The newest entry into the mini-ITX case world is Meshlicious from SSUPD. And today, we’re discussing it in our SSUPD Meshlicious Mini-ITX Case review. SSUPD or Sunny Side Up Design is a new spin-off company. And just by looking at its name, Meshlicious is almost all about mesh.
That’s because this case ships with a single tempered glass panel. You can connect this tempered glass panel to either the CPU or GPU side of the case. For our SSUPD Meshlicious Mini-ITX Case review, we have the white PCIe 4.0 full-mesh version of this mini-ITX case.
And before we talk more about its features, specifications, and design, let’s look into its packaging and contents.
SSUPD Meshlicious Mini-ITX Case Packaging
A lot of people consider the product’s packaging and its contents important. So, we’re including these in our SSUPD Meshlicious Mini-ITX Case review too.
To begin, our white Meshlicious Mini-ITX Case arrived in a simple brown cardboard box with its name on it. Other than that, there’s nothing else of interest to see on the box.
Inside, you’ll find two foam spacers that hold the case in place. There’s also a plastic bag covering the product for added protection against fingerprints and scratches.
You’ll get a couple of unique parts together with the case for the two primary ways of setup. One will focus on the storage with a shorter GPU, while the other on a longer GPU. The latter can be up to four slots thick.
To help build your system, SSUPD included a detailed manual inside the package. They also included HDMI cables and a PCIe 3.0 ribbon cable for a horizontal GPU setup.
SSUPD Meshlicious Mini-ITX Case Review – Design and Functionality
Now, our SSUPD Meshlicious Mini-ITX Case review will discuss the chassis’ functions and its design style. We’ll first talk about the case’s exterior.
Working with the Meshlicious Mini-ITX Case is fairly easy for this type of product. And it’s all thanks to the easy-to-remove panels on it. Every side of the case, save for its bottom section, are all made of mesh by default. One side is an exception since it’s made of tempered glass with a slight tint.
It has metal push pins to hold the sides, and these stay on firmly then pop off easily when needed.
Right out of the box, the Meshlicious Mini-ITX Case instantly showcases that SSUPD definitely knows how to build great products. The product is made from steel with perforated panels and a fine mesh made of 1mm holes. Interestingly, these holes also work as dust filters for the case.
In addition, its panels are sturdy and thick which gives the case a massive feel to it. So to put it simply, we had a great first impression with the Meshlicious Mini-ITX Case.
Now when you look at the front portion of the case, you’ll see its interior easily through the fine mesh. Also, you’ll notice that there aren’t any brandings on the visible panels. With that, system integrators will definitely delight in this case should they opt to build with it.
The only branding you’ll find is a slight emboss along the case’s rear.
From the top, the panel appears just like the one in front and the sides. That’s because SSUPD included a USB-C and USB 3.0 connector that you can use.
The bottom section of the case isn’t mesh since it’s part of the frame just like the rear.
There’s a cutout for access to its GPU display connectors that are routed via the hole along the rear. Looking closely, you’ll see a collection of simple mounting holes for the SSD, as well as two rubber-ringed mount holes.
When checking its interior, the front allows for mounting two 120 or 140mm fans, and a 240 or 280mm radiator. Along the side of the GPU, there isn’t much else by default.
The case that we have is bundled with the PCIe 4.0 riser cable. The company folded this to accommodate the long, vertical GPU setup.
Its internal layout sets the GPU on the left portion of the case. It is also where you’ll have a mesh panel of the same quality and style. On the CPU/PSU section, it sports a well-framed, clean, and clear glass side panel.
When taking a closer look at the rear, the bottom-half is made specifically for the PSU on the motherboard’s side. You can opt for any SFX-L, SFX, or even an ATX unit for this. To its left, you’ll see a little opening to route the GPU display cables that you’re using.
Above the opening, you’ll see three expansion slots on the GPU side and the standard board cutout to the right. It’s possible for you to shift the mounting frame in the centre to decrease the room on the board’s side. The space will be for a 4-slot GPU.
Plus, doing so will also mean that you have to utilise an SFX-L or SFX PSU.
