Small correction: The front-to-back length of the Fractal Meshify 2 is 542mm, not 474mm. The 474mm number is the height of the case. Sorry for the confusion. GN toolkits & mouse mats shipping now! store.gamersnexus.net/ Watch our Fractal Meshify 2 XL review here: ruclips.net/video/sRFzaveNkOs/видео.html And our Fractal Meshify 2 non-XL here: ruclips.net/video/qTW2KHGzbM0/видео.html Watch our case reviews playlist: ruclips.net/video/XsiffsT5li8/видео.html
@@dabrain23 This Fractal website www.fractal-design.com/products/cases/meshify/meshify-2/black/ lists it as (LxWxH): 542 x 240 x 474 mm. Which is giant in my mind. Would barely fit on my desk.
"If you come back to this, well, we don't really have any major problems with it." This is some pretty high praise, given who it's coming from. I would find it hilarious if Fractal posted that quote on their website.
It would definitely be funny for us GN viewers that know how critical they are in their case reviews, but for your average consumer visiting the product page, that might look too much like a "meh" review from GN
@@agenericaccount3935 I always thought that case looked so cool. couldn't find it in stock when I went to build my own so I just got a CM case that was in stock. but whatever its just a box and some fans right? haha
It's kind of irritating to see IKEA make billions upon billions by selling (mostly) tool-less-buildable furniture and then not seeing companies in areas that require building stuff too just copying IKEA's idea. It almost seems to simple.
Yus, finally! The current Meshify C doesn't support most of the big 3080 cards in length and this is just slightly longer, but it fits all of them! Cheers Fractal!
That’s why I’ve been seeing Meshify/Define C cheap on my Craigslist. I’m still rocking a Define C with no front panel and 3x 120mm Noctua intake fans bc I don’t see msrp 3080 sitting on my local store shelves happening.
Taking the longest GPU you have and seeing if it fits with a regular front fan installed is ESSENTIAL! There are people that try to fit a 3080 MSI Suprim X and they don't know if they fit. I tried a Gigabyte eagle 3080 and it fits by removing the front fan. Seeing long video in the case reviews would be SUPER APPRECIATED. Thank you guys for doing these case reviews!
I've learned that a 3090FE fits in the Meshify C LIKE A GLOVE. about a dime's worth of clearance on the right side with fans. That's been my baseline when it comes to measuring gpu clearance so far.
Especially critical to look at care dimensions too when looking at these - I recently had listed out which RDNA3 cards would even fit with the fan and limited my attempts to nab to only that list. Proved fruitful too as the card I grabbed ended up with about an inch of leeway and in hindsight one that I'd had as an option would have barely had any margin of error!
I have the OG Meshify C and by adding a few case fans, it has great airflow. I like how Fractal is constantly improving their design while not straying too far from design if that makes sense. Fractal is killing it with their cases imo. Great case review as usual @GN. Love these kinds of videos/content. Still waiting for the Arctic Freezer 34 eSports Duo cpu air cooler tower review video :)
Thank you GN! I have the Meshify C I removed the foam in front and installed 3 120 Up-Here fans I bought this case thanks to your review. When I need another, this just might be the one. Thank you guys for all you do. 👍😊
@@АлександрПеньковский-ж5г full Arctic here too :) 2* p14 front, 2*p14 top and 1*p12 back origin fans are not so bad, but p series value for money is really spot on (especially with a 5 fans pack )
@@wardeadfr btw is there any benefit from having 2 p14 on the top? I'm currently having 1 p14 at the top back, and thinking if I should get a 2nd p14. I mean since my cpu cooler is Noctua NH-D15 (my cpu is 3900x) there might be a benefit, but Im not sure how big it'll be. P.S. Origin fans are a bit louder, so I just used them for my server PC xD.
I literally just bought a Meshify C about 2 weeks ago. Very happy with it, temps are great (I've got the 2 stock fans and an aio mounted in the front), shame I just missed out on this new version but still happy with my purchase.
Something IMPORTANT I learned after buying this case (I made a mistake): MAKE SURE your motherboard doesn't interfere with this case before you buy either! If your motherboard has ANY connectors on its right side which are aligned parallel (e.g. modern MSI boards), IT WILL NOT FIT in this case! This is because the cable management channel ( pictured from 11:33 ) will obstruct those connectors on the motherboard's side. You can plug them in, but the channel will pry the connector up, putting A LOT of pressure on it depending on what it is, which could DAMAGE your board.
I got around this by sitting the connector beneat the channel instead of atop it, still a slight angle but not nearly as bad (Meshify C Mini, however). Good to keep in mind though
@@starcomx6749 “should not” maybe with how you have your cables configured? everyone does thing differently. maybe with the way he chose to do it it resulted in him having issues
I agree. I love my white meshify c. I only wish I could buy the tinted tg panel. I have a bunch of rgb and it can be really bright sometimes. Plus I think with the black front and black top it would look good too.
It's really great. Have mine decked out with Arctic fans and a "suitable" amount of RGB :P (edit: got the Arctic P14 PWM PST case fans, two in front, two on top. Deepcool GammaXX fan in the back and matching tower cooler on the CPU - for that RGB bling)
I have the full size Meshify C and with my 3060 Ti I had to get low profile fans for the front, mounted outside instead of inside... It still looks great though, the main reason I got the case was looks, airflow was second.
@@erix5184 you actually like the looks of the meshify? the fractally front looks so weird to me lol and its kinda blocky overall but yeah thats cool you liked it and airflow isn't that bad on top of it too
I recommended this case for my friend. Today he presented the build. He was super happy and surprised about how case marked evolved towards high quality well thought out solutions. Thubs up for GN, I decided to recommend this case because it was on your best of 2021 cases. I also find it of very good quality and it present itself really well.
I purchased the meshify 2 dark tint in December for $130. Absolutely love it. Very enjoyable to build in and play with. The removable top plate to me makes a huge difference. Personally im not a huge rgb fan. Had planned to turn off the ram and gpu rgb but with the dark tint it actually makes the rgb more of an accent than a childs toy.
a little note on the "IO attached to the case, and not the front panel" on the original Meshify C, that was an issue, sure, but that was not as big of a deal as it could be on other cases. On many cases that have IO attached to the front panel, if you want to work in the front of the case, you have to remove said panel if you want to install fans, etc in the front. Not with the Meshify C, since the front panel has several parts that are independent from each other. the "front panel" is technically just a frame that houses the front filter. If you remove the front filter (which is very easy to do, there is a couple pins and a tab at the bottom), you can work in the front of the case without having to deal with the "front panel" at all. By the way, the easiest way to remove that front filter is to first remove the bottom filter (which is very easy to remove), then put your fingers under the case and press on the plastic tab, effectively popping off the panel. Yank on the logo will not do anything more than damaging the thing imho
I've got to say as an owner of a Meshify C since late 2018 that the filters are a godsend since my three cats love to sit near (or on) my PC case. Every month or two I yank the front panel and clear it out with compressed air, and there's a truly frightening amount of dust and cat hair that comes out of the filter. All of that garbage would be inside my case otherwise, making it well worth the reduced airflow to me!
From the comparison it looks like the extra $20 come from the extra fan included in the box, not to mention they are now 2x 140 instead of 1x 120. I have the original Meshify C and bought 3 noctua fans for front and back so with that into account the cost is justified and all the other incremental upgrades are nice to have as well, especially the USB-C and the front-IO attachment.
Solid review! Still no regrets with my 4000D Airflow purchase. Glad case manufacturers are putting out better products and there are reviewers like GN that give them good press/reviews for doing so....if it is earned.
I really like the looks of this case and the fact that it's a good option for a small case if you don't really need a lot of 3.5" drive support, which seems like a pretty common case nowadays since a single 1TB m.2 is somewhat standard for a budget build.
