| Fractal Design Arc Midi R2 Case |
| Reviews - Featured Reviews: Cases | |
| Written by Tom Jaskulka | |
| Monday, 15 April 2013 | |
Fractal Design Arc Midi R2 Review
Manufacturer: Fractal Design Full Disclosure: The product sample used in this article has been provided by Fractal Design. If you research a little about Fractal Design, you'll discover that "Design" in their name is not an accident. They've set out to "provide products with an extraordinary design level" using a "less-is-more" philosophy. With that in mind they've made some revisions to their Arc Midi enclosure, resulting in the new Fractal Design Arc Midi R2 computer case. The original was praised for its ability to accommodate radiators and other water cooling components in a mid-tower enclosure. Benchmark Reviews has the chance today to take a closer look at the revisions made to the Fractal Design Arc Midi. There resides within my brain a section that would love to launch into a discussion on "Design." Unfortunately, I don't have a background in the subject (either academic or professional) beyond my own likes and dislikes and evolving tastes over the years. I will say Fractal Design cases have caught my eye in the past - something about the clean lines, white fans and accents made me pick up a Core 3000 almost a year ago now. It was somewhat of a departure for me: normally I prefer something with more color, or unique styling. The Core 3000 was by comparison a little "boring" - and I place that term in quotes because I believe Fractal Design have accomplished something unique with their enclosures. In my opinion, they've managed to find a near-perfect blend of sophistication and style while integrating common-sense features important to a performance oriented case. Will the Arc Midi R2 measure up to the rest of their product line? Let's dig in and find out.
Right away you can see the first of a few revisions that result in the R2 moniker: a windowed side panel. While I'll do my best to point out the revisions made throughout the review, I don't have the original chassis on hand to directly compare. For a quick reference, the changes from R1 to R2 are: one less USB 2.0 port on the I/O panel replaced by an integrated fan controller; the front filter is now separately removable from the front panel; the HDD bays are more modular with a 5+3 configuration instead of 4+4; and mounts were added for 2.5" drives on the back of the motherboard tray. Fractal Design Arc Midi R2 Features
Fractal Design Arc Midi R2 Specifications
Closer Look: ExteriorI've mentioned this before, but it bears repeating: some products just look better in person than what can be represented in a photograph. Especially when dealing with what amounts to a black rectangular box, it is difficult to appreciate the textures and small details that the eye notices up close. I'll do my best to illustrate examples as we go along.
The first detail I noticed when viewing the Arc Midi R2 for the first time was the quality of the mesh filters. I feel that one of the major indicators of build quality is the attention paid to the details and fit of features such as these. Every intake on the Arc Midi R2 is filtered - this impacts airflow, but significantly reduces the amount of dust that gets into fans and components inside your computer (a tradeoff that is well worth it in my opinion). The right side is a simple flat panel which matches well with the no-nonsense design language that Fractal Design is known for. Normally I prefer a raised panel here for better cable clearance, but as we'll see later that isn't a problem in the Arc Midi R2.
The front panel is mostly textured plastic, and prominently displays an easily removable mesh filter with space for two 140mm or 120mm fans. This filter is one of the revised components for the R2 version of the Arc Midi, as it is removable by pressing along the top edge (no need to remove the entire front panel). Two spring loaded catches pop out the top edge, and the whole mesh tilts out to be removed. A very simple and effective solution. It's somewhat difficult to see in the pictures, but the Arc Midi R2 is wider than most ATX mid-towers - while there aren't mounting holes for one, a 230mm fan can fit across the width of the enclosure.
The back of the Arc Midi R2 follows the familiar Fractal Design approach, with contrasting white metal PCI slot covers in a 7+1 arrangement and a 140mm exhaust fan. It is nice to see manufacturers accommodating 140mm fans, as they normally provide the same airflow as a 120mm with a much lower noise profile. Fractal Design has notably taken the lead here regarding 140mm fans, which makes most of their cases able to fit some of the newer 140mm All-In-One liquid cooling kits from manufacturers such as Corsair and NZXT.
