Dynamic GP-12 et Fractal Design Define S: Review | Test | Specs |Hashrate | Set-Up | Config
Test – Fractal Design Define Nano S | Specs | Price | Profitability | Best coins and a lot more important features.
I come back to Fractal Design today, with yet another case and the latest from the brand, I named the Define Nano S! For some time now there has been an avalanche of mini-ITX boxes on the market, in various and varied formats such as the “console” format of the Silverstone FTZ01 / RVZ02 / ML08, or even the “cubic” ones like the Fractal Design Node. 304 and Core 500, Fractal Design has decided to release a miniature version of the Define S, therefore in a more traditional tower format but only compatible with a mini-ITX motherboard!
The tower format gives a rather imposing case for the mini-ITX but the Define Nano S is made to house a muscular configuration as well as a complete water-cooling system. Offered at a price of around € 75 for the windowed version and € 70 for the non-windowed version, the Define Nano S is naturally placed below its big brother the Define S, let’s see if this price is justified!
| Fractal Design Define nano S | |
|---|---|
| Motherboard compatibility | Mini-ITX |
| Materials | Steel and Plastic |
| Available colors | Black with or without window |
| Number of berries | 2 x 3.5 “/ 2.5” 2 x 2.5 “ |
| Fan location (s) | 2 x 12/14 cm at the front 1 x 12 cm at the back 2 x 12/14 cm above 1 x 12 cm at the bottom |
| Watercooling radiator compatibility | Front: 120, 140, 240, 280 mm Top: 120, 240 mm Bottom: 120 mm |
| Fan (s) supplied | 1 x Fractal Design GP14 at the front (14 cm at 1000 RPM) 1 x Fractal Design GP12 at the rear (12 cm at 1200 RPM) |
| Expansion slots | 2 |
| Front connectors | 2 x USB 3.0 2 x 3.5 mm jack |
| Maximum graphics card length | 31.5 cm with a front fan installed |
| Maximum CPU cooling height | 16 cm |
| Additional features | Dust filters at the front and below 1 removable cover above for ventilation Locations for mounting a tank and a water-cooling pump |
| Dimensions | 41.2 (W) x 34.4 (H) x 20.3 (L) cm |
| Weight | 5 Kg (without window) 4.6 Kg (with window) |
| Guarantee | 2 years |
| Price | 70 € (Windowless version) 75 € ( Window version) |
Mini-ITX case requires the Define Nano S from Fractal Design is only compatible with mini-ITX motherboards. It is made of steel and plastic (for the front as well as the top cover). For a case of this type the dimensions are generous, with a length of 41.2 cm for a height of 34.4 cm and 20.3 cm of thickness, the weight of 4.6 Kg (for the windowed version) meanwhile also reflects a little this overweight . Who says generous dimensions says compatibility with fairly large components, the graphics card can go up to 31.2 cm and the CPU cooler 16 cm, the choice is therefore quite wide.
Regarding the storage there is room for 2 3.5 ″ peripherals (2.5 ″ compatible) and 2 2.5 ″ peripherals, point of 5.25 ″ here like its big brother the Define S. The ventilation is provided by 1 14 cm fan at the front (a GP14 at 1000 RPM) and 1 fan of 12 cm at the rear (a GP12 at 1200 RPM), if this is not enough it is possible to add 1 fan of 12 or 14 cm at the front, 2 of 12 or 14 cm above as well as 1 fan of 12 cm on the bottom of the case, which means that ventilation will clearly not be a problem with the Define Nano S!
In addition to all this and vocation silence requires there is foam on the removable front panel, on the top cover as well as on the side panel on the back of the motherboard. The dust filters are of course there, at the front and below. The Define Nano S also follows in the footsteps of its big brother by giving the possibility of installing a complete water-cooling kit, radiators up to 280mm at the front and 240mm above, there is also a location for the pump and the reservoir.
Offered at a price of 70 € for the non-windowed version and 75 € for the windowed version, it could be adapted to a large configuration, for those who do not want the most compact case possible of course.
The cardboard could not be more sober, on the front there is a drawing of the case accompanied by the logo of the brand, the model as well as a small screed on the strong points of the Define Nano S. At the back an exploded view of the case as well as a listing of all the elements.
Two handles are present in order to facilitate transport, a listing of the technical specifications is present (dimensions, heatsink compatibility, power supply and graphics card as well as a detail of the fans supplied, everything is there!). The cardboard is quite strong and should therefore survive transport without problems, a good point!