Taking a closer look at the base of the GPU section, you’ll see cold blue spacers here. These function as the mounting ports for the vertically-mounted GPU.
The company lets you install a three-slot card without having to bother doing anything in the area. If you choose to go for a vertical mount for short GPUs, this is the spot. It is where you’ll install the frame the extra storage will link to.
Looking closely, you can see that the company lets you move the GPU mount brackets down or up. This is before providing you with a total of three mounting holes to use. It means, you have to move the PCIe riser cable’s position too.
Here, we utilised the top-most position to have adequate room for the display cables. These had the PCIe riser cables bump into the motherboard frame when we routed these through the opening. It was all due to the angled 45-degree corner cutout.
As we continued exploring the top for our SSUPD Meshlicious Mini-ITX Case review, we noticed another set of expansion slots. There were a total of three of these in place.
Along the PSU bay, you’ll see a mounting spot for the SSD on the frame. Specifically, it’s facing the PSU’s side.
This is the one you can’t utilise if you’re opting for a full-sized ATX PSU. Then at the top of that, everything else appears pretty classic along the motherboard’s mounting spot. It’s the area with the lengthy support beam that’s pre-installed right out of the box.
All cables in the Meshlicious Mini-ITX Case are sleeved back and are of the default kind. The notable difference is that one flat cable for the 3.0 connector. This is in line with the I/O that you’ll have access to.
Key Features of the SSUPD Meshlicious Mini-ITX Case
Our SSUPD Meshlicious Mini-ITX Case review will now focus on the product’s key features. Let’s see what makes this chassis stand out from other similar products on the market.
Compatible with Radiators Measuring up to 280mm
The Meshlicious Mini-ITX case is an excellent chassis for liquid cooling. It supports a lot of radiators, including those as large as 280mm.
Support for Large CPUs – up to Four Slots
The tray of the motherboard works as a divider, allowing you to split the space for the CPU and GPU. This makes it possible for the chassis to support GPUs with thickness of up to 4 slots.
The GPU bracket can be adjusted vertically, allowing you to adjust the space for the cables connected to the GPU.
Keeps Components Cool
The Meshlicious Mini-ITX case is a high-airflow chassis with a small form-factor. Its design keeps components’ temperature levels low. As a result, your system performs at its best.
Supports ATX and SFX Power Supply
The Meshlicious Mini-ITX makes shifting from an ATX build easy. Since it’s compatible with both ATX and SFX power supplies, you won’t have to buy a new PSU.
Storage Drive Support up to Two HDDs and Four SSDs
Although small, the Meshlicious Mini-ITX can support up to two 3.5” hard drives or four 2.5” solid-state drives. This will depend on the size of the GPU that you install.
Specifications
While studying the case for our SSUPD Meshlicious Mini-ITX Case review, we learned a couple of things about it. For the case’s expansion slots, it has a full-length GPU of up to four slots. For its small form-factor GPU, it has three slots.
The case allows you to either use two 120mm or two 140mm front fans. This is good since you have options to use your preferred fans.
When it comes to its tempered glass, one is a 3mm-thick tempered glass panel. The other is a 1mm-thick mesh panel. In addition, it has a drive support of up to 2x 3.5” HDD with a small form-factor GPU.
Speaking of its front ports, the Meshlicious Mini-ITX Case has a USB 3.0 and Type-C 3.1 Gen2 port.
The case has a 2.5” drive support for two 2.5” SSDs with full-length GPU and ATX PSU. It can also go for three 2.5” SSDs with full-length GPU and SFX PSU. Or seven 2.5” SSD with SFF GPU and SFX PSU.
Dimensions of the SSUPD Meshlicious Mini-ITX Case
The Meshlicious Mini-ITX Case measures 245mm x 166.4mm x 360mm (L x W H). And, it has a net weight of 3.6kg and a volume of 14.67 litres.
Case Compatibility
The Meshlicious Mini-ITX Case is compatible with mini-ITX and mini-DTX motherboards. Though for the latter, it will require an extra 20cm PCIe riser cable.
It works well with a 120, 140, 240, and 280mm front radiator. This is up to 320 x 143 x 63mm (L x W x D) with fans.
