Fractal Define R4 top clearance

Roady · 21 Nov 2013 at 16:11

I'm just wondering if anyone has any handy figures/experience fitting a rad/AIO in the top of a Fractal Design Define R4?

It looks quite tight at the top and ideally I'm looking at a 240/280mm AIO. Current options/choices are (in order of preference, I'm probably leaning towards the Antec due to price):

smilertoo · 22 Nov 2013 at 15:34

Not sure how big the AIO coolers are but i have 5cm clearance above my phantek cooler to the 2 foam tiles on the roof of my R4.

Roady · 25 Nov 2013 at 13:10

Which Phantek do you have smilertoo, which orientation is it mounted?

Little more AIO research of sizes listed online:

NZXT Kraken X60 - 25mm fan, 27mm rad = 5.2 cm
Antec H2O 1250 - 27mm fan, 27mm rad = 5.4 cm
Silverstone TD02 - 25mm fan, 45mm rad = 7.0 cm
Corsair H100i - 25mm fan, 27mm rad = 5.2 cm
OcUK Fathom 240 - 25mm fan, 35.5mm = 6.05 cm

smilertoo · 25 Nov 2013 at 14:55

I have this: http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=HS-003-PT
It's orientated with the fans exhausting towards the back case fan.

Roady · 26 Nov 2013 at 11:23

Looking on the Fractal site it mentions 2x 120/140mm fittings on the top, but I'm pretty sure (even after looking at pics on their site) that mine only has fittings for 2x 140mm?

Picture here confirms - the rear has holes for 120mm & 140mm fans, top doesn't seem to have the same screw holes! (will check mine when home).

Confused · 26 Nov 2013 at 15:48

I've got an R4 with an XSPC EX240 radiator, and with a pair of 25mm fans, it is incredibly close to the memory - there's not much depth available at all, and that's with pushing the radiator out as far as it can really go.

The Fractal cases aren't really great for watercooling.

Bickaxe · 26 Nov 2013 at 18:09

Roady said:
Looking on the Fractal site it mentions 2x 120/140mm fittings on the top, but I'm pretty sure (even after looking at pics on their site) that mine only has fittings for 2x 140mm?

Picture here confirms - the rear has holes for 120mm & 140mm fans, top doesn't seem to have the same screw holes! (will check mine when home).

Mine does, at first glance though you can't spot them but they are there.

Roady · 27 Nov 2013 at 13:24

Confused said:
I've got an R4 with an XSPC EX240 radiator, and with a pair of 25mm fans,

The Fractal cases aren't really great for watercooling.

Damn that's a bit tight! The EX240 is 35.5mm deep and the Sharkoons 25mm = 6.05cm

The R4 being the size it is I only really wanted to go for an AIO for ease and space!

Bickaxe said:
Mine does, at first glance though you can't spot them but they are there.

I find it strange they used a different 'template' to the rear though? In Confused's pics above he's mounted 2x120mm's partly using the grille holes (hexagonal ones) whereas the fan holes are round and smaller? Don't see any that'd line up with 120mm on his pics?

Forgot to check mine, will do it later! Also bit the bullet and ordered the NZXT Kraken X60... So will soon see if it fits! (hopefully the 0.5cm will save me!)

Confused · 28 Nov 2013 at 17:34

Even if there were spacings for the 120's on the top panel like there is on the back panel, once you add in the depth of a radiator and the fans, you won't clear the motherboard anyway if you were to use them.

Hence why I've used the 2x round holes, plus the hexagonal grill holes.

Roady · 12 Dec 2013 at 15:36

Well I finally had enough time to go about a few changes...

Gibbo did me a deal I couldn't say no to on the NZXT Kraken X60...

I hit a 'few' clearance problems with fitting the X60 as intended into the roof... Clearance (I'd calculated) from the motherboard was fine (1-2mm gap next to ram slots!)... Rear case/USB ports were not...

So that lead me to mounting the radiator internally with the fans mounted on top in a 'pull' config... So anyone experiencing this will find a 'problem' with getting fan power cables into the case... I removed them from headers and threaded through a hole, then reattaching the headers... Worked well!

Next problem was routing the fan cables, would've been nice to bend some rad fins and thread them through the rad, but I didn't want to trash my new rad already! So I mounted some washers on it to give clearance to thread cables over the front...

And it fits! Quite impressed by my handywork!

Exterior fans are not as ugly as I first thought! Need to get some nice 140mm fan guards now though (as all I hard are lots of silver 80mm and some 120mm)...

'Finished' build! At least until I get some more PSU cables and do some braiding... Roll on Christmas and I'll get some time to properly finish it!

A 'burn in' test of the Kraken... VERY impressed is an understatement! That's using another 120mm intake (at the bottom) and on 'Silent' mode! With my 2700K back up to 4.6...

Follow the other decisions I've made in my ROG Build Log.