Fractal Meshify 2 Case Review: Thermals, Build Quality, & Airflow Benchmarks

[@minnowshark]

I guess this is the best praise for any new case: "This case does not suck."

[@joemarais7683]

@@basshead. The price is completely in line with other equivalent sized cases, i.e. the p500a, O11 dynamic, etc. This obviously isn't competing with the $70 smaller cases like the p400a, the Meshify C already does that.

[@TestarossaF110]

It might not suck, but does it blow?!... (Nice case btw, I still like the lancool one the most though)

[@KamenMinkov]

But it has to, you know, suck air in.

[@billybobbob3003]

IT SUCKS

[@TheDeadfast]

@@KamenMinkov Not only does it have to suck, it also has to blow!

[@Dr.RichardBanks]

"But at some point you want to die." I felt that Steve

[@exeptMusic]

Its a very nice pun too lmfao

[@VeeeeryyyFaaaastSlooooth]

Motto for 2020

[@Dr.RichardBanks]

@@VeeeeryyyFaaaastSlooooth my other quote was better 💀

[@anirudhprabhu8521]

😀😅

[@WTP_DAVE]

This joke made me want to die

[@Tanjin90]

This company has super good customer service, bought my case from them in 2018, In Nov 2020 the tempered glass exploded on me when I removed it for cleaning. Contacted them and they sent me a replacement piece of glass for free no questions asked.

[@surviver5738]

That's amazing

[@adrianc6534]

yes, i dropped the glass on my meshify c and they sent me a replacement ASAP. i loved my meshify c so much that just ordered the meshify 2 to accommodate the RTX 4070 Ti that i just ordered.

[@NameyNames]

"Noise normalized thermal performance: actually very good." Awesome! Thanks to your review, this case now moved to the top of my list!

[@heretustay]

Fractal doing what my dad never could: listening.

[@PatTheSilent]

F

[@masterdftw4983]

Thats dark.

[@aku0217]

indeed

[@JohnSpartan-117]

Kek

[@Teatime4Tom]

"We've seen a major shift in how cases are designed." Give yourself a nice pat on the back, GN.

[@enrique6335]

No kidding, given the amount of clout GN has. I was just watching the RTX 3080 overclocking stream last night and was impressed with how people at Nvidia, EVGA and other partners were watching everything he was doing and either calling or texting him while live on stream.

[@microtasker]

@@enrique6335 Yeah, seeing Kingpin in the chats is a def rep reflection.

[@Weaver_Games]

Addressing the DROP ad I want to issue a warning to non-Americans: IMO it's not worth the risk of ordering from them. You can get hit with massive shipping, duties, and taxes, and the worst of all - DHL brokerage fees. If you're in Europe it can also take over a month for your in stock product to arrive. If you have to do a return YOU have to pay to ship the item back outside America. The hd6xx for instance might seem like a steal of a headphone but after you're hit with all these fees it could well end up costing just as much, or more, than the HD 650 it's based on and take 6 weeks to arrive. Buy with caution.

[@kriss667]

I am sad that buying from USA somtimes feels like they do not even want do deal with the old continent.

[@kineticman123]

Wait until you order a mechanical keyboard with a lithium ion battery from DROP and get slammed by a £86 tax because of the battery 💥. I speak from experience 😭

[@remasteredretropcgames3312]

Poor tech jesus. Put him on blast and the top GN comment sort of was forgotten. Dont worry bro. Its a phase. We still love you despite having to play the game like linus. Lately hes really owning it too, whixh is admittedly endearing.

[@roadsidepicnic7989]

@@kriss667 As an American, its the same the other way around too, whenever I want to buy something from Europe. Shipping stuff overseas is expensive.

[@SpaceFox93]

You can't even browse their website without creating an account. What's up with that?

[@PriceyBuilt]

Fractal were a breath of fresh air in the design stakes when they released things like the Define series - Quality built cases with OK airflow that didn't look like something a 5 year old dreamed up (looking at you Thermaltake). They rested on their laurels a bit though and let the rest of the market catch up and then pass them in some key areas. The Meshify 2 definitely looks like a return to form. Still the subtle modern aesthetic but now with objectively "good" airflow and some of the niggles of previous models fixed. This, and the XL version are well worth consideration, especially if you like the look.

[@Dr.RichardBanks]

"Its simultaneously too easy and too hard to pull out." I felt that Steve 💀💀💀

[@osirisgolad]

Fractal if you're reading this, here's another customer for a Meshify 2 Compact with all of the Define Compact and Meshify 2 updates included(please make sure I can squeeze in an NH-D15).

