Review: Fractal Design Define 7 XL chassis

Discussion in 'Frontpage news' started by Hilbert Hagedoorn, Feb 20, 2020.

  1. vbetts

    vbetts Don Vincenzo Staff Member

    Messages:
    15,140
    Likes Received:
    1,743
    GPU:
    GTX 1080 Ti
    Review here suggests otherwise.
     
  2. DeskStar

    DeskStar Guest

    Messages:
    1,307
    Likes Received:
    229
    GPU:
    EVGA 3080Ti/3090FTW
    Love it. I bought the littler brother as I have my monster CaseLabs STH-10 W/Pedestal. Should be here by Thursday from Newegg.

    Now to get my 3900X setup in there and get on to building my 3960X inside my CaseLabs chassis. So much cooling to go around!

    And for peeps who are complaining about the cost...…"you get what you pay for and that is quality in craftsmanship and build..." I can guarantee the price is totally justified for what you are getting and the multitude of options at that.

    $1500 for my CaseLabs chassis was that a lot of money sure it was. But did I get what I wanted and paid for...sure did.

    Cost of materials alone have to pretty darn substantial as that isn't ever going to down/be cheaper in the future.

    HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH. "Have to stop playing guys....my fans just fell out of my computer and lost all cooling capabilities.....!!" HAHAHAHAHAHA

    I am going to seriously have to disagree there..... And you must be the anomaly here because any review of this chassis is just throwing out all over the place that it is one of the best chassis' to grace the market.

    Hence why I bought one. None XL.

    Just get them all!! Seriously though the Design 7 is a beauty with the multitude of capabilities. I got the littler brother as I don't need the space for this build.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 24, 2020
  3. moeppel

    moeppel Guest

    Messages:
    153
    Likes Received:
    23
    GPU:
    1080 Ti
    In my experience the Fractal's are generally mediocre at best in terms of airflow and aircooling. They're quiet and big and work splendidly with AIOs/Custom Loops in return.

    Given the Define R5 standing behind me I must ask though, why grab this, when its predecessors are just as capable overall outside of some minor nitpicks while costing around 2/3 if not less?

    Besides, I don't find the R7 visiually as appealing as its predecessors either.

    I personally am looking forward to Silverstone's Alta F1 for the time being.
     

  4. screwtech02

    screwtech02 Master Guru

    Messages:
    208
    Likes Received:
    36
    GPU:
    6900 XTU

    How's bout a nice USB dock ON TOP of your desk?
     
    DeskStar likes this.

  5. sykozis

    sykozis Ancient Guru

    Messages:
    22,492
    Likes Received:
    1,537
    GPU:
    Asus RX6700XT
    "Best" is rather subjective.... Of course, the opinions of reviewers are just that, opinions. Just because it's a reviewer, does not suddenly make their opinion fact. In fact, I've found the opinions of a lot of reviewers to be completely laughable.

    Quite frankly, I've watched a lot of case reviews lately and I've been left wonder WTF they're thinking. Watched a review of an entry-level case where the reviewer threw high-end parts into it and then declared that the case shouldn't be on the market due to poor cooling performance. It's a $35, entry level case....if you're dumb enough to put high-end parts in it, you shouldn't be building computers. That includes reviewers.

    There is a "best" case for everyone....but no single case that's "best" for everyone.
     
    olymind1 likes this.
  6. DeskStar

    DeskStar Guest

    Messages:
    1,307
    Likes Received:
    229
    GPU:
    EVGA 3080Ti/3090FTW
    Key word being "one of.....". And for the reviewers I pay attention to I like their opinions as I've got the ones I care to check out and the ones I don't. TTL(OC3D), Level1Tech, unbox therapy, Gamers Nexus, HERE, and Hardware Unboxed. Some more sprinkled in there just off the top of my head.

    I'm just going off of responses on here as if the people have had it in there hands personally saying the chassis is crap.That's the laughable thing going on here....

