Fractal R4 plastic or aluminum?

[kleinkinstein]

The arctic white R4 has a plastic door front, does the pearl black also sport plastic up front? From so many pics is looks like the black has aluminum.

[MrK6]

According to the AT review, it's aluminum:

Originally Posted by Dustin Sklavos

The R4's door is hinged on the left and has an attractive black brushed aluminum finish[...]

http://www.anandtech.com/show/6102/f...t-revolution/2

[crazymonkeyzero]

I actually have the peal black R4 and It's door is just good quality plastic with a brushed aluminum finish~meaning it has a coating on the plastic to make it look like aluminum, similar to what fractal uses on their ARC series. If aluminum is used on the door at all, it's used in such minute quantities not worth mentioning. This is true for all versions of the R4.

[DSF]

Yeah brushed aluminum finish in advertising usually does not mean there's any appreciable amount of aluminum.

Kind of like how Taco Bell calls their products "Beefy XYZ" as in "Beefy Crunch Burrito" because there isn't enough actual beef to just call it a beef burrito.

[kleinkinstein]

Originally Posted by crazymonkeyzero

I actually have the peal black R4 and It's door is just good quality plastic with a brushed aluminum finish~meaning it has a coating on the plastic to make it look like aluminum, similar to what fractal uses on their ARC series. If aluminum is used on the door at all, it's used in such minute quantities not worth mentioning. This is true for all versions of the R4.

Thanks for the validation of ABS. Regrettably, I'm here to tell ya that the Arctic White R4 is cheap ass plastic. It is shit. So much to that it totally cheapens the case. So sad. I guess Silverstone and Lian-Li exist for a reason.

[Carson Dyle]

I have the Fractal Design Define Mini in black and I love the look of the front. Maybe by being black it isn't obvious that it's plastic, but I'm not sure I care one way or the other. Perhaps it doesn't work as well in white. What's a little surprising to me is that the large flat door isn't warped even a tiny bit - it's straight and solid as a rock. I'd also guess that the plastic front is also a lot quieter than aluminum would be. The one Lian-Li case I had in aluminum was the worst damped case I've ever owned. If system noise is at all important to you, I'd never recommend an aluminum case, even a partially aluminum one.

[Rikard]

Originally Posted by Carson Dyle

I'd also guess that the plastic front is also a lot quieter than aluminum would be. The one Lian-Li case I had in aluminum was the worst damped case I've ever owned. If system noise is at all important to you, I'd never recommend an aluminum case, even a partially aluminum one.

Yep, the R4 has plastic front. I was surprised how much sound it dampened just by closing the door! They must have done something right. Regarding aluminum it is a well known fact that Al is not good for silence, steel is preferred for silent cases. Never ever put Al in a case that is going for low noise.