The entire top panel slides off after the removal of two thumbscrews. As you can see, this entire panel is one giant filter. The filter is recessed just enough to allow use of the top of the Arc Midi R2 as a tray for random thumbscrews or other accessories. Of course, you'll have to be careful not to block the intake or exhaust of any fans you place in this location. Detailed Exterior FeaturesTaking a closer look at the I/O panel of the Arc Midi R2, we start to see more of the revisions that give this chassis its name. The R2 adds a three-position fan controller at the expense of one USB 2.0 port. The power LED and HDD activity light are both integrated into the power button in the center, with the headphone and microphone jacks situated just to the left. A recessed reset button finishes out the I/O panel.
Again, the fit and finish of the various panels and filters on the Arc Midi R2 are pretty good. That mesh filter on top is set nicely in the top frame, and is relatively sturdy once removed (considering its sheer size and plastic frame). I find myself wishing for two extra USB ports on the I/O panel like the Core 3000, and would easily trade the reset button for them. Color coded headphone / microphone jacks would be nice as well, as the small raised illustrations are difficult (if not impossible) to see in most lighting situations. The typical green and pink would ruin the aesthetic, but how about coloring one white to help differentiate between the two?
At first glance the bottom of the Arc Midi R2 looks pretty standard, but there are some important aspects here that will come into play later. Again, the power supply and additional 140/120mm fan mount are filtered reducing the amount of dust that gets inside the enclosure. The main feature I'd want to draw your attention to here are those four cross-tip screws located in front of the removable filter. Currently, these screws are in their "standard" location, securing the bottom 3.5" drive trays to the case. As we'll see later, this drive tray can be moved into two different locations further back in the chassis, allowing room for radiators and fans in a push pull configuration in the front panel. This is quite a nice option, and helps solidify the Arc Midi's reputation for accommodating various water cooling configurations.
Finally, a photo of all the easily-removable filters and panels from the Arc Midi R2. Most simply pull off (with the exception of two thumbscrews for the top panel), but are securely fastened with a solid fit when installed. These are one of the greatest attributes of the Arc Midi R2 - while pulling off a side panel to dust out a machine isn't a horrible exercise, being able to quickly pull off a filter and clean an intake without shutting the machine down is vastly superior to cleaning out dust from heatsink fins and fans. Closer Look: InteriorOf course, the real nitty-gritty of any build is what happens on the inside. The decisions made here can completely change how you approach your build, not to mention determine the very components that will end up as part of your system. While the Arc Midi R2 settles for a relatively standard ATX format at first glance, there are some surprises here.
There's a reason many cases look the same on the inside: ATX is a "standard." There are only so many ways to place a power supply, motherboard, 3.5 and 5.25 drives in a metal enclosure. That being said, Fractal Design has included some features that provide lots of options to prospective builders. While the rubber grommets for routing cables are becoming standard, a look towards the top of the Arc Midi R2 shows some welcome additions. Those two grommet holes at the top are very much appreciated, especially when mounting a radiator with multiple fans. The 3.5" drive trays are modular in design, similar to other Fractal Design cases. However, these have changed slightly from the first version.
The new 5+3 HDD tray configuration allows for multiple mounting options. As seen above, the top cage can be rotated to allow for less restrictive airflow from the front intake...
...or it can be removed entirely. This is similar to the configuration I settled on when building a system in this chassis, but we're not done with the configurations of the hard drive trays quite yet. Removing the center tray allows for the installation of very long graphics cards and increases the airflow to those cards.
Speaking of airflow, the top of the Arc Midi is almost entirely mesh as well. There is room for three 140mm or 120mm fans in the top panel - limited to 2x120mm or 2x140mm radiators however, as those mounting points are offset to provide clearance for the motherboard. You'll probably lose the use of the top optical drive bay if you choose a longer radiator (a 3x120mm radiator would fit, but there isn't a complete set of mounting holes for one).