You and me both! I would love to have the tool-less side panels, removable front filter, chassis-attached front IO (with USB-C), etc. Whether that's worth $110 though (plus a new motherboard with an internal Type C header, and if I'm buying that, why not a new CPU right?) remains to be seen...
Great work, team. I like the new chapters visual that came with this video. Thank you for all your hard work. Bought 2 more mouse mats the other day - hope that can contribute to the business.
I bought a Lian Li Lancool 205 a few days before this review. As soon as I saw this, I return it and bought the black light tint version. Very happy with it. Love how the top filter is on the inside and you can remove it for a top mount radiator without it looking weird likes magnetic top filter.
@@anujpartihar I am still happy and I have not seen a more suitable case for me. Main components in my system: ryzen 5600x with scythe fuma 2 cooler, rtx3070, 32gb 3200 ram, no extra rgb except what is on my motherboard. Never had temperatures above 70 degrees yet and it is relatively silent. Happy customer :)
As long as they put the different screws in separate bags they can just throw them in the case wherever they want lol Just hate the hassle of sorting screws that look almost the same from one small fully filled bag
The Meshify C filter panel releases by sliding out the basement filter to reveal the catch that has to be pressed upward, not by pulling on the Fractal emblem. Also I'd consider the new filter removal design more as an easier to clean function rather than complete removal for the extreme airflow your channel seems to demand. I prefer not cleaning the inside of the PC as often as the filterless mode would require. I'm only 8 minutes into the video so I'll have to finish it later.
I thought I would hate it to the point it could be a deal breaker but ended up loving the foam filter on the Mesh C. The dust actually stays outside on the front panel so you don't even have to mess with the foam.
Had the Meshify c on an older build and loved it as well. Are you thinking the foam filter would keep out substantially more dust than this nylon version?
Still rocking my meshify c. To me, the fact that it didnt come with very many fans was a plus, because i immediately crammed 2 Noctua Chromax 140s up front and a 120 in the back 👌
hi GN team! thanks for all your guides/tests, you guys are reliable. little fun side note. It is good to have a sponsor, but a sponsor you can buy is even better. All Grilly is MIA, I struggled and found one supplier that had noctua's H2, alongside fighting to find a lianli lancool2mesh perf and corsair hx850i psu... I is incredible how buying all tech not only gpu is f... difficult.... even thermal paste guys!
I have not watched the entire video, but I am VERY EXCITED to see a case with these dimensions, that supports a fan at the bottom. I think this is a feature that is overlooked in nearly all cases, that can provide much-improved GPU thermals, as it is basically an extra fan that provided fresh air directly to the gpu. Should I ever leave my self built case (that is a lot smaller with 3x 140mm and 3 120mm fans) then this would certainly be very high on my list.
Good review. Nice case. But, it would been nice to have seen thermal testing with the front panel filter removed and the bottom front fan adjusted lower to help GPU cooling. It looks like there is some room to move it lower before bumping into the power supply shroud pop-out piece. Perhaps Fractal should have shipped the case in that configuration.
The Kraken M22: "Basically a fire that's made out of water" It probably would have been a better idea to include a multibracket instead of the drive cage. In the big cases there is plenty of room to install both, but in a compact case (that already has a dedicated 2.5" drive mount) the multibracket that can accommodate a pump, a 2.5" drive, or a 3.5" drive is probably a better choice than room for two drives. Plus the multibracket is certainly cheaper to make than the complicated drive cage and its removable trays and could have gotten the price point down a bit. There is barely room for the drive cage in the basement as it is because of clearance with the power supply cables.
Had a Meshify C, then last year I got the regular white Meshify 2 (thanks to Steve's review...) and I LOVE IT. So glad to see there's a compact version performing so brilliantly!
If you had to choose between the Meshify 2 Compact and Meshify 2, which would you choose now? I'm learning towards the Meshify 2 because I use a 360mm AIO at the front with 3 fans on it. But I feel like all the harddrive bays removed will just make it so empty inside.
@@billmuertos I’d keep the Meshify 2. the extra space means ever so slightly cooler temperatures, so fans can be kept on lower RPM (I keep mine at 400RPM during the day). But just go with what is good for your setup. The differences are likely minimal.
I noticed in the standardized fans test section that the Meshify 2 Compact had the fans placed as low as possible, and in the original Meshify C review they were placed as high as possible. This is most likely the biggest reason for its noticeable lead in the GPU temperatures, when the CPU temps remain relatively unaffected, as the cooler still gets almost direct airflow from the upper fan. Not trying to be a hair-splitter, just something I noticed, as I've been researching the Meshify C quite a lot.
Also, with the standardised fan configuration, the GPU temps for the Meshify 2 & the Meshify 2 Compact, drop to within one degree Celsius of each other. With the stock setup (which uses the same number of the same fan (2x Dynamic X2 GP-14's) in the front of the case.) the difference reported is about 5.5 degrees Celsius. I was confused as to why this might be, but it seems there's a good chance that it might be because the fans were in a different position in the standardised test. I hadn't noticed this...I'm glad I read the comments. They suggest the reason for the Meshify 2 compact performing worse, for GPU temps, is that the airflow from the front fans could be disrupting the functioning of the GPU cooler, due to the end of the GPU cooler being open to expel air. So...does lowering the fans counter this? I'd like to see it tested again with a GPU with closed off ends (such as an RTX Titan) or with some kind of spoiler or obstruction in place to block air being pushed into the end of the GPU cooler by the fans in the front of the case. I think, given that the Fractal Torrent looks like it's been optimised for GPU cooling, and given that there's almost certainly going to be a Fractal Torrent Compact (?) that a head to head between the Meshify 2, Meshify 2 Compact, Torrent and Torrent Compact (when/if the Torrent Compact is released), focusing on case-length/fan-proximity's effect on GPU temperatures, is definitely warranted (if not already warranted between the existing three (i.e. the Torrent, the Meshify 2 and the Meshify 2 Compact). The GPU cooling seems to be the main feature of the Torrent, and given that the Torrent could be a trendsetter (for the positioning of power supplies moving to the top of the case in at least all mid-sized factor, air-cooled builds) the effect of a shorter case on GPU temps could be a key issue... ...that having been said, people seem to favour aesthetics over performance (so long "silent computing", hello RGB) so, maybe the market won't be able to support more than one top-mounted power supply case. Who knows. One thing I do know is that if I'm psyched about a product, generally it's going to disappear from the radar pretty quickly. Hoping that's not going to be the case with sensible case layouts for GPU cooling. I guess it remains to be seen. Edit: ruclips.net/video/94l1c5dMRX8/видео.html GPU temps back up to a six-degree difference between the Meshify 2 & Meshify 2 compact with stock fans in the noise-normalised tests and the suggestion made that the difference in temperature is due to lower fans speeds...seems like there's a sweet spot to be found. Looks like it could be a bit of a balancing act.
On original Meshify C there is latch or button under from panel which you push to release the front mesh. No need to pry it out forcefully. I wait for Mini version of this case for mATX to replace Define R4. Although, it still serves me well so ... maybe I don't need to replace it until major system upgrade. WHich is not feasible in foreseebale future due to general product shortages.
I know everyone has their own priorities, but I have the Meshify C and the only thing that is even remotely attractive in this new case is the extra inch of GPU clearance. But for me, I never go with high/top end video cards, so I imagine whenever I do upgrade my rig (currently have a 1070 Strix OC) I'm pretty sure there will be many cards that fit my budget and space reqs. A big point for me is it's over $100 and still no solid top panel option. I like the mesh front because it provides plenty of front to back airflow. I don't need the top panel open, as that's just another path for dust to get in and noise to get out. I was able to get the solid panel from a Define C for my Meshify C easily. Also for a mesh filter for the front, there are many companies/websites you can get custom sized, magnetic filters that'll fit the front nicely. So you could ditch the foam filter. Edit: I will say as of now, FD cases are the only game in town for me purely for the aesthetics. I am staunchly opposed to glass panels and it's nice that it's still a standard option on their cases. And just the overall quality finish can't be touched. I mean look at that Corsair case they just reviewed, that thing is so gaudy and cheap looking with that big, gray ring of plastic on the front and THAT'S $150?!
