Fractal Design Define R3 Case

[bluesatin]

I currently have an Antec p180 (original, without holes for rear cable management), and this case has served me perfectly fine for several years at this point; although the cable management is a bit annoying without any way of putting it behind the motherboard.

I've recently bought 4 new Samsung Spinpoints F3 1TBs, which means I will have a total of 5 hard-drives; the issue with my current Antec P180 is that it does not have enough spare bays to keep 5 hard-drives.

So I've been looking around for a new case to replace the p180, and in comes the Fractal Design Define R3; the way it's laid out just seems to make sense, and the styling is pretty much identical to my p180.


So what are people's opinions on it?

And are there any alternatives that people can suggest for under £100?

[Skulltrail]

A friend has an R3, and my impressions were very positive; good cable management, easy access dust filters and a good level of expandability for the size of case.

On the downside, I found the acoustic foam, although effective, was not that well secured, and the space for spare cables (he was using a non-modular PSU though) was not quite sufficient, causing a bulge on one of the side pannels.

[bluesatin]

[..] the space for spare cables (he was using a non-modular PSU though) was not quite sufficient, causing a bulge on one of the side pannels.

By chance are I actually do need a new PSU as my current one doesn't have enough cables to supply all my new hard-drives, and it probably wouldn't handle them anyway as it's several years old and only 500W.

I'll make sure I get myself a modular unit to save on that bulging.

[PC4Free]

I have the XL which is just a larger version. I love it, fanrastic cable management and nice and quiet!

[Impeller]

Before I found out my current PC is shot (PSU went bang twice) meaning I have a spare SilverStone case, the R3 XL was top of my case list.

Nice to hear some others' opinions - maybe I'll treat myself to a new case after all...