Fractal Design FD CA DEF XL R2 BL: Ultimate Computer Case for Power and Performance Review
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Very good
Rating
4.6
🎒 Computer Cases
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Details
| Brand | Fractal Design |
|---|---|
| Color | Black |
| Material | Alloy Steel |
| Cooling Method | Air |
| Item Weight | 16.5 Kilograms |
| Item Dimensions LxWxH | 22.05 x 22.01 x 9.13 inches |
| See 4 more | |
Description of Fractal Design FD CA DEF XL R2 BL: Ultimate Computer Case for Power and Performance
Product Overview
The FRACTAL DESIGN FD CA DEF XL R2 BL computer case is a top-of-the-line choice for gamers seeking exceptional performance and immersive gaming experiences. With its impeccable manufacturing quality and meticulous attention to detail, this computer case is designed to meet the demanding needs of professional players and enthusiasts alike. Whether you're a competitive gamer or a passionate PC builder, the FRACTAL DESIGN FD CA DEF XL R2 BL will provide you with the perfect foundation for your high-performance gaming rig.
Unmatched Manufacturing Quality
When it comes to computer cases...
Pros
- - Durable and relatively inexpensive solution for any workload, including server. - Simple and strict, but thoughtful and pleasing to the eye design, without unnecessary show-offs, holes and lights. The tall black tower of Sauron. - Ease of access, sidewalls and back plates can be removed without a screwdriver. - 2xUSB2 + 2xUSB3 on the front panel. - Heavy and durable - stands like a glove, does not play, does not vibrate. Metal 1 mm. On top, you can fit a small printer or scanner. - Thick, heavy soundproofing, although don't expect miracles. With so many HDDs, this is a necessity, not a show-off. - Spacious, like a palace - everything will go in and still remain. Lots of space for cable management. - Good ventilation and cooling, especially for disc baskets. A thick dropsy up to 240mm breaks in from above, a thin one will fit in front (but not any). - 3 good, quiet (at minimum speed) fans included: one in front, one in the back, one at the bottom (blowing on the video card, which is mega-cool and almost never found!). - Simple, discreet reobass switch with power for 3 fans. - Two HDD cages with 4 disks each, not 3 + 5, as in many other cases: three are few, five are many, and four are just right! - One HDD cage can be removed, rotated 90 degrees horizontally, or rearranged to the place of the lower fan (and moved forward). - 8 easily removable metal sleds for SSD / HDD with anti-vibration pads. They don't rattle. - ODD cages can accommodate four HDD/ODD racks or a 140mm fan. - The upper HDD basket can be thrown into the ODD basket, there is a place. But there are no fasteners, you have to "". - In any case, a 330 mm video card will fit. RTX 3080/3090 - no problem. - Without the upper HDD basket, a professional video card up to 400 mm will fit. Not every large case can boast the ability to simultaneously connect a 400 mm video card and four (with racks in ODD bays - up to eight) 3.5" HDD. - All necessary screws and anti-vibration rubber bands included.
Cons
- - HEAVY! 17 kilos in a box! - Soft metal, afraid of blows! Screw in the studs for the motherboard carefully! - The paint does not hold well, is soft, easily scratched and chipped at the edges. BE CAREFUL! - Side covers without slides, there are no holders from below, you cannot just tilt the cover down when opening due to the lack of a stop. When opening, it always falls to the floor with the front edge, you have to hold it with your hand from below. And it hits the floor hard and loud, heavy! - Deflection of the top cover in the ventilation area. Can be fixed by installing CBO or 140mm fans. - The threads of the screws are so-so, you can break the threads on the case. - The upper ODD basket is not removable. Although it does not interfere, there is plenty of space. - The power indicator is too bright. I didn't even connect it, in fact it is not needed. - No HDD activity indicator. Instead, you can connect a power indicator, but in a system with a large number of disks, it is also not needed, it only distracts. - There may not be enough length of processor power cables for wiring behind the motherboard. To my Bequiet! System Power 600 processor power cable 55 cm was enough back to back, the rest without problems.
