The first motive behind constructing a Mini-ITX PC, in my thoughts, has at all times been to outclass the present consoles whereas preserving the system equally small. Nevertheless, the finest graphics playing cards and CPUs as of late require massive coolers and shifting plenty of air, so skimping out on thermals isn’t an incredible concept.
Enter Lian Li spinoff SsupD and its newest Meshroom S case, a flexible rectangular case (it technically helps ITX and full-sized ATX motherboards) with mesh on all sides, to ship correct cooling whereas preserving issues compact at 9.7 x 6.6 x 14.2 inches. Contained in the mesh-slathered shell is simply sufficient room for inventive and succesful ITX builds.
However the Meshroom S’ most tough problem could be its $160 value. This features a PCIe 4.0 riser cable (or you will get the case for $120 with no cable). However the firm’s earlier (and in some methods fairly related) Meshlicious case sells for simply $99 and features a PCIe 3.0 riser cable that, for a lot of graphics playing cards and motherboards, will ship about the identical efficiency. Let’s dive into this compact however sophisticated case to see if it might probably beat one of many sturdy opponents on our Greatest Mini-ITX case listing.
Specs of the Ssupd Meshroom S
| Kind | Mini ITX |
| Motherboard Assist | Mini-ITX, Micro ATX, ATX |
| Dimensions (HxWxD) | 9.7 x 6.6 x 14.2 inches |
| Max GPU Size | 13.2-inches |
| CPU Cooler Peak | 3-inches |
| Exterior Bays | X |
| Inside Bays | 2x 3.5″ HDD or 7x 2.5″ SSD |
| Growth Slots | Small kind issue GPU: 3 |
| Full size GPU: 4 | |
| Entrance I/O | 2x USB Kind A 3.2 Gen 1 |
| 1x USB Kind C 3.2 Gen 2 | |
| Different | 1x rear energy swap |
| 90 diploma HDMI cable | |
| Entrance Followers | None |
| Rear Followers | None |
| Prime Followers | None |
| Backside Followers | None |
| Weight | 8.1 kilos |
| Guarantee | 1 12 months |
Options of the Ssupd Meshroom S
My preliminary response to the Meshroom S was “Wow, it’s a mesh rectangle.” However as soon as all the panels had been eliminated, it’s clear there’s extra room inside than you would possibly suppose. That mentioned, it looks as if Ssupd lower some corners concerning the chassis’ structural integrity.
The Meshroom S by no means bent through the construct course of, however I used to be further cautious as a result of it felt like that was a risk. However, the panels are stable and snap into the case’s body simply. The case actually solely feels versatile when it’s disassembled.
Regardless of its dimension, the Meshroom S has a good quantity of house for storage gadgets. However set up requires extra work than normal. If you wish to set up an SSD or two on the prime of the case, you’ll must screw in an included bracket. Another choice is the underside of the case, however which means one of many drives should be coated by the ability provide with a view to match two. Lastly, drives will be put in simply above your GPU, behind the motherboard tray. However given how cramped the instances is even with an ITX motherboard, I’d advocate utilizing M.2 drives.
For a case that encourages you to get inventive, SSUPD forgot about cable administration; there are barely any cable tie-down factors. I used to be capable of cable handle on this chassis properly sufficient, however for those who plan on a customized water loop in right here, you could have to DIY some cable factors.
The Meshroom S’ design sports activities many similarities to the Meshlicious; the most important one being the help for various layouts.
The Meshroom S’ IO is fascinating, in that the ability button is situated on the rear prime of the case, whereas the 2x USB 3.1 and 1x Kind-C Gen 2 ports are situated on the prime entrance. The documentation the corporate despatched with the Meshroom S additionally states you’ll be able to take away the highest IO for those who want the interior house, probably for a big radiator and followers within the entrance. However that might be a fairly drastic choice as there is no such thing as a clean plate included. So eradicating the ports would depart you with a fairly large gap on the prime of your case.
Inside Structure
The Ssupd Meshroom S stands at 9.7 x 6.5 x 14.2 inches (LWH), which is simply shorter than the NZXT H1 V2. As I discussed earlier, there fairly a little bit of house inside (for an ITX construct, a minimum of), which made the construct course of easy, so far as SFF builds go. Most issues simply screw into the body the place it seems to be like they need to go.
Cooling within the Meshroom S is easy for those who use this chassis with an ITX motherboard – emphasis on the ITX wager. Regardless of its dimension, the Meshroom S may also match ATX motherboards, however you’ll must buy a 250mm riser cable, because the included one is simply too quick. And what I mentioned in regards to the case being pretty roomy would undoubtedly not maintain true for those who tried to suit a full-sized motherboard right here. Notice additionally that whereas ATX energy provides as much as 170mm are supported, for those who you an ATX motherboard, you’ll need to go for an SFX, just like the one I used for this construct.
