I think Fractal Design have really outdone themselves this time. They've managed to create one of the best made chassis' on the market, that supports an incredible amount of ultra high-end hardware and they've managed to do it with a perfectly understated design.

Extensive air and water cooling support; Fully removable hard drive bays; Fully removable 5.25″ drive bay; 2 x 2.5″ mounts behind motherboard; Vast amounts of cable routing space; Extremely durable build quality; Sound dampening material pre-installed; Washable and easily accessible dust filters,...

Two years after the introduction of its hugely popular Define R4, Fractal Design is ready to unveil an eagerly anticipated successor, the Define R5. The latest addition to the Define Series is headed to retail stores this December priced at ￡83 (or ￡90 for a windowed version), and if its...

Decent performance; Keeps noise levels in check; Integrated fan controller; Quick-release side panel; Front now opens either way; Highly flexible storage stack; Dedicated SSD trays; Many rad-mount opportunities; Noise-dampened throughout; Very easy to build into; Velcro straps aid cabling

Top ModuVents are fragile; Exterior might be too subtle; Storage bays aren't tool free; Not as affordable as Define R4

Would you believe that the original Define case which we could refer to as the R1 was released back in 2009. In the years since there has been a steady progression of designs and ideas as the the range Evolved.

KitGuru says: Damn, the Define R5 is good! If you want a large radiator or two this is the case for you.

Impressive sound deadening; Options to add a truly epic amount of liquid cooling; Good cooling from the two 140mm fans that come with the package; Dust filters at the front and bottom; Two stealth SSD bays behind the motherboard; Three-speed fan controller behind the front door can control up to...

Could use 5-10mm more space behind the side panel; You only get eight motherboard stand-offs; not nine; More cable tie-down points please; The two cable routing holes at the top of the motherboard tray need to be slightly larger; The USB 3.0 ports on the front are not coloured blue

It's refreshing to look at an enclosure that delivers great performance and value like the Define R5. The case has an understated look, but is still very nice looking with clean lines and a quality finish.

Fractal Design stepped up its game and delivered a chassis with great structural integrity, packed with features and options, silence, and a great price! The Define R5 is Fractal Design's best chassis yet.

The Define R5 is as close to silent as it gets without ditching case fans altogether, but the monolithic design is looking a little dated

The R5 Fractal Design Define is already the fifth revision of the mid-tower on the market. This naturally raises the question of whether the new model really offers relevant innovations or whether it only provides cosmetic changes.

effective silencing measures, but at the same time a wide range of cooling options, very quiet, independent of the control stage of the fan control, all drive cages are modular, even better for water cooling, dust filters can be cleaned quickly, cable management; well stocked and well accessible I/O...

ex-factory cooling system tuned for quiet operation; decreasing cooling performance

Over the years, I have seen many different cases and manufacturer's designs getting a new look, but keeping the same great features that the previous model offered. While this is definitely a plus, I wasn't sure how I would feel about the Fractal Design Define R5.

The Fractal Design Define R5 is the fifth generation of this series, once again with updated features, looks, and functionality to meet the needs of those who want a quiet system and those looking to install a lot of liquid-cooling.