[@S3ANZ13]

^ this

[@robmaertens]

+1

[@ItsRossinator]

Haha no kidding. Built two pc's with the Meshify C, the NH-D15's fans are literally touching the glass lmao.

[@rezenclowd3]

Seriously, Meshify uATX like your old Define Mini: 6HDDs and 6 SSDs in the 5.25 slot...just like I have now+ 2 NVME drives. uATX needs to come back with storage.

[@erggml1887]

Me and my wife as well. So 2 cases. And +2 on the nh-d15 as well.

[@colt680]

New owner of Meshify 2. I can say this case works excellent with my rig. I particularly like the airflow it provides. Comparing to my old Define C, it is a little bit louder but now I am happy to see my graphics card runs at 68-70 degrees.

[@ipotato95]

I bought the meshify C and added 3 more 120mm fans all thanks to your review, absolutely love it and don’t plan on changing it soon at the nice price of $89

[@MrStevem121]

Cheers dude. Good timing. Purchased a Meshify S2 for a build this weekend but i'll return it now. Just ordered the Mesh 2 :D

[@robmaertens]

"Double as storage for GPU scalpers" Lmao 😂😂😂

[@enriquebroncales]

they deserve a large casse, they will keep gpu long time lol

[@anirudhprabhu8521]

😂😂😂

[@ztunelover]

I'm crying over here. That legit killed me 😂😂😂😂

[@rookiebeotch]

I immediately paused the video at this point to open the comments.

[@SparkY0]

As an aside, online scalpers (at least successful ones) tend to drop ship their orders and their bots automatically post a marked up relisting when they get one on order from a retailer. They don't actually ever see or handle the product in many cases. This helps them avoid the usless "1 order per address" limits.

[@theodiscusgaming3909]

"We've seen a major shift in how cases are designed" You've probably caused it lol

[@volkishelf1088]

And that's fucking great

[@nated4wgy]

Probably?

[@Joker-no1fz]

pretty sure he was hinting at it but does not want to seem arrogant.

[@teaser6089]

@@Joker-no1fz Yeah modesty is good, even though Steve has changed a lot, arrogance is never a good thing, even if it's "Deserved" it's never nice to see someone be like that

[@Joker-no1fz]

@@teaser6089 yeah most people hate narcissists and you can seem like one if you act arrogant because almost every narcissist is. personally ill never date or be friends with narcissist.

[@asmodeusml]

Bought be quiet! 500DX case after your review not that long ago. A truly terrific case with higher than average build quality in that price range.

[@omgpwnz1]

I am glad to finally see case makers finally returning to the idea that perhaps people need airflow in a case the new Silent Base 802 is looking nice, look forward to a review when the hit the market

[@BeB02090]

Fractal! Yes finally. It's been a minute. I have the the original MESH C in white, and thanks to your review decided to purchase years ago. Subsequently I subscribed at that time to this awesome channel! Per your advice, I replaced the stock with 4 120 upHERE RGB PWM fans and removed the dust filter additionally. I personally love this case. IMO a nice balance between form and functionality. My system runs cool and quiet. Thank you GN for all the quality content. You guys are much appreciated!

[@MofuRabbitt]

Decided to opt to get this case to replace my old 2011 one. Thanks for the review! Seems like a very well engineered and flexible case with good airflow and aesthetics, even if the increased price reflects all the effort that went into it.

[@samibenzina8181]

how is your fractal case now ?

[@comradeboutchnasty2142]

@@samibenzina8181 I've had a meshify 2 for a little under a year now and love it.

[@comradeboutchnasty2142]

@ٴ yes stock fans, they do the job for me

[@comradeboutchnasty2142]

@ٴ no worries, for reference I run a 1080ti and ryzen 5800x with an air cooler (cm212). Never have had an issue with the setup!

[@tehpanda64]

fractal are one of the only people still offering steel side panels these days. 10/10 would buy a gain (even though the glass side panel version was 30 dollars cheaper.....)

[@dm45lm]

The RGB version comes with 4 fans included and is now on sale from Newegg for $99.99 plus shipping. I think its an amazing deal on a solid case with 4 good RGB fans included.

[@bradridgway581]

@@zc3898 I think it's still a pretty good deal. I just ordered the normal size one.

[@vintage0x]

I love my meshify C. Truly a gem of a case!

[@Joker-no1fz]

if you do not care about rgb and remove the harddrive bay to fit bigger gpu yes. goes on sale a lot too.

[@paco9831]

I just bought one for my recent build, the best case ever

[@jdperfecto]

Same indeed.I got the one with the dark tempered glass on the side!

