[section_title title=Conclusion]

Conclusion

Another conclusion, another review coming to an end, but what has Fractal Design done today to make the world a better place?  Of course I’m not talking about global warming, alien defences or planting weapons of mass destruction in other “countries”, I am of course talking about the PC case world.  Let’s be honest, every company and their dog has a “new” case design and it’s hard to whittle down the few which actually innovate the market, not just with new designs, but new concepts on how cases should be.  The Define S has been an interesting case to review and it’s changed the process on how we review cases for the future.  Has the Define S changed my life?  Well you could say it has in a way, but is it worth dropping up to £70 of your hard earned moolah?

Build Quality

Build quality is quite a difficult one to determine as it really takes a lot to be subjective due to different variables etc., form factor, price, materials used etc.  If I have to put an opinion on Fractal Designs build quality of the Define S, I would say “acceptable”.  Some might think, wow, isn’t it good?  Well, yes it’s good, but it does feel a little flimsy in places; the main culprit is the windowed side panel.  The flip side of the window (rear side panel) is absolutely superb and the sound deadening not only reduces any flex on the panel, but feels weighty and of higher quality.  I’m not saying put the sound deadening on the window panel, but if you don’t mind sacrificing the window, you can of course pick up the non-windowed version for a couple of £££ cheaper.  Overall though, the build quality in relation to the price is pretty much spot on and those buying Fractal Design for build quality, need to remember this is a steel case and with that, comes steel case trademarks and factors to be considered.

Design

Design, design and what, design?  Fractal “Design” in my opinion have defined case layouts for water coolers wanting to focus on performance as opposed to be having unnecessary drive bays cluttering the front of the case.  Some may argue that being given a choice with removable bays would be a better option, I would argue that you can’t please 100% of the people, 100% of the time and certain sacrifices have to be made.  I actually applaud Fractal Design here as the Define S’s drive bay placement behind the motherboard has been implemented brilliantly and for those who like this, the Define S is the case to go for.  The Define S is also available in black or white with windowed or non-windowed options; pretty standard, but some brands haven’t cottoned onto the fact that people like variety.

Value

At a smidge under £70 for the windowed version, I think value is a touchy subject here as it’s very similarly priced to not only other Fractal Design models such as the R4 or R5, but most brands have a mid-tower priced to compete at this range.  It begs the question, what does the Define S offer that other brands don’t?  Well, that’s fairly simple to answer, the fantastic HDD/SSD drive bay placements and oodles of space to fit in some serious water cooling loops; most mid-towers sacrifice this for other “features”, but I like Fractal Designs take with the Define S.  Is it good value for money though?  I am inclined to raise my hand and say it is, not amazing value, but it’s a good price for a good case!

Final Thoughts

The Fractal Design Define S has great external aesthetics, a good internal layout (if you don’t care about drive bays) and has an innovative HDD/SSD bay placement; some other cases have it, but not the entire system, especially not on an ATX case like the Define S.  If you are looking for a mid-tower at a reasonable price, with decent build quality and fantastic water cooling support, then the Define S should almost certainly be considered.

• Gold Award – Not the easiest gold award given, but just does enough in my opinion overall to be gold standard material.  The included pump/res mounting kit and SSD/HDD placement swung it for me, but it all comes down to your preference on functionality and taste.
• Recommended Award – A brand new award here at Play3r and it goes without saying, I recommend the Define S, especially for those wanting superb water cooling support, with sweet subtle style.

Many thanks to Fractal Design for sending the Define S in for review.