Same. I just built in a Meshify C a few months ago and these updates are exactly what I want. As far as the non-removable front filter, I just ripped that out.
Yeah, I am a very happy Meshify C owner. The only case could replace that is this. Nothing else. Let me point out that there are several other factors related to FD cases not mentioned or not stressed enough in the video: extremely good manual, beautifully manufactured edges (no scars on your hand), overall quality-product suggesting that the manufacturer listens and cares. This is what I feel.
Why does no one make micro ATX!! I want to build in the 011 mini but I want it to look good with double rads in top in bottom without the gaps that itx brings
Please not another boring O11. Its a good case, but out of 10 guys 8 got a O11 RGB build. Its literally a downsized O11, so it will be fine when you like the normal one.
I love my Meshify C but have some issues with it and I was super excited for this. All in all it lived up to my expectations of improvements and I'm looking forward for the white version to come out!
I've always been adamant about 3.5" HDD cages but I've finally changed my ways. I repurposed an old, low power Haswell CPU and made a NAS box. It's kind of a nice setup because I can finely control file access by device. The box is just set aside in a place that I won't really need to touch very often beyond cleaning the dust out of the filters.
I've noticed that as of lately GN is recommending BQ 802 for obvious reasons, but P600S from Phanteks seems to be performing similarly if not better. The problem is, there is no word on it as there is no review. I feel like with the front and top panels removed it can perform similarly to P500A and since those are modifiable it's a direct competitor of BQ 802. For me there is a gap, but the case is getting old so the chances on getting a review are slim. I would have gone with P500A, but there is no dust filter in the front (similar to many other mesh models), no fan hub to control those loud stock fans and no separate audio jacks. Overall I think it's beneficial to make even a short review for a clear picture and many people will surely appreciate it even if the case is old. I don't know when Phanteks will make a refresh, but I assume it will be a year or two at least.
The discussion on 3.5 inch drive support is a really good thing to note. I recently had to get a new power supply for my rig in the old meshify c, I wanted I good unit and ended up getting one slightly over the size spec, to continue to use the 3.5 inch mount, I had to literally dremel the 2 slot drive cage in half, as I was only using one drive, to allow for enough space to fit all of my cables in the space where the second slot used to be. 3.5 inch drive support in compact mid towers truly is brutal in many cases, I had to mutilate my drive cage just to make it work. I suppose out of sight is out of mind, it works, I guess?
I went Meshify C back then, paint modded and kitted out with a full set of (7 Noctua for hers, 7 bequiet! SilentWing3 for mine, carefully oriented) and was very impressed with the temps and noise, especially after removing the foam filters. Can run all fans slower for noise and they always run cool. With proper fans and foam removed (we dont have furry pets and their off the floor) ... this case still performs near the top of Steves lists. Since then decided to upgrade my case size (the C wont nicely fit the Asus 3080 GPU I thought I would be able to buy, meh, still waiting), and we still wanted the Meshify design look on our desks ... yet because Fractal dont announce upcoming products (I kept an eye on their site) ... and Steve didnt 'mention any review was upcoming, I bought and paint modified a Meshify S2, and as the paint was literally drying ... Steve drops a review on the new Meshify S ... literally on the day. I didnt know. I would have gone S2. I painted. I'm stuck with it. I'll make it work. Karma. Would I go for this Compact? Not personally, a bit small. What I like most with this new series is the front IO on the chassis instead of the front panel ... building with that hanging around simply sucks.
I really like the front panel bring hinged. The wife's has 3 plastic clips that have to be pushed in for the front panel to pop open so I can clean the fans it's kind of a pain in the ass. Also the motherboard cut outs for the cables is fantastic. Whoever built this clearly had builders in mind.
@@The93Momo93 and thats fine. tho for the vast majority of everyday normal people that type of storage needs are overkill. i struggle to even fill up the 2tb of my nvme's
@@Aleph-Noll true, it took me 5 years to fill my 3tb hdd with anime, now I bought a 8tb one which should last me more 10 ish (unless there will be a quality revolotion again and filesizes double or triple)
Used the Meshify C for a build in 2019. Installed three SSDs behind the mobo. Installed a Corsair RM1000 PSU. Removed the HHD cage and just tucked a HHD drive in with the cables. Have a Founders Ed RTX 3080 TI that almost touches the fan mounted to the front radiator. Time is the true test. The Meshify C has proven to be a whisper quiet solid build. Looking forward to new Gen 12 build with the Meshify 2 Compact that will add just a wee bit of extra breathing room.
I like the compact form factor, exactly what I was looking for. I realized that in my current case, the front part of the case is mostly empty, thanks to NVMe drives getting cheaper (+ cloud storage for extra - student perks so OneDrive). An ITX makes some things restrictive unfortunately (although I would want a compact case around that mark), so this is a step in the right direction for me, and I think for a lot of individuals going forward, except for archiving large amounts of data
I bought a Meshify C for my first build. For what I had originally, it was a great case. Now, with a bit of a bigger GPU and the need for better CPU cooling, I am having a few problems keeping everything in order ahahaha. I am probably going to switch to the Corsair 5000D Airflow next.
Really easy to build in and do cable management. I wish there was a little bit more room in the front for a 3rd 140mm fan as it's almost big enough, but you cannot secure the bottom two screws for the 3rd bottom fan. Two fans looks weird if you have any type of LEDs on them. Otherwise it's completely tool-less, which is pretty sweet. I love being able to remove the top of the case.
I have the meshify 2 case and its really good and I plan to do extreme watercooling. I recommend it to people a lot, and other fractal cases in general.
sadly this case was 5 months late for me and fractal missed out on the start of the"new pc build cycle". I would have definitely gone for it as i had to bench the C due to GPU clearance
Heavy breathing for a moment when I saw the new case's front mesh, hoping it was compatible with the old Meshify C, so I could just order it and replace the foam-filtered default. Should've went with the P400A
so I'm trying to figure out what's causing the power supply length limitation. the total length from the back of the case to where the front fans are is 341mm, if we assume the drive cage eats up 120mm, that still leaves 220mm for the power supply, no? so why wouldn't a 200mm power supply fit? if you're hard-turning the cables out of the power supply shroud, they can't take up more than 20mm surely?
owning an original meshify, i'm a little jealous now. even in 2021 i think it is still one of the best looking cases out there, not too gamer-y but nice looking.
I've noticed that in your alternative recommendations in recent reviews, you mention the Silent Base 802, but not the Pure Base 500DX. Is there a reason to recommend the 802 over the 500DX, or is it just that there's too many good cases to make them all?
I just bought the Meshify S2 from Micro Center. They didn't have the Meshify 2. I still think it's a good case. I'm building my first AMD PC ever and I got super lucky because I literally got the last Ryzen 5000 series processor in stock at Micro Center, the Ryzen 5600x. Micro Center still hasn't gotten them back in stock. I'm so happy that there's a Micro Center less than 10 minutes from my house. Best store ever 😁
I've only had my Meshify C for 10 months but I want this 2 compact lol. I dislike the added height/length but it makes sense with these huge GPUs. Still, I love the changes to the front panel, including the larger fans.
i have 3 120mm's on the front of mine, kept the hdd cage, and have a 750w power supply. the only thing you really have to do is pop out a little metal panel off the shroud shelf above the power supply near the front. takes 2 seconds.
cpu idles normally around 30-35 c. gpu idles normally 35-40 c cpu under load normally 40-50 c gpu under load normally 44-53 c airflow has not been an issue for mine at least. @@bobtheboneboy6531
I wish reviewers picked a good fan and tested every case with the same positions, same fans, same rpm and then produce the results: dB, temp, etc. along side silly stock fans that many replace. I used a Define R5 in my build (many) years ago, the stock fans were loud but the rest of the case is great. I replaced the fans with be quiet! Pure Wings and never looked back. Only the gpu is a little audible during gaming but I wear a headset anyway.