The back of the motherboard tray shows the included cables already tied down pretty well - with a decent number of extra tie down points as well. I'd have liked to see some tie down options for the CPU 12v 4/8 pin cable, as I usually route that straight back from the PSU along the rear edge of the CPU cutout. While it doesn't get in the way, that is one of the cables that rarely needs to be moved. The option to tie it down would be nice. Also, we see the eight mounting points for two 2.5" drives that are located almost exactly center. Mounting a drive here would place the end of the drive conveniently on the edge of the grommet for cabling - which may be less of a convenience depending on the type of SATA cable you choose to use. Speaking of convenience...these mounting points are not. Having to remove a motherboard to mount or remove a drive here seems to be a strange decision. On the one hand, I appreciate the option. On the other? Well, let's just say this warrants a third revision for these to be useful. I am very glad to see manufacturers begin to utilize the space here though, and hope to see more cases use this space effectively. 
Of course, the traditional use for that space is for stashing power supply cables, and there is certainly enough room behind the motherboard tray to allow for a whole mess of them. Even the 24-pin main ATX connector, normally the bulkiest and hardest to stash behind the motherboard tray (and still get the side panel on) doesn't cause a problem in the Arc Midi R2.
I appreciate the fact that Fractal Design allows for some versatility in the Arc Midi R2. Even if the stock configuration doesn't provide enough room for you, it is easy enough to create some. Above is a picture of the chassis with all drive cages removed. A custom water cooling loop often needs space for a separate reservoir and pump - not a problem in the Arc Midi R2. The reputation of the original Arc Midi stays intact with the R2, continuing the tradition of accommodating many different water and air cooling configurations in a relatively small enclosure. Detailed Interior FeaturesNow for the real test: building a system into the Arc Midi. This process is where you really discover the little quirks that can make or break an enclosure.
Installing the power supply was simple - thankfully there aren't any support ledges that get in the way as there was with the Core 3000. The Arc Midi R2 can fit power supplies up to 170mm in length (the one pictured is 140mm) before they begin to encroach on the bottom fan slot. If you don't plan on using that position or moving the drive tray further from the front panel, you shouldn't experience any clearance issues here.
I tried to illustrate here the clearance of an installed 2x120mm radiator (with fans in a push configuration). In this case, the Swiftech H220 descends just to the top of those standoffs, possibly covering some fan headers or 4/8-pin CPU connectors depending on your choice of motherboard.
As seen better here, even a push/pull configuration wouldn't cause much of an issue regardless of the motherboard used. Fractal Design has (wisely) offset the mounting holes for radiators for this very reason - indeed, I couldn't install the Swiftech H220 in the top of a Rosewill Thor V2 because the radiator covered the 8-pin CPU power connector. As you can see in the picture below, the radiator covers the connector as well, but is offset enough to allow you to work around it and plug in all the necessary cables. These small decisions really help solidify the Arc Midi's reputation as a mid-tower that can fit a surprising amount of hardware.
With the radiator installed, the rest of the components were pretty simple. Everything fit in nicely, and the Arc Midi R2 is roomy enough to not feel cramped while working inside of it. The large rubber grommets made cable management easy, and the ample space behind the motherboard tray helped immensely as well. Of course, it was at this point I realized I had forgotten to utilize the 2.5" mounts on the motherboard tray. Too late. Besides, why remove almost every component again when there's a perfectly suitable 3.5" drive tray available? Those mounting points on the motherboard tray are a great idea, but they just aren't executed very well. The ability to mount or remove drives after the motherboard is installed would be wonderful. To be clear, I'm glad this space is being used, and placing SSDs back there is an excellent and innovative use of space - but please make them more usable! I tinker far too much with my systems to settle for such a "permanent" mounting point.
