Conclusion

...a prettier alternative to the popular Define R6, and almost the entire feature-set has been kept intact.

Having previously refined its mid-tower frame to the nth degree, Fractal Design is now adding a visual twist with the release of the £180 Vector RS.

Adorned with striking angles and a sliver of RGB lighting, the case represents a departure from Fractal's famously boxy designs of black with white highlights. The end result is a prettier alternative to the popular Define R6, and almost the entire feature-set has been kept intact.

There's still room for up to nine fans, eight storage devices and an E-ATX motherboard, you continue to get three 140mm fans and a Nexus+ hub as standard, USB-C is present and accounted for, and top-notch build quality is bolstered by push-to-lock side panels, an interchangeable top cover and good filtration throughout.

Few cases are as well thought out, however some considerations do remain. Vector RS will feel sparse without a custom cooling loop - it really needs a reservoir or lots of storage devices to justify the elongated footprint - and if the new aesthetic isn't tickling your fancy, Define R6 offers much of the same goodness, plus an optical bay, for less money.

Bottom line: find yourself wishing the Define R6 carried a bit more swagger? Vector RS will be right up your street.

The Good		The Bad
Stylised alternative to the Define R6 Push-to-lock side panels Three bundled 140mm fans and integrated hub Ideal if you still use lots of 2.5/3.5in disks Good build quality throughout Plenty of scope for an enthusiast build USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C		Feels sparse without elaborate liquid cooling Pricier than the existing Define R6

Fractal Design Vector RS

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The Fractal Design Vector RS chassis will be available to purchase from Scan Computers.

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At HEXUS, we invite the companies whose products we test to comment on our articles. If any company representatives for the products reviewed choose to respond, we'll publish their commentary here verbatim.

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If you're directly comparing this to the Define R6, why is the Define R6 not in the comparison tables for heat/noise? Or am i blind? :S

Nice review :) While I applaud Fractal Design for trying something a bit different, I have to admit the sloping roof would be a bit of a negative for me, as I often rest things on top of my case, like a USB fan during hot evenings in summer. Regarding aesthetics, the case looks ok, but I do prefer their own Define S2 Vision more, although that is quite a bit more expensive too.

All things being equal it's sad to see that Fractal Design also has succumbed to the “bling bling” (aka “tempered glass and RGB ad nauseum”) crowd. Yet they refuse to make simple but useful design changes to e.g. the I/O panel. I've said it countless times before (and I'll probably say it countless times more), but why does the panel need to be on top of the case, in a way that makes the USB connectors even more prone to collect dust.

Not too bad looking, and seem to be well build.
BUT ! for what i plan to do, too small :mrgreen:

makes me realise how much I like my R6… The feet are nice.