I'm disappointed, no more cases with external DVD bay. Sorry but even in 2021 I'm still using a CD/DVD/BluRay reader/writer. To be honest not so often but it is still useful. @Gamers Nexus no more good cases with external optical bay available?
I just built a new rig with a Lian Li Lancool II mesh, and I do like that this Fractal case isn't as long/deep. There is a lot of open space in the front of my case, even with the long 3080 in there. I wouldn't mind a smaller footprint now that this is my first build with no optical drives.
Hoping they do a head to head with the Meshify 2, Meshify 2 Compact and the Torrent to figure out what's actually going on with the varying GPU temps and whether it's really down to the proximity of the front-intake fans and whether their elevation makes a difference, through the potential re-positioning of a possible airflow deadzone. Does lowering the elevation of the fans (as in the standardised test) really cause the reduction in GPU temperature? Or is it because the fans they used for the standardised test are just more efficient? My plan was to replace the front fans in a Fractal Torrent with three Akasa Viper R's, because Akasa Viper R's (if you believe Akasa's claims) push a higher volume of air (and directed, rather than scattered air) per decibel, at higher static pressure than the stock Dynamic GP-18's, and I can fit three of them (Viper R's) into the front of a Torrent. But if it's going to adversely affect my GPU temperature it totally defeats the point. Edit: On reflection, I'm going to have Viper R's in the floor of the Torrent also, so probably not _too_ much to worry about? Given that the fans in the floor of the case would be a lot closer to the GPU heatsink than the front intakes, and directly feeding the GPU cooler fans.
Honestly, I personally wouldn't have a problem with companies getting rid of Hard Drive bays altogether. I have two M.2 drives in my personal rig, but it's made for small storage and gaming only pretty much. But if we're honest, if you really need like 4TB or more of solid storage, it would probably be better just to buy and set up a home NAS wouldn't it? Yes, it's about a ~$160 investment at the low end, which two bays, but it's easy enough now a days, I don't see a problem adopting that idea and cutting down on case size and hopefully case cost, with no HDD bays.
My Meshify C from 2017 is starting to show its age. I think the removable front filter is a huge improvement. I am definitely a fan of some amount of filters, but they need to be able to be cleaned. That combined with the front I/O redesign might just have me buying a new one.
I like the removal roof, but I will never go back to rubber grommet holes for passing cables over a cable bar like the Be Quiet 500DX and Corsair 4000D Airflow. I'm a bit pedantic about having cables line up perfectly, so force feeding them through a hole that doesn't line up with the coresponding port is a huge negative. Thanks for the thorough review, as always.
I have a Meshify s2 and the front panel mesh is removed easier than pulling on the logo, you remove the bottom filter and pop it out from underneath this put even pressure on the panel and will prevent bending the mesh.
First of all, thanks for another excellent case review. I believe you guys are largely responsible for the shift to more airflow-focused cases that has occurred over the last couple of years. Kudos. If I may make one small suggestion - while you do a good job of covering CPU and GPU temps with respect to air-flow and cooling, there is little that addresses VRM temps, RAM temps, etc. Of course, testing for EACH would be prohibitively time consuming, but might it be possible to add an average "case air temperature" to your testing suite? This could be done using the "Case Torture" test and measuring at a standard point relative to the MoBo (or even at the mid-X/mid-Y/mid-Z point of the case) and would provide valuable information for those concerned with temps of other components and/or relative performance of water cooling systems. Just something to think about. Keep up the good work!
Small correction: The front-to-back length of the Fractal Meshify 2 is 542mm, not 474mm. The 474mm number is the height of the case. Sorry for the confusion.
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Watch our Fractal Meshify 2 XL review here: ruclips.net/video/sRFzaveNkOs/видео.html
And our Fractal Meshify 2 non-XL here: ruclips.net/video/qTW2KHGzbM0/видео.html
Watch our case reviews playlist: ruclips.net/video/XsiffsT5li8/видео.html
RIP ODDs
That is considerably larger than the Meshify C at 395mm and way bigger than I would ever want!
The website lists following dimensions: 424 x 210 x 475 mm. Is that incorrect then? I was eyeing the Meshify 2 but 540 mm is way too big for my taste.
@@dabrain23 This Fractal website www.fractal-design.com/products/cases/meshify/meshify-2/black/ lists it as (LxWxH): 542 x 240 x 474 mm. Which is giant in my mind. Would barely fit on my desk.
@@Hrochnick Ok, I didnt see he was writing about the Meshify 2 non-Compact
"Well, we don't have any major problems with it."
A glowing GN review, if I ever saw one.
"If you come back to this, well, we don't really have any major problems with it."
This is some pretty high praise, given who it's coming from. I would find it hilarious if Fractal posted that quote on their website.
It would definitely be funny for us GN viewers that know how critical they are in their case reviews, but for your average consumer visiting the product page, that might look too much like a "meh" review from GN
@@maxtech1015 That's the whole point bud, we're finding that part of this thing funny as shit :D
"We don't really have any major problems with it." -Gamer's Nexus
Right on the front page. Mediocrity is good enough for us.
Along with "reasonably well-received"
They did in fact quote it on their facebook page with a link to this review lol
This is the only channel I would unconditionally watch a review of something I'll never buy lol
Same. They sold me on the 011 Dynamic when that came out. Have stayed ever since 😂
@@agenericaccount3935 I always thought that case looked so cool. couldn't find it in stock when I went to build my own so I just got a CM case that was in stock. but whatever its just a box and some fans right? haha
I'm really glad GN demonstrated how to properly mount my AIO to the bottom of the case 5:56
good to know how to properly install my aio, at the bottom, of course!
I really like that trend that's going on with cases that require tool-less panel removal. More of that, case makers.
Homie, it’s okay if you’re not strong enough to remove the T H U M B screws. You can just say that.
For sure 👍
@@basshead. that's a tool
It's kind of irritating to see IKEA make billions upon billions by selling (mostly) tool-less-buildable furniture and then not seeing companies in areas that require building stuff too just copying IKEA's idea. It almost seems to simple.
or the trend of using the same design but increasing or decreasing the size of the case. So boringgg
"Most of us at GN..."
... I keep forgetting that GN is more than just Steve and Patrick(s) lol
One day the number of Patricks may become too great and they will take over.
The Patrick revolution of 2021
@@SonGoku-97 I don't know what you're talking about
@@patrickhector ITS ALREADY BEGUN!!!
How can you forget their boss, Snowflake?
@@Lukiel666 All hail lord snowflake!
Yus, finally! The current Meshify C doesn't support most of the big 3080 cards in length and this is just slightly longer, but it fits all of them! Cheers Fractal!
Good. The Fractal C is ever so slightly too small
That’s why I’ve been seeing Meshify/Define C cheap on my Craigslist. I’m still rocking a Define C with no front panel and 3x 120mm Noctua intake fans bc I don’t see msrp 3080 sitting on my local store shelves happening.
I was waiting for this one, the removable top assembly is awesome
Taking the longest GPU you have and seeing if it fits with a regular front fan installed is ESSENTIAL! There are people that try to fit a 3080 MSI Suprim X and they don't know if they fit. I tried a Gigabyte eagle 3080 and it fits by removing the front fan. Seeing long video in the case reviews would be SUPER APPRECIATED. Thank you guys for doing these case reviews!
