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Fractal Design Define R4 Black Pearl w/ USB 3.0 ATX Mid Tower Silent PC Computer Case

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Product Reviews

Fractal Design Define R4 Black Pearl w/ USB 3.0 ATX Mid Tower Silent PC Computer Case
73%
Excellent
25%
Very Good
0%
Average
0%
Below Average
0%
Poor
Rating: 9.49/10
David_Q@NCIX
Rating:

Review Date: 12/16/13
Fractal Design Define R4 Black Pearl w/ USB 3.0 ATX Mid Tower Silent PC Computer Case
Cons:-white fans and expansion slot covers ruin my black/red colour scheme

Pros:-sexy minimalist design-lots of room to work with-lots of thumbscrews
Comment:
This is my second Fractal Design and I'm loving it so far. I just wish it came all black.Intel i7 4770k v 4.2GHzBe Quiet! Dark Rock Pro 2MSI Z87-GD65MSI 280xPatriot Viper 3 Venom Red 2x8GB 2133MHzSamsung 840 Evo 250GBWestern Digital Green 1TBCorsair AX860i
Mark_L@NCIX
Rating:

Review Date: 12/09/13
Fractal Design Define R4 Black Pearl w/ USB 3.0 ATX Mid Tower Silent PC Computer Case
Cons:No speakerOnly one LED, intensely brightSide panels held on a bit awkwardly

Pros:RoomyVery quietIntegrated fan controllerQuality constructionInnovative front fan mountsFinish that's matte enough not to show fingerprints yet not so matte that it holds dustUnderstated designSide intakes for front door fansUSB 3.0 ports with a proper internal header
Comment:
Is this the perfect case? Almost. It's definitely the best I've ever had.It's roomy, even large. It's very quiet - it nicely quiets down everything inside, and the included fans are quite quiet at 12 V. At 7 V they are almost silent and at 5 V they are silent. The nice integrated fan controller lets you choose. I moved the included rear fan to the front and installed a Phanteks 140 mm fan in the back. The front fan mount is ingenious, it's behind a grilled door with two push-to-open latches. This allows access to a bracket that holds the fans and a removable filter grille in front of the fans. A fan simply clips into place into the bracket, no mounting screws or grommets necessary - you then replace the bracket and connect the fan to the fan controller. When the door is closed, there are air intakes just behind the door on each side that extend from top to bottom so that the fans aren't starved for air with the door closed - this would reduce airflow and increase noise.The front door feels classy with its magnetic latch.Inside, there's space for everything. There are way more 3.5" drive bays than most of us would ever need. The top drive bays can be removed or reoriented to act as an air duct for cooling a graphics card. The power supply is positioned at the bottom and has its own air intake from underneath. Cables can be routed behind the motherboard. I like the fact that there's an expansion slot off the motherboard. I tried using a serial port bracket here (long story) but unfortunately the serial cable jams in the narrow "well" that this expansion slot sits in. Too bad. There are two USB 3.0 ports with a proper header for a modern motherboard. There are also two USB 2.0 ports provided with an older-style header. It's a good amount of ports and they're situated right at the top.There are thumbcrews for everything - no tools required. There's even a knurled driver for the motherboard standoffs that lets you drive the motherboard standoffs with your fingers. All metal edges are rolled - not a single one has been missed. The side panels feel very solid - not only is there sound-absorbing material on them but it feels like there is something sandwiched inside as well judging from the sound the panels make if you tap them. The side panels could be held on a bit better - they rely on matching tabs top and bottom and you can miss a tab while sliding them in. This is like a very old, very cheap microATX case I got back in the late '90s, I thought manufacturers had moved on since then.This case has no included speaker. You take this for granted with a case. Without it, no POST beep. This is fine for a stable system but it would be nice to have it just in case. I suppose I could salvage a speaker from an old case. Also there's only one LED that you can use for either a power light or a drive access light. I chose it as a drive access light because it's more informative. Good thing as it's intensely bright and points upward - if you place it on the floor you get this light right in your face. If that were the power light, on all the time, it would be mighty distracting.Those are really my only complaints, and they're minor complaints on a case this good.
Chris_90@NCIX
Rating:

Review Date: 11/30/13
Fractal Design Define R4 Black Pearl w/ USB 3.0 ATX Mid Tower Silent PC Computer Case
Cons:none

Pros:HIgh QualityQuietSleek and Sexy DesignLots of roomno cons
Comment:
best case you can get for around $100 budget, if there's a sale for less then you should purchase it.
sitruc3@NCIX
Rating:

Review Date: 11/09/13
Fractal Design Define R4 Black Pearl w/ USB 3.0 ATX Mid Tower Silent PC Computer Case
Cons:nothing, but if i have to complain there is only one stock status light and there aren't clips for rear mounted SSD so use Velcro.

