Antec p180 mini to Fractal Mini or R4?

[nervx]

Im currently using an Antec p180 mini with my old build (e8400, evga EE GTX 260) and only use the top 200mm fan and rear 120mm fan both set to low. It's been cool and quiet but now im moving onto the following build:

3700k with HR-02 Macho
Asus 670 GTX
Asus maximus V Gene

I'm concerned the antec wont be able to handle the heat and turning the fans up isnt an option since i aim for low noise. Maybe someone that still uses a p108 mini with a high end build can chime in.

Anyway i'm considering the Fractal Design Mini and R4 as possible replacements. The R4 will fit in the space i place my tower but it'll be snug. The Mini on the other hand can only handle heatsinks up to 160mm which is exactly what the HR-02 is. Can anyone confirm the macho with included fan fits in this case? Does it require removal of the side panel fan cover foam?

Side question. The cpu heatsink and video card in the top slot only have a few mm between them and I also have a sound card. Would it be better to put the sound card in the top PCIx16 slot and video card in the second x16 slot to space things out? In the manual it also says: 2 x PCIe 3.0/2.0 x16 (x16 or dual x8, red) does this mean if i were to put the sound card in the top slot it would gimp the video card to x8?

tanks in advance

 

[lehtv]

Define Mini probably can't fit HR-02. 162mm tall, 160mm clearance. Go for the R4.

Why pay $200 for a microATX board? I would much rather get a sub $150 ATX board. Put the video card into the first 3.0 slot and the sound card into a PCIe x1 slot on the other end. E.g. Asrock Z77 Extreme4 has a nice slot layout

 

[kleinkinstein]

Both the Silverstone PS-07 ($68) and TJ-08E ($99) are fantabulous mATX boxes! The R4 is much too big for your Gene.

 

[dualsmp]

My Corsair A70 is 159.5mm tall and fits no problem in the Define Mini. It didn't even seem that close to the side panel when I installed it. I have no doubt that a 160mm tall heatsink should fit no problem, and probably even slightly taller.

 

[nervx]

anyone

Define Mini probably can't fit HR-02. 162mm tall, 160mm clearance. Go for the R4.

Why pay $200 for a microATX board? I would much rather get a sub $150 ATX board. Put the video card into the first 3.0 slot and the sound card into a PCIe x1 slot on the other end. E.g. Asrock Z77 Extreme4 has a nice slot layout

was originally going to toss the parts into my p180 thats why i bought matx board again. i like smaller cases. i only paid $160 for the board, $260 for the cpu and $286 for the video card.

[qoute]Both the Silverstone PS-07 ($68) and TJ-08E ($99) are fantabulous mATX boxes! The R4 is much too big for your Gene. [/quote]

those cases are okay but lack of sound dampening material is a no go.
the R4 is actually not too much bigger than my p180. only 2cm taller, 1 cm wider but a fair bit deeper which is why im considering it. plus it looks nice in white.

My Corsair A70 is 159.5mm tall and fits no problem in the Define Mini. It didn't even seem that close to the side panel when I installed it. I have no doubt that a 160mm tall heatsink should fit no problem, and probably even slightly taller.

did you have to remove the side fan foam stopper to make it fit?


side question:
if i end up with either the mini or r4 which is better for temperatures. one fan on the back with two blowing in or two exhaust and one intake? i keep my stuff clean so dust isnt a factor.

 

[dualsmp]

did you have to remove the side fan foam stopper to make it fit?
.

No it drops right in. I think Fractal Design revised the specs on the Define Mini not too long after it came out. I believe the original spec was over 160mm (163mm? I can't remember off hand), but people complained about the cooler digging into the foam, so they revised it to 160mm.

 

[know of fence]

As someone who has both the Define mini and the Antec P180 I must say: There is no reason to switch to the Define Mini from Antec P180. I'd go as far as saying that it would be a downgrade.

The little foam padding does very little, as shown plenty of times in tests already. The Antec way of constructing alu panels with a polymer edge, is probably even better to decouple both case and air vibrations, and those light side panels are great to open and work with.

The Define Mini also has a shitty front panel hinge that can't open past ~150°, but it can offer holes for 2,5" drives in the harddrive sleds, something the P180 can't do AFAIK.

Finally the wiring around the back just makes the case unnecessarily thick, the box appears huge, to the point where calling it "mini" is ironic and comical.

 

[lehtv]

was originally going to toss the parts into my p180 thats why i bought matx board again. i like smaller cases. i only paid $160 for the board, $260 for the cpu and $286 for the video card.

