Fractal Design Meshify S2 Case Review
Final Thoughts and Conclusions
Fractal Design aims to keep their cases simple, with the latest features. The Meshify S2 is their latest addition to the Meshify line-up, that now provides one of each of the major sizes of cases from the smallest Meshify C Mini, supporting mATX and ITX, to the mid-range Meshify C, which supports up to ATX motherboards to the largest, the Meshify S2 which supports motherboards from the small ITX to the larger E-ATX. Supporting the larger E-ATX motherboards, means the case is larger, making more room for other components.
The Meshify S2 has support for the longest graphics cards (up to 440mm in length), and the tallest CPU coolers (up to 185mm). Additional cooling is provided by up to nine fans, three 140mm X2 GP-14 fans are included, or you can put in liquid cooling, in which case the options range from 120mm up to the larger 360mm radiators. No matter which cooling method you go with, the Meshify S2 will support it. Also, to make things easier, Fractal Design has included the Nexus+ fan hub, supporting three PWM fans, and six 3-pin fans.
As for the design of the Meshify S2, that is in the eye of the beholder. The front has a multi-angular design that might not meet everybody’s preferred design; I think it looks great, and gives it a different look compared to a normal flat front. The Tempered Glass side panel is one of the latest design changes, that Fractal Design has improved upon. Instead of using large screws to hold the panel into place, Fractal Design has instead put a metal frame on the inside of the panel that uses push-pins to secure the panel to the case; this tiny design change makes for a very nice and clean looking Tempered Glass side panel.
Throughout the review I pointed out a few small things that could be improved upon for the Meshify S2. This includes redesigning the Nexus+ PWM fan hub to support nine PWM fans instead of just three. Swapping LED fans for the plain case fans would also be a nice upgrade; however I can see many reasons to leave them plain case fans, allowing the user to swap the fans for the desired LED color. During the install, the only little critique I have is in installing the 2.5″ SSD on top of the power supply cover; there is too much space between the two SSD’s which requires you to use extra cables (or the included SATA power cable) to connect them.
One of the features of the previous model Meshify C, was the ability to purchase different color front panels. We reached out to Fractal Design to see if there is any plan to offer the same customization on the Meshify S2; currently they are considering it, however they are waiting to hear from the end users if they are interested in purchasing colored panels. So let Fractal Design know if you like the option of purchasing the colored panels.
There are four models of the Meshify S2, three of which are nearly identical with just a change in the side panel. Fractal Design sent us the Dark Tint model, part number FD-CA-MESH-S2-BKO-TGD. The other two similar models, one has a solid metal side panel (this happens to be the cheapest model at $139.99), and the other has a lighter tint to the Tempered Glass. For those that like white cases, the Meshify S2 is also available in white as part number FD-CA-MESH-S2-WT-TGC. All three models of the Mesify S2 with a Tempered Glass side panel has a MSRP of $149.99.
Legit Bottom Line: The Fractal Design Meshify S2 is a great full tower case, that has the options and features enthusiasts are looking for in a modern case. As with all cases, there are a few caveats, that you will need to decide for yourself whether they impact your system design.