Fractal Design - Meshify C Atx Mid Tower Case Review

We've received a lot of requests from readers to review the Fractal Meshify C, and rightfully then. The case combines three things nosotros've liked a lot recently: mesh front end panels, tempered glass, and the Fractal Ascertain C. We've been advocating cases with this manner of cooling for a while at present, similar the SilverStone RL06, and and so we had to put the Meshify through its paces in some real thermal tests.

Fractal's naming system is getting a piddling chaotic: the Meshify C is 100% a Define C TG with an angular, "stealth-inspired" forepart panel that looks "similar black diamond facets" (according to Fractal). It is a cool look, and it breaks away from the electric current tendency of plain, flat front panels in a mode that'southward reminiscent of the Corsair SPEC-04. "C" is the model and Meshify is the series; Ascertain cases focus on racket suppression, while Meshify cases (there's simply one and then far) focus on cooling.

Our review of the Fractal Meshify C tests the instance for thermals, noise suppression, and operation versus the Ascertain C (and other cases). The Fractal Meshify C can exist found on Amazon hither, with the Define C here, just and so we're all on the same page.

This review will focus almost entirely on racket and thermals. There'southward not much signal to discussing ease of installation or build features, every bit all of those were already covered in our Define C review. The tooling is identical, nearly, it just comes down to the paneling. View our Ascertain C review for the other half of the information.

Fractal Meshify C Build

The functional aspects of the case and the build process are exactly the aforementioned as described in our review of the windowed Ascertain C, which nosotros gave a "Quality Build" accolade. Information technology'south compact, well-made, and carefully designed. Check that review and the accompanying video for more than detail.

The only real difference is the front panel, which is black metal mesh backed by a thin foam filter and a plastic frame. The foam volition hopefully act as a very fine filter, preventing the open design of the case from diggings all the components with dust.

For some reason, the front I/O is also dissimilar; rather than existence attached to the chassis as information technology is in the Ascertain C, it's built into the front panel, an inconvenience we experienced in our Antec P8 review. The power push of our Define C was a little pasty afterward being in storage, and its LED had a broken wire, neither of which was a problem in the Meshify (mayhap that's why they changed information technology). The blueish power and HDD LEDs are adjacent to each other, subtly subconscious behind the front mesh.

The removable plastic top panel included with the Define C is missing from the Meshify, simply a magnetic filter is still included. Over again, in that location'southward none of the noise-damping padding constitute in Define models, equally the target audience for this case cares about cooling more anything else.

Case Test Methodology

We tested using our new Skylake example test demote, detailed in the table below. This particular configuration is brand new with the launch of the 570X & 270R. Results on this test platformcannot be comparedto previous case benchmark results, as the platform has completely changed.

Conducting thermal tests requires careful measurement of temperatures in the surrounding environment. We command for ambient by constantly measuring temperatures with thermocouples and laser readers. We then produce charts using a Delta T(emperature) over Ambient value. This value subtracts the thermo-logged ambient value from the measured diode temperatures, producing a delta study of thermals. AIDA64 is used for logging thermals of silicon components, including the GPU diode.

All case fans are manually configured to their maximum throughput using BIOS, so nosotros configure to an RPM closer to 1050 for a universal "tranquillity" testing. If a fan controller is present, we opt-in and test on multiple settings. This forces testing of case fan performance in addition to the case's air channeling and airstream design. This also ensures minimal variance when testing, equally automatically controlled fan speeds tin can reduce reliability of benchmarking. The CPU fan is prepare to 1100RPM (abiding) for consistency, and the CPU is overclocked to four.4GHz with a vCore of i.272V (abiding). C-States and ability saving states are disabled.

	Component	Courtesy Of	Price
Video Card	MSI GTX 1080 Gaming 10 (OC Mode)	MSI	$640
CPU	Intel i7-6700K @ 4.4GHz	GamersNexus	$300
CPU Cooler	MSI Core Frozr L	MSI	TBD
Motherboard	MSI Z170A Gaming M7	MSI	$180
Memory	Corsair Vengeance LED 32GB 3200MHz	Corsair	$200
SSD	Samsung 850 EVO 120GB	Samsung	N/A
PSU	Corsair RM650x	Corsair	$100
Case	This is what we're testing!	-	-

The video card is configured to run at 55% fan speed at all times.

