Swedish PC hardware mainstay Fractal makes some great cases – in fact, you’ll find three of them currently on our Best PC Cases list. And the company is back with its airflow-focused Meshify 3 and 3 XL chassis. The cases combine the company’s iconic triangle-pattern mesh front with three 140 mm fans and a scooped air guide behind the lowest fan that is designed to direct airflow at your GPU.
Other interesting features and design choices include robust cable routing with dual-channel removable plastic cable brackets, and RGB fans (on some models) that plug into an included magnetic hub via a single cable.
| Header Cell - Column 0 | Meshify 3 | Meshify 3 XL |
|---|---|---|
Motherboard support | E-ATX (max 277 mm), ATX, mATX, Mini-ITX | E-ATX, ATX, mATX, Mini-ITX, EE-ATX, SSI-EEB, SSI-CEB |
Color | Black or white | Black or white |
Case dimensions (H x W x D) | 19.96 x 9.02 x 16.65 inches (507 x 229 x 423 mm) | 20.28 x 9.65 x 22.32 inches (515 x 245 x 567 mm) |
2.5-inch drive support | Up to 6 | Up to 5 |
3.5-inch drive support | Up to 2 | Up to 2 |
PCIe expansion slots | 7 | 7 |
Fan support | 6x 120 mm or 5x 140 mm | Up to 10 |
Pre-installed fans | 3x 140 mm | 3x 140 mm |
CPU cooler clearance | 6.81 inches (173 mm) | 7.17 inches (182 mm) |
GPU clearance | 13.74 inches (349 mm) | 20.16 inches (512 mm) |
Vertical GPU support | No | No |
PSU length | 7.1 inches (180 mm) | 9.1 inches (230 mm) |
Radiator support | Up to 280 mm top, up to 360 mm front | Up to 420 mm top, up to 360 mm side, up to 360 mm front |
MSRP | $139 (no RGB), $159 (RGB), $219 (Ambience Pro RGB) | $169 (no RGB), $189 (RGB), $249 (Ambience Pro RGB) |
Fractal Meshify 3, 3 XL first impressions
Fractal sent us the Meshify 3 in white and the 3 XL in black. I was able to spend some time with them, but didn’t have time to do a full build because of time constraints ahead of Computex. I was, though, able to take several photos, and the cases definitely have some interesting features. Some of those choices, though, lead to the frame feeling a little flimsy.
The main difference between the two cases is depth, with the 3 XL adding room for larger motherboards, lengthier graphics cards and PSUs, and larger radiators up top. The 3 XL also has mounting points for a side-mounted radiator or three more fans (behind a cover in the image above).
From the back, you can see the extensive cable routing options, with three removable plastic cable brackets to keep a plethora of wires in check. The 3 XL also has pre-installed velcro loops along the back edge of the case for wrangling the CPU power connector and an exhaust fan cable (if you install an exhaust fan).
Also shown here is the Adjust Pro Hub, which has what looks like four USB-C ports (two occupied out of the box), along with its PWM and USB connector. It’s a PWM and RGB hub that works with Fractal’s Momentum RGB fans, which combine both PRM signals and lighting controls in a single cable that terminates in a plug that’s physically identical to USB-C (but is not actually USB-C). Combining multiple cables into one is nice for simplified building and wire hiding, but of course, this locks you into using Fractal’s newer fans if you want to use the hub.
Fractal is touting the ability to change lighting and fan speed settings through a web app, with all the settings actually stored in the hub itself. This is an interesting move similar to what we’ve seen on keyboards that support VIA or Keychron’s Launcher. I much prefer this to the bulky (and often buggy) RGB and peripheral software from Asus, Corsair, Razer, and others.
You just have to hope Fractal keeps hostingits app for as long as you keep using your case – I don’t see that as a huge concern (Fractal has been around since 2007), but some might prefer software you can download and run.
Both cases feature a scooped-out area behind the bottom intake fan that is designed to angle airflow up toward the graphics card. This is similar to designs we’ve seen from NZXT and others. But where it’s typically a flat, angled slope, Fractal has used molded plastic to round out the shape in a way that, if nothing else, feels more in line with Scandinavian design.
The cases also feature some interesting elements designed to make component installation easier. Not only can you remove the top mesh panel (which pulls off the back with the help of a strap), but the entire top portion of the frame can be removed by loosening a couple of captive thumb screws.
This lets you mount a radiator or fans to the top of the frame from outside the case, then reinstall the top portion afterward. Likewise, the entire front fan mount section (and fans, if installed) can swing out on hinges.
While these are nice enough features, making these structural parts easy to remove results in the steel frame not feeling as rigid as I’d expect from Fractal (or any company making a case in this price range). I don’t think it is a major drawback for most people. Just know this case does have some noticeable flex.
Top port selection is pretty typical, with two USB-A ports, a USB-C (20 Gbps if your board has the appropriate header), power button, and a headphone / mic combo jack.
Do you want that without RGB, with RGB, or with Ambiance Pro RGB?
Fractal will offer the Meshify 3 and 3 XL in white or black, and there doesn’t seem to be a price premium for the lighter shade. There are, though, plenty of options for both cases: You can choose a glass side or metal (again, for the same price) on the non-RGB models. Paying $20 extra gets you the model with RGB rings around the fans. But if you want the Ambience Pro RGB model, which has the RGB ring fans plus an RGB strip around the front frame and along the side of the PSU area, that will set you back an additional $60, topping out at $249 for the 3 XL Ambience Pro RGB version.
As nice as the RGB glow does look on the high-end option, I’m not sure I’d pay $80 for it over the base / no-RGB model. Still, I try to never knock a company for giving us options. And at $169 sans RGB, the Meshify 3XL in particular looks like a nice airflow-focused option for big builds. That’s as long as you can live with its SATA drive limitations. It feels like this case is big enough to handle more than two 3.5-inch hard drives.
