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Fractal Design Define XL Black Pearl w/ USB 3.0 ATX Full Tower Silent PC Computer Case
- Steel ATX Full Tower
- 2 x USB2.0, 2 x USB3.0, Audio I/O Front Ports
- 4 x 5.25" bays (1 x 5.25" to 3.5" converter included) External 5.25" Drive Bays
- 10 x HDD trays
- 4 x HDD trays in the HDD cag
As the name implies, the Define XL with USB 3.0 is the larger sibling of the acclaimed and award winning Define R2/R3 case. It is focused on low noise levels while also excelling in other important features such as high-performance cooling, expandability and ease of use. The XL combines minimalistic yet elegant styling with extraordinary performance, noise reduction features, premium build quality, and unparalled value in this price range. This full-tower case is a great choice for everything from gaming/enthusiast systems to silent home theater and corporate applications. The exclusive ModuVent System, 10 hard drive bays with SSD compatibility, sleek black interior, pre-installed noise absorbing materials, 6 fan slots, unique tilted rear-exhaust 180mm fan, configurable thermal chambers, rotatable/removable HD bays and superior cable management, are just some of features that put the XL in a class by itself.
The Define XL is pre-fitted with dense noise absorbing bitumen material. This material effectively absorbes noise generated by the components and fans inside. The sleek top panel has no holes, to also help reduce noise. Instead of putting a fan on the top cover, a 180 mm fan is mounted inside near the top at an optimized angle, to blow out air in the rear and further reduce any noise generated by the fan. The side panel has a removable cover, called ModuVent which also contains noise absorbing material and can be removed to further enhance the air flow characteristics by mounting an additional intake fan in the side panel.
The case has 3 chambers, which can easily be reconfigured in multiple ways to change and optimize the way airflows through the case. If desired, the XL can support up to 7 fans and provide airflow from 3 sides of the case. The cleverly designed, 10 white HDD trays can be used for 3.5” HDDs or SSDs and the rubber mounting grommets further reduce noise in the system. The spacious chassis can support long graphic cards up to 330 mm (or 480 mm if the upper HDD cage is removed). The case also includes several rubber grommeted routing holes and extended cable space behind the M/B mounting plate which allow for efficient cable management. The bottom of the case has a filter over the power supply which can be easily removed for cleaning. It's easy to see why this case has won so many awards; the attention to detail, clever design, high-performance features, understated yet elegant style, quality workmanship, and unparalled value, put the Define XL in a class of its own.
BUILT-IN USB 3.0 SUPPORTThe Aluminum look front panel has a stunning, minimalistic design with easily accessible USB 3.0, USB 2.0 and Audio I/O ports. The reset button is intelligently placed inside the front door.
OPTIMIZED FOR NOISE REDUCTIONThe case includes dense, noise absorbing materials on the front and side panels. Paired with other noise reduction freaturs such as a covered top panel and silicon mounting grommets for HDDs, the XL truly excels in delivering a low noise solution.
Superior cooling design with ModuVent system180mm fan is mounted at an angle blowing hot air out the rear of the case. Doing this allows the top of the case to be closed which does not allow noise to escape from the top, giving the XL case a clear acoustic advantage. If cooling becomes more of a priority than noise reduction, the ModuVent panels can be removed to expose additional air vents for optional fans. And a fan controller, which can be mounted in an expansion slot in the rear, is included. It can control up to three fans with one knob.
CONFIGURABLE THERMAL CHAMBER DESIGNThe case has 3 chambers, which can easily be reconfigured to change the way air flows through the case. The main chamber has a rotatable and removable HDD cage. A divider separates this chamber from the PSU chamber. The PSU can be turned upside down to change airflow. The 3rd chamber contains 2 fixed HDD cages which are separated from the PSU chamber by another removable divider.
STYLISH AND FLEXIBLE HDD TRAYS10 HDD trays (painted Fractal accent white) can support 3.5” HDDs or SSDs. The silicone mounting pads reduce noise caused by drive vibration.
ADVANCED CABLE MANAGEMENTCables can be conveniently routed through rubber grommets into a generous compartment behind the motherboard to reduce cable clutter and improve airflow.