Pros:Sexy, built like a tank, versatile, QUIET
Comment:
This is the tuxedo of cases. It will make any build look great. I have heard complaints that the front is not real aluminum but do you really want to worry constantly about fingerprints stains?Cable management is easy and it takes no effort at all to make a build look great. Don't buy this case if you want your computer to be a trashy light show. Do buy this if you want one of the best cases out there. PS It will last for ever as it is built like a tank; I may never have to buy another case again.
Henri_C@NCIX
Rating:

Review Date: 10/08/13
Fractal Design Define R4 Black Pearl w/ USB 3.0 ATX Mid Tower Silent PC Computer Case
Cons:comes with only 2 140mm case fans only rear cable management is bit narrow

Pros:Is great case well built purchased Black window edition,standard case fans are quiet
Comment:
i decide to build me signature gaming computer with budget under $3,000 case is design for ATX MB only did my research would support EATX MB my build as follows :Fractal Define 4 Black window editionAsus ROG Maximus V Formula EATX MB Z77Intel i7-3770KGSkill RipJaws DDR3-2133 16 GBEVGA GTX 690Samsung 840 Pro 256 GBSeagate 3TB 7200 rpmSeasonic 860watt PlatinumCorsiar H110i 240mm all in one CPU Cooler replace fans with Noctula F14 case fans4 Noctula 140mm case fansSamsung BlueRay BurnerI wanted unit as quiet as possible all case fans running at This review was modfied by poster d 10-08-13 05:02 PM This review was modfied by poster @ 10-08-13 05:41 PM
King Sull@NCIX
Rating:

Review Date: 09/20/13
Fractal Design Define R4 Black Pearl w/ USB 3.0 ATX Mid Tower Silent PC Computer Case
Cons:- Not Free

Pros:- Made for the Enthusiast - Sound Dampening- Free Fans- Looks Good
Comment:
I like it so far. Very well thought out.
ShiftyGreg24@NCIX
Rating:

Review Date: 07/28/13
Fractal Design Define R4 Black Pearl w/ USB 3.0 ATX Mid Tower Silent PC Computer Case
Cons:MAYBE the door, other than that nothing.

Pros:Large case, lots of space.
Comment:
I love this case. It is big and spacious on the inside so even with fans on medium or low the air moves around and everything is kept cool. Also has the sound dampening foam. Possibly only the door as a downside because every so often I might forget to open it when gaming, but even when that happens it is still very cool on the inside. Awesome case, could not be happier.
nim44@NCIX
Rating:

Review Date: 07/12/13
Fractal Design Define R4 Black Pearl w/ USB 3.0 ATX Mid Tower Silent PC Computer Case
Cons:none

Pros:Solid build qualityBeautiful design
Comment:
No brainer e $80 like it has been regularly, beautiful case, looks clean, solid build quality.... sleek look is great after comming from haf 932
SirBenny@NCIX
Rating:

Review Date: 05/20/13
Fractal Design Define R4 Black Pearl w/ USB 3.0 ATX Mid Tower Silent PC Computer Case
Cons:nothing at all

Pros:Pretty design
Comment:
Best casing you can get for 80$. A great bargain of quality and cost! Quiet and include all the screw and stuffs. Not bad quality like the bitfenix ones....
Marc-Olivier_L@NCIX
Rating:

Review Date: 05/13/13
Fractal Design Define R4 Black Pearl w/ USB 3.0 ATX Mid Tower Silent PC Computer Case
Cons:None so far

Pros:Small size and great versatility, great metal quality, comes with 2x 120mm fan and fan controller,
Comment:
Bought two of these for a friend and I a few weeks ago. The case is made from thick great quality metal. The case can support up to 7 fans using the fan controller (with some extensions) and/or MB connectors. The HDD drive bays use rubber ring to prevent noise from vibration. Overall, its probably one of the best casing i've found on the Internet having a classic look.
Jason_A@NCIX
Rating:

Review Date: 05/01/13
Fractal Design Define R4 Black Pearl w/ USB 3.0 ATX Mid Tower Silent PC Computer Case
Cons:size is larger than expected

Pros:Silentvery good build quality
Comment:
If you're looking for a well built silent case there is no need to look any further. Installing components is very easy as the case is rather large. Deadly silent, if it wasn't for the blue power led i wouldn't know the PC is on.
Mike_B@NCIX
Rating:

Review Date: 04/11/13
Fractal Design Define R4 Black Pearl w/ USB 3.0 ATX Mid Tower Silent PC Computer Case
Cons:heavy but im not moving it around or anything