I've learned that a 3090FE fits in the Meshify C LIKE A GLOVE. about a dime's worth of clearance on the right side with fans. That's been my baseline when it comes to measuring gpu clearance so far.
Especially critical to look at care dimensions too when looking at these - I recently had listed out which RDNA3 cards would even fit with the fan and limited my attempts to nab to only that list. Proved fruitful too as the card I grabbed ended up with about an inch of leeway and in hindsight one that I'd had as an option would have barely had any margin of error!
I have the OG Meshify C and by adding a few case fans, it has great airflow. I like how Fractal is constantly improving their design while not straying too far from design if that makes sense. Fractal is killing it with their cases imo. Great case review as usual @GN. Love these kinds of videos/content.
Still waiting for the Arctic Freezer 34 eSports Duo cpu air cooler tower review video :)
Thank you GN!
I have the Meshify C
I removed the foam in front and installed 3 120 Up-Here fans
I bought this case thanks to your review.
When I need another, this just might be the one.
Thank you guys for all you do.
👍😊
Yes! This is the case I've been waiting for, time to start building my next pc.
good luck finding parts man lol
@@SonGoku-97 so true :(
@@theunknownn9047 Could always be worse I suppose
@@SonGoku-97 Yeah, I'm in no real rush though.
@@GamingNinjaSheep same. gonna hold on to what I've got for a while as well
"Meshify C you may remember..." - Steve
I more than remember, it's on my desk with quite a few fans installed
same here with a C mini (with a few fans installed)
Same here! I bought my meshify c because of GNs review
Same here, also bought meshify C after GN review, although I also went ahead and bought 3 Arctic's 140mm fans xD
@@АлександрПеньковский-ж5г full Arctic here too :)
2* p14 front, 2*p14 top and 1*p12 back
origin fans are not so bad, but p series value for money is really spot on (especially with a 5 fans pack )
@@wardeadfr btw is there any benefit from having 2 p14 on the top?
I'm currently having 1 p14 at the top back, and thinking if I should get a 2nd p14.
I mean since my cpu cooler is Noctua NH-D15 (my cpu is 3900x) there might be a benefit, but Im not sure how big it'll be.
P.S. Origin fans are a bit louder, so I just used them for my server PC xD.
I'm glad they kept the steel side panel option for us boring people.
Amen
I literally just bought a Meshify C about 2 weeks ago. Very happy with it, temps are great (I've got the 2 stock fans and an aio mounted in the front), shame I just missed out on this new version but still happy with my purchase.
Something IMPORTANT I learned after buying this case (I made a mistake):
MAKE SURE your motherboard doesn't interfere with this case before you buy either!
If your motherboard has ANY connectors on its right side which are aligned parallel (e.g. modern MSI boards), IT WILL NOT FIT in this case! This is because the cable management channel ( pictured from 11:33 ) will obstruct those connectors on the motherboard's side. You can plug them in, but the channel will pry the connector up, putting A LOT of pressure on it depending on what it is, which could DAMAGE your board.
I got around this by sitting the connector beneat the channel instead of atop it, still a slight angle but not nearly as bad (Meshify C Mini, however). Good to keep in mind though
I waited so long for this case to be released
Mine is on the way can't wait! Big improvement over my q300l lmao the 3070 needs more love
I’m building my first PC in a meshify C *literally* as I watch this. Lol.
Enjoy it man !! Gl & Hf
Have fun!
Just finished my build in the meshify c about a month ago. It was awesome.
Bro same!
My current PC is in a meshify C, good case. Take out the front foam filter.
God damn thermal grizzly has been with yall forever, I remember this ad since it aired and still swear by thermal grizzly because of you
I love my white Meshify C. Enough case for my needs.
Used one for a build when the first gen Ryzens came out, cable management out of the PSU basement was a bit of a PITA but otherwise really nice case
@@starcomx6749 Huh?
@@starcomx6749 maybe it was for his he wanted it?
@@starcomx6749 “should not” maybe with how you have your cables configured? everyone does thing differently. maybe with the way he chose to do it it resulted in him having issues
I agree. I love my white meshify c. I only wish I could buy the tinted tg panel. I have a bunch of rgb and it can be really bright sometimes. Plus I think with the black front and black top it would look good too.
I have the Meshify mini C and it’s a beautiful case
It's really great. Have mine decked out with Arctic fans and a "suitable" amount of RGB :P
(edit: got the Arctic P14 PWM PST case fans, two in front, two on top. Deepcool GammaXX fan in the back and matching tower cooler on the CPU - for that RGB bling)
@@zwerker yeah arctic makes really solid products especially for the price. i highly recommend their stuff
I have the full size Meshify C and with my 3060 Ti I had to get low profile fans for the front, mounted outside instead of inside... It still looks great though, the main reason I got the case was looks, airflow was second.
@@erix5184 you actually like the looks of the meshify? the fractally front looks so weird to me lol and its kinda blocky overall but yeah thats cool you liked it and airflow isn't that bad on top of it too
you would need a short gpu, my meshify C mini just proved to be too small for my rog strix 3070
I was just wondering when this case would come out yesterday, excellent timing.
I recommended this case for my friend. Today he presented the build. He was super happy and surprised about how case marked evolved towards high quality well thought out solutions.
Thubs up for GN, I decided to recommend this case because it was on your best of 2021 cases.
I also find it of very good quality and it present itself really well.
I purchased the meshify 2 dark tint in December for $130. Absolutely love it. Very enjoyable to build in and play with. The removable top plate to me makes a huge difference. Personally im not a huge rgb fan. Had planned to turn off the ram and gpu rgb but with the dark tint it actually makes the rgb more of an accent than a childs toy.
That’s the exact reason I got the dark tint!
Did you get the 2 or the 2 compact?
a little note on the "IO attached to the case, and not the front panel"
on the original Meshify C, that was an issue, sure, but that was not as big of a deal as it could be on other cases.
On many cases that have IO attached to the front panel, if you want to work in the front of the case, you have to remove said panel if you want to install fans, etc in the front. Not with the Meshify C, since the front panel has several parts that are independent from each other. the "front panel" is technically just a frame that houses the front filter. If you remove the front filter (which is very easy to do, there is a couple pins and a tab at the bottom), you can work in the front of the case without having to deal with the "front panel" at all.
By the way, the easiest way to remove that front filter is to first remove the bottom filter (which is very easy to remove), then put your fingers under the case and press on the plastic tab, effectively popping off the panel. Yank on the logo will not do anything more than damaging the thing imho
The logo pull was for effect in broll and obviously is not how you remove the panel.
@@GamersNexus yeah, knowing you guys, I figured. But maybe not everyone will, I thought I'd put that in the comment, just in case :p
Thank you for the AIO placement on the case. Especially with a case that is labeled as compact. I'm in smaller case big aio fan club.
I've got to say as an owner of a Meshify C since late 2018 that the filters are a godsend since my three cats love to sit near (or on) my PC case. Every month or two I yank the front panel and clear it out with compressed air, and there's a truly frightening amount of dust and cat hair that comes out of the filter. All of that garbage would be inside my case otherwise, making it well worth the reduced airflow to me!
GN's "Defensible" roughly translates to "Damn Good" in Hardware Canucks
Or a full-blown pogchamp from Linus.
From the comparison it looks like the extra $20 come from the extra fan included in the box, not to mention they are now 2x 140 instead of 1x 120. I have the original Meshify C and bought 3 noctua fans for front and back so with that into account the cost is justified and all the other incremental upgrades are nice to have as well, especially the USB-C and the front-IO attachment.
Solid review! Still no regrets with my 4000D Airflow purchase. Glad case manufacturers are putting out better products and there are reviewers like GN that give them good press/reviews for doing so....if it is earned.
