Fractal Design Define C review

PC Cases and Modding 228 Page 9 of 9 Published by

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Final words and conclusion

Conclusion 

Looking back, the new Define C chassis resembles the Define S series quite a bit, but some subtle improvements have been made here and there along the lines of storage and PSU mounting. Lovely to see is the new PSU compartment and the fact that you can hide everything much better. Combined with features like proper grommet rubberized holes you can hide pretty much anything. Storage wise you'll have plenty of options in the form of three SSDs and two HDDs. The lack of a 5.25" unit, or even slim-line form factor optical storage unit is however an ongoing trend, that will not suit everybody. Also lacking is a fan controller, as simple as Fractal Design's implementation always has been (tiny fan controller micro switch), it was a huge plus in my book. The chassis itself is once again stylish and has been designed in a tasteful fashion but here again it feels a bit more metal'ish and plastic than we have ever seen from Fractal Design. Choices has been made to lower production and build cost in the end to a more acceptable MSRP, this will however give the Define C a more normalized feel much like the competition offers. We think the chassis however still will sit at a 89 Euro price positioning in e-tail, which is quite a lot. Still, for its size this is a spacious and feature-rich product overall, especially considering the more compact design. The matte black design looks great albeit the bezel is darker compared to the chassis paint job. The chassis is fairly tool free. Mounting an SSD or HDD will still require good old screws, that works fine of course and at this point I do wonder how tool free a chassis really needs to be these days.

Low Noise

I can confirm that a big plus is the sound level this chassis produces, well the lack of it really. Now it's not 100% silent with the two fans, but realistically with two 120mm fans set at 600 rpm you will still have decent airflow, with a measured 36 DBa in a silent room. I'm quite picky when it comes to computers and computer parts making noises. But overall yeah, it's fine really.

The Innards

The Define C offers enough room for pretty much anything you like to install, even two graphics cards. Keep in mind that only up-to ATX sized motherboards will fit, thus EATX and XL-ATX are not an option. There's enough space to maneuver in which will make component installation a breeze really. Cable management options are good but could be better, the space you have available varies a little like 1 cm at certain points and 2cm in others. Once you mount the PSU you will realize that you probably would have liked a little more space. It all fits, but barely. Good to notice are the rubberized grommet holes, excellent for hiding all cabling from eye-sight. The HDD/SSD drive trays works simple enough, though you do need screws to secure the actual HDDs, installation otherwise is easy. We like the fact that you can hide all these storage units at the backside. The looks are quite nice and with the side panel window you can peek at your hardware as well. It surely is a complete chassis for its size alright and with the side window it offers very clean looks.


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The Exterior

The matte black paint job on both in and outside has been done well, it will not scratch easily. Once again, there is a color difference inbetween the chassis (dark gray) and front bezel (dark black). Have a look at the photo above to spot it. The looks are simple yet as always sophisticated. But as we always state, each and every individual is different, and thus so is taste. What I might be labeling as a good looks, you might find revolting. I like a more sterile, clean and stylish look. And that certainly is what the Define C is offering. No screaming logos, LEDs and mismatched colors. It's all done just right. Yeah, cool looks, though taste differs per person. As stated before, we do feel that it's a bit more plastic and metal opposed to previously tested chassis from FD. But I am nitpicking here a bit.


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Final Words

The Define C is a chassis entering a channel loaded with products from Cooler Master, NZXT and Corsair, so to be able to compete you need to differentiate and keep your price competitive. The chassis is unique enough alright and the build quality good. The pricing however is tad on the high side. While we do miss a fan controller in this price range we also understand that most people simply connect their fans to a FAN controller or their motherboard but here again I like to remind Fractal Design that differentiation is what sells. For a chassis designed with low noise in mind we kind of expect some fan RPM options at chassis level. The storage options are plentiful for a compact chassis, the PSU space is limited though. I'd advise 16cm length max as you also need to think about the PSU connectors that will stick out of the PSU as well. Overall the space and mounting options are good enough for most liquid cooling related stuff if you stick to the aforementioned size (40mm) for top side mounting. The chassis is feature rich with the removable dust filters, offers enough HDD/SSD trays, and thus is aimed at the audiophile crowd. The Define C has pretty okay airflow with its two 120mm fans, no complaints there either. You can purchase the Define C with see-through glass side panel in the 80 to 90 EUR price bracket, for that money you receive a nice build quality chassis with proper looks and sound dampening. While it isn't a perfect chassis it certainly is a good one, if you are in for something compact then the Define C is definitely recommended.

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