The GPU’s maximum length for four slots is up to 336mm in length. Or, its three slots for up to 332mm in length and 155m in height. For a small form-factor GPU, it’s up to 211mm in length without the radiator.
Power supply type for the Meshlicious Mini-ITX Case is an ATX, SFX-L, SFX type. The PSU’s maximum length is 170mm ATX PSU with the front fan only. It’s also up to 160mm ATX PSU with upward tubing AIO, and 140mm ATX PSU with downward tubing AIO.
The maximum height of the CPU cooler with three slots GPU mode is up to 73mm tall. For four slots in GPU mode, its height is 53mm tall.
Hands-on with the SSUPD Meshlicious Mini-ITX Case
The performance of this case is one of the most vital aspects of this SSUPD Meshlicious Mini-ITX Case review. Here, we’ll talk about how well it performed and if it’s something worth purchasing for your system.
But before anything else, let’s begin with how easy (or not) it was to build with the Meshlicious Mini-ITX Case.
To start building, we had to open the Meshlicious Mini-ITX case. Its four sides popped off quickly, making the first step an easy one. We didn’t need any tools to remove the four panels.
The frame of the chassis felt nice and sturdy even without the side panels.
Next, we installed the motherboard which was simple and all we had to do was screw it into place. The case supports two component layouts – a small form-factor graphics card mounted horizontally or a full-sized graphics card mounted vertically.
Using the former allows installing a drive rail system for 3.5 or 2.5” drives. Installing a vertically mounted longer GPU limits the drives that can be installed. Only two 2.5” drives can be installed at the case’s bottom.
Once we finished the building process, we noticed that the mesh design allowed for better airflow than in other cases.
Despite its size, it was easy to build a PC with the Meshlicious Mini-ITX case. With its well-planned design, we think even newbies in PC building can work on this chassis with no troubles.
After having everything installed, we saw how tight everything was. However, the GPU area was still clear of the cables. Plus, we were able to adequately reach most of the areas around the motherboard without any issues.
Once done, we positioned the side panels back in place. It was an easy process just like when we took them off. Technically, the glass panel should be on the CPU side since this is how SSUPD shipped the product.
However, after consulting the company too, we also benchmarked the case with its glass panel along the GPU side.
Thing is, we were still able to view the GPU through the mesh on both the front and sides. And this is while the clear glass panel offered a good and clear view of the CPU section.
It means, any ARGB element your parts could have will still be clearly visible in this case. Overall, everything looked quite nice and appealing with the AIO installed too.
Of course, you can opt to switch panels around to display the CPU or GPU side with the glass panel. If you have the glass on the CPU side, you can clearly view all the hardware inside.
Now our build isn’t really the cleanest one around. But, if you’re someone who wants to go the extra mile with it, you’ll surely do a better job.
Yet even so, it’s still nice to see the system getting cooled with an AIO. And even with its metal mesh cover, you’ll still get to see the shine of the cooling system. That also goes for the RGB of your memory.
When it comes to the performance of the SSUPD Meshlicious Mini-ITX Case, we were able to yield amazing results. The mesh design of the case means that we were able to get plenty of airflow into the case to help keep components nice and cool.
We noticed we found little difference in temps when compared to our regular ATX builds, which is fantastic news because often ITX builds run much hotter due to the confined space.
SSUPD Meshlicious Mini-ITX Case Review Summary
We were impressed with the Meshlicious Mini-ITX case. Despite the size, it’s a highly versatile chassis that allows for easy building. Also, its excellent design gives it less limitations unlike similar cases on the market.
What makes this case unique is its full-mesh design. It functions as a dust filter while providing more airflow for the components to stay cool.
With its sturdy engineering and flexible layout, the Meshlicious Mini-ITX Case isn’t just another case on the market. It sets the bar for mini-ITX cases, making it easy to recommend. The case is an excellent choice for those who want a small build without sacrificing performance.
Now that you’ve read our review, do you want this case for your small PC build? To get the SSUPD Meshlicious Mini-ITX Case, it’s available for purchase from the company’s official website.