[@jpesicka492]

@@Joker-no1fz it has a hard-drive tray that blocks the gpu wtf? R u thinking of a diff case? I built mine 2 years ago and I don't recall removing anything like that....

[@Abdullerz]

@@jpesicka492 he's definitely wrong. The hard drive bay is in the basement of the case.

[@TSChingChing]

"So, it can actually double as storage for GPU scalpers" Wow, you're really not holding back any punches this time, huh?

[@coredumperror]

As they should be. Scalpers are a bane upon this community.

[@bsx132]

@@coredumperror Can't fault resellers, they're making 1.5x the retail cost. People do it in a lot of markets, it just happens to be looking worse now because of COVID and the short supply.

[@coredumperror]

@@bsx132 Of course I can fucking fault them. Scalping tickets is illegal for a REASON. Scalping video cards should be, too.

[@a.d.r6960]

@@bsx132 don't justify the scalpers by calling them resellers, it's disgusting also, scalping practice is illegal in every other market, some will even get you jail time

[@bsx132]

@Bill Soon I would use it if I could get one. I resell other shit and if you can make $250 on it, why wouldn't you

[@benputhoff9898]

I've had this case for a couple months and it's perfect. plenty of space for water cooling and air cooling, with the removable top panel making radiator mounting a breeze

[@alien_n7990]

Do you have an issue with high noise on front with 140mm fans?

[@Truckie1245]

Just purchased one from Newegg after watching this video... Its beautiful

[@DragonLabsScience]

With this video (and some other research), Steve convinced me to buy this case. Thanks for the great content!

[@fabiusmaximuscunctator7390]

Steve : At some point you want to die! "PC Hardware Philosopher"

[@chixofnix]

Hi GN team! I've been watching and enjoying your article and KZbin history as a relatively new fan of your work over the last couple months. I wanted to comment after finishing this video that I really appreciate and would encourage you to repeat the way you gave a perspective of where this case situates relative to others on the market today. The way you summarized it's strengths and price positioning in a "what cases you should be researching" form was a great way to cap off this review, and I hope you will keep doing this with future case reviews. Keep up the great work!!!

[@laurenchensdad9865]

"it's fine" popping champagne at fractal hq rn

[@jamiebishop9512]

As s 2 year Meshify C user, my only complaints were the lack of space for a front radiator with a long GPU, no space for a 280mm radiator up top and restrictive foam filter which I removed for massive improvement in temps. This case fixes all of that for me and I have ordered it based on this review. Thanks Steve

[@DreamingPhenom]

Hey, did you end up getting it the Meshify 2?

[@jamiebishop9512]

@@DreamingPhenom i got the meshify 2 xl. Great case

[@DinoFancellu]

What I like is that you can get them without glass sidepanels. I don't want to see the innards of my pc, yet 95% of case manufacturers seem to give little to no option to those who just want old school opaque side panels

[@McDudes]

yeah I dont understand this windnow + a million RBG that makes your room look like a circus or tivoli

[@jackforever6334]

First time getting my own custom PC, and was searching high & low for good looking and functional cases. Thank you so much for your channel and review on the list of cases! I've pulled the trigger and get the Meshify 2 case instead of others (e.g., Pure Base 500DX, CM TD500/H500M, or LianLi). I love the overall aesthetic and look on the Meshify 2, as compared to the other cases. The front panel looks beautiful, solid build, and clean look overall really makes it worthwhile.

[@cthuemmel1]

Love my Meshify C. 2 fans in the front, one in back, and one above the CPU.

[@bothellkenmore]

I agree this is ideal for an air cooled CPU with the option of 1 more front intake but not necessary. What Steve gets wrong about the top filter is that in this config the mid to front area of the top panel acts as a passive INTAKE for the CPU and the dust filter will be somewhat helpful for its intended use.

[@DreamingPhenom]

@@bothellkenmore I like a fan for the bottom intake. The floor is the coldest place in my room and it seems logical with air rising up.

[@zelkuta]

You guys have set the benchmark(ha) for reviews, but ya'll are at your best when reviewing things like cases. Nobody takes this as seriously as you guys. Seriously good work, will be picking up a new mousepad at some point with you guys. You guys are legendary, keep up the wonderful work.

[@TheVillainOfTheYear]

We have so many good cases on the market right now. I love Fractal and Lian Li in particular because they really seem to be the two to get function and aesthetics. Was going to go Lian Li next build, but maybe not so sure anymore.

[@Kippy8472]

Recently rebuilt my system into a meshify c mini. Not regretting it one bit, great thermals. No surprise that this model is even more customer friendly.

