Fractal Design Node 304 WHITE

Overclockers no longer sell Fractal cases due to quality control issues, or so i've been told(reading back some older threads confirms this, as does some other sources via a bit of googling).

Not sure if they plan to start stocking Fractal again, but if i decide on an R4 for my build, i'd definitely prefer to be getting it from overclockers, here's hoping enough interest from forum members convinces them to start stocking them again.. :)
 
quality control issues yet you still want an R4.. if overclockers wont stock it then surely that tells you something?
 
Bought a B grade Define R2 from another supplier quite a while back.... absolutely no idea how it was damaged the way it was, but definitely pointed more towards QC from the manufacturer and ridiculously poor packaging.

That white Node 304 looks tasty though....
 
murah said:
quality control issues yet you still want an R4.. if overclockers wont stock it then surely that tells you something?
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You're going to find issues like that with every manufacturer to varying degrees and i've dealt with enough RMAs for it to not be much of a problem if there is a need to have it replaced, even if i have to send it back numerous times, i'll be sending the supplier the bill for the shipping.

In my mind, it's such a good case at such a good price point, i'll take the gamble and risk dealing with returns as long as it takes(or until i run out of patience). Heck, read the reviews, watch some videos, i don't know how anyone can discount the amazing value this case offers(providing you don't fall victim to the QC issues that *some* people have).

That said, i'm not fully decided yet, but i've narrowed down my choices to..

  • Bitfenix Prodigy (the mini itx one)
  • Bitfenix Phenom (the mini itx one)
  • Fractal Design Arc Mini R2 (mATX)
  • Fractal Design Define R4 (ATX)

Only thing that'll change dependent on the case for my build, is the motherboard and there's plenty to choose from(ok, perhaps the PSU to).

If corsair had something comparable in the same price bracket that looked just as nice it would be a different story all together and it would be a no brainer. Alas, i just don't find their cases offer as much on the inside(not at the same price point) and don't look as nice on the outside(visually it's definitely a subjective matter though).
 
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I'm really happy with my Arc R2 case, I thought that the build quality and packaging where excellent when I got it.
 
Would you say your choice to use the R4 over the Phantom and 600T is about aesthetics more than anything or a combination of that and the internals?

In short, can you tell me your reasons for using the R4 over both the others? I'm interested to know.. :)
 
The Phantom was an amazing case, the cooling was better due to the sheer size of the case. The looks where striking yet not too over the top. However, it was too big and there was too much glossy plastic in the end so I had to get rid of it. I was stuck between the 600T and the 650D and for some reason ended up going for the 600T (spoiler, instant regret).

I had the 600T for a few months, complained to Corsair about the gaps between the side panel and the front and back panels. They sent me out a completely new case for free and let me keep the old one. This also had the same issue so I put it down to the shape and build of the case. It was cheap, plastic and snapped very easily when removing the front and back panels. The front panel HAD to be removed to change and clean the front fan too. There was also an issue with the noise made by the front fan due to it being so close to the grill at the front meaning no matter what, if you had a front fan it was going to be noisy. There's loads of other issues with that case but I'll leave it at that.

I then searched for a new case, wanted the Define R3 but couldn't source a window for it. While I was searching the Windowed R4 was released and I ordered one. The space for 6 140mm fans is great for cooling an also silence, I've got 6 AF140s in mine and the only thing I can hear when using the PC is the reference EVGA GTX 680 when I'm playing a game. The door and square aesthetics of the case are stunning. Yes, it's boring and plain but looks very sleek. The case is also wonderful to build in, You can remove everything from inside apart from the disk drive bay so there is ample space for any GPU. There are dust filters all along the bottom and front of the case. I use the two front and one bottom as intake, and the two top and one back as exhaust. There is barely any dust inside my machine and the filters are all completely removable so can be washed.

I could go on forever about how great I feel this case is. I'd struggle at this point to get rid of it and wouldn't hesitate to buy another Fractal Design case later on.

There are a few pictures of mine from a while back over here.
 
Thanks for the info mate, and very happy to hear about the silent aspect, that is one of the main reasons i'm considering one for my build, whilst raw performance is nice, the whooshing, humming and buzzing of cases i've been using all drives me nuts, and i'm just at that point now where i'd be happy to sacrifice temperature and performance a bit as a trade off for noise reduction.

The 140mm fittings for all the fan positions is another key factor for why i choose the case, pretty much every case sub £100 doesn't support this, and there's usually always 140mm support in a couple of areas, then a max of 120mm in others. The system i'm on is always beside the screen and at an angle, i can usually hear noise from both ends of the case, so 140mm fittings are ideal at both front and back(and any additional fan positions) for me.

Dust filters are also going to be a huge help in keeping the system clean to, my current case has them but it's got all these ventilation areas everywhere that dust just seeps into the thing, but then what i can expect from a £40 case(does support 140mm fans and has a fan controller though, so not all bad).

The internals do look a dream to work with, i especially like the amount of space provided behind the motherboard tray, and above, should be brilliant for cable management. The HDD placement options are pretty damn awesome to..

Pics look great by the way and you've only made me want the R4 even more now, or at least cemented my admiration for it.. :)
 
Anyone end up doing a build with this and have feedback on QC or have any issues with PSU or other component sizing? I really like the look of this for my next build. Seems like the PSU you get is very important though due to the size.
 
I have a Factal Design Mini and a Node 304. I haven't had any issues with either and I love them. IT have actually started using Define Minis for my office now and I haven't heard of any problerms.

I have a white Define Mini sitting next to me right now and I have to say it's not as nice as the black one. The black brushed aluminium on the front door has been replaced with a glossy plastic and makes the whole thing feel pretty cheap IMO. If they do the same with the Node 304 I would not advise buying it.
 
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