Fractal Design Meshify 3 (Black Solid) vs Phanteks XT Pro Ultra

Researched, not hands-on tested.How we review ›

all judged against PC cases at a similar price

The Fractal Design Meshify 3 (Black Solid) scores 7.2/10 overall, ahead of the Phanteks XT Pro Ultra at 6.7/10.

The Fractal Design Meshify 3 (Black Solid) leads on airflow and cooling, build and ease of building and noise.

The Phanteks XT Pro Ultra leads on space and compatibility and value.

Fractal Design Meshify 3 (Black Solid)

7.2/10verdict: good, not the best

The Meshify 3 Black Solid is for builders who want a mesh-fronted ATX mid-tower with strong airflow and a plain steel-sided look. It suits air-cooled and radiator-cooled builds where cooling matters more than a glass window. It's best for people whose graphics card fits within 349 mm.

Typically about £124.90 in the UK when we researched itSearch Amazon UK

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Phanteks XT Pro Ultra

6.7/10verdict: good, not the best

The Phanteks XT Pro Ultra is a mid-tower for builders who want a mesh-fronted case with fans already fitted. It suits people planning a large graphics card, a tall air cooler or a 360 mm radiator. It is less suited to anyone who puts quiet running or a rigid side panel first.

Typically about £76.99 in the UK when we researched itSearch Amazon UK

Affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Details

Scores, criterion by criterion

Criterion	Weight	Fractal Design Meshify 3 (Black Solid)	Phanteks XT Pro Ultra
Airflow and cooling	30%	8/10	7/10
Build and ease of building	20%	8/10	6/10
Space and compatibility	20%	6/10	8/10
Noise	15%	6/10	4/10
Value	15%	7/10	8/10
Overall		7.2/10	6.7/10

Specifications

Spec	Fractal Design Meshify 3 (Black Solid)	Phanteks XT Pro Ultra
Case type (mid tower, Micro-ATX, small form factor…)	ATX mid-tower	Mid-Tower
Motherboard sizes supported (E-ATX, ATX, Micro-ATX, Mini-ITX)	E-ATX, ATX, Micro ATX, Mini ITX	E-ATX (up to 280 mm wide), ATX, Micro-ATX, Mini-ITX; rear-connect boards supported for MSI Project Zero, ASUS BTF and Gigabyte Project Stealth
Maximum graphics card length (mm)	349 mm	415 mm; GPU width 184 mm
Maximum CPU cooler height (mm)	173 mm	184 mm
Power supply type supported (ATX or SFX) and maximum PSU length (mm)	ATX only, maximum PSU length 180 mm	Maximum PSU length 270 mm; bottom mount
Radiator support (e.g. 360mm top, 280mm front)	Front 280/360 mm; top 240/280 mm; rear 120 mm	Top: max 360 mm; Front: max 240 mm; Rear: 120 mm
Fans included and fan mounts	Three Momentum 14 included at front; front 3x 120/140 mm, top 2x 120/140 mm, rear 1x 120 mm	Four M25-140 D-RGB fans included; top 3x 120 mm or 2x 140 mm; front 3x 120 mm or 3x 140 mm; midplate 3x 120 mm; rear 1x 120 mm or 140 mm
Drive bays (3.5 and 2.5 inch)	not listed	5x 2.5-inch plus 1x 3.5-inch HDD, or 3x 2.5-inch SSD plus 2x 3.5-inch

Strengths and weaknesses

Fractal Design Meshify 3 (Black Solid)

+ Mesh front with GPU air guide and three fans fitted
+ Tool-less panels and captive thumbscrews ease building
+ Front, top and rear radiator mounts with brackets included
− 349 mm GPU length limit draws owner complaints
− Front radiator makes power cable routing harder
− PSU bay is ATX only, maximum 180 mm long

Skip it if:

Buyers with a graphics card longer than 349 mm
Anyone who wants a glass side panel to show off parts
Builders using a non-ATX power supply or one longer than 180 mm

Read the full Fractal Design Meshify 3 (Black Solid) review ›

Phanteks XT Pro Ultra

+ Four D-RGB fans included
+ Roomy: 415 mm GPU, 184 mm cooler, E-ATX
+ Owners praise cable routing and value
− Owners report noisy stock fans
− Side panel flex reported by owners
− Only two 3.5-inch bays at most

Skip it if:

Buyers who put quiet running first and don't want to deal with stock fan noise.
Anyone building a storage-heavy system with several 3.5-inch hard drives.
Buyers who want a rigid side panel.

Read the full Phanteks XT Pro Ultra review ›

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