When opening the box we find the Define Nano S packed in its plastic bag and between 2 polystyrene molds, we do not say no to protections and with that it should arrive in one piece!
Fractal Design offers here everything you need to install the configuration, there is no fuss and unnecessary stuff however, just the main thing! The 2 x 3-pin -> 1 x 3-pin adapter is here in addition when we know that on a mini-ITX motherboard the connectors are often reduced.
Here is the beast! The Define Nano S looks like two drops of water like its big brother the Define S, but smaller. As with its big brother, sobriety is the order of the day, all dressed in black with a large window overlooking the components. The build quality is as usual with the brand excellent, nothing exceeds and the case seems solid, still happy with its 4.6 kg!
Not much to say here on the facade, sobriety is omnipresent! A premium brushed aluminum look with a drive power / activity LED at the top, like the Define R5 and Define S.
Once the front has been removed you can see the foam at the back which will help with noise pollution.
Once the facade has been removed, it gives way to a large removable and magnetic filter hiding the 2 locations for the fans. As you can see behind the filter there is really nothing that could disturb the airflow, which is really a great thing! There is a rather large margin of maneuver regarding the positioning of the fans, we can raise or lower them as we wish. On the right we can see holes in the shape of a honeycomb, they are there to evacuate a little hot air from the hard drives that will be behind, even if I doubt the real effect of such a maneuver.
Above, in addition to the simplicity of the whole, there is a large removable cover (via small tabs) which can be removed from inside the case, it covers a large honeycomb grille accommodating 1 or 2 fans.
A big power button in the middle, the connections on both sides of the latter, sobriety is still in the spotlight here with USB 3.0 ports which are not blue for once so as not to distort the whole.
Below are 4 plastic feet equipped with a rubber pad to isolate the case from the surface on which it is placed. In addition to this difficult not to notice the enormous dust filter which covers a very large part, the power supply as well as the possible fan will be protected from dust.
At the rear, nothing that changes from the usual, it looks like an ATX tower with 5 less extension slots. A honeycomb grid in front of the 12 cm extraction fan, 2 white perforated brackets as well as of course the location for the power supply.
Sobriety is once again essential on the sides, apart from the large window present in order to show all the guts of the beast!
Only the side panel on the back of the motherboard is equipped with highly condensed noise canceling materials.
Here are the entrails of the beast! Like its big brother there is a lot of free space for components! Goodbye hard drive cages and 5.25 ″ slots to make way for a large panel equipped with slots that will allow the installation of a pump + tank duo. The air will therefore be much easier to pass than through the eternal hard drive cages. Let’s take a closer look at all of this.
On the bottom there is a plate allowing the installation of either a pump or a 3.5 ″ or 2.5 ″ hard disk, it can be removed and fixed vertically above.
Particular attention has been paid to fixing the power supply, 4 rubber pads and a foam against the wall are there to damp any vibrations. Note that the official maximum length is 16 cm.
You can see the large honeycomb grid covered by the cover, itself equipped with noise-canceling foam.
The 2 extension brackets are removable and perforated, as on the larger models.
2 rubber grommets are present next to the motherboard to help tidy up the cables.
Behind the large opening in the motherboard is a plate that can accommodate up to 2 2.5 ″ peripherals.
2 fans are delivered as standard, 1 x GP14 rotating at a maximum speed of 1000 RPM at the front and 1 x GP12 rotating at a maximum speed of 1200 RPM at the rear, the 2 models are widely known now since they equip a large number of the brand’s boxes, they should behave very well as usual.
The connection of a beast, the cables are all black and therefore will not spoil the assembly.
At the back you can see the various grommets as well as the slots for the peripherals. On the right the plate can accommodate up to 2 2.5 ″ devices while the left place can accommodate 1 x 3.5 ″ or 2.5 ″. Some scratches are present to help tidy up the cables, it’s always good to take!
The configuration used during the tests is as follows:
The Fractal Design Define Nano S will be tested once with minimum fans and once maximum with only the SSD plugged in. Another test will take place at least with the Raptor hard drive connected, it being literally hell in terms of its vibrations that will allow to see the effectiveness of the silentblocs.
The case will be tested against the NZXT Manta, Fractal Design Node 304 as well as the Silverstone Sugo 13. From the cases tested it is clear that the direct competitor is the NZXT Manta, which is also in tower format and has a very similar cooling capacity of Define Nano S.