[@lowzyyy]

i like my meshify c, fractal makes some nice cases

[@Demertech]

Got an mb500 free from a local tech supplier because they were end of life

[@ztunelover]

That's what I have.

[@johnuferbach9166]

with this upgrade they fixed all the little annoyances though

[@vongdong10]

I agree although it could be a bit longer. Had to switch to slim 120 fans with my aorus extreme 3080

[@rookiebeotch]

I have an older fractal design case, it was beautiful when I first filled it out. It's been since 'modded' with a hammer and dremel for part fitment, with some parts mounted on the exterior. I'm hoping the meshify 2 (xl) will be a true successor.

[@conza1989]

I'm so impressed, I don't even know how you guys fitted this one in but thank you!

[@MaxxPlay99]

I want a Mini version. M-atx cases are so underrated.

[@KingFraggle]

I love my Define Mini C case, even if it's a bit on the warm side with the two included fans. Never understood why more people don't go for micro ATX, since it still has enough expansion for most people's needs.

[@znoozaros]

There's meshify c mini

[@MaxxPlay99]

@@znoozaros I have one ;)

[@MaxxPlay99]

@@KingFraggle Yes exactly! Have a C Mini too. 2 140mm budget fans in the front and much more airflow.

[@Luisml8]

waiting for te MicroATX version

[@shredman59]

Great review. My .02. If you need a larger case, HDD space, plenty of room, this is a great option. The build quality of Fractal Cases is excellent. I bought Define R4 and Define R5 years ago and both are still rock solid today.

[@papastanku7533]

I wish I knew this was being designed - I purchased a Meshify S2 in September and that front panel w/connected IO is a PITA despite it being a pretty solid (no pun intended) case

[@mneedes2]

Yep me too !

[@kylehagertybanana]

There are always cases being designed

[@Dexx1s]

@@kylehagertybanana Exactly. Once you have a list of must haves and buy a case based on that. IO connected to the front panel is something I'll never have on a case I spend money on.

[@LifeAsDane]

I’ve had a meshify case on my last build for about 2yrs now and love it.

[@christianloth7866]

Oh man...just yesterday I built a new system with a meshify s2 and really had problems fitting an alphacool 420x30 mm radiator with fans into the top, because for one it was around a centimeter too long and also it clashed with the heatsinks of the asus prime trx40 mb. And after lots of pain, sweat, tears and improvisation fractal releases the XL just one day after. I think I go into a corner and cry silently.

[@marktackman2886]

Dude Im feeling that pain for ya, ikes.

[@bfz_]

I wish they released a WHITE XL version!! Clear glass, white accents... nope!

[@seref139]

I'm trying to do the same thing albeit with the new Arctic Liquid 420mm AIO. Do you still have room for 3x front fans and 1x rear fan after installing the rad?

[@MaxDad7]

You could look into getting slim 15 mm fans like the ones from Prolimatech (That's what I have). Standard fans are 25 mm, so that will give you the 1 cm of clearance you need.

[@christianloth7866]

@@seref139 I'd say depends on the fans. I have two 140mm fans in front for intake and one 140mm in back for exhaust...a third one would clash with the radiator in top. However 3 120mm fans might work, no guarantees though.

[@oneofmanyjames-es1643]

Oh thank god a case review, no more CPU benchmarks! We're saved! Even though I'm already super happy with my Define Mini C, I will watch this review with great interest :)

[@MetalZoned]

Great matx case

[@oneofmanyjames-es1643]

@@MetalZoned It's a shame they don't do a steel side version of the Meshify Mini (I have to move my PC around a bit so glass is a risk), but Fractal do make some great mATX cases

[@Devo_gx]

“So it could actually double as storage for GPU scalpers.....” I burst out laughing at that one.

[@LaughingMan44]

Did you?? No way!!

[@ewoodley82]

After taking a look at the meshify 2 XL, I can't wait for the review, because I really like the look of that case.

[@cowthedestroyer]

I made the jump from the meshify c the the meshify 2 and i just gotta say damn i love it.

[@DreamingPhenom]

I've had the Meshify C for a few years and consider Meshify 2 for my next build. How is it doing? Also -- which edition did you get (Dark/Light TG, grey/black)?

[@cowthedestroyer]

@@DreamingPhenom Its great the only complaint i have is the over tightened screws but other then that its perfect i got the black solid side panel because tempered glass is cool for 10 mins then sucks after that i currently have 6 hdds and 2 sata ssds in it and it works perfectly i highly recommend it but if you want all the storage available and have a long gpu get the xl as long gpus will block a few slots for hard drives.

[@DreamingPhenom]

@@cowthedestroyer Good to hear, thanks for replying. Seems like a great case!

