Fractal Design Meshify 2 vs Fractal Design Define 7 vs. Phanteks P500a

[TheMickeyMoose]

I'm going to upgrade my PC later this year and I've narrowed it down what case i wanna go with to these 2 cases.

I like the storage options in the Meshify 2 as well as its ability to fit a Noctua NH-D15 air cooler. Does anyone know if the fans being loud is true with this case? I plan on putting 140mm Noctua fans in whichever case I pick so I don't think it will be a worry. Also does putting it in storage mode effect the thermal or air performance at all?

The Fractal Define 7 from what I've researched seems like a great case. My only concern is the lack of Airflow. Also can you take the door of the case off or is it better to leave it on?

I've also heard great things about the Phanteks 500a. The only things I'm worried about with the 500a are the slide cable grommets and the lack of an air filter on the front panel of the case. How have people felt about the grommets and does this case get dusty with the lack of a dust filter?

Anyone who has experience with these cases and could give me some tips would be greatly appreciated!

[mtono]

Phanteks is great. i just bought the p360a. have a look at their website. i think that the p360a is also big enough...i dunno...it was only 68€.

[Bad 💀 Motha]

Look at Phanteks, Lian-Li, BeQuiet

[TheMickeyMoose]

Messaggio originale di Miss Ann Thrope:

I recommend a Phanteks P500, which is what I'm currently using. It has two main advantages for air cooled builds: a full mesh front panel, and plenty of interior space for bulky coolers.

How do you like the sliders they use to hide cables? Also how much clearance is there between the PSU and HD Bay?

[Bad 💀 Motha]

Messaggio originale di Dumptruck:

Messaggio originale di Miss Ann Thrope:

I recommend a Phanteks P500, which is what I'm currently using. It has two main advantages for air cooled builds: a full mesh front panel, and plenty of interior space for bulky coolers.

How do you like the sliders they use to hide cables? Also how much clearance is there between the PSU and HD Bay?

Plenty of clearance, not sure you know how long the case is from front to back. And drives on modern cases tend to load in from the left side and plug in via the right side. Not sitting front to back like inside very old or cheap cases.

I'd look at a better case though.
BeQuiet Dark Case 900 R2 is extremely good and the internals can be swapped around if you'd like to have the case sit off to your left hand side and still have a nice windowed display of internals.

[mtono]

Messaggio originale di Bad 💀 Motha:

Look at Phanteks, Lian-Li, BeQuiet

what about fractal design? they were kinda famous in germany??

[Bad 💀 Motha]

I find them way too small. I like having alot of airflow and high # of fans in general, while having it also be quiet. Only thing I ever hear from my PCs is when the GPU really cranks up, otherwise it's just a low level hum from it, and only when you're within 1-2 feet on the actual tower. Even with my PCs having like 10 Chassis fans alone, not counting PSU, CPU, GPU; you wouldn't hear my PCs even running the CPU + GPU at 100% all day long; cause a room fan would be louder then my PCs.

And I don't like open-air breathable cases, they are too noisy. From that perspective, might as well just plop down your entire PC onto one of those open-air work-bench chassis.

[Kobs]

Messaggio originale di owl rly?:

Messaggio originale di Bad 💀 Motha:

Look at Phanteks, Lian-Li, BeQuiet

what about fractal design? they were kinda famous in germany??

I have a define 7, best case I ever had. Built with every possible little things you can think of, if you want to water cool the friggin top of the case is even removeable to easily screw in your AIO
The back has plenty of room to hide everything wide enough for any air cooler
It's a bit more expensive but it's the last case you will ever buy well worth the extra bucks
Btw, I had a meshify before that one

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qETBuMK4YI&t=323s&ab_channel=OverclockersClub

[Mailer]

Messaggio originale di Kobs:

Messaggio originale di owl rly?:

what about fractal design? they were kinda famous in germany??

I have a define 7, best case I ever had. Built with every possible little things you can think of, if you want to water cool the friggin top of the case is even removeable to easily screw in your AIO
The back has plenty of room to hide everything wide enough for any air cooler
It's a bit more expensive but it's the last case you will ever buy well worth the extra bucks
Btw, I had a meshify before that one

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qETBuMK4YI&t=323s&ab_channel=OverclockersClub

Thank you for helping me rediscover my current case which I could not pinpoint anywhere previously: the Define R3. Although pretty worn out by now, it has served its purpose very well. I will definitely look into the 7th version as an upgrade for myself at some point in the near future.

[plat]

Not the Meshify 2 but I have the Meshify C, I would not get it again. The airflow is not good, actually not as good as a Lenovo OEM gaming machine I had prev. You have to be extremely careful taking off the tempered glass side as there's nothing holding it in place once you remove the four metal screws. Plus, I can just picture cracking happening around those screws over time. Dust will collect in the front mesh and you might never notice.

This is a somewhat low-end case actually. It was purchased during COVID and there was no other suitable case model in stock at my area Micro Center. It's OK I guess but at this point I would look at other boxes.

Edited--to clarify

[TheMickeyMoose]

Messaggio originale di Kobs:

Messaggio originale di owl rly?:

what about fractal design? they were kinda famous in germany??

I have a define 7, best case I ever had. Built with every possible little things you can think of, if you want to water cool the friggin top of the case is even removeable to easily screw in your AIO
The back has plenty of room to hide everything wide enough for any air cooler
It's a bit more expensive but it's the last case you will ever buy well worth the extra bucks
Btw, I had a meshify before that one

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qETBuMK4YI&t=323s&ab_channel=OverclockersClub

How is the Airflow on this case? It’s seems like a great case, that’s just my main concern?

[Guydodge]

first priority when buying a case is airflow.mesh front good,solid metal/glass panel bad.
then size,mid size cases are not really a great idea seeing as cards are wider/longer than ever
and if your going air cooler with a higher end cpu the air coolers are ridiculously huge.

[Illusion of Progress]

GamersNexus has a review from late last year on some cases.

https://www.gamersnexus.net/guides/3630-best-worst-pc-cases-2020

I can personally mostly only speak for the Define R7 (might be the R6 actually but they are close) as my nephew used it recently. When I upgraded last year, my old platform (CPU, motherboard, RAM, and CPU cooling) parts went to him, and he took those and the rest from a Dell he's had for years and moved them into a new case. He liked the Fractal Arc Midi I have but we couldn't find it being made new anywhere, and he wasn't fond of the looks of the Meshify which appeared to be the closest thing, so he went with the Define. He wanted something understated looking.

I get the impression the Define is more for silence and an understated look than for airflow compared to my case (and the Meshify). That said, he has no issues with temperatures, but he's using a Sandy Bridge (cooler than CPUs of today) and a paltry GTX 650, so there's not much to worry about. I think he used the stock two (?) fans that came with the case, and they are quiet but probably of lower RPM as well.

He had no issues assembling it (I mostly watched and verbally helped) and the fan filters seems like they may be simpler to deal with for cleaning than on my case while (IMO) not looking quite as nice. Cases these days seem to use mesh now rather than older fabric behind a metal honeycomb.