Fractal Meshify 2 Compact Case Review

Introduction Fractal Meshify series of cases has been a staple for builders ever since they hit the market in 2016 with its great cooling performance and unique angular mesh front panel. Since then we have seen many additions/revisions to this line over the years and today Fractal adds another case with the Meshify 2 Compact. The Meshify 2 Compact features the same iconic angular mesh front panel as its predecessors but comes with an updated I/O front panel that includes USB Type-C, tool less side panels, full-length PSU shroud, and a fully removable top panel. The Meshify 2 Compact comes in 5 different models which include: Black Solid, Black TG Dark Tint, Black TG Light Tint, Gray TG Light Tint, and White TG Clear Tint (will be available in Q2) all at an MSRP of $109.99. We would like to thank Fractal for sending us the Meshify 2 Compact for review. Fractal's Take on The Meshify 2 Compact The Meshify 2 Compact is a performance-oriented ATX case that focuses on flexibility and space efficiency to maximize component and cooling support in a minimal space with a bold sense of style. As a direct successor to the still highly successful Meshify C that first established the series in 2016, the Meshify 2 Compact boasts one of the most extensive lists of design improvements and upgrades to be seen in a single iteration. Features and Specifications Notable Features: Iconic angular mesh front provides filtered airflow with a bold, stealth-inspired aesthetic Room for GPUs up to 360 mm with a 240 mm radiator in the top, or up to 360/280 mm front radiators with GPUs under 305 mm Seamless TG panel with steel frame support and bolt-free top-latching mechanism Modular chassis design with removable top panel assembly opens up to fully expose the case interior on three sides Three front USB ports including one USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C with fast charging and speeds up to 10Gbps Full-length power supply shroud with two-part removable cover Technical Specifications: 3.5"/2.5" drive mounts 2 (included) Dedicated 2.5" mounts 2 included, 4 positions total 5.25" drive bays N/A Expansion slots 7 Motherboard compatibility ATX / mATX / ITX Power supply type ATX Front interface 1x USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C 2x USB 3.0 Audio I/O Power/Reset buttons Total fan mounts 7x 120 or 4x 140 mm and 2x 120 mm Front fan 3x 120 or 2x 140 mm (2x 140 mm fan included) Top fan 2x 120/140 mm Rear fan 1x 120 mm (1x 120 mm fan included) Bottom fan 1x 120 mm (requires removal of HDD cage) Dust filters Top, front, bottom Front radiator Up to 360/280 mm Top radiator Up to 240 mm Rear radiator 120 mm Bottom radiator 120 mm (requires removal of HDD cage) PSU max length 200 mm w/o HDD cage 165 mm w/ HDD cage (cages in max forward position; additional space required for front fans/radiators installed below the shroud) GPU max length 360 mm total 341 mm w/ front fan CPU cooler max-height 169 mm Cable routing space 17-28 mm Cable routing grommets Yes Fixed Velcro straps Yes Tool-less push-to-lock Top, front and side panels Captive thumbscrews HDD, SSD, and PSU brackets Case Material Steel Left side panel Steel or tempered glass Right side panel Steel Case dimensions (LxWxH) 424 x 210 x 475 mm Case dimensions w/o feet/protrusions/screws 412 x 210 x 455 mm Net weight Solid: 7.7 kg / TG: 8.1 kg Package dimensions (LxWxH) 552 x 320 x 554 mm Gross weight Solid: 9.3 kg / TG: 9.8 kg A Closer Look Upon removing the Meshify 2 Compact from the box, we find that we have the Grey with Light tint model. The grey finish complements the black front panel quite well and the light tint on the tempered glass side panel provides just the right amount of transparency. If you are a fan of a darker tint, there is a Black model that comes with a more tinted side panel. You may also notice that there are no thumbscrews on the glass panel as Fractal went with a toolless design with latches on the back of the case. We love this design choice as it makes for a much cleaner look and you don’t have to worry about misplacing the screws during your build. Like its predecessors, the Meshify 2 Compact includes the same iconic angular mesh which is unique to the Meshify line of cases. This adds some flair to the front panel that is often overlooked with a lot of case designs. The bottom left corner contains a mounted Fractal case badge with a brushed aluminum look. Directionally opposite to the tempered glass side panel, you will find a steel grey panel to match the finish of the case. Like the glass panel, the mounting mechanism is also toolless and located at the back. Following an examination of the back of the Meshify 2 Compact, you have your standard motherboard I/O cutout, PCIe mounting bracket, and room to mount a 120mm fan. It’s nice to see that Fractal went for a PSU bracket on the back panel. This makes installing a PSU so much easier, especially if you decide to keep the included drive bay. The latches for each side panel require a little force to pop them off. The Meshify 2 Compact includes a meshed top with the I/O toward the front of the case. The I/O for the Meshify 2 Compact includes: Two USB 3.0 ports Reset/Power button USB 3.1 Type-C port 5mm headphone/microphone jack The Meshify 2 Compact has four large rubber feet located at either corner of the case as well as a removable mesh filter that is stylized similarly to the front of the case. Once the filter