Fractal Design R3

x51m017x · 3 Oct 2010 at 22:29

Anyone got any build pictures of the above?

Thinking about purchasing one, but i would like some user feedback.

Upgrading my case from an original 690. Would love a 700d but space is an issue.

Any help is much appreciated.

x51m017x · 6 Oct 2010 at 22:43

batfink said:
Finished my build last week. Significantly nicer to build in than my old Coolermaster Centurion. Most of the time was spent working on cable management and I'm still not completely happy with it but that's not a fault of the case, there are plenty of options for good cable management. Haven't taken any pictures yet but I'll try and post some photos later this evening.

Thanks, just sold a faulty 4870x2 on MM. So my Finger is hovering over the buy button.

With the this week only on it...... VERY tempting!

x51m017x · 7 Oct 2010 at 22:58

Well, it should be arriving tomorrow.

I'll stick some pictures up of the build.

x51m017x · 10 Oct 2010 at 20:41

OK time for some pictures, I got this finished late Friday night. I'm quite pleased with the build.

The case is very grown up no big sticky out flash in your face bits, nice and simple imo.

The front door is kept shut with a very positive magnet, on opening the door you have 2 5 1/2 inch drive bays and 2x120mm fans with dust filters. With having the door, I could not have my fan controller exposed. I still wanted the controller, so i mounted it set back and replaced the 5 1/2 inch bay blank.

Still keeping it simple you have the power button, audio, 2 usb and e sata on the top of the case. The power button has a blue led.

The case is VERY heavy as sound deadening material is mounted on a lot of the inner faces. This dose a good job in keeping the noise down.

Air flow is good, it keeps a q9550 4.0 ghz @ 65 deg c. And the 470's in sli at a max of 72 deg c when folding / running fur mark. I could fit 2 more fans, but I don't think they are required for this build.

Internally the case gives a nice build, all the cables are routed around the back of the mobo tray. There a re convenient cut outs for you to bring them back round to the mobo. The cpu has a cut out in the tray, so you can remove the cooler, without removing the mobo. It also allows you to mount 8x HDD. I like the black and white combo.

This is a case i would buy again. Any questions please ask.

x51m017x · 10 Oct 2010 at 21:59

I have 5 see above, 2 of them are Raptor 10k's. Masks the noise of the hdd well imo.

x51m017x · 11 Oct 2010 at 11:51

SPARC said:
Brilliant pictures x51m017x. I'm very tempted now but don't have any monies

The this week only helped me.

x51m017x · 11 Oct 2010 at 22:19

Moeks said:
Looks nice x51m017x, I notice they have altered the design of the drive bay blanking plate on the R3 then, looks like it has a dust filter now, does it ?

No dust filter, just cut outs in the blank.

x51m017x · 19 Oct 2010 at 22:02

Moeks said:
Actually it does have level settings, the Fractal R2 at least, the ones I have has a 3 fan controller with it so I assume the R3 does too, it's fitted to an expansion card slot plate so it's round the back of the machine it's altered simply by turning a nob.

On a slightly different but I think still relevant note, I just re-purposed one of my two desktop computers and have made it a full time HTPC and since the Fractal R2 that it was in is too large and the wrong format to fit in with my AV gear I am no-longer using the case. Expect it to come up on the Members Market in the next couple of days, it's a Titanium Grey R2, actually I have 2 ...both my desktops were using them but I will be keeping the one my primary desktop is in of course.

Yes the r3 is the same with the 3 ch fan controller. I'm using a 6 ch fan controller for game / silent setup.

Mine folds with 2 470's @ 70 deg C so the air flow is good. I swapped the fractal fans out for akasa vipers (5 case / 2 cpu push pull).