Fractal Modding Competition

Fractal Modding Competition

Find the Fractal Modding thread here

Custom builds and modding are becoming more popular in the world of PC’s.  With more companies catering to what was a very niche market only a few years ago, the ability to pick and choose parts that not only work together, but also look good together has become easier.  This in turn has pushed the modding community forward and more into the public eye than ever before.

September 2015, Fractal Design approached OC3D with the idea to place 5 Define S bundles in the hands of OC3D members. Why? For modding, why else?

The competition ran slightly differently to what most would expect, all entries would require a “Pitch” and dedication to follow through with the build.

     This may all come across a bit harsh but lets face it, Ive worked online for a long time and I’m just trying to discourage the time wasters and spark the determination in the real enthusiasts.

– TinyTomLogan

So once the entrants had made their pitch, and there was a variety of ideas, 5 lucky members were chosen.

1: Kilbane      – Fractal Solo
2: Wraith       – Project CJ
3: Craigferrie  – Deadpool
4: sfelock       – Rescue 1
5: Permafrost – Something Special

The main part of the competition is to highlight the versatility of the Fractal Design Define S case.  The case itself has great potential for modification.  With the exclusion of any optical bays, the internals of the case are both spacious and well laid out.  This along with well thought out cable management potential leads to a great case to use with little or no restrictions on the builds.

Combined with this, the Fractal Design Kelvin S24 AIO was offered to help keep the builds cool and quiet.  The S24 offers the ability to be expanded beyond the basic radiator and CPU block/pump combination.

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now the competition is over and all the build logs are up to date, it is time to look back over what was achieved.

I would like to start with what shocked me the most.  Given the wide array of entrants to the competition, and more specifically the 5 chosen designs, the range of ideas and sheer differences between the builds is refreshing to see.  An individuality can clearly be seen in each design and workflow.  It goes a long way to show that anyone has the potential to create something much greater than the standard beige work horses of old.  The humble PC has come a long way from its roots, it is time to show your build with pride. More importantly it is time for the world to see that owning a PC can be more than just having something to play games and browse the internet with.

So lets take this opportunity to look over each build in turn and focus on what makes them unique.  Each build offered something that we can all learn from, whether it be something as simple as a colour change to more advanced techniques using acrylic and water cooling loops.