Question R6: Similar Cases

DefinitelyNotTom

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Are there any cases that have the front usb type c and are quiet like the r6, but not such big dimensions and weight?

I can't really find anything else other than maybe some that would get warmer while achieving it.

These dimensions seem crazy to me personally. Over 20 inches deep and 27 pounds weight. I would have rather kept the define c if it had a front usb type c. That is a lot better dimensions… 10 less pounds weight, around 5 inches less depth, a few inches less width. But no front type c... Hated to get one without that since I wasted money on a msi x570 ACE mobo.
 
Not really. All of the cases that have front panel USB C are pretty much flagship cases, and they are all at the upper end of the spectrum when it comes to dimensions. None of the smaller mid tower cases that I've seen have USB C front panel support.

This is moderately smaller and lighter. I doubt you'll find anything with a significantly slighter stature and relatively high end features like USB C. This is about four inches shorter and about 13lbs lighter.

https://www.newegg.com/matte-black-nzxt-h-series-h510-atx-mid-tower/p/N82E16811146315?Item=N82E16811146315&nm_mc=AFC-RAN-COM&cm_mmc=AFC-RAN-COM&utm_medium=affiliates&utm_source=afc-PCPartPicker&AFFID=2558510&AFFNAME=PCPartPicker&ACRID=1&ASID=https://pcpartpicker.com/product/b7hmP6/nzxt-h510-atx-mid-tower-case-ca-h510b-b1&ranMID=44583&ranEAID=2558510&ranSiteID=8BacdVP0GFs-ozBoF4.hp5WUXLOpAwn3Vg
 

DefinitelyNotTom

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Not really. All of the cases that have front panel USB C are pretty much flagship cases, and they are all at the upper end of the spectrum when it comes to dimensions. None of the smaller mid tower cases that I've seen have USB C front panel support.

This is moderately smaller and lighter. I doubt you'll find anything with a significantly slighter stature and relatively high end features like USB C. This is about four inches shorter and about 13lbs lighter.

https://www.newegg.com/matte-black-nzxt-h-series-h510-atx-mid-tower/p/N82E16811146315?Item=N82E16811146315&nm_mc=AFC-RAN-COM&cm_mmc=AFC-RAN-COM&utm_medium=affiliates&utm_source=afc-PCPartPicker&AFFID=2558510&AFFNAME=PCPartPicker&ACRID=1&ASID=https://pcpartpicker.com/product/b7hmP6/nzxt-h510-atx-mid-tower-case-ca-h510b-b1&ranMID=44583&ranEAID=2558510&ranSiteID=8BacdVP0GFs-ozBoF4.hp5WUXLOpAwn3Vg
those dimensions would be what I want, but I am looking for one without a side window and that ahs sound dampening, so I am probably out of luck and will have to choose either bigger dimensions or no usb type c in the front.

If only fractal design had made a 2019 updated define c case. :( That would have been exactly what I wanted as they'd surely do a front type c on it.

Btw, how much temp difference is there by putting in an optical drive? I have read that is one con of using those optical drives, but I hate to have one of the VERY few remaining cases that allow for one and then not use it.
 
Nope, that's it. All of the cases without clear side panels that have USB C are larger and heavier. All of them. Maybe forget about the USB C and just get a USB C hub you can plug into the rear motherboard USB C port and snake around to the front using a cable.
 

DefinitelyNotTom

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Nope, that's it. All of the cases without clear side panels that have USB C are larger and heavier. All of them. Maybe forget about the USB C and just get a USB C hub you can plug into the rear motherboard USB C port and snake around to the front using a cable.
Thanks. I am really considering it. I've got to just decide money and more compactness vs. front usb c and better cooling and internal optical drive.

I just hate that I spent about $80 more on the mobo than my original choice the pro carbon, so was wanting to make the most of it with front usb type c and optical drive. I do have an external drive, though, and would save about $150 or so if I would go back to the define c plan. I already returned the define c, so going to be a pain returning this case to the same place and ordering the define again. lol.

Oh well... nothing to do now but make a choice one way or the other. I know the pros and cons.
 

DefinitelyNotTom

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I have a sealed p400 case here and the sealed r6 and until 2 days ago a sealed define c. It really is a quite big difference in carrying around those 2 ~16 pound boxes vs. this ~27 pound one. Then again, how often is someone going to be moving around their desktop pc? In the past the only times I moved mine was to go calibrate my tvs… which on average would be once per year or maybe less. At the same time, though, I do like compact cases... would have gone even more compact down to the mini c or nano s if not for worrying over temps and plus no good matx or itx x570 mobos, in my opinion.
 
