A Closer Look - Inside

To gain access to the interior, simply remove the thumbscrews holding each panel in place. Fractal Design lined these with sound-proofing material for added noise insulation. At first, the interior looks pretty bare, but the functionality lies in the detail as every bit of space serves a specific purpose and may be put to good use. Behind the motherboard tray, this trend continues in a more obvious fashion.


Taking a closer look here, you will find a 3.5/2.5" hard-drive mounting possibility toward the front of the chassis. As there are no external drive bays, this part is supposed to hold liquid-cooling components, but also offers a hidden mounting tray for storage drives. A dual 2.5" hard-drive tray has also been placed across the motherboard's opening
that is supposed to give you access to the CPU cooler's mounting bracket without having to remove the entire board. Fractal Design is really aiming to make the most of the space, but also allows you to keep things clean with the use of included Velcro strips.


You may also pull off the front of the chassis to reveal the front-mounted 140mm fan with its white blades. You may opt for another such fan or go for a 280mm radiator assembly there instead. An easily removable dust filter protects the entire intake area from dirt and grime.


Inside the chassis, toward the front, is a second 2.5/3.5" hard-drive tray, which brings the total mounting possibilities within the compact Define Nano S up to four. As there are no drive bays, the entire front is reserved for air- or liquid-cooling setups. The 140mm retail-grade fan is pre-installed to push air into the chassis. This creates an air funnel that pushes air across the motherboard and right out the back of the chassis.


In the rear is a normal PSU bay with four foam bumps to hold the PSU in place and absorb any vibrations it may cause. Above that are the two expansion slots, each protected by the white covers which are held in place by thumbscrews. At the very top, the 120mm fan with its white blades and 3-pin header can be moved vertically slightly to perfectly align it with the CPU cooler for the best performance possible.


All the cables within the Fractal Design Define Nano S are of the standard variety, with black sleeving to go with the rest of the chassis' color.