[@nismofreak33]

I have the first version of the meshify C mini as my current rig i built a few years ago now. Still one of the most impressive cases ive ever had the pleasure to build in. If anyone reads this, do not hesitate to buy this case, its amazing.

[@wayward03]

Seems pretty good, solves the main issue I have with the meshify c ( space constraints). Just because you can put an aio and large gpu in doesn't mean it'll less fun than reaching through an engine bay trying to grab that 10mm socket you dropped for the third time.

[@blech71]

I bought the smaller Meshify-C case based off the review on this channel. While it’s airflow commendable (not the best) it’s good enough and offers config options to make it better... I find the aesthetics to be way better than other options. I would think consumer base will find this as well and this case in the review today will have similar results and do very well. Great vid as always GN! 👍🏽

[@hquest]

Regular consumers: "nVidia was just a paper launch!" Steve: 0:15 "Nope, here's part of my stash"

[@ThatBlockyGuy]

Its okay Steve, you can admit it, your the reason all the companies are moving towards mesh front panels. Thank you for your service.

[@ThatBlockyGuy]

Oh and i just got my anniversary shirt in and i love it :)

[@chungushimself3712]

I wish GN held classes/workshops I could attend. Going from gamer to enthusiast is difficult with ONLY vids to study. LOT of different POV’s out there

[@Joker-no1fz]

im sure he would if he was omnipresent.

[@teaser6089]

I did go from gamer to enthusiast by watching video's But I get what you mean!

[@k3salieri]

You'll get there.

[@exodia_right_leg]

@makaroner that do be how it be

[@exodia_right_leg]

@T̲e̲x̲t̲ ̲T̲R̲A̲M̲P̲ ̲t̲o̲ ̲8̲8̲0̲2̲2̲ I think it's just the big 3 of engineering

[@YrarcOrg73]

I bought this case and have installed a Pro Art Z690 in it. I like it, but a negative surprise for me was when I installed the cheap 4 port serial card from my old PC in it. The PC card works fine in the bottom PCIe slot, but there is insufficient clearance on the outside to attach the connector. Unlike my old case the panel is recessed about 1/4" and it gets in the way of the bottom slot. So, I either have to go with USB serial ports or forgo half the PCIe lanes on my GPU by using the second slot instead of the 3rd. One thing I liked about Meshify was that it is made of metal on all sides. It is in my ham radio station and I need to keep the RF from the computer away from the radios, and vice versa.

[@auradzrts691]

Steve, there's no Meshify C2?

[@Throwaway-hj2rr]

It almost causes me pain meshify c2 doesn’t exist, other fractal cases are too big and the old design is really outdated (foam as filter, wires to front panel, too expensive in UK for what it is etc). Fractal, please, meshify c2 will save us! ;)

[@wimpyhugz_TGK]

It'll probably come out as the Meshify 2 Compact (if the Define 7 Compact naming is anything to go by).

[@auradzrts691]

@@wimpyhugz_TGK Hope so.

[@osirisgolad]

I'm also hoping to see a Meshify 2 Compact with the updates of the Define Compact and Meshify 2 included.

[@TheKingKongzZzZ]

I'm buying an updated Meshify C case if they make one. I wonder if there is going to be one.

[@KAAAARP]

Nice, I was just eyeing the S2 Meshify to buy for a build in january to march - this comes just in time for me.

[@snasty99]

build quality and design are really important imo. I think the Fractal Meshify 2 outperforms in those categories relative to the other cases mentioned, and performs very well with a few upgrades to warrant purchasing the Meshify 2 over its competitors

[@DiegoLaCruzF]

do u buy it? idk if i can go with this o the c 2

[@aaronchamberlain4698]

Cries in buyers remorse. I was in a Meshify C for a long time. Got it on sale and it performed well. Just moved to a define 7 a few months ago just because it the only case that held lots of hard drives and I use it for my Plex Server. This is what I truly want. Performance and easier to clean with the same number of HDD slots. It’s very much the same case. Looking at the dimensions and the design they literally took the CAD and just worked in the meshify filtering. Now to determine if I can trade them out without too much profit loss.

[@supersjeep]

Ah how I remember the days that my hardware wasn't choking on it's own heat, looks to the cooler master stacker in the corner of the room.

[@Synicaly]

Thank god Fractal still thinks about us HDD users that run their desktop PCs as a semi server for multiple things. I get that most people don't require them but this is one of the reasons that Fractal shines. They give you flexibility for many usecases rather than just completely negleting such things.

[@Lekgolo137]

I still prefer the meshify c, it's got the perfect compact size, about the smallest you can get in a traditional atx tower.