Oh you already bought the parts, nevermind then. I'd probably just stick to the P180 mini. It should handle the components fine

 

[MoInSTL]

Moved from a P180 to an R4. Cable management was night & day difference. So much easier than dealing with the P180 split chambers which became a PITA. Much quieter too. The only thing I miss about the P180 is how the door folds back. My door warped in the middle. I got got it when it first came out and all that great polymer started splitting on the edge of the door. Don't miss the USB connectors on the front. Since mine is on the floor, the top ports are much more convenient. Don't miss the 120mm fans either. Love the built in fan controller. The P180 was a great case in 2005.

Edit: OP, FWIW, I have the Macho HR-02 in my R4.

 

[know of fence]

When I got the P180 mini I was thoroughly impressed and delighted, but unpacking the Fractal Design Define mini I just saw a giant hunk of colored riveted sheet metal held together by overtightened thumbscrews. Very reminiscent of every other PC box I ever opened.
Does "Swedish design" mean smart functional engineering using the cheapest, thinnest, flimsiest materials available? - Like PP/PS plastics, bendy drive cages, and overly hard rubber grommets. Never mind the fact that padding a case that is supposed to have venting holes everywhere is an exercise in futility. Although I have to admit that I too was drawn by this crazy premise, and there is enough follow-through in the design to maintain the illusion/hope of improved acoustics.
I also do worry about the sky-facing USB ports getting clogged up with dust right quick, convenient though they may be. Still not as convenient as an extension cord strapped to the the desk.

Maybe the R4 has done away with the mysterious round holes in the back, the finicky bottom dust filter fixture and the protruding fan grill warts on the top and side or maybe it improved on the some of the other details, but the problem appears to be systematic. Despite the fact that I generally approve of the Ikea-like ideology of quality made cheap, ultimately it leaves one thoroughly un-enthused.

 

[kleinkinstein]

FWIW, I have the Macho HR-02 in my R4.

That is friggin big honkin hunk of aluminum!

 

[nervx]

When I got the P180 mini I was thoroughly impressed and delighted, but unpacking the Fractal Design Define mini I just saw a giant hunk of colored riveted sheet metal held together by overtightened thumbscrews. Very reminiscent of every other PC box I ever opened.
Does "Swedish design" mean smart functional engineering using the cheapest, thinnest, flimsiest materials available? - Like PP/PS plastics, bendy drive cages, and overly hard rubber grommets. Never mind the fact that padding a case that is supposed to have venting holes everywhere is an exercise in futility. Although I have to admit that I too was drawn by this crazy premise, and there is enough follow-through in the design to maintain the illusion/hope of improved acoustics.
I also do worry about the sky-facing USB ports getting clogged up with dust right quick, convenient though they may be. Still not as convenient as an extension cord strapped to the the desk.

Maybe the R4 has done away with the mysterious round holes in the back, the finicky bottom dust filter fixture and the protruding fan grill warts on the top and side or maybe it improved on the some of the other details, but the problem appears to be systematic. Despite the fact that I generally approve of the Ikea-like ideology of quality made cheap, ultimately it leaves one thoroughly un-enthused.

so yes i can see you dont like the fractal case based on build quality but did it improve cooling? what was your fan setup in with both cases?

the hr-02 macho wont fit the mini unless you swap the side panels around due to the side fan foam. so im leaning a bit more to the r4.

 

[know of fence]

To be honest I can't speak to thermals or acoustics, but clearly everyone has just been ripping off Antec in this regard (PSU on the bottom and a front to back/top wind tunnel. The Define mini only comes with 2 fans.
Yes, cable management changed, but mostly it improved because of thin SATA cables as opposed to IDE, it also came at the cost of size and unwieldy optics.
I'm still waiting for parts to build the Define mini, it comes with just two 3pin 120mm fans and a single fan speed controller knob (a primitive potentiometer in a card slot panel) able to control three fans at once.
Apologies for using this topic as a therapeutic release. ^^

 

[MoInSTL]

That is friggin big honkin hunk of aluminum!

Yes it is. :biggrin: The below pic has the stock h/s/f fan on the right. The OP has one as well and just wanted to mention that it fits fine. I had my doubts about its effectiveness as I got it late summer and it's been the 4th hottest summer on record here. Now that there are no crazy 100+ temps for days on end to battle it's fine. (I don't cool this room like I do in the rest of the house). Lehtv was a huge help when it came to picking this h/s/f.