My Meshify 2 arrived just last night, so the timing of this video is spot-on!
I really like the looks of this case and the fact that it's a good option for a small case if you don't really need a lot of 3.5" drive support, which seems like a pretty common case nowadays since a single 1TB m.2 is somewhat standard for a budget build.
I've had the Meshify C for a few years now, but I want this so badly. Great improvements over the original.
You and me both! I would love to have the tool-less side panels, removable front filter, chassis-attached front IO (with USB-C), etc. Whether that's worth $110 though (plus a new motherboard with an internal Type C header, and if I'm buying that, why not a new CPU right?) remains to be seen...
Great work, team. I like the new chapters visual that came with this video. Thank you for all your hard work. Bought 2 more mouse mats the other day - hope that can contribute to the business.
I bought a Lian Li Lancool 205 a few days before this review. As soon as I saw this, I return it and bought the black light tint version. Very happy with it. Love how the top filter is on the inside and you can remove it for a top mount radiator without it looking weird likes magnetic top filter.
heyy still viable to get one???
I have bought this case for my first build, mainly because of this positive review, quite happy so far.
How about now? Im considering this one, you think it's still worth it?
@@anujpartihar I am still happy and I have not seen a more suitable case for me. Main components in my system: ryzen 5600x with scythe fuma 2 cooler, rtx3070, 32gb 3200 ram, no extra rgb except what is on my motherboard. Never had temperatures above 70 degrees yet and it is relatively silent. Happy customer :)
The only reason they will keep putting HDD cages in the cases is to hold the accessory box
As long as they put the different screws in separate bags they can just throw them in the case wherever they want lol
Just hate the hassle of sorting screws that look almost the same from one small fully filled bag
Except that the accessory box is contained within a much larger box where a lot of Fractal cases are concerned.
The Meshify C filter panel releases by sliding out the basement filter to reveal the catch that has to be pressed upward, not by pulling on the Fractal emblem. Also I'd consider the new filter removal design more as an easier to clean function rather than complete removal for the extreme airflow your channel seems to demand. I prefer not cleaning the inside of the PC as often as the filterless mode would require. I'm only 8 minutes into the video so I'll have to finish it later.
this is the case I have been waiting for since the define 7 compact came out
I thought I would hate it to the point it could be a deal breaker but ended up loving the foam filter on the Mesh C. The dust actually stays outside on the front panel so you don't even have to mess with the foam.
Had the Meshify c on an older build and loved it as well. Are you thinking the foam filter would keep out substantially more dust than this nylon version?
“It’s just a steel box”
-buildzoid
lol keep up the reviews guys, great as always.
Still rocking my meshify c. To me, the fact that it didnt come with very many fans was a plus, because i immediately crammed 2 Noctua Chromax 140s up front and a 120 in the back 👌
I’m loving these new upload times. Lol no longer do I wake up in the middle of the night and be cursed to watch a video before I go back to sleep!
Hi Steve, i recently built my first system. And your case reviews really helped me to decide. Thank you.
I have the Meshify C and I absolutely love it!
hi GN team! thanks for all your guides/tests, you guys are reliable. little fun side note. It is good to have a sponsor, but a sponsor you can buy is even better. All Grilly is MIA, I struggled and found one supplier that had noctua's H2, alongside fighting to find a lianli lancool2mesh perf and corsair hx850i psu... I is incredible how buying all tech not only gpu is f... difficult.... even thermal paste guys!
I have not watched the entire video, but I am VERY EXCITED to see a case with these dimensions, that supports a fan at the bottom. I think this is a feature that is overlooked in nearly all cases, that can provide much-improved GPU thermals, as it is basically an extra fan that provided fresh air directly to the gpu.
Should I ever leave my self built case (that is a lot smaller with 3x 140mm and 3 120mm fans) then this would certainly be very high on my list.
Good review. Nice case. But, it would been nice to have seen thermal testing with the front panel filter removed and the bottom front fan adjusted lower to help GPU cooling. It looks like there is some room to move it lower before bumping into the power supply shroud pop-out piece. Perhaps Fractal should have shipped the case in that configuration.
The Kraken M22: "Basically a fire that's made out of water"
It probably would have been a better idea to include a multibracket instead of the drive cage. In the big cases there is plenty of room to install both, but in a compact case (that already has a dedicated 2.5" drive mount) the multibracket that can accommodate a pump, a 2.5" drive, or a 3.5" drive is probably a better choice than room for two drives. Plus the multibracket is certainly cheaper to make than the complicated drive cage and its removable trays and could have gotten the price point down a bit. There is barely room for the drive cage in the basement as it is because of clearance with the power supply cables.
Had a Meshify C, then last year I got the regular white Meshify 2 (thanks to Steve's review...) and I LOVE IT. So glad to see there's a compact version performing so brilliantly!
If you had to choose between the Meshify 2 Compact and Meshify 2, which would you choose now? I'm learning towards the Meshify 2 because I use a 360mm AIO at the front with 3 fans on it. But I feel like all the harddrive bays removed will just make it so empty inside.
@@billmuertos I’d keep the Meshify 2. the extra space means ever so slightly cooler temperatures, so fans can be kept on lower RPM (I keep mine at 400RPM during the day). But just go with what is good for your setup. The differences are likely minimal.
@@vintage0x thanks
I noticed in the standardized fans test section that the Meshify 2 Compact had the fans placed as low as possible, and in the original Meshify C review they were placed as high as possible. This is most likely the biggest reason for its noticeable lead in the GPU temperatures, when the CPU temps remain relatively unaffected, as the cooler still gets almost direct airflow from the upper fan. Not trying to be a hair-splitter, just something I noticed, as I've been researching the Meshify C quite a lot.
Also, with the standardised fan configuration, the GPU temps for the Meshify 2 & the Meshify 2 Compact, drop to within one degree Celsius of each other. With the stock setup (which uses the same number of the same fan (2x Dynamic X2 GP-14's) in the front of the case.) the difference reported is about 5.5 degrees Celsius. I was confused as to why this might be, but it seems there's a good chance that it might be because the fans were in a different position in the standardised test. I hadn't noticed this...I'm glad I read the comments.
They suggest the reason for the Meshify 2 compact performing worse, for GPU temps, is that the airflow from the front fans could be disrupting the functioning of the GPU cooler, due to the end of the GPU cooler being open to expel air. So...does lowering the fans counter this?
I'd like to see it tested again with a GPU with closed off ends (such as an RTX Titan) or with some kind of spoiler or obstruction in place to block air being pushed into the end of the GPU cooler by the fans in the front of the case.
I think, given that the Fractal Torrent looks like it's been optimised for GPU cooling, and given that there's almost certainly going to be a Fractal Torrent Compact (?) that a head to head between the Meshify 2, Meshify 2 Compact, Torrent and Torrent Compact (when/if the Torrent Compact is released), focusing on case-length/fan-proximity's effect on GPU temperatures, is definitely warranted (if not already warranted between the existing three (i.e. the Torrent, the Meshify 2 and the Meshify 2 Compact).
The GPU cooling seems to be the main feature of the Torrent, and given that the Torrent could be a trendsetter (for the positioning of power supplies moving to the top of the case in at least all mid-sized factor, air-cooled builds) the effect of a shorter case on GPU temps could be a key issue...
...that having been said, people seem to favour aesthetics over performance (so long "silent computing", hello RGB) so, maybe the market won't be able to support more than one top-mounted power supply case. Who knows. One thing I do know is that if I'm psyched about a product, generally it's going to disappear from the radar pretty quickly. Hoping that's not going to be the case with sensible case layouts for GPU cooling. I guess it remains to be seen.