[@simonimbrogno2887]

:'( Meshify C2 plz

[@LocutusH81]

Mee too. I like how the C is not so deep. And ~320mm GPU space is plenty. And i was able to fit 3x140 in front, not convenient but still. I am wondering if it is easier to do with this new case, because altough they moved the connectors to the top, it seems still occupying space from the front fans.

[@lowzyyy]

How did u put 3x140mm at the front? It support 3x120mm, but 140mm...hm?

[@mihec87]

@@LocutusH81 how did you cram 3x140 into C..Any picture?

[@LocutusH81]

@@lowzyyy Tricky but it just fits :) Cant put picture here

[@Trigg3rHippie]

I moved my PC to Meshify S2 and I'm super happy with the results.

[@simoSLJ89]

20:50 WE WILL NEVER THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR THAT. [sorry for screaming]

[@BladesofElysian]

Just bought a fractal meshify 2 for my newest personal build. 4070ti, Ryzen 5 7600, looking forward to putting it all together in a couple days.

[@tofewnames]

I really like that we finally get some air focused cases without glas sides. GN, please test the be quiet! SILENT BASE 802 next.

[@rykehuss3435]

Yeah I'm basically only looking at this case for my new build. If you want mesh front and solid side, your options are basically just Fractal.

[@oxidizedolive]

I was looking into this case for my upcoming build. Glad you guys are covering it! 🔥

[@xe5433]

The only thing I hate about previous Fractal Design cases is how hard it is to pull off the front panel

[@marktackman2886]

I get scared everytime and also forget to take the bottom filter off everytime(almost)

[@bothellkenmore]

So you're saying you like that they fixed that in this one, got it.

[@biglee39]

The best thing about this case is the clearances. I have a Noctua ND-15 Chromax.Black and I need at least 175mm to clear it and not have the raised fan on the RAM cause interfereance on teh door. The clearances are huge in this case. I love it.

[@HazzyHaz]

0:15 so that's why all the gpu's are having stock shortages, you wanted to show them off inside the case and not even use them

[@TyNeePen15]

I have the Meshify C. It's been a really good case. But 2 things that drive me crazy are: 1) As you mentioned, the front panel switches are "tethered" to the rest of the case making disassembly a PITA if you just want to remove the front panel. 2) The front "screen" piece has a foam insert that does not easily remove from the mesh part for deep cleaning. The Meshify 2 seems to have corrected the 2 small quirks. With it's removable front screen and "un-tethered" front panel. I may have to look at this as an option for my next build. But since my PC almost never leaves it's home. I'd be more inclined to check out the XL version or the new Fractal North XL. P.S. I guess I forgot to mention a 3rd thing that I do not care for on the Meshify C is the way the tempered glass side panel is held on with 4 thumb screws on the side and the glass actually slightly over hangs the front panel instead of sitting flush with it. The Meshify 2 looks alot "cleaner" and seems to have a more premium fit & finish in my opinion.

[@Villanuevac4]

Well, I know what I want for Christmas now! Edit: My parents are making me wait for my RTX 3070/R5 5600X build, but hopefully I can convince them otherwise before prices get inflated because of scalping.

[@Filip1389_]

Jesus hair ? 😇

[@Joker-no1fz]

lancool 2 mesh argb better imo.

[@teaser6089]

@@Mogamishu But why

[@jpesicka492]

@@Filip1389_ Jesus was black tech Jesus is a racist term 😎

[@Marrrrtin]

@@Mogamishu And a partridge in a pear treeee!~

[@eeefeefeffasdf]

I feel like the fantastic amount of filtering too is also really important for consumers and is being overlooked. For a casual enthusiast, I dont have a system that absolutely needs maximum airflow for maximum performance. What I want is good quality, performance, and ease of longevity for use. If I dont have to worry about cleaning my PC as much or as often, that's a good value for a casual enthusiast

[@TheKuroshi]

That stack of 30 series cards is quite the flaunt of wealth in these desperate times. Not referring to Human Malware, just the GPU shortage despair, which has probably overtaken in financial impact on the average person at this point.

[@Joker-no1fz]

if amd crypto mining rumors are correct gl getting an amd card. in before idiots tell me you cant mine bitcoin on gpu not realizing there are other crypto to mine or ethereum is going proof of stake when ethereum classic never will and still makes a lot of money on gpu.

[@TheKuroshi]

@@Joker-no1fz I feel like the dedicated mining hardware is so advanced now that it shouldnt really matter, but pretty sure they'll sell out in a flash anyway

[@Joker-no1fz]

@@TheKuroshi some coins are asic resistant. coins can fork their algorithm if people make asics for them making the asic not work or mine like crap.

