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Fractal Meshify 2 Mini AM5 mATX Build
by Yonghong W Posted on: 11/20/2023Build Description
This was my first DIY build, and I went for a relatively middle of the road spec that's fairly well rounded and not optimized for any particular thing. CPU, RAM, and mobo were from a Micro Center bundle, while the other components were sourced wherever there were deals to be had. The only thing that is missing is a GPU, although the iGPU inside the 7700X has been sufficient in the meantime. The CPU undervolts easily, which allows it to draw only 65W compared to 144W previously and never getting hotter than 70C while only losing 10% performance. Meanwhile the iGPU overclocks pretty well, and was easily stable with a 500Mhz boost. The RAM ran on EXPO settings without any issues. I had originally planned for a 7900XTX and specced an 850W PSU, but my current plan now is to go with a lower end 7800XT or 4070 which has made the 850W a little overkill. In addition to a GPU, cooling will be upgraded with three more case fans, although for the current heat load the two fans are more than enough. The hard drive cage was removed to increase airflow for the expected 7900XTX, so the build uses SSDs only. Even with the change in plans, I'm not going to put the cage back in because it would involve unplugging and replugging the PSU, which is a bit of a pain to do. The room tends to be pretty dusty, and I have added a secondary filter to the front intake along with the built in filter from the case.
One downside with this build is that the mobo's PCIe slot is one down, so it utilizes the second slot. However, the case only has room for four slots total, and therefore it limits the GPU to sub triple slot widths only. Coupled with the relatively short spacing available for length (306mm with front fan, 313mm with slim fan, 331mm without), it makes finding a suitably fitting GPU somewhat difficult with how big they have gotten. The front panel cable is also just long enough, but it's under a bit of tension so another inch would have helped greatly.
One downside with this build is that the mobo's PCIe slot is one down, so it utilizes the second slot. However, the case only has room for four slots total, and therefore it limits the GPU to sub triple slot widths only. Coupled with the relatively short spacing available for length (306mm with front fan, 313mm with slim fan, 331mm without), it makes finding a suitably fitting GPU somewhat difficult with how big they have gotten. The front panel cable is also just long enough, but it's under a bit of tension so another inch would have helped greatly.
Favorite Feature
The CPU fan LED colors correspond to CPU temperature, which makes it really easy to see how it's doing
AMD Ryzen 7 7700X Raphael AM5 4.5GHz 8-Core Boxed Processor - Heatsink Not Included
Qty: 1
$287.98

MSI B650 MAG Mortar WiFi AMD AM5 microATX Motherboard
Qty: 1
$180.00

G.Skill Flare X5 Series 32GB (2 x 16GB) DDR5-6000 PC5-48000 CL36 Dual Channel Desktop Memory Kit F5-6000J3636F16GX2-FX5 - Black
Qty: 1
$0.01
Part of CPU bundle
Fractal Meshify 2 Mini
Qty: 1
$70.00
mATX, 306mm max GPU length
Thermaltake Toughpower GF1 850W
Qty: 1
$100.00
ThermalRight Phantom Spirit PS120se
Qty: 1
$35.00

Samsung 870 QVO 2TB SSD 4-bit QLC V-NAND SATA III 6Gb/s 2.5" Internal Solid State Drive
Qty: 1
$0.00
Carryover from previous computer
Western Digital SN850X 2TB
Qty: 1
$90.00
Main boot drive