Edit: ruclips.net/video/94l1c5dMRX8/видео.html GPU temps back up to a six-degree difference between the Meshify 2 & Meshify 2 compact with stock fans in the noise-normalised tests and the suggestion made that the difference in temperature is due to lower fans speeds...seems like there's a sweet spot to be found. Looks like it could be a bit of a balancing act.
Have the Meshify C, and it's a great case overall. Nice to see this is an improvement over it.
On original Meshify C there is latch or button under from panel which you push to release the front mesh. No need to pry it out forcefully.
I wait for Mini version of this case for mATX to replace Define R4. Although, it still serves me well so ... maybe I don't need to replace it until major system upgrade. WHich is not feasible in foreseebale future due to general product shortages.
Damn. Really tempted to upgrade from the og Meshify c lol
Same, I built my computer last year and I'm having trouble with the dust filters rn so I really want to upgrade
I know everyone has their own priorities, but I have the Meshify C and the only thing that is even remotely attractive in this new case is the extra inch of GPU clearance. But for me, I never go with high/top end video cards, so I imagine whenever I do upgrade my rig (currently have a 1070 Strix OC) I'm pretty sure there will be many cards that fit my budget and space reqs. A big point for me is it's over $100 and still no solid top panel option. I like the mesh front because it provides plenty of front to back airflow. I don't need the top panel open, as that's just another path for dust to get in and noise to get out. I was able to get the solid panel from a Define C for my Meshify C easily. Also for a mesh filter for the front, there are many companies/websites you can get custom sized, magnetic filters that'll fit the front nicely. So you could ditch the foam filter.
Edit:
I will say as of now, FD cases are the only game in town for me purely for the aesthetics. I am staunchly opposed to glass panels and it's nice that it's still a standard option on their cases. And just the overall quality finish can't be touched. I mean look at that Corsair case they just reviewed, that thing is so gaudy and cheap looking with that big, gray ring of plastic on the front and THAT'S $150?!
Same. I just built in a Meshify C a few months ago and these updates are exactly what I want. As far as the non-removable front filter, I just ripped that out.
Yeah, I am a very happy Meshify C owner. The only case could replace that is this. Nothing else. Let me point out that there are several other factors related to FD cases not mentioned or not stressed enough in the video: extremely good manual, beautifully manufactured edges (no scars on your hand), overall quality-product suggesting that the manufacturer listens and cares. This is what I feel.
Will you guys do a review on the O11 mini? seems like a really interesting case.
This.
It's basically a mini 011 dynamic
Why does no one make micro ATX!! I want to build in the 011 mini but I want it to look good with double rads in top in bottom without the gaps that itx brings
@@-Flea The O11 Mini actually fits ATX, M-ATX and ITX, so you can fit a M-ATX and 2 rads, I don't know with ATX if the bottom one would fit tho.
Please not another boring O11. Its a good case, but out of 10 guys 8 got a O11 RGB build.
Its literally a downsized O11, so it will be fine when you like the normal one.
I love my Meshify C but have some issues with it and I was super excited for this. All in all it lived up to my expectations of improvements and I'm looking forward for the white version to come out!
Nice to see all the credits to who made the video at the start, good to know it's not just Steve and a small army of Patricks
I really appreciate your testing of hardware. Were I a believer I would say you were doing the lords work.
I've always been adamant about 3.5" HDD cages but I've finally changed my ways. I repurposed an old, low power Haswell CPU and made a NAS box. It's kind of a nice setup because I can finely control file access by device. The box is just set aside in a place that I won't really need to touch very often beyond cleaning the dust out of the filters.
Thank you for all your testing, really interesting data!
I've noticed that as of lately GN is recommending BQ 802 for obvious reasons, but P600S from Phanteks seems to be performing similarly if not better.
The problem is, there is no word on it as there is no review. I feel like with the front and top panels removed it can perform similarly to P500A and since those are modifiable it's a direct competitor of BQ 802.
For me there is a gap, but the case is getting old so the chances on getting a review are slim. I would have gone with P500A, but there is no dust filter in the front (similar to many other mesh models), no fan hub to control those loud stock fans and no separate audio jacks.
Overall I think it's beneficial to make even a short review for a clear picture and many people will surely appreciate it even if the case is old. I don't know when Phanteks will make a refresh, but I assume it will be a year or two at least.
The discussion on 3.5 inch drive support is a really good thing to note. I recently had to get a new power supply for my rig in the old meshify c, I wanted I good unit and ended up getting one slightly over the size spec, to continue to use the 3.5 inch mount, I had to literally dremel the 2 slot drive cage in half, as I was only using one drive, to allow for enough space to fit all of my cables in the space where the second slot used to be. 3.5 inch drive support in compact mid towers truly is brutal in many cases, I had to mutilate my drive cage just to make it work. I suppose out of sight is out of mind, it works, I guess?
I went Meshify C back then, paint modded and kitted out with a full set of (7 Noctua for hers, 7 bequiet! SilentWing3 for mine, carefully oriented) and was very impressed with the temps and noise, especially after removing the foam filters. Can run all fans slower for noise and they always run cool.
With proper fans and foam removed (we dont have furry pets and their off the floor) ... this case still performs near the top of Steves lists.
Since then decided to upgrade my case size (the C wont nicely fit the Asus 3080 GPU I thought I would be able to buy, meh, still waiting), and we still wanted the Meshify design look on our desks ... yet because Fractal dont announce upcoming products (I kept an eye on their site) ... and Steve didnt 'mention any review was upcoming, I bought and paint modified a Meshify S2, and as the paint was literally drying ... Steve drops a review on the new Meshify S ... literally on the day.
I didnt know. I would have gone S2. I painted. I'm stuck with it. I'll make it work. Karma.
Would I go for this Compact? Not personally, a bit small.
What I like most with this new series is the front IO on the chassis instead of the front panel ... building with that hanging around simply sucks.
I really like the front panel bring hinged. The wife's has 3 plastic clips that have to be pushed in for the front panel to pop open so I can clean the fans it's kind of a pain in the ass. Also the motherboard cut outs for the cables is fantastic. Whoever built this clearly had builders in mind.
i approve this trend, most cases dont need to be so deep anymore since most people are moving away from hard drives and stuff like that
I sure won't moving away from hard drives for generic storage until you can get a 10tb ssd for like 150$ lol
@@The93Momo93 and thats fine. tho for the vast majority of everyday normal people that type of storage needs are overkill. i struggle to even fill up the 2tb of my nvme's
@@Aleph-Noll true, it took me 5 years to fill my 3tb hdd with anime, now I bought a 8tb one which should last me more 10 ish (unless there will be a quality revolotion again and filesizes double or triple)
I am glad Fractal continues successful product. Meshify C is fantastic
Used the Meshify C for a build in 2019. Installed three SSDs behind the mobo. Installed a Corsair RM1000 PSU. Removed the HHD cage and just tucked a HHD drive in with the cables. Have a Founders Ed RTX 3080 TI that almost touches the fan mounted to the front radiator. Time is the true test. The Meshify C has proven to be a whisper quiet solid build. Looking forward to new Gen 12 build with the Meshify 2 Compact that will add just a wee bit of extra breathing room.
I'm currently building that 12th gen pc with this case!
@@ericpaskach7431 Exciting. I ordered some parts and the Meshify 2 Compact this weekend. Cheers
@@ModdBoy let me know how the build goes!
Steve please review the P600s. I hear its a great case and especially for the price and how it performs and has good build quality.
I like the compact form factor, exactly what I was looking for. I realized that in my current case, the front part of the case is mostly empty, thanks to NVMe drives getting cheaper (+ cloud storage for extra - student perks so OneDrive). An ITX makes some things restrictive unfortunately (although I would want a compact case around that mark), so this is a step in the right direction for me, and I think for a lot of individuals going forward, except for archiving large amounts of data
Looks like a work of art. Beautiful and simple design.
