Fractal Design Define 7 Compact PC Case Review

How Much Does it Cost?

This case is one of the flagship models from Fractal and it has a lot of fancy features not often found on mid-towers. That means it comes with a premium price tag to match, and it’ll take £167 from your wallet for the non-windowed version and £183 for the windowed version. However, I don’t think it’s overpriced, expensive, but not overpriced.

Overview

OK so let’s break that price down a bit, and work out why it costs so much. The first thing is the build quality. Fractal Design make the finest built PC cases out there, I’d say they’re even stronger than Lian Li, although they use thick steel vs Lian Li’s often aluminium designs. Furthermore, Fractal use thicker steel than just about any brand actually.

This case is strong, it feels incredibly well-engineered and rigid. The heavy side panel clicks into place with a feather touch but locks with absolute confidence. It’s little details like that that really add up. The top panel breaks down into multiple layers of noise dampening, dust filters, and can easily be removed entirely. Plus, you’re paying for TWO top panels, which obviously adds a materials cost.

They even seem to lay the paint on thicker too, there’s no cut corners here.

Flexibility

There are good quality cable grommets where ever you would need them. Plus, they’re all backed up by well-spaced Velcro straps through the back of the case. The PSU shroud hides all the cable gore anyway, but still offers up its own airflow vents, some drive bays, and can even be opened up to allow for larger front panel radiators.

Out of the box, it’s set up for silent performance, and I like that. But if you did want to turn it into a high-airflow or liquid-cooled build, it comes with everything you need to make that happen.

Should I Buy One?

This case is designed to be all the PC case you could need for years to come. Not just one PC build, but to accommodate future upgrades and changes. I may want a silent air-cooled and understated build now. However, I can go anywhere from there, and I like having the options available to me. It is a big expensive, but the absolutely relentless attention to detail and build quality means it’ll last a LOT longer than most rival products.