Pros:Its very silent, runs very cool, built extremely well, and just is the best case for 100 dollars really. nothing from corsair or other brands come close to the Deifne and the Arc series
Comment:
Great case and cannot say enough good things about it. If you are looking for a silent case or any case for 100 dollars, there isnt many cases that can come close in terms of quality for your money
frank_r@NCIX
Rating:

Review Date: 03/20/13
Fractal Design Define R4 Black Pearl w/ USB 3.0 ATX Mid Tower Silent PC Computer Case
Cons:None

Pros:Cooling, wiring and looks.
Comment:
Very well thought out case. No headaches, just a joy to build. Nice fan placement(bottom fan feeds GPU). 140mm fans are quieter with more airflow. Excellent wiring solutions make for a clean beautiful build. Worth every penny.
scottc@NCIX
Rating:

Review Date: 03/08/13
Fractal Design Define R4 Black Pearl w/ USB 3.0 ATX Mid Tower Silent PC Computer Case
Cons:-Front dust filter not easily removable (unlike the Antec P280)

Pros:-Build Quality (case and fans)-Great cable management
Comment:
This is a great case, having used both the R2 and R3 I have to say the R4 is a definite improvement. The case is wider now to accommodate 140mm fans, a worthy trade off. With the top hdd cage removed, lots of airflow gets through to the CPU and GPU now.My 1 complaint is the lack of a easily removable front dust filter, like in the Antec P280.
Brian_M@NCIX
Rating:

Review Date: 02/26/13
Fractal Design Define R4 Black Pearl w/ USB 3.0 ATX Mid Tower Silent PC Computer Case
Cons:Not much except maybe the back fan should have been mounted with rubber grommets instead of metal screws (since this is a silent type case); door opens only one way and not all the way back

Pros:Build quality; plenty of space; good sound dampening; come with decent fans
Comment:
This case was a joy to build in. The sound dampening is quite good. I left the top and side vents alone as those tend to have the most sound leakage. I stuck a AP141 on the bottom and hooked it up the fan controller - works like a charm for vid. card cooling.I do like the top facing ports for USB/audio etc. but these are a liability in the long run if anything drops; I would look around on line on fleaby or elsewhere for rubber covers to cover least used ones. I did a lot of research before picking my next case, and this fit the bill very well, especially in the features vs. price department. All in all, a very solid buy.
cwyenberg@NCIX
Rating:

Review Date: 02/20/13
Fractal Design Define R4 Black Pearl w/ USB 3.0 ATX Mid Tower Silent PC Computer Case
Cons:none so far

Pros:looks, size, cable space, build
Comment:
Beautiful, simple case. A bit bigger than I thought it would be but that's ok, more room for goodies. Had a problem sliding in a DVD drive in the top front bay. Noticed that some of the front top panel wiring was routed incorrectly during factory assembly. Popped off the front panel and moved the wiring in no time flat, problem solved. Would buy again.
AceOnRiv@NCIX
Rating:

Review Date: 02/09/13
Fractal Design Define R4 Black Pearl w/ USB 3.0 ATX Mid Tower Silent PC Computer Case
Cons:-Rubber feet grip too tightly to the ground

Pros:-Far roomier than Define R3-Excellent panel padding for silencing-cable manage is easy with lots of mount points for twist ties
Comment:
This is overall an excellent case and a vast improvement over the R3. The issues with the R3 (no room behind motherboard tray and rubber grommets popping out easily) are all gone and the 140mm mount points for the front fans make it even easier to keep the case quiet while still moving lots of air. Definitely recommend this case to everybody.
Tyler_V@NCIX
Rating:

Review Date: 02/05/13
Fractal Design Define R4 Black Pearl w/ USB 3.0 ATX Mid Tower Silent PC Computer Case
Cons:Price maybe ? been one sale twice at NCIX since I've purchased it. Quick note for people installing PSU's and a 140mm fan at the bottom, be careful the Seasonic PSU I bought I can't have the fan facing down because the modular cables won't be able to attach to the PSU itself but if you install a 120mm fan at the bottom there shouldn't be any cable issues or you'll have to install the PSU fan side up and can mean a few extra cables showing. Also the mobo standoffs didn't seem to line up with my Gigabyte board, seems to be a normal issue as its happened in my Antec case as well

Pros:High build quality, silent (as to be expected), fairly roomy
Comment:
Great case so far, using it as a home server. I plan on loading it up with drives. The case was a little bigger then I expected but that's not always a bad thing. Overall great quality would recommend buying one
Jordan_C@NCIX
Rating:

Review Date: 01/25/13
Fractal Design Define R4 Black Pearl w/ USB 3.0 ATX Mid Tower Silent PC Computer Case
Cons:Heavy