I bought a Meshify C for my first build. For what I had originally, it was a great case. Now, with a bit of a bigger GPU and the need for better CPU cooling, I am having a few problems keeping everything in order ahahaha. I am probably going to switch to the Corsair 5000D Airflow next.
Really easy to build in and do cable management.
I wish there was a little bit more room in the front for a 3rd 140mm fan as it's almost big enough, but you cannot secure the bottom two screws for the 3rd bottom fan. Two fans looks weird if you have any type of LEDs on them.
Otherwise it's completely tool-less, which is pretty sweet. I love being able to remove the top of the case.
I have the meshify 2 case and its really good and I plan to do extreme watercooling. I recommend it to people a lot, and other fractal cases in general.
great review of the Fractal M2C, i will buy it accordingly to your video, thx man.
I have the Meshify C and it's an amazing line of cases. Great price, airflow, and everything.
sadly this case was 5 months late for me and fractal missed out on the start of the"new pc build cycle". I would have definitely gone for it as i had to bench the C due to GPU clearance
Heavy breathing for a moment when I saw the new case's front mesh, hoping it was compatible with the old Meshify C, so I could just order it and replace the foam-filtered default. Should've went with the P400A
I'm hoping for the same
So if you have more than 2 hard drives this is a definite no-go?
so I'm trying to figure out what's causing the power supply length limitation. the total length from the back of the case to where the front fans are is 341mm, if we assume the drive cage eats up 120mm, that still leaves 220mm for the power supply, no? so why wouldn't a 200mm power supply fit? if you're hard-turning the cables out of the power supply shroud, they can't take up more than 20mm surely?
owning an original meshify, i'm a little jealous now.
even in 2021 i think it is still one of the best looking cases out there, not too gamer-y but nice looking.
I've noticed that in your alternative recommendations in recent reviews, you mention the Silent Base 802, but not the Pure Base 500DX. Is there a reason to recommend the 802 over the 500DX, or is it just that there's too many good cases to make them all?
I just bought the Meshify S2 from Micro Center. They didn't have the Meshify 2. I still think it's a good case. I'm building my first AMD PC ever and I got super lucky because I literally got the last Ryzen 5000 series processor in stock at Micro Center, the Ryzen 5600x. Micro Center still hasn't gotten them back in stock. I'm so happy that there's a Micro Center less than 10 minutes from my house. Best store ever 😁
I've only had my Meshify C for 10 months but I want this 2 compact lol. I dislike the added height/length but it makes sense with these huge GPUs. Still, I love the changes to the front panel, including the larger fans.
By the way, with the drive cage removed, you can install another 120mm fan below a 280mm radiator for better intake.
i have 3 120mm's on the front of mine, kept the hdd cage, and have a 750w power supply. the only thing you really have to do is pop out a little metal panel off the shroud shelf above the power supply near the front. takes 2 seconds.
@@deepwaterlife48 Don’t know about the prospective airflow of that setup but don’t knock it till’ you try it as they say.
cpu idles normally around 30-35 c.
gpu idles normally 35-40 c
cpu under load normally 40-50 c
gpu under load normally 44-53 c
airflow has not been an issue for mine at least.
@@bobtheboneboy6531
At 21:33 you're talking about TD500 mesh right? Or is there no significant difference between the mesh and non mesh versions?
I wonder if there will be a mini version. Hope there will be.
Mini or Micro would be very nice.
I hope they will not short the case more, because then a front radiator and GPU wouldn't fit anymore.
@@alphastratus6623 previous meshify c mini was just a bit shorter in height
@@DmytroFranchuk Yea, sounds good.
Enough space for 280 in front and 240 in top and I will be very happy.
I wish reviewers picked a good fan and tested every case with the same positions, same fans, same rpm and then produce the results: dB, temp, etc. along side silly stock fans that many replace.
I used a Define R5 in my build (many) years ago, the stock fans were loud but the rest of the case is great. I replaced the fans with be quiet! Pure Wings and never looked back. Only the gpu is a little audible during gaming but I wear a headset anyway.
I'm disappointed, no more cases with external DVD bay. Sorry but even in 2021 I'm still using a CD/DVD/BluRay reader/writer. To be honest not so often but it is still useful. @Gamers Nexus no more good cases with external optical bay available?
The B roll at 3:46 ish is trippy because of the compression artifacts due to the mesh front pannel. At least I assume that is the cause.
I just built a new rig with a Lian Li Lancool II mesh, and I do like that this Fractal case isn't as long/deep. There is a lot of open space in the front of my case, even with the long 3080 in there. I wouldn't mind a smaller footprint now that this is my first build with no optical drives.
Hoping they do a head to head with the Meshify 2, Meshify 2 Compact and the Torrent to figure out what's actually going on with the varying GPU temps and whether it's really down to the proximity of the front-intake fans and whether their elevation makes a difference, through the potential re-positioning of a possible airflow deadzone. Does lowering the elevation of the fans (as in the standardised test) really cause the reduction in GPU temperature? Or is it because the fans they used for the standardised test are just more efficient?
My plan was to replace the front fans in a Fractal Torrent with three Akasa Viper R's, because Akasa Viper R's (if you believe Akasa's claims) push a higher volume of air (and directed, rather than scattered air) per decibel, at higher static pressure than the stock Dynamic GP-18's, and I can fit three of them (Viper R's) into the front of a Torrent. But if it's going to adversely affect my GPU temperature it totally defeats the point.
Edit: On reflection, I'm going to have Viper R's in the floor of the Torrent also, so probably not _too_ much to worry about? Given that the fans in the floor of the case would be a lot closer to the GPU heatsink than the front intakes, and directly feeding the GPU cooler fans.
Honestly, I personally wouldn't have a problem with companies getting rid of Hard Drive bays altogether. I have two M.2 drives in my personal rig, but it's made for small storage and gaming only pretty much. But if we're honest, if you really need like 4TB or more of solid storage, it would probably be better just to buy and set up a home NAS wouldn't it? Yes, it's about a ~$160 investment at the low end, which two bays, but it's easy enough now a days, I don't see a problem adopting that idea and cutting down on case size and hopefully case cost, with no HDD bays.
My Meshify C from 2017 is starting to show its age. I think the removable front filter is a huge improvement. I am definitely a fan of some amount of filters, but they need to be able to be cleaned. That combined with the front I/O redesign might just have me buying a new one.
I like the removal roof, but I will never go back to rubber grommet holes for passing cables over a cable bar like the Be Quiet 500DX and Corsair 4000D Airflow. I'm a bit pedantic about having cables line up perfectly, so force feeding them through a hole that doesn't line up with the coresponding port is a huge negative. Thanks for the thorough review, as always.
I have a Meshify s2 and the front panel mesh is removed easier than pulling on the logo, you remove the bottom filter and pop it out from underneath this put even pressure on the panel and will prevent bending the mesh.
I love my grey compact. I'm amazed at how well made it is. Although I did have to make a cut out in the larger plastic floor pan for cables.
Speaking of optical drive places in cases, has there ever been a tower with optical drive bay in the bottom of the case?
First of all, thanks for another excellent case review. I believe you guys are largely responsible for the shift to more airflow-focused cases that has occurred over the last couple of years. Kudos.
If I may make one small suggestion - while you do a good job of covering CPU and GPU temps with respect to air-flow and cooling, there is little that addresses VRM temps, RAM temps, etc. Of course, testing for EACH would be prohibitively time consuming, but might it be possible to add an average "case air temperature" to your testing suite? This could be done using the "Case Torture" test and measuring at a standard point relative to the MoBo (or even at the mid-X/mid-Y/mid-Z point of the case) and would provide valuable information for those concerned with temps of other components and/or relative performance of water cooling systems. Just something to think about. Keep up the good work!