We've looked at the XL and the ARC Midi. It's now time to give the ARC Mini R2 the OC3D once over
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Fractal Design ARC Mini R2 Review
- Thread starter tinytomlogan
- Start date
We've looked at the XL and the ARC Midi. It's now time to give the ARC Mini R2 the OC3D once over
Continue Reading
superlattice09
New member
A good case but still too large for a m-ATX class IMO 
Rastalovich
New member
I kinda agree. There is a need for these ones just that much bigger tho.
Good positives for any case manufacturers, is the design that allows the installer to more or less strip the case down to an empty frame. Sure you can still get the elcheapo cases that have all the insides riveted - but the likes of Fractal cases aren't elcheapo. They're decent/great looks, quality construction in the main, and easy to work with in my experience.
Those have been the deciding factors for me choosing Fractal; good price; easy to work with; good design.
This case looks a nice option.
Good positives for any case manufacturers, is the design that allows the installer to more or less strip the case down to an empty frame. Sure you can still get the elcheapo cases that have all the insides riveted - but the likes of Fractal cases aren't elcheapo. They're decent/great looks, quality construction in the main, and easy to work with in my experience.
Those have been the deciding factors for me choosing Fractal; good price; easy to work with; good design.
This case looks a nice option.
I actually already have the case, but my build isn't completely ready yet.
If you keep the ODD bays, there is actually a few mm more space than what fractal says. A XSPC RS240 will fit and a EK XT 240 might (hopefully) fit without removing the bays. I still think they should have added 5mm more height so more rads would fit. I pretty sure they tried a H100 and called it a day.
As for the size of the case, a case that can fit 360+240 rads without modding and is this small is quite rare.
I found fans that will be perfect for the fan controller, but I hate having useless things on a case so if I wouldn't use the controller, I'd be annoyed at having it there. Then there is the looks of the case, which I like, but I understand if someone doesn't.
So not a case for everyone, but a good case nonetheless.
If you keep the ODD bays, there is actually a few mm more space than what fractal says. A XSPC RS240 will fit and a EK XT 240 might (hopefully) fit without removing the bays. I still think they should have added 5mm more height so more rads would fit. I pretty sure they tried a H100 and called it a day.
As for the size of the case, a case that can fit 360+240 rads without modding and is this small is quite rare.
I found fans that will be perfect for the fan controller, but I hate having useless things on a case so if I wouldn't use the controller, I'd be annoyed at having it there. Then there is the looks of the case, which I like, but I understand if someone doesn't.
So not a case for everyone, but a good case nonetheless.
dalewakelin
New member
Sweet they sorted the plastic looking grill out 
G-Dubs
New member
Thanks for your comments. You don't need to remove the Optical drive bays to fit a 240mm rad. The EK XT 240 is 47mm thick so although it will fit length ways a lot will depend on the height of you RAM and other mobo attached devices.
Re fitting 360 and 240 without modding. If you want to put a 240 in the front and a 360 in the roof you're going to have to take out all your HDD and ODD bays so although you haven't had to get the dremmel out you have had to modify the interior of the case to accept them. Strange really as had the drives been riveted in you could call it modding but as they can be unscrewed....Well....
I was talking about a 240 on the front, seems I forgot to mention.
As far as the modding, I guess its a question about what you think modding is so lets put it this way, you can take the parts out and later put them back in with virtually no skill or risk of doing something wrong. I think the screws are good for people who are beginners in modding and/or don't want to do something that can't be completely reversed.
This case has small features that not every case has. If you don't need/care about them then this is just a case with nothing special, but if you like them then this is a great case especially with what I think is a low price.
Fractal make nice cases. Go on Utube and look for "Dune Guild Navigator" and enjoy their inspiration. Those rounded edges...
My new build is sitting on a Roccat Taito mouse mat, under a glass TV table, surrounded by 140 NFs. I'm looking for inspiration. Perhaps I might buy a large glossy dustbin and get to work.