Prior to load testing, nosotros collect idle temperature results for 10 minutes to make up one's mind the unloaded cooling operation of a case'southward fans and air channels. Thermal benchmarking is conducted for 1400 seconds (23 minutes), a period we've adamant sufficient for achieving equilibrium. The over-time data is aggregated and will occasionally be compiled into charts, if interesting or relevant. The equilibrium operation is averaged to create the beneath charts.

Load testing is conducted using Prime95 LFFTs and Kombustor "FurMark" stress testing simultaneously. Testing is completely automated using in-business firm scripting, and executes with perfect accuracy on every run.

Nosotros recently validated our test methodology using a thermal sleeping accommodation, finding our approach to exist most perfectly accurate. Larn more here.

Exam Configurations

We tested two configurations for the Meshify. Beginning, we did our standard course with the instance in stock configuration, exactly the same equally the Define C (both come with two Dynamic X2 GP-12 1200RPM fans, one intake and ane exhaust). Then, nosotros replaced the unmarried 120mm fan at the front of the case with 2 140mm Noctua fans. We did the same in the Ascertain C, but used the stock fans from the Meshify to ensure consistency, since even the best fans have some RPM variance. Finally, we took the forepart panel off of the Define C to brand it equally Meshify-similar equally possible.

Fractal Meshify C Noise Exam vs. Ascertain C

Nosotros originally reviewed the (plastic) windowed version of the Ascertain C, which may exist louder than the original case, but however has enough insulation to go along things pleasantly quiet. The Meshify has none. In its stock configuration, in that location's merely one fan backside the front panel, but information technology'due south directly exposed to anyone sitting in front of it, as are all fans added to the forepart or top. This is not the SKU to purchase for silence, the Define C is. 38.six dBA is technically noisier than any of the cases on our chart other than the Corsair 570X and SilverStone RL06 (both have iii front fans), but audibly, it'southward on the same level as the S340 Aristocracy (one top fan, one rear). The Define C with the one-time front end measured at 35-36dBA.

Thermal Testing

Although our review of the Define C was positive overall, cooling operation wasn't then impressive, especially in regards to the GPU. The stock fans are fine, simply the PSU shroud, face plate, and lack of more than than 1 front fan combine to keep the GPU from cooling adequately. Move the fan up and the GPU is hotter, motility it down and the CPU is hotter. The Meshify may not have completely solved that flaw, but it does allow the front intake to exhale freely.

Torture Test (CPU)

In the stock configuration, our torture test pushed the CPU 54.3C above ambient on the Meshify C. At that place's an unobstructed path of airflow from the front intake fan through the heatsink and out the rear exhaust, merely in that location'southward definitely room for improvement: replacing the intake with 2 140mm fans decreased the delta a full vii degrees, to 47.3C.

Since the stock fans and configuration of the Define C and Meshify C are identical, the merely advantage the Meshify C has is more than air available to the intake. Non only does this make its baseline temperature delta three degrees lower than the Define'south (54.3C vs 57.3C), but it also ways the Meshify benefits more from extra fans: the 140mm Noctuas only lowered the Define'due south delta 4.1 degrees compared to seven for the Meshify, widening the gap fifty-fifty more.

As a sanity check, we removed the front console of the Define C to make a pseudo-Meshify, which resulted in a CPU temperature delta of 46C. This is ane.iii degrees lower than fifty-fifty the Meshify, because there was no layer of mesh to go far the fashion of airflow. Fractal's washed a pretty expert job of designing a front end panel that cools nearly equally well every bit not having a front end console at all.

Compared to other cases nosotros've tested for the torture workload, 54.3C is a decent delta, competitive with the S340 Aristocracy and 270R merely outperformed by SilverStone's mesh-fronted RL06 (47.8C). With the added fans, though, the Meshify has the lowest CPU delta we've seen – but you could probably achieve similar by putting amend fans in the other cases, too. The bespeak is just that the Meshify has enough of headroom for improvement.