is removed, you have access to four screws holding the 3.25” drive bay in place. These screws can be loosened to allow the bay to be repositioned or removed if you do not require it or if you would rather have more space for your PSU. Removing the tempered glass side panel of the Meshify reveals a matte black motherboard tray with room for a full-sized ATX board. The right side and top of the tray Fractal includes 4 rubber grommets as well as another on top of the PSU shroud. The PSU shroud itself extends to the length of the case and has some subtle branding debossed on the left side. Toward the back of the case, we find a pre-installed 120mm Fractal Design Dynamic X2 fan with a rated RPM of 1200 and a CFM of 52.3. In the front part of the case, we find two pre-installed 140mm Fractal Design Dynamic X2 fans, which have a rated RPM of 1000 and CFM of 68.4. From this angle, you can also see that the motherboard is slightly raised near the front, which likely gives some more room for cable management in the back. If you are looking to mount a radiator to the front of the case, the Meshify 2 Compact has room for a 360mm at the front of the case. Also, thanks to removable plates on the PSU shroud you can even do a push/pull configuration with some room to spare. Probably one of our favorite features of the Meshify 2 Compact is the completely removable top plate. After popping off the top of the case, the radiator bracket can be taken off by removing 2 screws securing it in place. Even with the top plate off, thanks to the all-steel construction of Meshify 2 Compact, it remains incredibly solid. This should make building in the Meshify 2 Compact a breeze, especially with installing cables at the top of the motherboard. Like the bottom of the case, Fractal also included a removable dust filter which can be accessed by popping off the top panel. Flipping the Meshify to the backside of the motherboard tray, we find a plethora of cable tied down points as well as three cable rails and 6 Velcro straps. The lower right side of the motherboard tray contains mounting points for up to two 2.5” SSDs. Below the PSU shroud is a pre-installed drive bay with the capacity to store two 3.5” drives. With the drive cage installed, you have enough room for a 165mm PSU. If you require a little more space, removing it will give you an additional 35mm. Along with the user guide, the Meshify 2 Compact also includes an accessory kit that contains: Microfiber cloth 1 x Motherboard standoff 8 x Zip ties 16 x SSD screws 8 x HDD screws 1 x Standoff tool 4 x PSU screws 9 x Motherboard screws 8 x HDD dampeners System Build and Installation The hardware included in this build includes: MSI X570 MEG ACE Ryzen 3900X with Wraith Prism Cooler 2 x 8GB G.Skill Ripjaws V 3200MHz DDR4 Memory Gigabyte RTX 2070 Super Gaming OC Corsair HX750i Crucial P1000 M.2 Drive Despite the Meshify’s small form-factor, it felt quite roomy to build in. This was mainly due to its feature of being able to completely remove the top plate of the case. This makes installing the motherboard a cinch especially when securing it to the top standoffs. I wish all cases had this capability because in a number of my past mid-tower builds, installing those CPU cables was a struggle. I also appreciated the ample amount of routing grommets around the motherboard and on the PSU shroud. This made managing my cables a breeze with a clean-looking end result. I ran into a minor issue when installing the side-mounted USB 3.0 cable. The angled grommet just did not have enough clearance for me to install the cable without it putting a strain on the motherboard USB 3.0 port. This was a slight inconvenience as there was plenty of room to route it on the bottom to my other USB 3.0 port on my motherboard. Thanks to the cable channels and included Velcro straps the build also looks extremely clean at the back and even behind the motherboard tray. Even though the Meshify came with zip ties, I did not need to use them in my build. Though if you went the RGB route I’m sure those extra tie downs and zip ties would come in handy. Like I do in most of my builds, I chose to remove the HDD drive cage to give me that little bit of extra room to work with and tuck away my cables. Final Thoughts and Conclusion This was the first Fractal case I have had a chance to get my hands on and I must say it left an exceptional first impression. From the moment I got it out of the box, the Meshify just screamed quality with its all-steel construction, well thought out case design, and innovative features. I enjoyed its overall aesthetic and the unique front angular panel provides visual interest. Of all the features of the Meshify 2 Compact, the removable top plate was by far my favorite. This made installing the motherboard a breeze and installing the CPU cables have never been easier. The Meshify also receives high praise for its cable management options by providing an ample amount of tie-downs, Velcro straps, and well-placed grommets. Consequently, I was able to maintain a clean-looking build, which is always my goal with these projects. Overall, the Meshify 2 Compact checks all of the boxes I look for in a mid-tower: quality construction, great features, and lovely aesthetics. I would recommend anyone looking to do a mid-tower build to check out the Meshify 2 Compact. Exceptional job, Fractal!

Fractal Meshify 2 Compact Case Review

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