Fractal Design add a mid-tower to their Define Series. Define S is an affordable chassis designed for water cooling enthusiasts.
Product on Review: Define S Window
Manufacturer: Fractal Design
Street Price: £69.99 GBP / $89.99 USD
Well-known for their passion with elegant case manufacture and silence, Fractal Design are back again with a new addition to the Define Series. This is no ordinary chassis release for the Scandinavian engineers – today’s product seeks to break out of tradition to bring something interesting, innovative and a step away from the mundane.
Today, Fractal Design released the Define S – a stylish mid-tower designed for water cooling enthusiasts. Define S adopts an internal design which breaks away from the norm to supply system builders with a wealth of flexibility.
Fractal Design on their Define S
The Fractal Design Define S lends the appearance, sound dampening technology, and support for a wide variety of components from the widely popular Define Series, while introducing a new, innovative internal layout. The Define S case is packed with intelligently designed enthusiast-oriented features delivering a silent case with powerful and expansive air and liquid cooling support, presented in a stunning Scandinavian inspired construction.
The modernized internal layout of the Define S omits the optical drive bays, instead focusing on a clear straight airflow path and uncompromising water cooling support.
The Define S case reaches the highest level of silent computing through strategically placed dense sound-absorbing material, multiple ModuVent™ fan vent covers and finely tuned Dynamic Series fans.
The modernized internal layout of the Define S omits the optical drive bays, instead focusing on a clear straight airflow path and uncompromising water cooling support.
The Define S case reaches the highest level of silent computing through strategically placed dense sound-absorbing material, multiple ModuVent™ fan vent covers and finely tuned Dynamic Series fans.
Technical Specifications
• ATX, Micro ATX, Mini ITX motherboard compatibility
• 7 expansion slots
• 3 – 3.5″ HDD positions (can also accommodate 2.5″ units); 2 – 2.5″ dedicated SSD/HDD unit positions
• 9 – Fan positions (2 Fractal Design Dynamic GP14 140mm fans included); 8 fan positions on window model
• Filtered fan slots in the front and bottom
• CPU coolers up to 180mm in height
• ATX PSUs up to 180/170 mm with a bottom 120/140mm fan installed; When not using any bottom fan location longer PSUs up to 300mm can be used
• Graphics cards up to 425 mm in length with front fans installed, without compromising HDD capacity; Graphics cards up to 450mm in length without front fans installed directly in line with the GPU
• With a front radiator, maximum graphics card length is reduced by the radiator thickness
• 20 – 40 mm of space for cable routing behind the motherboard plate
• Velcro straps included for easy cable management
• Both side panels feature smart captive thumbscrews so no thumbscrews are lost
• Colours available: Black
• Case dimensions (WxHxD): 233 x 451 x 520mm
• Case dimensions – with feet/screws/protrusions: 233 x 465 x 533mm
• Net weight – window version: 8.5 kg
• Package dimensions (WxHxD): 322 x 615 x 535mm
• Package weight – window version: 10.2 kg
Packaging & First Look
Define S arrives in an eco-friendly box which can be discarded/recycled. The design shows an illustration of the case on the front and lists the technical specifications on the side and Fractal Design has placed a schematic diagram on the reverse showing some of the key features.
Inside, the case is covered in a clear plastic sheet and held in place with two polystyrene blocks for extra protection during transit.
Define S is available in two versions – windowed and non-windowed; as you can tell, ours is the windowed version which utilises a large piece of Perspex on the prominent side panel so that users can show off their hardware.
Over on the reverse there are no significant features – just a solid side panel. Fractal Design has lined in the inside of this panel with a thick material to reinforce the sound damping capabilities. Another thing to notice is the long sections of ventilation towards the front of each side which spans the entire height of the case – the front panel is closed off, so this feature is essential for airflow.
Overall, this design is very similar to that of previous Define cases and we like it. The minimalist elegance is a particular forte of Fractal Design and this styling has strengthened the brand as a household name in this arena.
Exterior
At the front of Define S there is a plastic fascia which takes on a brushed metal appearance. This panel is completely closed off and without any features at all – 5.25” drive bay covers are absent.
At the rear of Define S we have an opening at the bottom for mounting the PSU and then above this there are a series of seven PCI expansion slot covers and then finally a 140mm rear exhaust fan sits at the top, expelling unwanted heat.
