Conclusion

...Define R6 is sleeker and more refined than most and serves as a genuine contender for any high-end build in 2018.

Fractal Design has finally introduced its flagship Define R6 chassis. Keenly priced from £120 and arriving three years after the Define R5, the latest addition to the range boasts an array of attractive features delivered in typical Scandinavian style.

The external design will remain as divisive as ever - some will favour the simplicity while others may consider it mundane - but while the Define R6 isn't in our estimation as pretty as, say, a Dark Base 700, it has a feature set that few other mid-tower chassis can match.

With eight storage trays, nine fan mounts, support for multiple large radiators and a 5.25in optical bay, Define R6 covers all manner of builds.

The flexibility is a real boon, and is enhanced by Fractal's attention to detail. A hinged tempered-glass panel works really well, the top ModuVent is better than ever, the front door is reversible, the top, front and bottom are outfitted with easy access dust filters and there's sound-dampening material throughout. Not to mention sleeved I/O cabling and a nine-way integrated fan hub.

Bottom line: we'd like to see Fractal Design include USB Type-C as standard, but nevertheless, Define R6 is sleeker and more refined than most and serves as a genuine contender for any high-end build in 2018.

The Good		The Bad
Hinged tempered-glass panel Nine fan mounts and integrated hub Provisions for up to eight storage disks Plenty of dust filters and sound dampening Solid build quality throughout Has a 5.25in drive bay No RGB lights?		Front USB Type-C is optional No RGB lights?

Fractal Design Define R6

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The Fractal Design Define R6 will be available to purchase from Scan Computers.

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Well it's about time. I would say though (and don't take this the wrong way, I am not trying to steer the market particularly) that £120 for a case seems steep and even inflationary and I would be happier with the around £60 I paid for my Define S (no recommendation implied - it's quality but the market is so strong it's not likely the best option).

I have no problems with Fractal I just worry about the ever increasing prices of GPU, Mobo, PSU, Memory etc. It's not good for the people who need access to the interweb the most. Maybe they'll be content with their phone and 4G/5G but I see no reason why the PC Hardware Desktop market should be premium for people in (for example) India or Vietnam. You're getting ahead of yourselves, people, this is a communication and collaboration technology, don't approach it as a luxury good.

Sigh, will there ever be a case that will be good enough to replace my high airflow Corsair 450D?

This R6 certainly isn't it.

In fact, if Corsair just did a 450D refresh in metallic gun metal grey or white I'd buy one tomorrow.

Oh dear, completely misses the mark for me as an R4 owner. The R4 is a simple, silent £70ish case. The R6 moves it into the £120+ bracket and takes away some features that made the R series good.

I get the feeling they dont know what to do with this model anymore and are trying a new audience. Fractal seem confused with what they want to achieve, they've kept the industrial/office look but want you to put in RGB & watercooling that just doesnt suit the outer asthetics at the expense of useful features, it just seems completely confusing.

A big attraction for the R4/R5 was the 8x 3.5" HDD bays. This made it a very suitable case for a home server/workstation at a cracking price. The R5 fixes some R4 issues & adds worthy features, but keeps the foundation that made the R series good.