Is 27 lbs a difficulty for you to move? Honestly, most people don't move their system very often, if at all. Mine is actually on a lazy susan type revolving base so I can just spin it around to the side if I need to get to things on the back of it. It weighs a great deal more than 27lbs with all the hardware inside, but it still isn't a big deal to move from place to place on the rare occasions when I need to do so for cleaning that area or upgrades that can't be done in place. As before, with the motherboard, you might be overthinking it unless there is a physical limitation that necessitates you having a lighter machine.
 

DefinitelyNotTom

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Is 27 lbs a difficulty for you to move? Honestly, most people don't move their system very often, if at all. Mine is actually on a lazy susan type revolving base so I can just spin it around to the side if I need to get to things on the back of it. It weighs a great deal more than 27lbs with all the hardware inside, but it still isn't a big deal to move from place to place on the rare occasions when I need to do so for cleaning that area or upgrades that can't be done in place. As before, with the motherboard, you might be overthinking it unless there is a physical limitation that necessitates you having a lighter machine.
it shouldn't be "that" much of an issue, but I have shoulder and neck issues.
 
I've had two major shoulder surgeries. One to each shoulder. The last one included a biceps tenodesis as well as repairs to the supraspinatus and subscapularis on both shoulders, plus clavicle excisions, so I understand. Still shouldn't be too much of a problem, but depending on how bad yours are, it might be understandable. I think most lifting of cases will be done with the arms down, rather than up though, so that shouldn't be as bad but then again everybody's injuries are different.
 

DefinitelyNotTom

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I've had two major shoulder surgeries. One to each shoulder. The last one included a biceps tenodesis as well as repairs to the supraspinatus and subscapularis on both shoulders, plus clavicle excisions, so I understand. Still shouldn't be too much of a problem, but depending on how bad yours are, it might be understandable. I think most lifting of cases will be done with the arms down, rather than up though, so that shouldn't be as bad but then again everybody's injuries are different.
that sucks. so far I haven't had mine get that bad, but I worry that it will.

Still not sure what I will do. I do tend to like nice compact electronics, though. It's just nicer. But at the same time, if the bigger item is truly better in enough ways to be a big deal, I'd go that route. The r6 would be cooler and probably even quieter, have the front usb type c and more usb in genera, ability to add internal optical drive. But obviously define c would still mean rear usb type c and I have an external usb 3 optical drive.
 

DefinitelyNotTom

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I noticed that the fractal design s2 case says it comes with 2 brackets for ssds. Does this mean if I were tow ant to use 3 ssds I'd have to do something beyond what comes with the case? As I have said before, I've never built a pc and I haven't yet started watching vids or reading articles about it.

(S2 is basically the same case as R6, other than weighing slightly less. Pretty funny someone posted a comment saying he chose the S2 because the r6 was too tall to fit n his desk…. they are almost the exact same height, width, and length. lol).
 
No, it doesn't. Those two dedicated 2.5" drive mounting locations are in the large chamber. There are three additional 3.5"/2.5" drive mounting locations on the BACKside of the motherboard tray in the cable management compartment. On my Define S, first generation, there are actually five drive bay locations on the backside of the tray and that is where I have ALL of my internal drives located. I don't use any drives in the large chamber preferring to keep that clean, tidy and uncluttered.

reevsMI.jpg





And the backside, before the build. Note, five locations, but the three that are on the left side will be the same as on the Define S2.

OLtg4bj.jpg
 

DefinitelyNotTom

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No, it doesn't. Those two dedicated 2.5" drive mounting locations are in the large chamber. There are three additional 3.5"/2.5" drive mounting locations on the BACKside of the motherboard tray in the cable management compartment. On my Define S, first generation, there are actually five drive bay locations on the backside of the tray and that is where I have ALL of my internal drives located. I don't use any drives in the large chamber preferring to keep that clean, tidy and uncluttered.

reevsMI.jpg





And the backside, before the build. Note, five locations, but the three that are on the left side will be the same as on the Define S2.

OLtg4bj.jpg
But it says it includes only 2 ssd brackets and 3 hdds ones, which I don't even know how they work, but that makes it sound to me like you can only fit 2 ssds and 3 hdds without buying something else unless I am misunderstanding something, but why would it word it that ay if not?
 
