Testseek.com have collected 51 expert reviews of the Fractal Design Define XL and the average rating is 85%. Scroll down and see all reviews for Fractal Design Define XL.
April 2011
(85%)
51 Reviews
Average score from experts who have reviewed this product.
Users
-
0 Reviews
Average score from owners of the product.
85010051
The editors liked
Excellent Noise Absorption For Near Silent Computing
Impeccable Fit and Finish
Engineering and Layout Make Installation Easy
Configurable Three Chamber Design To Tailor Component Airflow
Excellent Airflow With Many Flow/Noise Balancing Options
Top Quality Materials Used In Every Component
Build Quality
Sound Dampening Materials
Room For 10 Hard Disk Drives
Extra Fan Controller Expansion Slot
Removable Hard Drive Cage
Price (For Some)
Cable management
Sleek looks
Quiet
Value for money
Large CPU cooler installation hole
Sleek design
Steel body has good build quality
Lots of room for storage devices (10)
And each tray supports 3.5" and 2.5" disks
Fan controller included
Dust filters
Thumbscrews
Some nice features to minimize noise
Lots of small
Nice features
Extremely well built
Sound insulated
Tons of space
Ten plus hard drives
Unique compartmentalization
Nice looking
Good value
Excellent mechanical tolerance
Lots of options
Excellent cable management possibilities
Very spacious interior
Two types of sound dampening materials used
Can hold 10 hard drives
Three fans included
Top 180 mm fan angled for better sound encapsulation
Very good paint job
The editors didn't like
None
Gold
Discuss this review in our forums
HDD Trays Could Be Better
Only 7 PCI Expansion Slots
Door doesn't open all the way
Can't fit long power supplies
Very heavy (and no carrying handles)
Neither fish nor fowl
Does not outperform in terms of noise insulation and cooling performance
Some flimsy components (like the front panel)
Despite being a large case
Not all areas are roomy
Limited space in s
Front fan filter release tab location akward
Only three included fans
PSU cable hole needs relocating
Horizontal divider can limit cable routing
Could use side and top 230mm fan options
Front inner door/filter needs reworking
No USB 3.0
Rather heavy
Fans not the quietest
Upper left corner a bit of a squeeze due to angled fan
The abundance of functionally identical elements with different design (disk guides, fasteners, fan filters, chassis feet, etc.) make us suspect that Fractal Design is still trying different solutions in practice in search of the best one. The current...
Extremely well built, Sound insulated, Tons of space, Ten plus hard drives, Unique compartmentalization, Nice looking, Good value, Excellent mechanical tolerance, Lots of options,
Front fan filter release tab location akward, Only three included fans, PSU cable hole needs relocating, Horizontal divider can limit cable routing, Could use side and top 230mm fan options, Front inner door/filter needs reworking
Although we strive for objectivity here at Benchmark Reviews, please remember that each author perceives these points differently, and our conclusions and recommendations will necessarily differ from others. Also, prices can fluctuate and designs chan...
We were really impressed by the Fractal Design Define XL. Its construction quality is superb, allowing you to build a high-end system with very low noise level at a very affordable price. The only real negative of this case is that you will probably ne...
Was this review helpful?
Award
-
Published: 2011-11-25, Author: bill , review by: legitreviews.com
If you want a silent case above all else then the Fractal Design Define XL hits the mark. But if you prefer maximum versatility we would pass on this one for now and wait for version 2.0. ...
Build Quality, Sound Dampening Materials, Room For 10 Hard Disk Drives, Extra Fan Controller Expansion Slot, Removable Hard Drive Cage, Price (For Some)
HDD Trays Could Be Better, Only 7 PCI Expansion Slots
With the Define XL Fractal Design has managed to manufacture a high-end, high quality full tower with far less than what other companies ask for similar sized towers. Of course the Define XL is not perfect and it’s quite evident that some parts...
Was this review helpful?
Award
-
Published: 2011-04-12, Author: Thomas , review by: dvhardware.net
Sleek design, Steel body has good build quality, Lots of room for storage devices (10), and each tray supports 3.5" and 2.5" disks, Fan controller included, Dust filters, Thumbscrews, Some nice features to minimize noise, Lots of small, nice features
Very heavy (and no carrying handles), Neither fish nor fowl, does not outperform in terms of noise insulation and cooling performance, Some flimsy components (like the front panel), Despite being a large case, not all areas are roomy, Limited space in s
The Fractal Design Define XL excels in aesthetics with its classy, stylish look, and while testing it I came across several interesting features that I'd never seen before on other cases. Some areas of the case are well thought out, while other aspects co...
Excellent Noise Absorption For Near Silent Computing, Impeccable Fit and Finish, Engineering and Layout Make Installation Easy, Configurable Three Chamber Design To Tailor Component Airflow, Excellent Airflow With Many Flow/Noise Balancing Options, Top Quality Materials Used In Every Component,
None, gold, Discuss this review in our forums
If you ask me to hang a singular word on the Fractal Design Define XL, that word would be “refined”. I am a stickler for fit and finish, materials used, as well as attention to detail. The Define XL ranks at the top of the class in these aspects. With ...
Cable management, Sleek looks, Quiet, Value for money, Large CPU cooler installation hole
Door doesn't open all the way, Can't fit long power supplies
Overall the Define XL proved to be a successful addition to the Fractal Design cases lineup. It's a large, stylish and quiet monolith that even comes at a very affordable price. The provided three fans combined with the controller are quiet enough for...
Abstract: Video Review: The 'XL" in Fractal Design Define XL Case stands for extra large and that's no lie. With lots of room to work, plenty of drive bays, excellent cooling, cable management system, great styling and so much more, this is one of the better cas...
