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: ua-cam.com/video/sRFzaveNkOs/v-deo.html And our Fractal Meshify 2 non-XL here: ua-cam.com/video/qTW2KHGzbM0/v-deo.html Watch our case reviews playlist: ua-cam.com/video/XsiffsT5li8/v-deo.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
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.
@@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
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.
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 :)
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!
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. 👍😊
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.
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.
@@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.
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.
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
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 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...
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.
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.
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.
@@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.
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 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 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?
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.
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 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.
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: ua-cam.com/video/94l1c5dMRX8/v-deo.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.
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.
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'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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
@@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 :)
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!
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
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.
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.
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
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.
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 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 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.
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.
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'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.
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 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 did build in this case, and had a Corsair 280mm Capellix AIO that I put into the front of the Meshify Compact with 140mm RGB fans, but my Asus TUF RX 6700XT and Asus ROG STRIX 3080Ti were both too long with a front radiator. Luckily I had a shorter Sapphire RX 6900XT in my other build and I did a card swap to move the 3080Ti to the other build. The 6900XT thermals weren't great & I returned the case for a full size Fractal Meshify 2 case with better GPU thermals. Otherwise I'd have needed to remove my 3.5" HD in the bottom to add another fan in the basement, where both a fan and HD cage fit in the bottom of the full size case.
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'm currently using a Meshify C with a front 240mm radiator for CPU, and a 120mm radiator for my GPU (Vega 64 LC), and although it's a bit cramped, and cable management was a chore, it's awesome. My GPU temperature is 65C after hours of load, and my Ryzen 5 3600 stays at, believe it or no, 35C while using the "silent" preset in MSI Dragon Center. Also, with an ATX board, it looks so awesome when it's full of components. One of the main reasons I got this case is because I hated how large cases look empty, and this is much more appealing to me. No space wasted, at all.
I got a discounted Meshify C, stripped out the front insulation, and added 3 Kaze Flex Slim fans to the front; works great for me. The Meshify 2 pretty much has everything I wish I could add/change.
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.
And because of that review, today i ordered Meshify 2 Compact, grey one. I found used one, with no signs of use for half price of the new one(with additional 2x silent wings 120!!!!). Good deal for Meshify C upgrade. Im upgrading my pc rn, r5 3600 got upgraded to r7 5800x3d, and i need new case so i can upgrade my 2070s to 4070ti(Meshify C wont fit longer gpus with front fan mounted, sadly). Good choice i made. Also i will sell Meshify C and silent wings for same price i bought M2C. Perfect!
YES! I have the Define 7 Compact (which I'll note GN never reviewed) and I'm pleased with it overall. BUT, I concur with MANY of the complaints here. While it IS beautiful and quiet, I had to add 2 fans to get a good positive pressure system. There IS NOT enough room for anything other than minimal and standard cable management. It's very tight. The drive cage is USELESS for ANY contemporary configuration. It only serves to take up space. If Fractal wants to provide options, make the universal mounts standard, and make the drive cage optional , not vice versa. I had to add a FUMA 2 to get resaonable temps with the define 7 compact. Maybe the Meshify will alleviate that .
I was considering the Meshify C. But I saw the Meshify 2 on their site, and figured I'd hold out for a C2. Glad I did. I think it's worth it, and a case is an investment as you can use it across multiple builds. For the performance and appearance, it's hard to beat.
Hey , would just like to mention , unless you're a cable management god or you don't use hard drives - you need a modular PSU for this one. I was unable to close the rear panel with my old PSU which had a ton of molex and other crap attached , it's not only the space around the hard drive cage/psu that's cramped , it's the clearance between the back of the motherboard and rear panel as well. I was able to close it with my new modular PSU after the case basically forced me to learn cable management. Having only the cables i need helped made the difference here as well - but this really is for me the biggest downside of the case. Apart from this , it's really easy to work with , but had i realized this earlier i would've went with the XL version.
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.
