Fractal Design Define XL - Designed wrong!

Thejay · 15 Jul 2011 at 20:36

Well I received my nice big case and started putting it together, got the motherboard, psu and other bits in then I went to put the network card in and here comes the problem the card won't go in properly.....

After doing some measurements it seems the motherboard is sitting too low and only cause of that could be the motherboard tray is sitting too far back!

Wonder what the best way of getting it sent back will be, if I contact overclockers the chances are they'll want me to pay to send it back :mad:

Thejay · 15 Jul 2011 at 21:44

Before...

Now I've put a washer under all the stand-offs....

Certainly won't be considering fractal again after such a massive mistake....

Jay85 · 15 Jul 2011 at 22:31

I remember when I bought my brothers fractal case, everything was actually pretty good and packaging was well done too. I dint purchase the components from ocuk though but from one of ocuk's main competitors. I did notice however after a few weeks of use the side panel takes abit of going at it to get it to slide on properly. Damn thing also weighs a ton for a side panel!

Number_25 · 15 Jul 2011 at 23:30

My next build is going to have the Fractual Design Define case, but i'm a bit put off now :/

Ace Modder · 16 Jul 2011 at 00:03

Surely if your GPU fits properly then your other add in cards should too.

hyperst · 16 Jul 2011 at 01:57

My cards was way too far away from the back of the case, had to push the back of the case to my GFX and sound card and then screw them down, it does pull them out slightly so I may try your trick of a couple of washers, but I would need them on the right side of the motherboard, gotta say it will be the last fractal case I buy, won't be buying fractal again.

Amleto · 16 Jul 2011 at 14:58

Thejay said:
Wonder what the best way of getting it sent back will be, if I contact overclockers the chances are they'll want me to pay to send it back

maybe, but if it's faulty, they have to pay you back.

Thejay · 17 Jul 2011 at 00:01

Ace Modder said:
Surely if your GPU fits properly then your other add in cards should too.

There isn't a GPU in the box it's using the onboard.

A lot of places don't cover return shipping though, plus I'd have to take everything back out of the box and be without it for 1-2 weeks possibly more.

My 'fix' has worked but at the same time I won't use fractal again after such a rather big mistake that shouldn't happen in this day and age when the form factor has been around for so many years.

gee3000 · 17 Jul 2011 at 02:26

May just be down to the IO plate of your network card being slightly too long at the bottom, try filing it down a mm or 2. Had the same problem with another setup I had. Not really a good enough reason to knock Fractal tbh, my Define R2 is perfect

Thejay · 17 Jul 2011 at 13:33

3 Intel network cards having incorrect backplates that went into other cases just fine? Theres also the fact I measured the motherboard tray to end of slot cut out and it's actually longer than all the other cases I measured so yes it's the cases fault :rolleyes:

Fanatic · 17 Jul 2011 at 19:11

Few washers sorted it for me. It is a bit disappointing when your nice new case arrives and it isn't just right. The motherboard sat a bit too low, so the expansion cards didn't sit in their slots properly.

gee3000 · 17 Jul 2011 at 22:03

Thejay said:
3 Intel network cards having incorrect backplates that went into other cases just fine? Theres also the fact I measured the motherboard tray to end of slot cut out and it's actually longer than all the other cases I measured so yes it's the cases fault

Hundreds of other fractal case owners who seem to be fine with this, so again, don't understand why you'd knock an entire brand based on 1 case, a bad unit or otherwise. Ask OCUK for a replacement and see how that goes before abandoning I reckon.

Thejay · 17 Jul 2011 at 23:14

I've bought £10 cases before and they've all been in spec so why shouldn't a much more expensive one? Do they bother doing any quality control on production?

Sending the case back involves taking everything back out, paying to send it back and waiting in all day for the courier to collect it, OC'ers no longer have any stock left so would have to take a refund then order it from somewhere else!

So all that because fractal really screwed up, I've seen reports of this on other sites as well not to mention other quality issues with fractal leads me to believe buying them is a bad idea!

FARGO · 18 Jul 2011 at 13:14

Ooh, links on the above please Thejay - have been thinking about Fractal and wouldn't mind reading some other instances of this too.

d_brennen · 18 Jul 2011 at 19:29

Fractal Design XL, R3 or Arc (when available)? Or similar?

Decisions...

CaptainUnlikely · 19 Jul 2011 at 12:25

How odd. My Intel NIC fits into my Fractal XL perfectly. Must be a design flaw or shoddy build quality across their entire range.

rjk · 19 Jul 2011 at 12:27

CaptainUnlikely said:
How odd. My Intel NIC fits into my Fractal XL perfectly. Must be a design flaw or shoddy build quality across their entire range.

agreed.
they need to seriously re-evaluate every single product they sell as this kind of issue is absurd for such an ultra high end expensive item

ohwaitno

CaptainUnlikely · 19 Jul 2011 at 12:28

Come to think of it, I had a similar issue when my NIC, along with my other expansion cards, also fit perfectly into my Define R2.

cracker · 19 Jul 2011 at 20:30

After adding washers under the stand offs did the motherboard ports still line up ok with the IO shield?

Thejay · 19 Jul 2011 at 23:20

The ports actually line up better with the washers, it's almost like it's supposed to have taller stand-offs.....