Table Of Content
This is very likely a key reason that, within urban systems, well-structured pedestrian networks are so important. Behind the door you will find a single 5.25 inch 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 case. The boundaries of living spaces are not simple structures either, but complex membrane-like structures offering their own set of structural choices, either to maximize privacy (by closing a curtain) or publicness (by opening a door).
Define R6 Tempered Glass
The overall look of Fractal Design's Define series cases is one of the features that makes it popular with gamers and enthusiasts alike. The Define 7, dressed out completely in white, including the fans, is an extremely attractive chassis. Fractal Design's Define series has long been a favorite in the enthusiast community for its class-leading performance and quality construction. We have the white tempered-glass version of the Fractal Design Define 7 mid-tower ATX case on the test bench today to see what it has to offer. For enthusiasts looking for an extremely versatile chassis with a dual-layout interior, the Fractal Design Define 7 is a feature packed case with outstanding thermal and acoustic performance. For GPU thermals with Blender, the Define 7 does OK and is in the middle of the results.
Nexus+ 2 fan hub
We criticized the Fractal Define S2 in the past for being basically the same case as the Define R6. The Define 7 is also very similar to the R6, but that makes much more sense for a successor, and the 7 also has some meaningful quality-of-life improvements over the R6 that are worthy of a new case. The Define 7 is up to Fractal’s usual standards of build quality, it’s quiet, it’s flexible by nature, and it doesn’t have the worst possible cooling performance, although we’d definitely recommend some aftermarket fans. $170 is a higher-than-average price for a nice PC case--we’d be more comfortable recommending it to a general audience at $150, especially given the stock cooling performance. That said, the Define 7 is a well-constructed case that’s a great platform for liquid cooled systems, and enthusiasts buying it for that purpose won’t be disappointed.
Fractal Design today launched Define series: 7 and 7 XL - guru3d.com
Fractal Design today launched Define series: 7 and 7 XL.
Posted: Thu, 20 Feb 2020 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Open layout for massive headroom
We didn’t use the fan hub for our tests because we need to monitor fan speeds individually, but Fractal gets points for hiding it away so effectively while providing nine fan connections. The positioning is the best use of the top part of the case we’ve seen in a long time. Speaking of side panels, the Define 7’s are a combination of every feature we’ve asked for in case side panels so far. The glass is full-coverage and has minimal black borders at the top and bottom for the largest possible viewing window. It’s easy to work with, it’s not unnecessarily complex, and it works well.
Presenting North XL

There’s an unusually long and skinny fan hub tucked into the cable channel along the top edge of the case. Fractal claims several positive features for this hub, but the one that actually matters is that it has six outlets for 3-pin fans and three outlets for PWM fans with a maximum combined output of 30W. The hub takes PWM input from the motherboard for speed control and draws power from a SATA connector.
Remember, modern Ryzen CPUs will lose clocks every 5 degrees or so, so these numbers matter a lot these days. In that same vein, we also received an accessory kit with the Define 7 containing an entire replacement top panel. Using this panel defeats some of the noise damping features of the case, but it does allow mounting fans and radiators, vastly expanding the cooling options. (a) Fractal loading uses a basic scale as a carrier for other successively smaller mechanisms and structures. Far from being monofunctional and simplistic, every structure becomes richly complex and carries information on several distinct scales. (b) Longitudinal compression forms a “folded” fractal, creating a crinkled line that then generates crinkles on its crinkles.
The Define 7 XL also comes with two new and versatile multi-brackets for converting any unused fan position to an HDD, SSD or pump mount, which will be welcome news for anyone not utilizing all eleven 120 mm (or nine 140 mm) fan positions. The Define 7 is the latest pinnacle of the renowned Define series, setting a new standard for what you should expect from a mid-tower case when it comes to modularity, flexibility and ease of use.
Airflow and cooling

Also located behind the motherboard tray is a new, low-profile Nexus +2 PWM fan controller that is tucked neatly up out of the way under the upper edge of the case. Not everyone will find this an issue and some will even view this as a bonus, but if you want RGB, you'll need to bring your own. The Define Series of cases focuses on delivering the perfect balance between silent operation and minimalist Scandinavian design. The understated look and feel allows for a natural fit into your home or office while never compromising on quality, performance of configurability.
Concealed storage
This fractal information helps us read distances and depth in the environment. Doing so gives us an effortless understanding of the geometrical order of our environment. We’re aware of this only as a pleasurable sense and not, coincidentally, as an important survival need, from an evolutionary point of view.
That puts the case next to the Core P3 open air chassis, the Cooler Master HAF X, and not distant from the stock Meshify C. This transitions the Define 7 toward above average performance, so that’s a good spot to be. The craziest thing is that Fractal could throw a mesh panel on its Define 7 and create an “airflow case,” and it’d manage one of the best performers on the charts. We’d love to see Fractal offer an ultra-fine filter version of this case, since it’s stellar in build quality and design and could be a thermal chart-topper with only one panel changed. Without its restrictive filter or door, the case runs next to the H500M Mesh and NR600 with one extra fan, and the NR600 has an ultra-fine filter on the front.
The top framework is fully removable for unprecedented ease of access to interior components, and five front ports (including one USB Type-C) means you don’t sacrifice expandability for the small footprint. The versatile open layout of the Define 7 Compact allows you to maximize the potential of the small footprint with full-size ATX hardware to meet your exact needs. Always pushing boundaries, our product developers added loads of new features to ensure that the 7 series is the most capable and cohesive Define range we’ve ever released. Featuring the most comprehensive refinement of design elements yet, the Define 7 brings a new body to the long established Define series while staying true to its heritage as a solid platform for the silent PC.
Putting fans under the PSU shroud like this has limited usefulness (although the top of the shroud is ventilated), but Fractal was able to provide that option and so they did, which is a mentality we appreciate. The entire bottom of the chassis is covered by a large 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.
Review: Fractal Design Define 7 Compact - Chassis - HEXUS
Review: Fractal Design Define 7 Compact - Chassis.
Posted: Wed, 03 Jun 2020 07:00:00 GMT [source]
A large hole in the motherboard mounting plate facilitates heat-sink changes without the need to remove the motherboard. There are five large cable pass-throughs with rubber grommets in this chassis, four in the motherboard tray and one in the top of the PSU cover. There is also a small slot in the upper right hand corner of the motherboard tray that small wires can be threaded through for cable management. The holes at the upper left-hand edge of the motherboard tray facilitate fan cables or the ATX12V/EPS12V power cable. Accessories for the Fractal Design Define 7 are located in a large box sandwiched between the two styrofoam inserts in the main package that hold the case in place.
These numbers typically closely mirror the GPU torture numbers, as it’s a GPU-heavy load, but they can be impacted by the reduction on CPU focus versus our torture workloads. The 3DMark test loads the system similarly to how a game would, and so this is a stand-in benchmark for game thermals. The case I am talking about is the Define 7 and could easily be one of the most comprehensive cases I have ever reviewed. The Fractal Design Define 7 is a case that checks all the boxes making it an easy choice for PC builders looking for a versatile chassis that can accommodate ambitious builds while leaving room for the inevitable upgrade. Switching between the “open” and “storage” modes is a fairly straightforward process, though time consuming, because the case has to be stripped down to the frame to make the swap. Add to that the numerous enhancements to every aspect of component and cooling support, and it’s clear to see the Define 7 Compact has you well covered.
No comments:
Post a Comment