Pros:Extremely quietSimple, understated lookTons of room and easily accessible cable management
Comment:
Price matched this on sale down to $85. Would've paid the full 120 though.Steel construction, aside from the top panel (it really will never support more than a rad and some fans at max) this case is incredibly sturdy. The removable side panels have no flex to them. The will slightly bow, though I only noticed any deviation when I was mounting a fan and decided to really tighten one of the screws. This also lends the case some considerable heft however, mine reaching close to if not over the 50 pound mark once fully loaded.The sound dampening in this is top notch. I currently have 7 fans, none of which are connected to the on-board fan controller (due simply to laziness, wiring is a breeze) blowing wildly while generating nothing more than a slight hum. Can easily be slept through.
Chris_T@NCIX
Rating:

Review Date: 01/24/13
Fractal Design Define R4 Black Pearl w/ USB 3.0 ATX Mid Tower Silent PC Computer Case
Cons:Bigger than I expected

Pros:A lot of roomEasy cable managementRemovable compartments
Comment:
This case is amazing. It's silent and it has great airflow. It's top quality built. There is a removable hdd compartment if you want to have better air flow. And the case has a great minimalist look to it.
Carlos_P@NCIX
Rating:

Review Date: 01/13/13
Fractal Design Define R4 Black Pearl w/ USB 3.0 ATX Mid Tower Silent PC Computer Case
Cons:Slightly flimsy front cover, if you remove it to see what happens you can accidentally unplug the front I/O or fan controller.

Pros:Spacious, lots of room for cable routing. Looks great and is very quiet! The included fans do a great job.
Comment:
Extremely quality case for the money. Would purchase again every time.
Antonio_M@NCIX
Rating:

Review Date: 01/06/13
Fractal Design Define R4 Black Pearl w/ USB 3.0 ATX Mid Tower Silent PC Computer Case
Cons:Unreasonably cheap plastic front piece makes a mockery of what is otherwise a beautiful and sturdy metal case. The small, weak plastic inserts that hold the front on do not hold tight enough and cannot withstand any force. Don't think about picking it up while holding the front (there's no where else to hold it). Even a minute forward tug on the front piece can pull it away from the rest of the case. CPU cut out not large enough/could be positioned better. More cable routing options could still be provided (holes below the motherboard). Bottom 140mm fan mount should be further from the power supply.

Pros:Intelligently designed with a great layout and extremely high ease of use. Nice front fan access. Lots of cooling options. Very quiet. Easy to work in. Beautiful minimalist exterior.
Comment:
A spectacular case with a noticeably cheap, flimsy frontpiece. It excels in every measurable metric and is a joy to build in. -1 for low quality front panel and door.
CamelJock@NCIX
Rating:

Review Date: 01/02/13
Fractal Design Define R4 Black Pearl w/ USB 3.0 ATX Mid Tower Silent PC Computer Case
Cons:Haven't found any yet. Well, except for very heavy....

Pros:Very good build, easy to install hds ect, plenty of room for it's size. Very quiet for htpc purposes.
Comment:
I got this for a client who wanted to build an htpc. However, now he's thinking a gaming computer for some light gaming as well as it keeps things that quiet. Already grabbed a maximus gene v, a silverstone evolution psu for him, and he wants more! He kept complaining about quiet before, seems this case solved that. The sound insulation really works.
Aaron_G@NCIX
Rating:

Review Date: 12/28/12
Fractal Design Define R4 Black Pearl w/ USB 3.0 ATX Mid Tower Silent PC Computer Case
Cons:Only one LED (power or HDD)

Pros:QUIET. 8 HDD bays, 2 spots for ssds, and 2 5.25 bays. Well constructed, not cramped at all.
Comment:
One of the nicest "simple" cases I've ever seen, worth every penny I paid. Running with 8 hard drives -- totally silent. It's good enough that I'm going to replace all of my other cases (3 more) with these. The 3 speed fan controller on this is excellent, as is the level of customization. With 2 front fans and 1 rear fan set on quietest, the components inside are cold.The documentation is virtually non-existent, but the sites that have reviewed this case explain it's functional points pretty well. I wish it had come with one more front case fan, but that's just splitting hairs.If you're looking for a 100-ish dollar case that feels like a 200 dollar case, get this. You won't regret it.
bOrIuM@NCIX
Rating:

Review Date: 12/27/12
Fractal Design Define R4 Black Pearl w/ USB 3.0 ATX Mid Tower Silent PC Computer Case
Cons:dunno ?

Pros:Silent, beautiful.
Comment:
I think its the best Case I got. Even toms hardware just made a review and topped lot of Silent Gaming Cases.
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