Need help w/ Define R5

[PlugHerRightInTheSocket]

I've created this build on PcPartPicker and I've already started saving money but I've got one concern before buying.

I couldn't find out whether or not you could remove the optical bays and larger 5 HDD drive bays and install the smaller 3 drive bays up where the optical bays would've been.

I've looked on Google images, YouTube, various sites and couldn't find anything, not even in owners manual at the Fractal Design website.

Full manual: http://www.fractal-design.com/media/75502616-1583-4c2e-91b3-5d600a7f5806(Scroll down where it shows drive bay combos)

Parts list for the curious: http://ca.pcpartpicker.com/p/Rtx399

Maybe I'm an idiot for thinking that the larger drive bays cant simply be swapped for the smaller bays up there but for a little over $4000 CAD I want to be sure.

[skullbringer]

Nope, doesnt work out of the box. Only the larger 5-bay cage has the screw holes for mounting it in the 5.25 inch bay area.

 

I'm sure you could get it to work by drilling 2 holes in the top of the 3-bay cage, so it can be screwed into the top plate of the 5.25 inch bay area.

 

But see for your self, TTL has done a very in depth review which I think shows that you can make it work.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7FVSLNyJsw=22m6s

[PlugHerRightInTheSocket]

Nope, doesnt work out of the box. Only the larger 5-bay cage has the screw holes for mounting it in the 5.25 inch bay area.

 

I'm sure you could get it to work by drilling 2 holes in the top of the 3-bay cage, so it can be screwed into the top plate of the 5.25 inch bay area.

 

But see for your self, TTL has done a very in depth review which I think shows that you can make it work.

 

Thanks for the info, that's certainly a consideration but at the cost of voiding the warranty I'm not sure if I'd rather do that or have 3x 140mm fans intaking from the front, the 3x HDD drive cage in front of the power supply still leaving the Optical bays and larger drive cage out. (Original plan was to have 2 lower front intakes w/ 1 bottom intake nearest the front)

Would be more difficult to manage cables coming directly out of the PSU though.

[skullbringer]

Thanks for the info, that's certainly a consideration but at the cost of voiding the warranty I'm not sure if I'd rather do that or have 3x 140mm fans intaking from the front, the 3x HDD drive cage in front of the power supply still leaving the Optical bays and larger drive cage out. (Original plan was to have 2 lower front intakes w/ 1 bottom intake nearest the front)

Would be more difficult to manage cables coming directly out of the PSU though.

 

Depends on the length of your psu, but I think it would look even cleaner with the 3 bay cage near the psu and the whole front area as an intake.

[PlugHerRightInTheSocket]

Depends on the length of your psu, but I think it would look even cleaner with the 3 bay cage near the psu and the whole front area as an intake.

 

 

PSU I'm using is 7" long and the case supports just under 7.5" with the slot in front of it taking up by a fan or drive cage like how I have it planned. It didn't say whether or not the half inch difference was with the fan/hdd cage furthest away or closest since the bottom fan mounts are slots. 

 

Another setup would be to leave 5.25" bays in, use the lower 2 front fan intakes, 3x HDD nearest front, bottom intake fan then psu at the back if that makes sense. I dont know what software people use to draw up a fan setup overlay on top of a case with the drive cages / optical bays removed etc but that would help explaining things.

[PlugHerRightInTheSocket]

@PlugHerRightInTheSocket

 

What I did with mine is buy a 5.25" to 3.25" adapter so I can mount hard drives in the optical drive bays. I then have my 240mm radiator as intake at the front and an extra 140mm intake in front of the psu all exhausted out a 140mm at the back. 

That's nice since it will keep the case quieter but it also brings warm air into the case and onto the graphics cards which is why I opted for a less quiet top mounted AIO w/ front fan intakes.

I'll consider the adapter since I wont be running an optical drive in this PC And It will allow for better airflow onto the PSU and GPU in the setup I mentioned in my first reply.

It could also make cable managing the PSU a lot easier though I doubt I would've had too hard a time before.