The three drive brackets that are mounted on the backside of the motherboard tray work for either 3.5 or 2.5" drives whether they are HDD or SSD. Plus there is ANOTHER 2.5" drive mount location there to the right side. I assure you, I've built PLENTY of systems using Fractal Design cases, and I guarantee you there are no issues with installing up to five drives, so long as they are either ALL 2.5" drives OR no more than three of them are 3.5" drives. For you, 3 SSDs is no problem and you could add two more any some point if you wanted to.

As you can see here, in the first gen version of that case, and ALL of the Define R series and S series cases use the same basic configuration for drive mounting, and most other things for that matter, I have three SSDs mounted and one 3.5" HDD. I could also have an additional SSD or HDD PLUS on the other side of the motherboard tray in the main compartment, if I wanted to put the small SSD drive bay back in the bottom, I could have two more.

And actually, the Define S2 REALLY supports SIX 2.5" drives. Two, as seen here:

E0osXoJ.jpg



And four on the backside, as seen here.
 

DefinitelyNotTom

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The three drive brackets that are mounted on the backside of the motherboard tray work for either 3.5 or 2.5" drives whether they are HDD or SSD. Plus there is ANOTHER 2.5" drive mount location there to the right side. I assure you, I've built PLENTY of systems using Fractal Design cases, and I guarantee you there are no issues with installing up to five drives, so long as they are either ALL 2.5" drives OR no more than three of them are 3.5" drives. For you, 3 SSDs is no problem and you could add two more any some point if you wanted to.

As you can see here, in the first gen version of that case, and ALL of the Define R series and S series cases use the same basic configuration for drive mounting, and most other things for that matter, I have three SSDs mounted and one 3.5" HDD. I could also have an additional SSD or HDD PLUS on the other side of the motherboard tray in the main compartment, if I wanted to put the small SSD drive bay back in the bottom, I could have two more.

And actually, the Define S2 REALLY supports SIX 2.5" drives. Two, as seen here:

E0osXoJ.jpg



And four on the backside, as seen here.
im probably sticking with the r6, but just mentioned s2 because they are such similar cases on the inside and the s2 is the one where it specifically said that bracket info.

Anyway, thanks. I guess when I finally build I will realize what you mean. At this point it's confusing to me since I haven't actually done installing of HDDs or SSDs and notice how they even get attached, so even with pics it's harder to understand until I actually touch them and do it. i assume by your description that I will be fine, though.

I am not 100% sure if I'll do 3 ssds, but it would be quite nifty having 3 of them and taking advantage of the x570 ace being one of the very few mobos to even allow it (with m.2 ones). I have a coupole HDDs if I do decide to put any HDDs in, though.

Btw, when it says m2, they still go in the same place any 2.5 would go into but m2 is just related to the connector? Isn't that right?
 
No, that is not right. M.2 drives are installed ON the motherboard, so no drive bays or mounting locations are even needed for those. Like this:

p1_glam.jpg



That long thin device with the Crucial sticker on it, IS an M.2 drive. Also, there are both SATA and NVME PCIe M.2 drives, and the SATA versions are no faster than standard 2.5" SSDs so if you buy an M.2 drive, be sure to verify exactly which type of drive EACH M.2 slot on your board supports, which type of M.2 drive you are buying AND whether or not that will affect the standard SATA headers on your motherboard because often when two or more M.2 drives are installed it will disable some of the onboard SATA headers on your board. There are a variety of different configurations and ways to do this, so every board should be considered different and you should verify for your specific board.
 

DefinitelyNotTom

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No, that is not right. M.2 drives are installed ON the motherboard, so no drive bays or mounting locations are even needed for those. Like this:

p1_glam.jpg
ah ok thanks. well both of my current ssds are m2 nvme ones. So I guess I am beyond having any issues with the brackets since I won't need any at all probably. lol. Unless I decide to put in hdds.

Btw, random, but... I wonder why in the world there is a blackout edition of the r6 when it doesn't have a side window! isn't the LOOK of the inside the only point to blackout, and then it's covered up with no side window?

I still can't decide, honestly, r6 or define c. And the price went down another $5 on the r6, so as much as I hate to screw over amazon, I may buy the case again using my $70 courtesy credit and get the $5 off, knowing I'll return the first one later. Still, though, I'd really love to have a nice lighter case than r6. sigh.
 
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DefinitelyNotTom

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Another weird thing is when the case came out someone said in a post that it was a "fail" for not having usb type c... but it does have usb type c, so no idea what that was about. Unless maybe the original r6 didn't have it and then was updated?

