A Closer Look - Outside

Right out of the box, you may notice that the Fractal Meshify S2 is quite a bit longer than it is high. The overall design is clearly based on what we have come to expect from the higher segment Define family, with clean, straight edges and a plated, brushed aluminium front door. The mix of materials is a step up from the previous Meshify as well.


As with all Meshify cases, the front is completely made out of mesh in a cool, edgy shape. You may remove the front panel to reveal two 140 mm fans set to pull air into the Meshify S2. In the rear, things are arranged in a traditional fashion with the PSU bay at the very bottom.


Looking at the main glass side panel, you may think it is not there at all. Unlike most other brands, Fractal Design has opted to tint the glass a bit this time around, which is different from the Define S2 with a basically clear glass panel. Another interesting aspect is the fact that the glass panel has been placed on a metal frame to secure it just like a classic solid side panel. This allows Fractal Design to offer the chassis both as a windowed and solid variant without having to worry about different tooling elements. The other side of our sample is completely solid as this is where you will route all your cables.


Looking at the rear, the PSU bay is equipped with a mounting frame since you will have to slide the power supply in through the back of the chassis during assembly. Above that are the seven vertical and two horizontal expansion slots. With the optional Flex VRC-25 PCIe ribbon cable and slot, the two horizontal openings allow you to present your high-end GPU perfectly behind the glass window, for example. In the very top, you will find another retail-grade fan—also a 140 mm unit set to blow air out the back of the chassis. This brings the total number of cooling units to a very respectable three.


In the top is a metal mesh filter that may be popped off by pressing the large button in the rear of the chassis. Underneath it, you will find the same fan/radiator mounting plate as in the Define series from Fractal.


The I/O panel is separate from the front cover, which means you may pull the latter off without having to worry about any wires. Here, you will find two USB 3.0 plugs on one and a pair of audio connectors on the other side. In the middle is a small reset button and a much larger power switch. You will also find a fully fledged USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C port here, which is a nice step up from the original Meshify chassis.