Fractal Meshify 2 Compact Case Review
Final Thoughts & Conclusion
Fractal continues to weaponize the Meshify 2 line with the newest addition of Meshify 2 Compact. Meshify 2 Compact is a well-designed case that has a lot of features to make your build stand out in the crowd. One of the most memorable features of this case is the front bezel. The embossed angular design is eye-catching, to say the least. To show off your internal components, the Meshify 2 Compact can be purchased with tinted/tempered glass. What needs recognition, is the tool-less design panels on each side of the case. No more screws are needed to remove to open up your case. Just pull on the corner of the panel and it easily slides forward exposing components or cable management.
The construction of the case and the internal frame is extremely sturdy. The case itself does not budge when placed on the flat surface. This is due to the heavy-duty legs with rubber inserts. Another strong feature of this case is the removable top mounting plate for the fans and the radiators. The removable top plate also makes installation in a smaller form factor easier.
There are a couple of things to keep in mind when considering this case, the Meshify 2 Compact internal spacing should be considered when planning the build. If you are planning to mount a radiator with fans on top of the case make sure your radiator height with fans does not exceed the suggested 40mm in height. In my assembly, I ran into issues mounting my 240mm radiator with fans on the top of the case.
Another thing to keep in mind is the motherboard IO for reset and power buttons. If you have vertical IO ports on the motherboard, like in my situation, you might run into issues connecting them to the front IO of the case. I had to completely remove the motherboard from the case, attach proper connections and reinstall the motherboard back into the case.
Overall the case is amazingly easy to use and very stylish. There is plenty of ventilation in this case. The air is designed to be pulled into the case from the front and exit through the top and the rear of the case. Mounting SSDs and 3.5 inches hard drive is easy in here as well. The Meshify 2 Compact has two dedicated SSD spaced behind the motherboard tray and two potential spaces on top of the PSU shroud. (separate bracket sold separately). There is also a dedicated space for 3.5-inch drives but if you do not need the space for the drives the hard drive case could be removed.
Currently, Meshify 2 Compact is set to retail for about USD 110$, and based on my experience I strongly feel that this is a good price point for this type of case. Meshify Compact is selling for about USD 95$ so for an extra $ 15 you can have a new and improved version. You can now purchase Black and Gray versions of Meshify 2 Compact however White version of this case is currently unavailable and will be launched sometime in the Q2 of 2021. My experience with the case was exceedingly pleasant and I can highly recommend Meshify 2 Compact to any builder or modder that is looking for a new project to work with. Great case!