Btw, I love how a lot of people will overdo how important it is to do this or that on a pc build. For instance, someone saying if you get a define c, oh you'd have to get some certain type of fans to offset inhibited airflow from the front panel being closed. As if you're guaranteed to have issues.

Check this out... I'm sure everyone will say never put a pc on the floor, blah blah blah. Well guess what? I have a cheap prebuilt with no dust filters, only cleaned the dust out ONCE, and it's still working 6 r 7 years later with heavy, heavy use and sitting in the floor the whole time. Never any part has gone out on it, either.
 
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I don't know why they have a blackout version without a clear side panel, because it's pointless, but there IS a TG side panel version of the R6 so it's likely they may have offered it since the only thing they had to change in order to do so is slap a different side panel on there and it makes it look like they have a lot more model options available. Marketing. I doubt anybody buying an R6 without a windowed side panel gives a crap whether it's a blackout edition or not. The only exception to that might be that some people PREFER to mod their own side panel with a custom pattern that is clear, and in that case they'd probably want to start with a solid side panel, and might want the blackout style due to that reason.

There are like 7 or 8 variations of the Define R6, and some of them do not have USB C. In fact, most of them don't, and none of them did until recently.
 

DefinitelyNotTom

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I don't know why they have a blackout version without a clear side panel, because it's pointless, but there IS a TG side panel version of the R6 so it's likely they may have offered it since the only thing they had to change in order to do so is slap a different side panel on there and it makes it look like they have a lot more model options available. Marketing. I doubt anybody buying an R6 without a windowed side panel gives a crap whether it's a blackout edition or not. The only exception to that might be that some people PREFER to mod their own side panel with a custom pattern that is clear, and in that case they'd probably want to start with a solid side panel, and might want the blackout style due to that reason.

There are like 7 or 8 variations of the Define R6, and some of them do not have USB C. In fact, most of them don't, and none of them did until recently.
I would have been mad if I somehow accidentally bought one that doesn't have usb type c and then put everything together before realizing. lol.

Most of that weight, is from the TG side panel. I just put one on my first gen Define S, and that thing weighs like three times the weight of the original acrylic windowed side panel.
I got the one without the window, though, so isn't the panel lighter?

I hate making decisions. I've posted on here forever about every little decision and still cant decide.

I technically have every part to where I COULD build right now. But go back and forth on case and whether to buy different RAM. Oh and maybe a third ssd.

Like I was saying earlier, if only they'd update the define c to have front usb type c I'd for sure get it. Still considering it even without it.
 
I hate making decisions.

Yes, we know. But still I'm trying to help. You are one of the top five indecisive people I've helped on here, given your several other threads, in a long time. LOL.

Still, better to be sure of what you want, need and will get, than to get it and then later complain because you didn't take the time to research properly, so in that regard it is prudent even if it is a little MORE than that, in this case. Heh.

If you had anyplace near you that does case modifications, and if you didn't mind paying for it, you could certainly get the Define C and have this ADDED to the front panel through modifcation.


Otherwise, I expect to see a good many other case models begin to offer front panel USB C over the next six months or so, but probably not on any cases that run less than 100 bucks until USB C Gen 2 becomes more mainstream because right now there are very few devices that even support it.
 

DefinitelyNotTom

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Yes, we know. But still I'm trying to help. You are one of the top five indecisive people I've helped on here, given your several other threads, in a long time. LOL.

Still, better to be sure of what you want, need and will get, than to get it and then later complain because you didn't take the time to research properly, so in that regard it is prudent even if it is a little MORE than that, in this case. Heh.

If you had anyplace near you that does case modifications, and if you didn't mind paying for it, you could certainly get the Define C and have this ADDED to the front panel through modifcation.


Otherwise, I expect to see a good many other case models begin to offer front panel USB C over the next six months or so, but probably not on any cases that run less than 100 bucks until USB C Gen 2 becomes more mainstream because right now there are very few devices that even support it.
I'd certainly like to use that, but probably too much trouble for me to do and even risky having someone else do, I am guessing.

It's odd that the r6 has been out so long without fractal doing an updated define C, though.
 

DefinitelyNotTom

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Sigh. Just glancing at a pic of the r6, it looks like if you use an internal optical drive, you have to leave the entire front cover off of the case? I wish they had made that cover differently, where you could still have a cover for all of it except the part for the drive. I did read that people using the case said there is almost no difference in anything whether the cover is there/.closed or not, though.