    And besides I already own the best chassis to date... My CaseLabs STH-10.
     
    Last edited: Feb 24, 2020
  7. sykozis

    sykozis Ancient Guru

    Messages:
    22,492
    Likes Received:
    1,537
    GPU:
    Asus RX6700XT
    I've never owned a Fractal case personally, so I can't comment on their build quality. I don't own this particular case, so I can't say whether it sucks or not. I flipped through the images, and price aside, it's simply not a case I would use. Aesthetically, it's a nice looking case. It's just too large for my needs.

    I used to watch videos on the Gamers Nexus YT channel, but after a recent case review, I've lost respect for them. They're the ones that built a "high-end" system (albeit a few generations old) inside an entry-level case, then bashed it for poor cooling performance.
     
  8. DeskStar

    DeskStar Guest

    Messages:
    1,307
    Likes Received:
    229
    GPU:
    EVGA 3080Ti/3090FTW
    And you do know this is the XL version reviewed that is substantially bigger than just the design 7 one right? Like the one I personally bought the non XL.
     
  9. sykozis

    sykozis Ancient Guru

    Messages:
    22,492
    Likes Received:
    1,537
    GPU:
    Asus RX6700XT
    Yes, I was aware of that. I still chose to read the review and browse the images. The case I have ordered is actually smaller than the regular Design 7..... Since I build computers for others as well, it's advantageous to read reviews on cases of all sizes and styles. Sometimes, it's even worth it to build in a case that review sites ignore...... Since you own the case, and I'm too lazy to go back into the review to search for the answer, what affect does that front panel/door have on airflow?
     
  10. DeskStar

    DeskStar Guest

    Messages:
    1,307
    Likes Received:
    229
    GPU:
    EVGA 3080Ti/3090FTW
    Not much at all.... More or less depends on what kind of pressure you want inside your case. And you've even said in your response you don't even know about the case you've just flipped through the pictures negating anything because of price.

    Again. You get what you pay for. Buh bye....
     
    Last edited: Feb 26, 2020

  11. kakiharaFRS

    kakiharaFRS Master Guru

    Messages:
    987
    Likes Received:
    370
    GPU:
    KFA2 RTX 3090
    Fractal probably made at least one sell of this case thx to linus tech tips
    I just happened to have somehow screwed up my NAS or well I did what QNAP calls a "major firmware update" and after that all hell broke lose..my bad didn't think it could break everything
    anyways I ordered a mini sas card for cheap in China and cables for a windows 10 based NAS (that I know how to manage and backup without breaking everything this time) and if they work I'l definitely buy this one because I'm way above 100Tb already
     
  12. wavetrex

    wavetrex Ancient Guru

    Messages:
    2,450
    Likes Received:
    2,547
    GPU:
    TUF 6800XT OC
    Digging this up...

    I've beat Linus in number of drives inside this case:
    infinity-1.jpg infinity-3.jpg alldrives.png

    Still have space (and a port) for 1 more (for a total of 25 drives, 22 HDD + 3 SSD)

    "It's A Digital Disease!"
    /r/DataHoarder/

    ---
    And since this is the review thread, I can confirm that this case has been GLORIOUS since I bought it. Best case I ever had, saw, built for anyone, touched, you name it. There is simply no better case (in my experience).

    ... but it's not for everyone. It's big, it's heavy, it's only for serious op builders.
     
    Last edited: Mar 26, 2021
    fantaskarsef likes this.
  13. Nicked_Wicked

    Nicked_Wicked Master Guru

    Messages:
    222
    Likes Received:
    125
    GPU:
    6900XT
    I don’t know why there’s so much hate for the Fractal Define series, I recently replaced everything with the Define 7 Compact.

    Very easy to take the sides off, very resistant to dust, easy to clean. In my experience the temps are very good too little over 30c with stock fans and my personal build loaded with Noctua fans is mostly sub 30c when idle.

    Some of the best cases available in the market right now IMO.
     

Share This Page