A Closer Look - Outside

The Define 7 design stems from a clear path of essentially seven generations of the R series, which was first introduced around 10 years ago. Even with the simplified name, the elongated case could be put next to the first-generation unit with some of the original design details still present today. Its hefty, nearly 16 kg weight is also a result of the uncompromising material mix of the chassis.


The front of the Define 7 comes with a brushed aluminium panel and a tiny cutout up top, so you can see the power LED even with the door closed. In the rear, everything looks as it should for a modern enthusiast chassis, including the bottom-mounted PSU bay, wider body, and vertical expansion slots. A full length dust filter may be pulled out the bottom for easy cleaning. Even this element comes in a unique design, which is a pretty nifty tidbit.


The main side panel of our sample is made out of heavily tinted, tempered glass. If too much, you may opt for the transparent variant, but Fractal also offers a version with a solid steel panel if you like. Thanks to the design, there are no visible screws on either side of the chassis, with the other panel consisting of a single unperforated metal panel.


You may swing the door open to the right, which is perfect for most setups as the window is on the left side. However, Fractal also allows you to move the sturdy hinges to the opposite side if you prefer. As with all past cases of the line, the Define 7 is also covered with sound-dampening materials on the front and all removable, solid panels. A dust filter in the front may also be removed for easy cleaning, while a firm tug results in the entire panel detaching from the sturdy metal frame so that you may access up to three 140 mm fans. Fractal includes two silent, retail-grade Dynamic X2 GP-14 140 mm fans here.


In the rear, the PSU bay utilizes a metal frame as you are meant to slide the unit into the chassis from this side, It is then held in place by two thumb screws. Above that are the seven horizontal and two vertical expansion slots with individual, reusable covers which employ thumb screws for easy access. This configuration means that you may install your GPU vertically if you purchase the appropriate PCIe flex cable. In the very top, behind a cool-looking vent, is a third and final pre-installed retail-grade 140 mm fan set to push hot air out the back of the chassis. If you look closely, you will see two pull tabs—one on each side, which is a clever way to secure each of the side panels in a nice and clean fashion.


The top is solid out of the box, but you may pull it off to reveal a fully removable, nicely designed dust filter. Underneath of that is a mounting bracket for up to three 140 mm fans or radiator of up to 420 mm. It too may be removed to reveal an easily accessible chassis thanks to the missing crossbar. Due to the sturdy design of the frame, even this missing element does not result in any flex or other issues.


The I/O of the Fractal Define 7 comes with two USB 2.0, two USB 3.0, the usual audio plugs, and a fully fledged USB 3.1 Gen2 Type-C port.