[@simonau7800]

I bought this case today bc of this review. Thank you.

[@kostasbezaitis2695]

17:21 Were you scratching your nose Steve??? :P Great review as always, as for the case, I think it can't justify its price. I can't think any reason to prefer it over Lancool II mesh, except availability which in my country, Fractal cases are hard to come by.

[@lowzyyy]

But you know, not everyone have access to lian li brand. In Serbia, lian li and phanteks does not exist

[@jpesicka492]

Well meshift c came out way before the lian li o11. I might have got that case had it been out when I build mine. But I love my white meshify c and there's no need to change it for me. Very versatile case

[@Lishtenbird]

Yeah, that part of the voiceover definitely got me wondering :D

[@SurplusMarket]

"It could also double as storage for GPU scalpers", love your vids, informative and hilarious!

[@eddieeaston791]

Fractal should really make an itx version of the meshify to compete with the nzxt h200

[@chads7796]

Yes, please. I loved the Meshify C Mini (mATX) and always wanted a ITX. I currently have a nzxt h210.

[@Gbner]

fully agree, my next case will be in the style of the h200. I don't like the tiny SFF cases but want to go smaller than ATX.

[@Wastedragon]

On one side - yes, i'd love them to. On the other - some gpu would probably still suffer (assuming they'd keep layout from the Nano case) almost as bad as in h200

[@chads7796]

@@owenrendall NR200 is nice (wasn't out when I built my 3700x rig), but I still would love an air flow focused ITX case aka Meshify 2 itx (basically a h200/210 with a front mesh panel). Agreed on the ERA that one is crap.

[@coryandrum]

@@owenrendall it's huge, it's basically an M-ATX case without the Mobo support, I saw it done. They need a new node 202.

[@pattondurio]

This is gonna be the case I get in a few months. I’ve been using the define 7 and I’ve loved it.

[@lonely_islander5014]

Waiting for the XL review.

[@LocutusH81]

What people do forget, is altough the meshify's are "only" in the 5-10th place in the noise normalized cooling tests, but they do offer a perfectly working dust filtering. Unlike other cases, that cool a bit better.

[@philipp-christopherdeeke2210]

Hmm, just bought the Meshify S2, didn't see this coming :( This one definitely has some perks over the S2, but I guess it's not worth buying a second one. It's also still sad to see that not even the XL has more clearance for RAM with a 280 rad top mounted. Corsair Vengeance Pro doesn't fit.

[@Freezetusk]

Look up pictures, the XL has MUCH more room above the motherboard than the (S)2 and unless you have an extremely thick rad or push-pull config it shouldn't even come close to the top of the motherboard.

[@philipp-christopherdeeke2210]

@@Freezetusk Might be, it's just what the manual says. 36mm max hight for RAM even in the XL version with 140/280 rads

[@Freezetusk]

@@philipp-christopherdeeke2210 Correct, first thing I did was check the XL manual and it indeed lists the same clearance. Though simply eyeballing the two side-by-side it's clear where the 10cm or so of more height has gone in the case. I would imagine the 36mm would come into play if your rad setup still, somehow, reached the motherboard with something very excessive like an Alphacool Monsta 420.

[@philipp-christopherdeeke2210]

@@Freezetusk Good catch, I didn't check the images, just the manual. I'll consider it if they release a white version later on. For now, I stick with the S2.

[@Kazejinsan]

Holy shit, finally. Expected this case for a while, didn't seem to find anything else with front mesh AND filter AND ton of capacity for 3.5 HDD's

[@bujaksha]

12:21 First I laugh, then I cry. Professional review with just the right amount of memes. Good work!

[@akeylawhite9217]

Just got the case, using in storage config as I have too many hard drives, dual boot 11/Manjaro, and RGB doesn't net me performance. Reconfiguring the case was an exercise in WTF but after getting it setup, I love it. Made me realize how freaking loud my main gaming system is, this baby is nearly silent.

[@KenS1267]

Did that page in the manual about "Remove Front Filter for Increased Airflow" have attention GN Steve on it somewhere? Just curious.

[@n.erdbeer]

For cooling this is obvious but isn't the dustfilter there for a reason?

[@KenS1267]

@@n.erdbeer It depends. The front is something of a dust filter to start with. Further a positive pressure setup will tend to reduce dust accumulation. Finally most enthusiasts know that you should open up your case and clean it regularly so having a dust filter that hurts cooling is of questionable utility. But I, who build systems to sell, would not remove the dust filter on this case. I'd show it to the customer and explain the option but I always assume the customer will do no maintenance and am pretty much always right. But that is the price you pay for not caring enough about your hardware to keep it dust free.