With a 2x120 radiator and push/pull fans (not to mention case fans), the number of cables to route grows very quickly. Thankfully, the large amount of room behind the motherboard make cable management less of a frustrating task. There was even room to mount the Swiftech PWM fan splitter for the H220, along with a screw hole that seemed designed for it - a pleasant surprise. A couple more tie-down points would do wonders though...
Once I had the system assembled I couldn't help but consider all of the different configurations possible with the Arc Midi R2 (see, I do tinker far too much!). Having a top mounted radiator was fine, but using fans to intake cool air from above just seemed backwards (drawing heated air straight off of the GPU didn't seem like a great idea either). I decided to try out the front mounts for the radiator and fans, and was surprised to see it actually fit without moving the bottom drive tray! There isn't a lot of clearance though, and I had to wonder if it was impacting some of the cooling capacity of the H220. To free up a little more space, I moved the drive tray back to the next set of mounting points...
...which freed up just enough room for a push/pull configuration. A 120mm fan fits in that space perfectly, but a 140mm fan would extend past those rolled edges on the drive cage. Not to worry, as there is still some room to maneuver.
While this frees up even more space (more than enough for a double-thick radiator and push/pull fans) you may start to run into some clearance issues as well. Thankfully, that power supply is only 140mm in length and doesn't use modular connectors - if so, this location wouldn't be an option. Also, you lose the ability to add a second card in a Crossfire or SLI configuration (depending on the card of course - another Radeon 7970 would *not* be an option). Even that first GPU comes awful close to getting in the way of that drive cage in this position. Still, it is worlds beyond the configurations available in most other mid-tower enclosures, and I very much appreciate the ability to customize the case to suit the components therein. Fractal Design Arc Midi R2 Final ThoughtsSo where does all of that leave us? Overall, building a system in the Fractal Design Arc Midi R2 was a pleasant experience. I'm not sure if this chassis offers anything above and beyond most other ~$110 ATX mid-towers with a basic, air-cooled build other than the general level of quality, great style and extensive amount of removable filters (which, depending on your environment, can absolutely make a difference). However, when you start placing some specialized components into the Arc Midi R2, you really begin to see the amount of thought that went into many aspects of this case. There aren't many other mid-tower cases that can fit two 240mm radiators (along with a 140mm for the rear exhaust!) with space left over for all of the fans required. That is something many full towers cannot claim! The number of options given to the system builder (especially for water cooling) are pretty incredible for a $110 enclosure, and outpaces the competition in my opinion. Still, there are some caveats. I have to mention the notched side panels...this method just needs to be deprecated in favor of hinged side panels in all computer cases above $100 in my opinion. It isn't much of an issue - until you've worked in a case that uses hinged panels. It is a vastly better solution, especially if you are regularly switching out hardware. Honestly, the only chassis using notched side panels that didn't annoy me every time I opened it up was a Cooler Master Storm Stryker. If the panel goes on smoothly every time, then I won't bring it up. Otherwise, just use a hinged panel. There, I said it. Even though the window is nice (especially for showing off some new water cooling kit!) I would love the option to trade it for a side intake. Yes, I understand this would raise the noise level of the fans by allowing another opening for sound to escape, but in my experience direct cooling of graphics cards keeps the GPU fans from spinning up too high. Besides, the entire top of the Arc Midi R2 is mesh anyway - you'll definitely hear the hottest fan-cooled component in your rig with or without a window. I will say I have been quite spoiled by the significantly small amount of dust inside the Arc Midi due to those filters though... Maybe a solid side panel with a window was the better choice here. A Crossfire or SLI system will get toasty at full burn, but perhaps most of those users would be looking a larger enclosure anyway (and with the radiator mounting options in the Arc Midi, water cooling two GPUs would take care of that issue - well played, Fractal Design).