The front fascia on Define S is detachable and upon removing this panel we have a large single-piece dust filter and an accompanying 140mm intake fan. This filter simply lifts off – there are magnets which help it to fix onto the chassis.
Up at the very top of Define S there is the front panel connectivity. This consists of just a few options, including: headphone and microphone jacks, reset button, large power button and two USB 3.0 ports. The USB 3.0 ports are a step away from the typical blue colour we are accustomed to. Fractal Design, in their pursuit of sleekness has styled them grey to match the case!
Further back from these controls we have a trio of “ModuVents”. These innovative panels are plastic and can be easily detached without the need of a screwdriver.
Not only are these panels easy to remove from the case, they are lined with soft noise damping material to reduce noise levels. After handling these ModuVents we’re confident they have been engineered to high-standards and not only do they look classy but they are very useful too.
Underneath, the chassis uses honeycomb mesh supporting 3x 120/140mm cooling fans and therefore 240/280/360mm radiator support too. Fractal Design has even included a staggering 420mm support also!
Placing Define S on its side we can see there are four circular rubber feet to help the case remain stable on smooth surfaces. Fractal Design has included a large, detachable dust filter which covers the PSU area and bottom fan spot.
Interior
Both side panels on Define S are fixed into place with two thumbscrews. After unscrewing these, we can see the internal layout and design of this exciting chassis. The internals have been powder coated black, Define S can accommodate a maximum form factor of ATX and has some innovative features which diversify it from other cases on the market. Most notably – there are no optical drive bays and the storage allocation has been moved to the reverse side, behind the motherboard tray. We’ll be exploring all of the features over the subsequent pages of this review.
At the very bottom of Define S there is an area for mounting the PSU with four rubber pads to provide the unit with a soft cushion (underneath we of course have the dust filter from the previous page too). Fractal Design has also given this case the option to house a 120mm cooling fan at the bottom for extra cooling performance. Directly next to this, we also have some pre-drilled mounting holes for attaching a watching cooling pump inside Define S.
Above this there are seven PCI expansion slot covers which each have ventilation to encourage better airflow inside the chassis and respective thumbscrews for easy removal. All of the covers are coated white for the two-tone styling Fractal design are known for.
Placed at the rear of Define S is a 140mm cooling fan (GP-14). This fan is positioned to be an exhaust – driving heat out of the chassis. Within the roof section of Define S there is a large section of perforated mesh which, as we mentioned early can house 3x 120/140mm fans or 240/280/360/420mm radiators – later on we’ll be exploring the clearance and functionality.
In a dramatic departure from the norm we have no optical drive cage. Most users use other types of media nowadays and omitting this feature isn’t unreasonable by any means – in fact, it means we can furnish the inside with other hardware which needs the space.
At the front we can install 3x 120/140mm fans and install radiators which are 240/280/360mm (again, more on this in the clearance section!). Fractal Design has included another GP14 at the front which brings cool air into the system.
Next to this fan, in the area where HDD storage would usually be, we can install a reservoir and this clearly highlights just how flexible this case is and how it’s pretty much ready to cater for water cooling enthusiasts.
Installation
Since Define S can take ATX as its biggest form factor, we’ve installed our ATX test rig inside this case and we can confidently say the installation process was an absolute breeze. Thanks to the huge clearance options getting hardware inside is easy and cable management is especially easy to configure. As you can tell from the pictures above, the system looks really nice and tidy and it doesn’t take much effort to achieve this.
On the back-side of the motherboard tray there are two 2.5” trays. These trays are detached by loosening a thumbscrew – once removed we can then place a drive into the tray and attach four screws to the underside. It’s really as simple as that!
In similar fashion to the 2.5” trays, 3.5” drives are can also be installed. There are three trays towards the front of the case which again just need a thumbscrew to detach. The drive just needs to be placed over this tray and screws are attached to the underside.
By having the drives over on the reverse this keeps the system cables away from the flow of the cooling fans and also frees up space for radiator support in the main chamber. This is a really innovative arrangement and we commend Fractal Design for thinking outside of the box.
Clearance – CPU Cooler, GPU, Cable Management
Knowing the clearance limitations inside a chassis is critical for system builders as it highlights what hardware can and cannot fit.