Sitting with a Define 7 Compact myself that I bought during Summer/Fall last year. I was a bit saddened you hadn't reviewed it, but what I REALLY liked was the alternative top panel (closed or holes) for it. I would've loved the same exact alternative for the front but that was the only thing really. Aside from that, I am one of those "moving into the future" trying to remove my old 3.5" drives and either go nvme or ssd sata's. I might "side-grade" to this case but it remains to be seen. My GPU in the Define 7 Compact runs at a steady 50-55C full load. Not sure if this would help that much given your numbers here. At any rate, many thanks for the review!
Glad to see fractal is changing things up rather than just retooling the same case with minor updates like manufacturers would do in the past (looking at you coolermaster). Doing so isn't necessarily a bad thing, but you limit yourself into a box by doing so, reducing the possibilities for adding new features or modifying case layouts. It's a cost saver that eventually has to be avoided in favor of retooling for real updates to a design. Keep it up Fractal
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.
I got myself a Meshify C with solid side panel a few years ago. Love it so far! especially the pop out front panel which helped so much with dust maintenance while having enough airflow!
I am all for removing hard drive cages all together, or keeping them in but adding some kind of anti vibration rubber pads to minimize the noise produced by hard drives. The noise is the sole reason I took all my hard drives out of every system. I'm willing to compromise storage space if I can have some peace and quiet.
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: ua-cam.com/video/sRFzaveNkOs/v-deo.html
And our Fractal Meshify 2 non-XL here: ua-cam.com/video/qTW2KHGzbM0/v-deo.html
Watch our case reviews playlist: ua-cam.com/video/XsiffsT5li8/v-deo.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
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
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!
"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 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 :)
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!
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.
👍😊
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.
I was waiting for this one, the removable top assembly is awesome
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?
"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.
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.
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
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
I'm glad they kept the steel side panel option for us boring people.
Amen
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 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 was just wondering when this case would come out yesterday, excellent timing.
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.
GN's "Defensible" roughly translates to "Damn Good" in Hardware Canucks
Or a full-blown pogchamp from Linus.
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...
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.
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.
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 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.
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
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 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.
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 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?
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.
this is the case I have been waiting for since the define 7 compact came out
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 have the Meshify C and I absolutely love it!
My Meshify 2 arrived just last night, so the timing of this video is spot-on!
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.
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: ua-cam.com/video/94l1c5dMRX8/v-deo.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.
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.
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'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 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.
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???
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.
Have the Meshify C, and it's a great case overall. Nice to see this is an improvement over it.
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.
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!
Hi Steve, i recently built my first system. And your case reviews really helped me to decide. Thank you.
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.
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 :)
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!
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!
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
“It’s just a steel box”
-buildzoid
lol keep up the reviews guys, great as always.
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.
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
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
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.
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
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 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 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.
Looks like a work of art. Beautiful and simple design.
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 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.
Thank you for all your testing, really interesting data!
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!
I really appreciate your testing of hardware. Were I a believer I would say you were doing the lords work.
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 C and it's an amazing line of cases. Great price, airflow, and everything.
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.
Glad to see it got a bit longer, hopefully that means longer gpu clearance since those bad boys are getting out of control.
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
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 did build in this case, and had a Corsair 280mm Capellix AIO that I put into the front of the Meshify Compact with 140mm RGB fans, but my Asus TUF RX 6700XT and Asus ROG STRIX 3080Ti were both too long with a front radiator. Luckily I had a shorter Sapphire RX 6900XT in my other build and I did a card swap to move the 3080Ti to the other build. The 6900XT thermals weren't great & I returned the case for a full size Fractal Meshify 2 case with better GPU thermals. Otherwise I'd have needed to remove my 3.5" HD in the bottom to add another fan in the basement, where both a fan and HD cage fit in the bottom of the full size case.