The entrance of the Meshroom S can home as much as a 280mm radiator, however that requires the set up of one other bracket. Radiators as much as 240mm will be put in behind the motherboard tray, however watch out there as a result of there isn’t a lot room for the followers to soak up air there. Within the occasion you resolve to make use of an air cooler, a 120mm fan will be mounted on the prime of the case for exhaust, however it can’t be thicker than 15mm.
Since DIY liquid cooling has change into more and more widespread, SSUPD needed to make the Meshroom S prepared for these PETG tubes and water blocks. Nevertheless, except you’ve gotten the arms of a surgeon and the brains of a carpenter, I don’t see any practicality in working a customized loop on this case. Issues will get extraordinarily tight and one of many radiators should be mounted behind the motherboard tray for those who plan on cooling your graphics card.
Like most ITX instances, massive CPU tower coolers aren’t welcome. The Meshroom S solely helps coolers as much as 74mm (2.91 inches), so it’d be smart to go along with an AIO. Graphics playing cards then again are welcome in all sizes, as this chassis can match playing cards as much as 13.2 inches lengthy and 4 slots thick.
Testing {Hardware}
Our new ITX case testing {hardware} makes use of an Intel twelfth Gen “Alder Lake” 12600K, cooled by an NZXT Kraken 120 all-in-one liquid cooler. Our graphics card is an EVGA RTX 3050 XC.
Acoustic Outcomes for the Ssupd Meshroom S
Our acoustic check consists of three situations: We run the CPU at full load, the CPU and GPU at full load, and an optimized mode. The CPU full load check runs the CPU and case followers at their most velocity. For the CPU and GPU full load acoustic check, we additionally stress the EVGA RTX 3050 XC and set the followers at 75% velocity, as a result of in gaming the followers by no means run at 100% and are far too loud once they do.
For the optimized mode, we run the GPU fan velocity at 30% and run the CPU and included case followers on the lowest velocity that they are going to spin.
It needs to be famous that as a result of this chassis doesn’t embrace any followers, we’re solely working the CPU fan (and the followers on the graphics card) for these exams. Once more, you would mount a fan on the prime for exhaust. However since each uncovered aspect of the case is mesh, warmth accumulating inside (particularly with this modest {hardware}) shouldn’t be a significant problem.
Since that is the primary Mini-ITX case we’ve examined on this platform, we don’t have charts since there’s nothing to match it to. Keep tuned for extra compact case evaluations quickly.
For a case that’s all mesh, the acoustics outcomes had been what I anticipated: nothing too quiet, nor too loud. Issues had been silent at 34dB at optimized idle, 41dB with the CPU fan working at full velocity, and 45dB with the CPU fan maxed and the GPU at 75%.
Thermal Outcomes for the SSUPD Meshroom S
For the thermal exams, all case and CPU fan speeds are set to 100%. The Core i5-12600K is ready at a 4.3GHz clock at 1.12v on all efficiency cores, to make sure constant energy consumption throughout check situations.
In thermal testing, the CPU stayed good and chill at 53 levels Celsius and the GPU hit 67 levels Celsius. Once more, chances are you’ll wish to set up an exhaust fan for those who’re utilizing a high-end GPU and CPU, however for essentially the most half all of the mesh ought to go a great distance towards preserving your elements from getting too toasty.
Backside Line
The Ssupd Meshroom S is a cute ITX chassis, however it feels prefer it suffers from a Napoleon Complicated, making an attempt to do an excessive amount of. I’m all for versatility in a case, however the quantity of labor it takes to make the Meshroom S remotely completely different from a mesh ITX case is off-putting.
And the corporate hasn’t solved the primary problem with its earlier case: The Meshroom S comes with an L-shaped HDMI cable, crucial as a result of when utilizing a full-sized graphics card, the video ports are on the backside, and never very removed from the desk or ground. So that you’ll both want to make use of that HDMI cable to hook up with your monitor or, you probably have a setup that requires a DisplayPort for VRR, you’ll need to supply your personal angled cable, including to the already pretty excessive value.
That mentioned, the thermal efficiency is outstanding, and putting in our pretty modest and compact {hardware} was easy as a result of detachable panels. However don’t count on the construct course of to be straightforward if trying to put in bigger, extra highly effective elements.
For $160, I’d anticipated a riser cable for an ATX motherboard, or a minimum of one fan within the field. The corporate’s personal Meshlicious case, whereas not fairly as versatile, sells for simply $99 with a PCIe 3.0 riser cable. And for many, that cable provides sufficient bandwidth, except you’re utilizing one thing like AMD’s RX 6400 or 6500XT and their x4 interface, which will get mighty constricting at 3.0 speeds.
If the $160 launch value holds, most could be higher off spending that type of cash on a Cooler Grasp NR200 or a Lian Li O11 Mini, each of that are completely different instances than the Meshroom S, however higher total except you’re useless set on getting as a lot mesh as doable in your PC constructing life.