Page 2 - Physical Look - Outside
If there is one thing I really like about how Fractal Design makes their cases, it is how well they scale up or down, at least in their Define lineups. This is not the first time we have seen a smaller version of their cases, and each of them do not look strange for their relative dimensions. Only when they are placed side by side do you get a Russian nesting doll effect. Similarly, the Meshify C Mini really looks like a scaled down version of the original Meshify C. We still have the small footprint and unobstructed airflow with its mesh front. The front panel also keeps its non-uniform mesh design with angular protrusions on the surface. It is a bit difficult to capture on the camera, though it is quite visible in real life. Similarly, we also have a glossy frame around the mesh front. Overall, it is hard to deny the fact this case is just a miniature version of the original Meshify C, but there is nothing wrong with it either.
Other than a non-solid front panel, the Meshify C also brought tempered glass to Fractal Design's cases and the miniature version sticks to this formula too. Held on by four thumbscrews, the glass is tinted and looks nice. Glass tint often helps with hiding small details, such as the interior cabling or mismatching colors. On the other hand, glass shows off a lot of fingerprints and smudges. Fractal Design has included a cleaning cloth to help mitigate this problem, though it will still require some tender loving care to keep it spotless. This case is classified as a mATX case and has smaller dimensions than the original Meshify C, though only slightly. With a height of 399mm, a width of 212mm, and a depth of 395mm, this case only differs in height and takes up the same amount of surface space as the original Meshify C. This should make the internal space large enough for even bigger components, as we will see later on.
Removing the mesh front opening is the same as the Meshify C. To remove the front panel, you must first remove the bottom air ventilation filter by sliding it out the front. Next, from the bottom you will find a small inserted area, where you can pop off just the mesh front for cleaning. If you want, you can also remove the frame around but, but I did not need to do so. As this area is intended to allow air to pass, we do not have any of Fractal Design's sound dampening material. Instead, you will see the mesh front panel is filtered by a finer mesh to ensure minimal dust enters at this point. Behind this mesh and filter panel are where you can place some intake fans. A maximum of three 120mm or two 140mm fans can be installed on the rails here. Fractal Design has included a Dynamic X2 GP-12 fan at the front for intake purposes.
Once again, the top-facing I/O is the same set and layout as the Meshify C. On the left side, we have a small reset button and two 3.5mm audio jacks; one for headphones and one for a microphone. In the middle is a large square power button. Finally, we have two USB 3.0 ports. While they are not marked with the standard blue connections you see on other cases, I can assure you these are USB 3.0. Unfortunately, there are no recent connectors like USB Type-C, which would have been a nice addition. Once again, a slim LED is located on the front panel, illuminating to show power status and hard drive activity. Finally, at the top you can see a mesh filter covering the top ventilation system. Rather than including the standard ModuVent system, you get airflow through here all the time. This mesh filter is held on by four long magnetic strips, and stays in place quite well.
The backside of the Fractal Design Meshify C Mini has no surprises here. On the left, we have the motherboard tray cutout. Beside it is the air exhaust area, where another Fractal Design Dynamic X2 GP-12 sits. I have to say it is nice to see quality retail fans used here, rather than some generic black fan. This place is capable of holding a 120mm fan or radiator. The exhaust fan is attached onto a bar mount so you can slide the fan up or down, depending on your clearance from other components. Underneath the fan area are five expansion port covers held in by thumbscrews. By now you can tell this is a bottom mounted power supply case, so at the bottom we have an ATX-size cutout for the power supply. This power supply cover actually comes off, as users need to install the power supply outside of the case and then connect the bracket to the case. The bracket is held on with two captive thumbscrews. Otherwise, you can also see the right side panel, which is also held on with two captive thumbscrews. There is nothing unusual about this side panel, but it does slide on and off easily without catching onto anything.
At the bottom of the case, we can see the foundation of the Fractal Design Meshify C Mini. Four silver feet in each corner protrude from the bottom, with rubber padding on each of them. This reduces the vibration created between the floor and the case. These feet are not tall enough to ensure adequate airflow in comparison to some other solutions on plusher carpets, but they should be fine for flat surfaces like tables or hard floors. As already mentioned, you can see the full mesh air filter. Spanning from the front to the back of the case, it is intended to protect dust particles from entering the case here, and into the power supply or to the rest of your computer parts. It is conveniently removable from the front, as we spoke about earlier. In addition, a sticker containing the serial number can be found on the air filter.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. Physical Look - Outside
3. Physical Look - Inside
4. Installation and Conclusion
