan to fine tune airflow or make room for system components. The bottom of the chassis is covered by a 20.5" plastic mesh filter that is removable from the front. The filter covers two mounting locations for 120mm or 140mm fans and the power supply fan opening. The four large rubber-coated feet keep the case approximately a half inch off the ground.
The tempered-glass side panel is attached to a metal frame that eliminates the need for rubber-coated locating pins or hinges. A push-to-lock latching mechanism keeps the panel in place. Fractal Design includes optional thumbscrews to further secure the tempered glass. The panel on the opposite side of the chassis also features a thick layer of sound damping material and is held in place by thumbscrews.
The Define R6 is equipped with a fairly robust fan filtration system, with large removable nylon filters on every fan mounting location including the power supply. It should also be mentioned that all filters are easy to access with no need to move your system for filter maintenance and cleaning.
Although the "look" of a case is subjective and will vary from person to person, we believe most people will find the minimalist design of the Fractal Design Define R6 Tempered Glass Edition very attractive.
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