Torture Examination (GPU)

The GPU temperature delta was 57.eight degrees, and the Noctua fans only lowered this by ane.6C. The middle of the stock intake fan is level with the backplate of our GPU, so most air is pushed over information technology and sucked out the exhaust, leaving a expressionless zone between the carte du jour and the shroud. This is part of the price of such a compact case. Our 140mm fans were every bit high every bit possible in the top two slots, but users should experiment with different fan placements--for example, consider putting a lower fan flush with the PSU shroud to absurd the GPU, and a college fan affluent with the top of the instance to absurd the CPU. There'southward also a section of the PSU shroud that can pop out to fit a third front fan.

This is still a big comeback. The Ascertain's stock GPU temperature delta is virtually one.vii degrees higher, but worse than that, information technology didn't benefit at all from additional fans. One of the Meshify'southward biggest strengths in comparison is its power to calibration temperatures as fans are added. Completely removing the front console resulted in a 54.5 caste delta, cooler just still encouragingly close to the Meshify.

We merely have so much bandwidth to test so many configurations. This effort taught u.s. that, if you buy this case, information technology's worth installing a meridian fan (for the CPU tower coolers, if present) and a fan near the bottom (for the GPU specifically).

Compared to the other cases on the chart, the Meshify'southward GPU delta is near the height, and fifty-fifty the additional fans don't give it an edge. The RL06's delta is more than 10C lower with stock fans. Playing effectually with fan placement, using a radiator-cooled GPU, or maybe merely a differently sized graphics card would help, but these temperatures aren't dangerous--only relatively warm. Again. The Meshify'southward advantage primarily emerges and differentiates from the Define C when adding front end fans (to use the mesh).

3DMark

3DMarks's Firestrike Farthermost stress examination with stock fans put the GPU close to its temperature limit at sixty.3C to a higher place ambient, and the Define C was the aforementioned (inside variance). That'south just under the Antec P8. This is some other example showing that it'south not all merely well-nigh passive ventilation – another fan needs to find its style in the front end to actually aid in cooling. Information technology's a worthy $x buy.

Blender

Blender is a real-world production test, only for something lighter on thermals (only one component is challenged at a time). Deltas remained well within limits, the CPU at 40.2C (CPU rendering) and the GPU at xxx.3C (GPU rendering).

Without the extreme stress of a torture test, the stock Define C and Meshify C had CPU deltas that were roughly equal. The Meshify even so has the lower GPU delta, but the difference between them really increased from i.7C in the torture test to ii.4C. This is partially due to the GPU attempting to limit its temperature via clock speed in torture tests, but being immune to boost freely here.

Meshify C Conclusion

Nosotros liked Fractal'south C pattern last time we reviewed information technology, and we even so practice now. The Meshify C gets bonus points for directly addressing the thermal performance of the Define C, which was the only real negative in our review (and wasn't a dealbreaker). Fractal has avoided compromising on quality by simply adding a variation for everyone: the Define cases are quiet, the Meshify is well-cooled, the base of operations models are inexpensive, the TG models look good. We promise Fractal continues to Meshify-ify the other cases in their lineup, or maybe introduce a cheaper non-tempered glass Meshify C. As noted above, though, don't wait instant, huge thermal uplift only from the Meshify – add a fan or two to really leverage that front end mesh.

If drinking glass isn't a business organisation, SilverStone's Redline 06 Pro comes with four skilful fans and has ameliorate stock cooling for $75 (there'south besides a $100 tempered glass model, but we prefer the Meshify at that price). For systems with optical drives or more than two hard drives, the Meshify won't piece of work. For everything else, though, this is a skilful-looking, high-functioning bargain in the $90 tempered glass category.

Editorial: Patrick Lathan
Video: Steve Shush

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Source: https://www.gamersnexus.net/hwreviews/3061-fractal-meshify-c-review-vs-define-c

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