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'm currently using a Meshify C with a front 240mm radiator for CPU, and a 120mm radiator for my GPU (Vega 64 LC), and although it's a bit cramped, and cable management was a chore, it's awesome. My GPU temperature is 65C after hours of load, and my Ryzen 5 3600 stays at, believe it or no, 35C while using the "silent" preset in MSI Dragon Center. Also, with an ATX board, it looks so awesome when it's full of components. One of the main reasons I got this case is because I hated how large cases look empty, and this is much more appealing to me. No space wasted, at all.
I got a discounted Meshify C, stripped out the front insulation, and added 3 Kaze Flex Slim fans to the front; works great for me.
The Meshify 2 pretty much has everything I wish I could add/change.
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.
And because of that review, today i ordered Meshify 2 Compact, grey one. I found used one, with no signs of use for half price of the new one(with additional 2x silent wings 120!!!!). Good deal for Meshify C upgrade. Im upgrading my pc rn, r5 3600 got upgraded to r7 5800x3d, and i need new case so i can upgrade my 2070s to 4070ti(Meshify C wont fit longer gpus with front fan mounted, sadly). Good choice i made. Also i will sell Meshify C and silent wings for same price i bought M2C. Perfect!
YES! I have the Define 7 Compact (which I'll note GN never reviewed) and I'm pleased with it overall. BUT, I concur with MANY of the complaints here. While it IS beautiful and quiet, I had to add 2 fans to get a good positive pressure system. There IS NOT enough room for anything other than minimal and standard cable management. It's very tight. The drive cage is USELESS for ANY contemporary configuration. It only serves to take up space. If Fractal wants to provide options, make the universal mounts standard, and make the drive cage optional , not vice versa. I had to add a FUMA 2 to get resaonable temps with the define 7 compact. Maybe the Meshify will alleviate that .
I was considering the Meshify C. But I saw the Meshify 2 on their site, and figured I'd hold out for a C2. Glad I did. I think it's worth it, and a case is an investment as you can use it across multiple builds. For the performance and appearance, it's hard to beat.
Hey , would just like to mention , unless you're a cable management god or you don't use hard drives - you need a modular PSU for this one.
I was unable to close the rear panel with my old PSU which had a ton of molex and other crap attached , it's not only the space around the hard drive cage/psu that's cramped , it's the clearance between the back of the motherboard and rear panel as well. I was able to close it with my new modular PSU after the case basically forced me to learn cable management. Having only the cables i need helped made the difference here as well - but this really is for me the biggest downside of the case. Apart from this , it's really easy to work with , but had i realized this earlier i would've went with the XL version.
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.
Sitting with a Define 7 Compact myself that I bought during Summer/Fall last year. I was a bit saddened you hadn't reviewed it, but what I REALLY liked was the alternative top panel (closed or holes) for it. I would've loved the same exact alternative for the front but that was the only thing really. Aside from that, I am one of those "moving into the future" trying to remove my old 3.5" drives and either go nvme or ssd sata's. I might "side-grade" to this case but it remains to be seen. My GPU in the Define 7 Compact runs at a steady 50-55C full load. Not sure if this would help that much given your numbers here. At any rate, many thanks for the review!
I have the old Meshify C, it's perfect for air cooling.
great review of the Fractal M2C, i will buy it accordingly to your video, thx man.
Glad to see fractal is changing things up rather than just retooling the same case with minor updates like manufacturers would do in the past (looking at you coolermaster). Doing so isn't necessarily a bad thing, but you limit yourself into a box by doing so, reducing the possibilities for adding new features or modifying case layouts. It's a cost saver that eventually has to be avoided in favor of retooling for real updates to a design. Keep it up Fractal
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.
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.
I got myself a Meshify C with solid side panel a few years ago. Love it so far! especially the pop out front panel which helped so much with dust maintenance while having enough airflow!
I am all for removing hard drive cages all together, or keeping them in but adding some kind of anti vibration rubber pads to minimize the noise produced by hard drives. The noise is the sole reason I took all my hard drives out of every system. I'm willing to compromise storage space if I can have some peace and quiet.