- oh and the Noctuas are fed by a very loud Minebea brushless DC turbine.
My new build is sitting on a Roccat Taito mouse mat, under a glass TV table, surrounded by 140 NFs. I'm looking for inspiration. Perhaps I might buy a large glossy dustbin and get to work.
- oh and the Noctuas are fed by a very loud Minebea brushless DC turbine.
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PekkaJukkasson
New member
A little upset
I'm sorry to say but this made me a little angry. I want to answer some of your negetive feedback in the conclusion (yes, I've read the article).
I want to take this from a all-out-watercooling perspective.
#1. There's enough room for a 360 (I'm not going to focus on 140mm settings) rad in the top. Just unscrew the 5.25 bays in the top and you're good to go, who uses them anyway? You just need to choose some RAM that aren't that tall.
#2. Since the ODD-bays are out, remove the HDD-bays too. You can put two SSD's in the back, that's what I do. Now you can fit a 240 rad thats more than 272mm long.
#3. These radiators can be sooo thick! A 80mm + push pull can be fitted in the front and a 60mm + 1 set of fans can be fitted in the roof, maybe even 80mm + fans or 60mm push pull.
This case maybe isn't so much for standard users since it is a big (still smaller than the 350D) µAtx chassi. But boy look at the hardcore watercooling options if you can survive on two SSDs and no ODDs (use external or server storage and a USB CD reader).
Last I just wanted to share an example from Cebit2013
This is my first post and I don't want to act like a troll or hater. I just think this chassi has so much potential.
Greetings from Sweden!
I'm sorry to say but this made me a little angry. I want to answer some of your negetive feedback in the conclusion (yes, I've read the article).
I want to take this from a all-out-watercooling perspective.
#1. There's enough room for a 360 (I'm not going to focus on 140mm settings) rad in the top. Just unscrew the 5.25 bays in the top and you're good to go, who uses them anyway? You just need to choose some RAM that aren't that tall.
#2. Since the ODD-bays are out, remove the HDD-bays too. You can put two SSD's in the back, that's what I do. Now you can fit a 240 rad thats more than 272mm long.
#3. These radiators can be sooo thick! A 80mm + push pull can be fitted in the front and a 60mm + 1 set of fans can be fitted in the roof, maybe even 80mm + fans or 60mm push pull.
This case maybe isn't so much for standard users since it is a big (still smaller than the 350D) µAtx chassi. But boy look at the hardcore watercooling options if you can survive on two SSDs and no ODDs (use external or server storage and a USB CD reader).
Last I just wanted to share an example from Cebit2013
This is my first post and I don't want to act like a troll or hater. I just think this chassi has so much potential.
Greetings from Sweden!
I'm sorry to say but this made me a little angry. I want to answer some of your negetive feedback in the conclusion (yes, I've read the article).
I want to take this from a all-out-watercooling perspective.
#1. There's enough room for a 360 (I'm not going to focus on 140mm settings) rad in the top. Just unscrew the 5.25 bays in the top and you're good to go, who uses them anyway? You just need to choose some RAM that aren't that tall.
#2. Since the ODD-bays are out, remove the HDD-bays too. You can put two SSD's in the back, that's what I do. Now you can fit a 240 rad thats more than 272mm long.
#3. These radiators can be sooo thick! A 80mm + push pull can be fitted in the front and a 60mm + 1 set of fans can be fitted in the roof, maybe even 80mm + fans or 60mm push pull.
This case maybe isn't so much for standard users since it is a big (still smaller than the 350D) µAtx chassi. But boy look at the hardcore watercooling options if you can survive on two SSDs and no ODDs (use external or server storage and a USB CD reader).
Last I just wanted to share an example from Cebit2013
This is my first post and I don't want to act like a troll or hater. I just think this chassi has so much potential.
Greetings from Sweden!
We have to review this stuff how it is for the average user. We cant do a mod guide on everything, we cover more things than all the other websites anyways.
