Fractal Design Define S2 Vision RGB Case Review: Premium DIY PC Chassis
Fractal Design Define S2 RGB: Review Summary
While the Fractal Design Define S2 Vision RGB is built on a legacy chassis, it's more than just a simple upgrade. In addition, this is the first case Fractal has released with RGB lighting. Sure, they're late to the party, but it's better to show up fashionably late than to never show at all. Everything about this case from the tempered glass panels, to the generous water cooling support screams high-end. It's a case that's truly built to show off your PC hardware configuration in style.
The case does much more than just show off your hardware, though. This case is well-designed for overclockers and extreme liquid cooling enthusiasts. There's a ton of room inside allowing it to accommodate any graphics card on the market, as well as internal water cooling loops, reservoirs and large 360mm radiators, but it all comes at a price -- this case commands $239.99. That's a big commitment for the average PC do-it-yourselfer. It's not unheard of for a case of this caliber to command a significant premium, but its still noteworthy nonetheless. Seeing as it's one of the more visually appealing cases we have seen and its build quality is top-notch, the price is somewhat justified.
While most of our impressions were positive there were some issues we think Fractal overlooked.The main issue we had was with the included RGB controller. The controller itself worked fine, but its internal placement made it hard to access. Anytime we wanted to change the RGB settings we had to open a side panel and do it from inside the case. Sure you can download 3rd party software and change the RGB settings, but it would have been easier if the panel was built into the exterior of the chassis somewhere.
Other than the controller, the case only had a few other issues. One thing we would have liked to have seen is a power supply bay with slightly more clearance for larger power supplies. The width of the power supply bay is fine, but the vertical clearance is tight which could post a problem for PSUs that have protruding badges or 3D labels on them. Lastly, the top chassis fan cover looks dated. If it was a simple perforated mesh cover that laid flat with the top of the case, similar to the design of the tempered glass panels, we would have been happier, though this is a subjective area to be sure.Now that we've gone though the caveats, we'll get back to talking about how sexy this case is. We have crossed paths with many tempered glass cases and this is simply one of the best in our opinion. The tempered glass panels don't have any interesting lines crisscrossing behind them, like the Corsair Crystal series, nor are you limited to one tempered glass panel. Instead you get tempered glass surrounding the entire chassis, giving you an unimpeded view from almost any angle.
Buy the Find The Fractal Design Define S2 Vision RGB @ Amazon
With its $239.99 MSRP, the Fractal Define S2 Vision RGB is a premium PC case that has some elite competition. After spending a couple of weeks with this chassis though we can unequivocally say it belongs in its elite grouping. Visually the case is striking and the pairing of the dark tempered glass and soft glowing RGB lights look great together. This case is more than just a pretty face though. Internally there's ample room for enthusiast-class hardware and water cooling components. The quality of its fit, finish and build materials are also top-notch as is its base cooling configuration. With a few simple tweaks, the Fractal Design Define S2 Vision RGB could be considered one of the best cases on the market and even with its few small shortcomings we still highly recommend it.
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