[@ianchristmas]

The old meshify c filter is great with a dog that fills the air with hair. I just replaced the fans and fun it all full speed. I'm old and don't like silent PC's anyways.

[@GeFeldz]

Probably my next case, good airflow, low noise and lots of space for spinning rust!

[@bromazepam781]

"...but at some point you want to die" Welcome to the last 28 years of my life, Steven.

[@yuri0r]

i am really excited for the next case roundup video, probably gonna pull the trigger on a fresh case based on that upcomming piece.

[@FenrirTheGray]

12:14 "It can actually double as storage for GPU scalpers" Ahahahahahahahahaha

[@careeruse7152]

I bought this right after this video. . . This is my first build since 2009. I'm still running an Intel i7 870 Lynnfield.....

[@vernacular3289]

15:13 "Removing the front panel averaged fifty-two degrees. Removing the front panel averaged fifty-two degrees." Déjà vu! I've just been in this place before. Higher on the sheet & I know it's my time, airflow.

[@floozytchi]

Still rocking my original Meshify C it’s a fantastic case! I’d still absolutely recommend it for the price you can find it in the UK

[@hollowknut9473]

This will probably be my next case if only for the 3.5" storage space. I get that people are moving to ssd and m.2 I have several myself, but can someone please think about the data hoarders out there or those of use running a nas and security system off a daily driver.

[@Scribblescrabbly]

Upgraded to this from the C. Zero regrets and was a lot easier to build in than the C.

[@DreamingPhenom]

I've had the Meshify C for a few years and consider Meshify 2 for my next build. How is it doing? Also -- which edition did you get (Dark/Light TG, grey/black)?

[@ichewwie]

it's just a matter of time before NZXT makes a mesh version of the H510 😂

[@TheMetalGaia]

Please? I have the H510i, and I love it, but airflow is not it's strong suit. Lol

[@madychap267]

I’m not sure if they’ve made a single mesh case yet. Honestly I always thought NZXT’s cases looked really tacky. Their coolers are nice though.

[@TheMetalGaia]

@@madychap267 tbh I need a mesh style case to support the Liquid Freezer II 280 I bought. Can't decide on one though.

[@madychap267]

@@TheMetalGaia I think Phanteks has some good offerings, but I've had nothing but good experiences with Fractal cases, so if I were to build a new PC, the upcoming Meshify 2 Compact would definitely be the way to go. It'll probably be a few months though.

[@TheMetalGaia]

@@madychap267 Yeah, whenever the Meshify 2 Compact releases I will be all over that. I can wait, still waiting to get a 5600x and a 3080 anyway lol.

[@SteveAkaDarktimes]

Fractal gets bonus points for offering a solid sidepanel version. seriously more Companies should do this. I hate heavy glass.

[@cedricjboucher]

why is the video not loading

[@creativestarfox]

The large HDD capacity makes this a very interesting case for DIY NAS builds I think. I'm looking to build a new TrueNAS system soon with about 8 HDDs and the way the HDDs are positioned will give them good airflow. Perfect fit for 8 HDDs in the "top" part of the case and some SSDs also at the bottom of back. Also the extensive filtering should make this a good option for a home server that you probably won't clean as often as a PC. Very cool.

[@ShaftShambler]

Wenn das die selben Halterungen wie beim Define7 sind fürchte ich das sie einfach zu fragil sind. Die Vibrationen würde ich meinem NAS nur ungern im dauerzustand antun. Dummerweise sind ATX Gehäuse mit vielen HDD Slots selten geworden heutzutage. Ich überlege schon nen Fractal Gehäuse zu nehmen und dann verstärkungen anzubauen.

[@lowrider007007]

How much air flow do you need though really? I've benched my system in a Fractal Define R5 with the stock fans on low/med/high using the cases fan speed selector, and all of the benchmark results came out the same, seriously, all the components were working within their thermal limits comfortably with a system that was practically silent, I think for many there is a lot of value in a near silent system vs louder systems with open front panels and increased airflow, there is balance to be struct obviously, but the value of a low noise case for some can be much more important than keeping a CPU/GPU a few degrees lower and has little to no effect on performance, it would be good if you could do a piece on low noise vs high airflow and the tradeoffs involved.

[@jamiebishop9512]

I often wonder if 10 degrees more is going to make a difference to the lifespan of components. I doubt it, and I am likely to upgrade within 2 years anyway. I do how ever have a reall OCD about keeping temps down but when it comes down to it I'm sure it doesn't matter.

[@theforge4591]

thanks for the review. I bought the Fractal Define C after your review few years ago.