The assembly in the Fractal Design Define Nano S went very well, the internal space is more than enough to be able to work without having to twist. The only small problem that I see, and which has nothing to do with the assembly itself is the little space between the graphics card and the power supply, indeed one of the fans has really little space for breathe and this will most certainly result in higher RPMs.
At the back you have to be careful to pack the cables well where there is room, but in the end even with the large bundle of cables present in the test configuration the side panel closes without the slightest problem.
The temperatures of the components in the Define Nano S at rest are very good, in 5V the processor stabilizes at 30 °, the graphics card at 29 ° and the motherboard at 51 °, which is in the average of what the we observe on the other models. In 12V, on the other hand, we gain a few degrees, with 28 ° for the processor and 29 ° for the graphics card, it is the motherboard that benefits the most with a drop of 4 ° to reach 47 °.
Regarding noise pollution, the Define Nano S is very good at 5V, indeed the fans are still excellent at low speed, no parasitic noise is heard. Thanks to this, a maximum of 33 dB is reached when there is only the SSD connected, it will be inaudible in the vast majority of cases (if the installed components are silent of course). Once the raptor is plugged in and it is quite surprising also the sound level increases very little, posting a maximum of 34 dB, the
Define Nano S manages surprisingly well to contain the vibrations of the beast, even if it remains audible.
Once the fans are supplied with 12V, the general sound level increases very logically to reach a maximum of 40 dB at the rear, it is no longer silent but it remains largely tolerable, a pity not to have a rheobus on the front to regulate all of this.
The fans of the CPU cooler as well as of the graphics card rotate here at minimum at rest, the air flow is therefore largely sufficient.
Here is a result which confirms my apprehensions about the proximity of the graphics card to the power supply. In 5V the processor rises to 70 °, which even if quite high is in no way detrimental to its lifespan but on the other hand the graphics card shows a big 95 °! The little space it has is clearly the concern here, it will either be necessary to have a card with a “blower” type ventilation system located at the back of the card and therefore more in front of the power supply or a waterblock in which case there will be no problem.
With 12V fans the temperatures drop drastically for the processor to stabilize at 61 °, the graphics card also loses a few degrees but remains at a large 90 °.
The high temperatures of the graphics card are therefore reflected in the noise pollution, in fact less space said fans which run away faster and noise pollution which increases at the same time. With a maximum of 52 dB at the rear in 5V the configuration is very far from being silent, at the level of the Fractal Design Core 500, it will be necessary to be very careful with the graphics card installed in the beast on pain of suffering pain. ears.
On the other hand, once the fans are in 12V, the sound level decreases very slightly, which is in itself normal because the graphics card benefits from a better air flow, the temperatures go down and the RPMs of the fans also. However, it remains noisy and not pleasant.
The noise pollution is explained here with a large 4100 RPM for the fans of the graphics card when the fans of the box are at the minimum and 4000 RPM when the fans of the box sound at the maximum. Suffice to say that at this level it makes the noise of a hair dryer.
We have now arrived at the end of this test, what about the Fractal Design Define Nano S?
Fractal Design offers here a case that is none other than a Define S in “miniature”, the internal layout and the look are almost identical. The build quality and finish are as usual excellent, the dobriety is required and the fans still behave as well. The Define Nano S is a box which is clearly oriented Watercooling, and it is one of the only ones on the market to be able to do it without big modifications (space for 2 radiators, fixings for the tank and the pump etc.).
Performance side the result is mixed, indeed the processor takes advantage of the airflow of the fans and the temperatures are good. On the other hand with regard to the graphics card it is another story, the proximity of the power supply has a great impact on the available air flow, if a cooler with a remote air intake is installed (such as a basic cooler type “Blower” for example) there will be no problem but on the other hand a “custom” cooler with 2 fans will have great difficulty in holding the card, you will have to be very careful with the model that is installed. In addition to the “blower” type cooler, the solution that is essential, and which is ultimately the target aimed at by the Nano S, a water block for the graphics card will be the best solution.
Offered at prices of € 70 and € 75 for versions without and with window, the Fractal Design Define Nano S is almost half the price of its direct competitor, the NZXT Manta, but it imposes a choice in terms of the graphics card very sharp, if you want to do a complete watercooling then go for it, if on the other hand you want to install a “classic” graphics card then other models will be more suitable.
A big thank you to Fractal Design who allowed me to do this test.
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