BUILT-IN USB 3.0 SUPPORTThe Aluminum look front panel has a stunning, minimalistic design with easily accessible USB 3.0, USB 2.0 and Audio I/O ports. The reset button is intelligently placed inside the front door.
OPTIMIZED FOR NOISE REDUCTIONThe case includes dense, noise absorbing materials on the front and side panels. Paired with other noise reduction freaturs such as a covered top panel and silicon mounting grommets for HDDs, the XL truly excels in delivering a low noise solution.
Superior cooling design with ModuVent system180mm fan is mounted at an angle blowing hot air out the rear of the case. Doing this allows the top of the case to be closed which does not allow noise to escape from the top, giving the XL case a clear acoustic advantage. If cooling becomes more of a priority than noise reduction, the ModuVent panels can be removed to expose additional air vents for optional fans. And a fan controller, which can be mounted in an expansion slot in the rear, is included. It can control up to three fans with one knob.
CONFIGURABLE THERMAL CHAMBER DESIGNThe case has 3 chambers, which can easily be reconfigured to change the way air flows through the case. The main chamber has a rotatable and removable HDD cage. A divider separates this chamber from the PSU chamber. The PSU can be turned upside down to change airflow. The 3rd chamber contains 2 fixed HDD cages which are separated from the PSU chamber by another removable divider.
STYLISH AND FLEXIBLE HDD TRAYS10 HDD trays (painted Fractal accent white) can support 3.5” HDDs or SSDs. The silicone mounting pads reduce noise caused by drive vibration.
ADVANCED CABLE MANAGEMENTCables can be conveniently routed through rubber grommets into a generous compartment behind the motherboard to reduce cable clutter and improve airflow.Warranty & Returns
Warranty, Returns, And Additional Information
Warranty
- Limited Warranty period (parts): 1 year
- Limited Warranty period (labor): 1 year
- Read full details
Return Policies
- Return for refund within: 30 days
- Return for replacement within: 30 days
- This item is covered by Newegg.com's Standard Return Policy
Pros: + Solidly built. This case is a tank. I swear that the side panels are made out of armor plate. + Thick sound-deadening material in the side panels and front door. + Case is extremely quiet, even with ten hard drives and six large fans spinning away inside. + Good airflow, keeps cool. + Sleek and good looking. + Every edge is rolled, no sharp edges. No blood was spilled during installation of components; something I can't say about some other cases. + Drive trays are simple and well though out. They have holes drilled for SSDs; turns out I won't be needing the 3.5" -> 2.5" adapter I bought. + Drive trays have rubber grommets for mounting drives + Includes a plethora of hardware for optical drives, hard drives, mounting motherboards, etc. + Power supply is mounted in a very intelligent and vibration-isolating way + Lots of depth for large CPU coolers - a Zalman 9900MAX clears with ease.
Cons: - No hard drive activity light - Doesn't include a fan for the lower hard drive bay, and lower hard drive bay is isolated from the rest of the case by default (although you can remove a panel with a thumbscrew, to couple it to the power supply bay). - For such a large case, space around the motherboard is surprisingly tight - If you want to route cables behind the motherboard tray, you WILL have to buy extenders for certain things - primarily the 8-pin CPU power, and power up to the top 5.25" bay. - The top 180mm fan is a little awkward and restricts access to the top edge of the motherboard. - The front door only opens about 135 degrees. The access door for the lower two fans only opens about 85 degrees. This makes removing and installing the lower fan cage a MASSIVE PAIN. - Contrary to the rest of the case, the plastic fan cages are frustratingly difficult to work with and feel very poorly made.
Overall Review: * I bought an NZXT 140mm fan to install in the empty lower fan slot, matches the style of the rest of the fans. * The case isn't tool-less, but is actually a lot less trouble to work on than some of the tool-less cases I've worked with. The hard drive trays in particular are great. * It comes with a free fan speed controller. The power cable it comes with is too short to reach the drive bays from the PCI slots, however, so I ended up not using it. * For such a wide case, space is extremely tight behind the motherboard tray for routing cables. Basically, you get a hell of a lot of case for the money, and a slot of classy style as well. Build quality is great, and there are a lot of thoughtful features. But there are some quirks too... hopefully the next version will adress those issues.