Review Fractal Design Define 7 Chassis Review: Versatility and Refinement

Crashman

Polypheme
Former Staff
Why are you putting cases on the ground? If you come to my workspace, you fill find that I put mine on a stand. You will find that some people have a shelf, and that others have room on their desks. For those who have neither, you will find a finished floor to the left or right of the desk.
 
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chris maple

Distinguished
Jan 11, 2012
5
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The full height hinged front panel is a huge disadvantage. Can't play a CD without opening the panel, and if the panel is open while the CD carrier is out there a risk of breaking the CD player by pushing the panel closed. It's a pity that this stupid design is so common now.
 

curiousmcgeorge

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Jan 31, 2015
31
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I'd like something quiet but with good cooling like this, but 35 lbs is . . uh . . a lot. Then again, I also won't need the ability to convert to "storage" type of feature.

I am pretty impressed with the combination of cooling ability and quiet, though.
Yeah, 35 pounds is way more than any case I've ever heard of.
But it looks great.
Since I don't move mine I wouldn't mind having one myself.

I just got a Fractal design Meshify C last year and like it, so I have no need for a new case.
 

JohnMD1022

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Jun 1, 2006
120
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I'd like something quiet but with good cooling like this, but 35 lbs is . . uh . . a lot. Then again, I also won't need the ability to convert to "storage" type of feature.

I am pretty impressed with the combination of cooling ability and quiet, though.

Too damned heavy. I wonder how much that glass panel adds to the weight?
 
I like the Define 7, especially the front-accessible bottom air filter and the USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C port on the top front of the case. However, I wish they would update their Mini to have the same things. Related, I wish there was a shortlist of X570 boards that supported 3.1 Gen2 front-side ports on the case.
 
Too damned heavy. I wonder how much that glass panel adds to the weight?

FD's site says 13.49kg (~29.7lbs) for the Define 7 (no glass side panel), which is only slightly higher than the 13.45kg/29.6lbs for one with the tempered glass side panel. So the glass option is ever so slightly lighter. Packaged up, the Define 7 weighs ~ 35lbs.

The Define 7 XL (taller than the regular 7) is closer to 36lbs. Packaged up, it's ~ 41lbs.
 
One of the pros should be it's still got a 5.25" slot... It's getting really tough for me to find decent cases that I can still use optical drives in. Now if one of the optical drive manufacturers would only make a drive in a black casing...
 
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