Page 4 - Installation and Conclusion
As always, I started my build with the power supply, which included plugging in the necessary cables, mounting the PSU in place, and routing said cables to the correct location. Our power supply is the Thermaltake Toughpower GF1 Snow 750W, which measures 16cm in length. It also matches the whole black and white theme with its cables, which is a side bonus. I will say the cable hole right near the power supply is definitely handy, but I would have liked a slightly larger opening, especially for some of the bulkier cables. As we mentioned, Fractal Design recommends a maximum 175mm length power supply, but there is space for up to a 250mm one. I also routed the front I/O cables into the right spot at this point.
With the power supply in place, I mounted the motherboard, which is an Asus Prime X470-Pro with an AMD Ryzen 7 3700X installed and a set of Patriot Viper RGB DDR4-3600 2x16GB sticks onboard. On top of the processor, I installed the DeepCool AK620, which has a height of 160mm. Fractal Design says the Focus 2 can hold coolers up to 170mm in height, which should hold most coolers. I then installed the EVGA GeForce RTX 3070 FTW3 ULTRA GAMING, which slotted with more than enough space. Even with a front fan mounted, you can install a GPU up to 405mm in length. Afterwards, I plugged everything in place, including the power supply cables.
From the backside, you can see we have a bit more of a cabling mess, especially as there are no included Velcro straps. I did find the cabling a bit tricky, especially with its smaller routing hole to this back area and the tighter clearance for cables. As for my own storage, I had two drives, the Patriot P200 512GB and OCZ ARC 100 240GB, installed behind the motherboard. Due to my power supply cables being a bit thicker, the drives kept popping out of place as they were installed on the plastic pegs. While this should not be an issue after you install it, it also does not inspire confidence in keeping the drive fully secured in place. Even so, building in the Fractal Design Focus 2 RGB White TG was a very positive experience and I was quite pleased with the creature comforts and compatibility in place, despite the wallet-friendly nature of this case.
With everything plugged in and the side panels installed in place, I hit the power button and system spun to life. The first thing I noticed was the really neat effect the ARGB fans made behind the front mesh. While the screen-door effect is not preferred for VR gaming, the metal mesh provides a nice glow, especially when viewed from an off-angle. In terms of noise output, our standard APH Networks sound scale ranges from 0 to 10, where 0 is silence and 10 is loud. I would rate the Fractal Design Focus 2 RGB White TG, at stock configuration, at a 2.5/10 under full load. The 140mm fans are quiet, even when spinning at full speed, and its larger size means it can spin at lower speeds for the same airflow, translating into a lower noise output.
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The Fractal Design Focus 2 RGB White TG was made as a budget option from a premium brand, and I think it is a very successful successor. This starts with good build materials in standard steel and tempered glass. Updates to the front and overall appearances are modernized, including the removal of the 5.25" drive cage, updated addressable RGB LED fans, and its built-in lighting controller. It still keeps the important elements like sufficient ventilation at the front and top. The tempered glass is also a nice update for a viewing window while it also employs a clever way to make a power supply concealer. Inside, we have more than enough compatibility for a tall CPU cooler, long graphics cards, and an extended power supply. The number of drives it can hold is adequate for a chassis at this price point too. Building in the Focus 2 was an enjoyable process, even if we did not have things like a power supply shroud or included Velcro straps. If there were some suggestions I would make, it would include making cable management easier with a larger routing hole near the power supply, more room for cabling behind the motherboard, and inclusion of cable ties or straps. I also would have liked to see an included USB Type-C front I/O port in stock configuration and PWM-controlled fans on the front. Finally, it would have been nice to have a more substantial drive mounting option for 2.5" SSDs. Even so, the Focus 2 RGB White TG provides a very polished fit and finish despite its budget nature. Speaking of which, at the time of launch, the Fractal Design Focus 2 RGB White TG is available for $80, while non-RGB options are $70. This directly replaces the original lineup with the Focus 2 at the same price, while offering a solid build, great airflow, sufficient clearance, and an overall positive experience.
Fractal Design provided this product to APH Networks for the purpose of evaluation.
APH equal.balance Award | APH Networks Review Focus Summary:
8/10 means Definitely a very good product with drawbacks that are not likely going to matter to the end user.
7/10 means Great product with many advantages and certain insignificant drawbacks, but should be considered before purchasing.
-- Final APH Networks Numeric Rating is 7.6/10
Please note that the APH Networks Numeric Rating system is based off our proprietary guidelines in the Review Focus, and should not be compared to other publications.
The Fractal Design Focus 2 lineup is the real budget king of a case, providing all the necessary features with a premium fit and finish.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. Physical Look - Outside
3. Physical Look - Inside
4. Installation and Conclusion