Pros
- everything is fine, except for one BUT
Cons
- low frequency hum
Pros
- In short, this is still the same good old Define XL, in which a number of previous shortcomings have been corrected without new ones. 1. Like its predecessor, the dimensions allow you to fit any hardware into the case, including tandems of top-end VCs that are not small in size, an arrow from Thermalright, NH-D14, etc. monsters. 2. 4 x 5.25 slots that can fit a HDD cage (for example, Lian Li EX-33B) in case the lower ones are planned to be removed. 3. A lot of space for cable management (about 25 mm). 4. Of course, the protection of all supply ventilation from dust by air filters. 5. Regular soundproofing as a feature of the entire Define line. 6. The roof of the case: what a blessing that the case is almost the same size as the first revision - you can throw the top panel from the old case! The fact is that the current one is of the "sieve" type - with ready-made places for installing two 140-mm fans (respectively, a 2x140 radiator). By the way, due to this, the former controversial 180 was removed. Yes, of course, no one canceled ModuVent, but . In general, see for yourself - everything depends on you. Something (someone) always lives on top of my body . 7. The possibility of a slight shift of the HDD baskets back to install a CBO radiator in front of them, without removing the baskets themselves. Radik, however, in this case, only a thin one with a high FPI will fit, but the baskets can be demolished at all, and then any two-section "battery" will fly in with a whistle. Alternative option: it's great to move the lower HDD basket back - to the place of attachment of the lower 140-ovka - but then there may be problems with laying cables from the power supply, plus, "get rid" of the additional fresh air . In short, almost complete custom - let your imagination run wild, it's called))) 8. 9 expansion slots - yeah, baby! :D Hi XL-ATX/E-ATX! 9. 7 seats for 140mm carlsons. The draft is provided. 10. Removed the partition across the case, which gave rise to a lot of obscene questions from users. 11. Regular reobas for 3 Carlsons.
Cons
- 1. Roof - already said. Here, however, more of an amateur than a disadvantage. 2. Someone considers the relatively thin metal of the case to be a disadvantage (hence the lack of rigidity in the case with the walls removed) - perhaps, but think about it: the bare case now weighs 16 kg! Yes, this is less than the previous revision weighed (under 18 kilos), but imagine it, made of thicker metal, and also clogged with iron! And also attach MOR'u to the side? Hey metro? :D 3. As before, a modest set of standard fans: 1 x 140 mm in the front, 1 x 140 mm in the back, 1 x 140 mm in the bottom. 4. Chassis height (CPU power cable length - at least 600 mm for comfortable installation) 5. Low quality of standard carlsons. Thank heavens, Noctua announced fans with a black turntable (someone big and fat died in the forest? o_O), so don't suffer for long. However, even without the Austrians there are many good turntables.
Pros
- Excellent soundproofing. Excellent ventilation provided by three complete 14 cm coolers. Lots of space for cable management at the rear wall, about 2 cm. Full tower, respectively, a lot of space inside the case. High quality dust filters. Built-in fan speed switch. High-quality, thick metal body and quality painting.
Cons
- The metal is thick, but the upper part turned out to be squeezed in the center by 5 millimeters. What does the factory jamb, when pressed from the inside, straightens but springs back. The thread for the screws for fastening the side covers in the case is crookedly cut. Doesn't line up with the holes in the lids themselves. In the complete racks for the motherboard, the threads are also poorly cut, I had to go through the screw with grease several times before installing. Otherwise, the screw would bite and it would unscrew along with the stand, risking damaging the installed motherboard! The kit does not include an adapter for installing a card reader and other 3.5" devices into a 5.25" bay!
Pros
- Great design. Any accessories will fit. Good soundproofing.
Cons
- Very heavy. Doesn't fit on a regular chassis stand with wheels.
Pros
- Relatively quiet.
Cons
- The thickness of the steel of the upper part is less than the side walls; when pressed with the thumb, it sags.
Pros
- Big enough. Design without perversions, with a minimum of places for collecting dust and easy to clean. Everywhere 140mm coolers.
Cons
- Quite a lot, read the comments
Pros
- Spacious. It is convenient to do something, redo it in the system unit.
Cons
- I didn't see any soundproofing. What are we talking about if the entire back wall is a sieve for ventilation.
Pros
- 1. Classic design, it will successfully fit into the interior as a free-standing element of the audio-video system next to the Hi-Fi equipment rack. 2. Proper arrangement of holes for the removal and output of cables outside the wall. 3. A large distance from the top edge of the motherboard to the top wall of the case (when using huge tower coolers, there are no problems connecting additional processor power and fan connectors). 4. Eight regular places for hard drives (4 in each basket). Huge variability in the installation of these same baskets for hard drives. 5. Dust filters. 6. Dimensions allow you to simply and naturally assemble absolutely any configuration in this case without any problems or inconvenience.
Cons
- 1. Illiterate arrangement of holes for mounting 12cm fans on the top wall, i.е. the manufacturer assumes mounting exactly 12 cm fans shifted close to each other. In this case, there is a whole range of fans with a 14 cm form factor, but the mounts are 12 cm - the width of their case will not allow you to install two such fans side by side on the top cover. Provide the manufacturer with holes for 12 cm right in the middle of the gratings and there would be no problems. Also, this form factor of fans cannot be installed on the front panel - they do not fit into the tray (one fits, but two do not). 2. Mediocre plastic and its manufacture of the front panel of the case (not the doors - the quality is at its best there, namely the panel and the plastic that is hidden under the door, including the plastic of the door that closes the front fans. 3. Inability to completely clean the front dust filter without removing the installed fans. 4. The absence of any guiding side walls, the wall simply leans against and is screwed - hence the relatively poor clamping along the upper and lower edges of the walls.
