Hardware Installation and Test Configuration Fractal Design Define 7 Chassis Review: Versatility and Refinement Page 2
Table Of Content
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.
Cable management
The top panel shares the same snap mounting mechanism and can be removed by hooking a finger under the front corner and pulling it up. Versatile new multi-brackets allow you to convert any unused fan position to an HDD, SSD or pump mount. The new front panel features an improved reversible hinge design with magnetic latching, and the fully removable top panel opens to provide totally unhindered interior access. The results are nearly identical across the board and are within test error. We think there would be actual changes to performance if Fractal had a fan positioned lower on the front, but the lack of GPU-focused fans means that changes to the front panel have minimal impact.
Specifications and Features
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).
Open layout for massive headroom
Fractal Design Define 7 XL review (Page 8) - guru3d.com
Fractal Design Define 7 XL review (Page .
Posted: Thu, 20 Feb 2020 08:00:00 GMT [source]
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.
The included Multibracket lets you convertany unused fan position to an HDD, SSD or pump mount. The series debuts with a tour of a tranquil upstate New York retreat designed with Passive House principles. The Define 7 and the Define 7 XL are available worldwide now, and will soon be complemented with a unique range of accessories to help customize your building experience.
USB Type-C
We can also reproduce fractal patterns in a computer, often with strangely beautiful results. Some graphic designers use fractal methods to reproduce very realistic-looking landscapes and other natural phenomena. We somehow recognize them as being “natural” and connect with them emotionally. We seem to be wired to “read” fractals in our environment, probably for two key reasons. When we look at a long vista, structures that repeat (trees for example), repeat at smaller apparent scales when they are farther away.
Superlative storage
If you were to fit another expansion card in here, it’d potentially have drastic impact on GPU thermals since most of the air comes through the rear of the case. The Define 7 lists support for E-ATX motherboards, and it does indeed have support for motherboards up to 11 inches in width by our measurement. We think Fractal has missed a trick here by not allowing even wider boards. The EVGA SR-3 that we’ll be using to build a production system in an upcoming stream is an E-ATX board 13 inches wide.
Hard Drive Cage Kit - Type B
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.
Interior
Comparatively, the Fractal Define 7 isn’t particularly impressive or unimpressive for GPU thermals. It’s not great, but it’s also not anywhere as close to the bottom as in the CPU testing. The Define 7 ends up about where the Corsair 680X is, and that’s a glass-fronted cuboid-like case, and isn’t far from the 220T Airflow or Core P3.
Since the steel side panel can’t be screwed into place, there needs to be an extra line of reinforcement to keep bulky cables from pushing the panel open. To that end, we’d like a couple screw holes on either the plastic cover or the steel side panel to allow us the option to screw them down tightly. Even still, with this noted, the case is doing better in CPU thermals than a few others on the chart. An extra 1dBA worth of fan RPMs honestly wouldn’t change much in this setup, anyway, but might propel it more toward the O11 XL or Helios.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Cable management is fine, and there are NZXT-style built in velcro straps and cable channels, but they’re somewhat superfluous given the cavernous interior of the PSU shroud. Even with the HDD cage installed, it’d be hard to create a scenario where the shroud wouldn’t fit every inch of slack cable. To help with this, Fractal has included a plastic shield that clips over the shroud opening to keep all the cables mashed in where they belong.
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