CONCLUSION

   My first encounter with Fractal Design was when they first entered the market back in late 2008 and although back then their products where a lot more impressive (not many manufacturers offered the same quality and innovation 5 years ago) than they are now I’m very glad to see that they haven't made any compromises in terms of build quality with their solutions (at least not still). That being said the new Define XL R2 is a clear winner when compared to its predecessor the original Define XL but it's far from being the perfect successor. Sure it offers compatibility with up to XL-ATX sized mainboards (9 PCI expansion slots), has space to mount a dual 240/280mm radiator at the top and features a front fan controller but in the process Fractal Design reduced the drive space from 10 to 8 and although 8 should cover even the most demanding of users still it is something its predecessor did better. I'm sure Fractal Design will further improve this specific model (perhaps introduce R3/R4 versions) but for now the Define XL R2 is certainly one of the best Full towers I’ve seen especially in terms of build quality and noise suppression.

   Although the original Define XL Computer Case was quite expensive at launch Fractal Design has managed to launch the Define XL R2 with a very aggressive price tag which is currently set at USD111.62 inside the USA (Amazon.com) and at 125Euros inside the EU (Amazon.co.uk). The only competition Fractal Design has at around the same price range is by Nanoxia and their latest Deep Silence 5/6 cases which are actually quite similar to the Define XL R2. In the end however there aren't many PC Cases to rival the Define XL R2 at least not at around the same price range (even the DS5/6 models are extremely hard to come by now) and that's why we are happy to award it with our Golden Award.

PROS

- High Build Quality
- Design
- Spacious Interior (XL-ATX Compatible)
- 3 Pre-Installed Fans (140mm Front/140mm Rear/140mm Bottom)
- Room For A Total Of 7 Fans (120/140mm)
- Removable Top Drive Cage
- Top Radiator Space (240mm/280mm)
- Low Noise Levels (Almost Inaudible)
- 3-Channel Fan Controller
- Price (For Some)

CONS

- Less Drive Trays Compared To Its Predecessor
- PSU Clearance Issues with the Bottom Pre-Installed Fan