Fractal Design Arc Midi R2 ConclusionOne thing Fractal Design does well is presentation. There is a design language at work here that flows through everything they do - even the manual follows suit. I think Fractal Design single-handedly made me a fan (please excuse the pun) of white bladed fans and contrasting looks. While NZXT does this nicely as well, Fractal Design manages it with a subtly powerful design that blends in with any décor. You do have to like this type of style though - and I should admit it may not be for everyone. Appearance is such a subjective rating. Still, there are things that almost everyone can agree with: paint looks best when it is applied evenly...gaps between panels become an eyesore...a "cohesive" design throughout is more appealing than a random spattering of design decisions. These things aren't an issue with the Arc Midi R2. It is apparent Fractal Design deserves the "Design" in their name, as they really follow through with their design language throughout all of their enclosures. The original Arc Midi was distinctive enough to stand out from the crowd, and the R2 ratchets the build quality and design up a notch. The window itself isn't just a tacked on piece of acrylic, but is finished well and is of good quality. The new removable front filter looks great, as well as the mesh filter up top. Personally, I've become a huge fan of the Fractal Design aesthetic, and the Arc Midi R2 does not disappoint. The matte/brushed finish on the plastic front panel blends well with the rest of the case, but using an actual metal here would be really nice. I can't quite nail down what catches my eye about the Arc Midi R2, but I like it. The Arc Midi R2 is constructed fairly well. I'd give it an 8 out of 10 here, because I still ran into some issues that plagued my Core 3000 - namely, I constantly felt like I was cross-threading every screw. I'm assuming some of the threads were covered during the painting process, because they seem to tighten like normal after the first use (I needed a screwdriver to remove most of the thumbscrews). Fractal Design might be aware of this issue, as they included a neat "thumbscrew" cover for the motherboard standoffs (very thoughtful, and the first encounter of such a thing for me). Also, those notched side panels...well, I talked about that already. There is a better solution. Still, the mesh filters are all of a sturdy look and feel, and the front panel snaps on and off with a solid feeling. The case doesn't creak or groan as you are lifting it, and everything fits together well. Functionally, the Arc Midi R2 delivers. Especially for a mid-tower! I was surprised to find I couldn't mount a Swiftech H220 in a Thor V2 without some modification, but the Arc Midi R2 handled it without a problem - in two different locations, nonetheless! The various drive mounting options (with the exception of the bonus 2.5" drive mounts - but at least they are there!), removable filters (resulting in a very dust-free interior), radiator mounting options, multiple fan mounts... This is almost everything you could ask for in a $100 mid-tower. As of mid-April 2013 the Arc Midi R2 is available online for around $90 (Newegg|Amazon), and at that price I'd say it should be at the top of your list if you want to try water cooling at some point (or just like the Fractal Design aesthetic). Granted, the competition is fierce at that price point, but I believe the Fractal Design Arc Midi R2 brings a few more options (all intakes filtered, modular interior, lots of radiators!) to the table than most of its peers. The main problem in this category is the sheer amount of options, which isn't so much a fault of the Arc Midi as it is the nature of the market. You can't go wrong with the Arc Midi R2. It is a well built, stylish enclosure that can fit many different builds with room to accommodate some unique hardware. It isn't perfect, but it gets a lot more right than it does wrong while improving incrementally on its predecessor. If you are in the market for a mid-tower that maximizes the potential of your build, I think you'd be satisfied with the Arc Midi R2. I'm impressed, but I don't think it deserves the highest of awards quite yet - which just means I'm anxiously awaiting an R3... Pros:
|
|
Comments
I agree with the author about the old-fashioned slotted covers, although the removable top and front are a nice touch.
Not so sure that hinged panels are the answer. I prefer the pair of latches on my Corsair Graphite SE case. I modified the left cover to include a cable stay with a quick connect so that I can hinge it open like an oven door for visual inspection or quickly disconnect and remove it to access the interior.
It shipped with a slightly distorted top grill. I notified support and they shipped me a new one right away.
This case is absolutely a very good value. It 140mm fans cool nicely, it's very easy in the eyes and offers lots of flexibility.
Love the dust filters too.