Fractal Design Meshify S2 Black Dark TG Mid-Tower Review (Page 6)

Case Build & Finished Product

Since this chassis cares not one bit for those wanting 5.25" drive support, from beginning to end, or any time you view the chassis from the front, you get this look at an aesthetically pleasing design presented in mesh.

Using an ATX motherboard and an FE GPU for reference, it is easy to see we have plenty of room left. Using the 280mm radiator at the top did restrict the RAM height, but we could have gone with the front as well and used whatever we wanted to. Even with custom loops, and a reservoir hanging behind it, the chassis has a nice flow through design to help keep things cool.

The rear I/O cover is tight to get in, but solid once installed. The GPU slides into place level and locks solidly into the chassis with the thumbscrews. As for the SPU, once the plate is mounted to the PSU, slide it in over the four rubber feet on the bottom of the chassis, and send the pair of screws into the chassis.

Wires drop down the left side, except that the pair of fan cables need to cut across the middle to make it to the fan controller. The 8-pin cable tucks off to the right; we sent the GPU power leads through the PSU cover, leaving just a few things to hold in with the Velcro straps. All in all, a clean look if you are willing to put in the effort.

Stepping back with the panels back on the chassis at this time, we find that the Dark version is aptly named, as the view inside of the case is just that, dark. All we can make out is the GPU and its cables, leaving the Meshify S2 with a monolithic look with a touch of glass.

As seen, once powered, the fans are inaudible with the PC at rest. Even when stressed, the chassis fans only move into the slightly audible range at 35dB. We also like that the power LED slash HDD activity light is hidden behind the mesh at the top-right corner of the front bezel. However, adding power makes the GPU slightly more visible, but we can barely make out the NZXT LED head unit, so if a view of the components is what you want, then make sure to select the Black-TG version.