Fractal Arc Mini Build

Bradmax57 · 29 Jul 2011 at 13:08

My new case just arrived today so couldnt wait to open it and take a look, apologise for the pics only have my phoen with me. Not sure if it should really be i SFF but as its Matx i guess it is?

I will be building it later, mostly reusing my current components waiting on my 570 to come back from MSI so will have to continue to use my lil 430gt for the time being. Got a new modular psu to put in and a few extra fractal fans. Tempted to get the H100 and shove it up in the top....

Anyway a few pics of it bare as I looked at it at work

Bradmax57 · 29 Jul 2011 at 13:29

Couple more

Top removed to show where the 240mm rad could fit, as its shifted right over to the side, thick rads wont be a problem, they say you cant use a rear fan when using a rad in the top but i dont see why you cant mount the fan externally, as there are some holes with rubber grommits to pass the fan cable through

And some of the bits and pieces you get

Bradmax57 · 29 Jul 2011 at 22:46

Few more pics

Stripped down ready to begin the build

I'd bought a few extra fractal fans before the case arrives and turns out there a different type! The supplied ones are the fans with more blades which as it turns out spin a lot faster and are a fair bit noisier, think i may ditch the card reader and get a 5.25" fan controller instead. Havent bothered using the supplied pci fan controller as I thought it would look too messy.

removed the supplied fan from the front panel to go with the one that was in the rear, now the front two (the ones I purchased seperately) match and there silent without being on a controller at all.

Bradmax57 · 29 Jul 2011 at 22:51

As i'll only be using one ssd and one hdd ill remove the top drive bay to aid with airflow

Board in

Despite having a large cut out for for cpu mounting still doesnt match up with my board

Bradmax57 · 29 Jul 2011 at 22:57

Starting to take shape

Just about done

It was a squeze to get the side panel on as its amazing how the wires soon mount up

I will go back and do it properly in a day or two but as I was building it on the table the wife made me rush it in the end as she said I was being too noisy!

Temi_D · 29 Jul 2011 at 23:31

YES!! Been waiting for a build based on this case, looks sweet!

Bradmax57 · 30 Jul 2011 at 11:58

need to sort the cables out on the back side of mobo, there a hell of a mess

Ice Tea · 30 Jul 2011 at 13:20

Looks Nice.

Can the lower HDD cage be removed to fit a front mount rad. ?

Bradmax57 · 30 Jul 2011 at 13:42

I think it probably can but its actually riveted in place I was thinking about removing it and using the upper cage.

Ice Tea · 30 Jul 2011 at 13:46

At least they can be removed and replaced with small nut and bolts but if it was spot welded i wouldn't have bothered.

Impy77 · 30 Jul 2011 at 13:56

Looks good, and a neat build. With regards to the CPU cooler mounting, looks like it should have rotated 90degrees to be mounted - it would have cleared the metal backplate on you motherboard and just about cleared the mounting hole in the case?

Temi_D · 31 Jul 2011 at 00:39

Does the side panel fan mount protude from the side panel?

Edit: Also, is it possible to mount the cooler on the front 120mm fan mount?

jammir · 31 Jul 2011 at 02:06

Temi_D said:
Does the side panel fan mount protude from the side panel?

Edit: Also, is it possible to mount the cooler on the front 120mm fan mount?

Yes it sticks out and you cant mount the antec cooler on the front fan mount.

welshdragon · 31 Jul 2011 at 11:38

What are the temps on the 620 like? Tempted to get a 920. Is the 620 pump noisey at all?

Bradmax57 · 31 Jul 2011 at 15:08

welshdragon said:
What are the temps on the 620 like? Tempted to get a 920. Is the 620 pump noisey at all?

Its vitually silent comapred to the likes of a H50

jammir said:
Yes it sticks out and you cant mount the antec cooler on the front fan mount.

its sticks out by a couple off mm max, and if you had some short screws to mount on the internal face of the front fan then yes you could have a rad mounted in the front panel

Temi_D said:
Does the side panel fan mount protude from the side panel?

Edit: Also, is it possible to mount the cooler on the front 120mm fan mount?

See above

jammir · 31 Jul 2011 at 17:40

Bradmax57 said:
its sticks out by a couple off mm max, and if you had some short screws to mount on the internal face of the front fan then yes you could have a rad mounted in the front panel

One of the main things that put me off this case was the side fan grill and they have done the same on the define mini on the roof aswell O_o.

I have the Define Mini atm (build for someone else) and not the Mini Arc but there is no way to mount the rad on that even with short screws on that chassis and doubt it will fit on the Arc as the hoses would hit the lower hdd cage but I only had the H70 to try with.

Bradmax57 · 31 Jul 2011 at 19:20

jammir said:
One of the main things that put me off this case was the side fan grill and they have done the same on the define mini on the roof aswell O_o.

I have the Define Mini atm (build for someone else) and not the Mini Arc but there is no way to mount the rad on that even with short screws on that chassis and doubt it will fit on the Arc as the hoses would hit the lower hdd cage but I only had the H70 to try with.

actually your right due to the clips that hold the fan in place, the rad would have have to be mounted sideways but a simple fan shroud shoud sort that issue and even improve the cooling too, whats the issue with the side fan grill mount?

Bane · 31 Jul 2011 at 19:24

The pictures look nice, so I decided to check out the dimensions. But it's too big and heavy for me, still a nice looking case though.

Bradmax57 · 31 Jul 2011 at 19:58

It is a little on the large size but its still a little smaller than the p180 mini think, id contemplated about itx over and over but as the zotac took so long to come i bought the maximus iv gene so was stuck with matx, out of all the matx cases ive had this imo is by far the best ive had fortress 3, lian li 345b, sugo sg02, sugo sg03, inwin dragon slayer, p180 mini to name a few

jammir · 31 Jul 2011 at 21:10

Bradmax57 said:
whats the issue with the side fan grill mount?

Not really an issue, but I also have an R3 with the flush vents and have no idea why they changed it? I just think looks much better being flush with the case.