Conclusion and Verdict
The ARC Mini R2 chassis from Fractal Design is a solid offering that implements the best features of the larger ARC series chassis such as modern looks, solid construction, and superb build quality. Many of the features that are included with the ARC Mini R2 such as, support for tower CPU coolers, longer graphics cards, and support for up to eight storage drives are a definite welcome taste to the Micro-ATX chassis group.
The included cooling system performed well in keeping our AMD APU gaming system in acceptable temperature ranges while remaining fairly quiet on both low and medium fan controller settings. To top it all, Fractal has given this chassis the added ability to accommodate some serious liquid cooling options. All of these attributes will surely attract many potential customers looking to build their next Micro-ATX gaming rig or Steambox.
That said, there are a couple of items that could be improved upon in future iterations such as implementing a completely tool-less feature for storage drives and enlarging the reset button. The plastic front panel also detracts from the chassis overall excellent feel of pure quality. These are the only attributes that keep the ARC Mini R2 from being the be-all chassis for this form factor and price point.
Overall, I am really impressed by the design and layout of the ARC Mini R2. This base design has a strong foundation to build upon and I cannot wait to see what Fractal has in store for us in the future.
The Fractal Design ARC Mini R2 Chassis can be found online at various e-tailers such as Amazon for $99.99 USD.
Pros:
- Sturdy construction
- Superb build quality
- Durable paint finish
- Quiet acoustics
- Spacious for small size
- Support for up to eight HDDs or SSDs!
- Filtered Ventilation
- Built-in fan controller
- Simple yet appealing looks
- Intelligent use of space
- Included air cooling
- Can accommodate liquid cooling previously rare for the form factor
Cons:
- Microscopic reset button
- Hard drive installation not completely tool-less
- External drive installation not completely tool-less
- Plastic front panel takes away from the feel of quality of the rest of the chassis
Final Thoughts:
What we have here readers is a solid offering in the ARC Mini R2 chassis from Fractal Design. If you have a craving for a simple yet appealing Micro-ATX chassis that has many great and modern features without the restrictions typically associated with the form factor, then look no further than the Fractal Design ARC Mini R2. Thanks and have a Funky Day!