CPU Cooler
Observing the CPU cooler clearance we verify that there is approximately 180-185mm for the maximum height. This means that large, flagship air coolers will easily fit inside the case without any problems whatsoever.
Graphics Card
Define S presents us with a huge amount of space for the graphics card since there are no HDD cages at the front of the case. There is over 400mm of space for multi-GPU configurations, meaning that anything on the market will fit inside this case.
Cable Management
Behind the motherboard tray there is approximately 2cm of distance between the tray and the side panel. There are lots of cavities and hooks – presenting us with lots of opportunity to have a clean and tidy chassis and still get that side panel back on.
Clearance – Water Cooling
There is a gap of 4cm between the motherboard and the top of Define S. Which means we can install radiator and fan combos such as the newly released Corsair Hydro Series H110i GT as pictured.
At the top we can also install other sized radiators – up to a staggering 420mm.
At the front of the case there is lots of flexibility also. We decided to install the maximum sized radiator Define S can take, as you can see the Phobya G-Charger 360mm fits without any problems at all – many cases we’ve recently reviewed that specify 360mm support at the front couldn’t handle this bulky radiator.
Thermal Performance Testing
Inside Define S we have two cooling fans – two 140mm fans configured in a push/pull configuration with a front intake and rear exhaust, this arrangement generally provides good results.
To discover the thermal performance of Define S we will record idle temperatures after 20 minutes from a cold boot. We will then stress the system and temperatures will again be monitored after 30 minutes have elapsed.
For the purpose of accurate analysis the idle and load temperatures for CPU and GPU will be recorded and the range between idle and load will be calculated to determine how efficient cooling is.
NOTE: Ambient temperature is 20C
System Components
CPU AMD Phenom II X6 1055T 2.8GHz
Motherboard ASUS M4A89TD PRO
Graphics NVIDIA GTX 480 (Different from card pictured)
Memory 4GB Kingston HyperX DDR3
HDD Samsung Spinpoint 500GB SATA-II
PSU DeepCool DQ750
Motherboard ASUS M4A89TD PRO
Graphics NVIDIA GTX 480 (Different from card pictured)
Memory 4GB Kingston HyperX DDR3
HDD Samsung Spinpoint 500GB SATA-II
PSU DeepCool DQ750
Noise
The aim of Define S is to keep noise levels to a minimum and it achieves just that. With closed off panels, noise damping material and low-noise fans we have the recipe for silence!
Conclusion
Fractal Design’s passion for elegance has always been present throughout their product lines but never has it been more apparent than in the Define Series and the new Define S epitomises this.
Arriving with a stylish exterior and a generous helping of elegance, Define S will appeal to enthusiasts who crave minimalism for their builds and although the external design oozes simplicity the interior is a stark contrast. Inside we have countless features which are innovative and extremely useful. The ModuVents at the top allow for easy access to the top section, there are no optical drive bays – paving the way for extended water cooling compatibility and all of the storage allocation has been moved to the reverse side for even greater flexibility. In return, this means that airflow is without any hindrance and extra-long graphics cards have no compatibility issues either.
Essential aspects of the system have plenty of clearance. Define S can house some of the biggest air coolers the market currently has and the cable management is stress-free thanks to supplied hooks, ties and space.
Those system builders with a leaning towards water cooling will find Define S an excellent choice because it can house components right away, without any modifications – unlike other cases. Pumps, reservoirs and monolithic radiators all find their resting place.
Define S arrives on the market with an MSRP of £69.99 GBP / $89.99 USD for the window version and we think this is a cracking buy for the price. This case is laden with all the features enthusiasts want and the build quality is excellent.
The Define S is another triumph for Fractal Design. This stylish chassis supplies every possible need for water cooling advocates and does so while delivering some interesting and innovative features – stepping away from mundane case design.
VIDEO REVIEW – VORTEZ TV
Pros
+ Stylish and elegant
+ Innovative features throughout
+ Low-noise operation
+ Excellent cable management
+ Flexible hardware compatibility
+ Good cooling performance
Cons
– Gotta be kidding!
+ Stylish and elegant
+ Innovative features throughout
+ Low-noise operation
+ Excellent cable management
+ Flexible hardware compatibility
+ Good cooling performance
Cons
– Gotta be kidding!
Click here for an explanation of our awards at Vortez.net.
