It's a truly inspired design with a few short falls. Given that it's a Lian Li case it saddens me to hear to issues like rattling side panels, no anti-vibration hd mounting and 80mm fan's, and "a fan controller where"?. None of these issues have been present in Lian Li cases for some time, given the cost I certainly expect much better.
It was on my short list for a quiet slightly unassuming case (not sure that really applies), however I think I will go for the 2110 instead.
Shame really because a significant amount of innovation has gone into this case, I hope that Lian Li can use your review to further perfect a great entry to the HTPC case line-up.
nice case....but i cant help but feel that bit-tech go out of their way to find small flaws when reviewing lian li over any other case they might look at, that might just be my tainted perception as i am a lian li fan boy.
overall i like the case, but i agree with bit-tech's scepticism in the cases ability to 'fit' in with existing furniture and flaw standing speakers....
why on a nice high end case are the fan cables not sleeved?
also, when are case manufactures going to stop using beige cables for the front port connectors and use black ones?
cor! It's a bit of a stunner isn't it? I'm slightly worried by the distance from the PSU to the hraddrives, plus is there enough room to install a radiator in the front?
But the main reason I'm not running off to find a supplier right away is:
£200!
bloody hell, that's enough to buy a mini laptop.
but still...
Originally Posted by mrb_no1 nice case....but i cant help but feel that bit-tech go out of their way to find small flaws when reviewing lian li over any other case they might look at, that might just be my tainted perception as i am a lian li fan boy.
It's their job to be objective, can you imagine the nightmare we would all have if we had to depend on reviews from fanboy's. There are way to many sites already that would not know what the word objective means even if it smacked them in the mouth!. BT are about the only ones left giving a true representation of a products value and worth.
Before I found BT god only knows how many PC related item's I bought based on site reviews, only to find a vastly different product than they described.......*cough*Madshrimps*cough
Although I like a lot of things about this case, I really can't see it as a suitable HTPC case. It's just too tall and imposing. To me HTPC cases should either blend in with/complement your other Hi-Fi gear etc or be easy to keep out of sight. This is neither of those, not even close. I have large floor standing front speakers and this would look silly next to them, as though it was some tall metal sub woofer or something. The side access drive bays wouldn't work at all for me either. My HTPC is slotted in the gap between my Hi-Fi rack an a wall, where it blends in and is out of the way. I've got no hope of accessing the sides in a hurry. I can see this being an issue for many people wanting to use it as an HTPC case.
On top of all that, it's extremely expensive and doesn't seem to be finished to Lian Li's usual high standards.
It's got some nice plus points but far too many minus points for me.
Personally, i think that HTPCs shouldn't be seen or heard - they should hide beneath your TV along with the Xbox and 5.1 amp. Just to answer some quick questions...
Nope you can't mount a radiator in the front without some modification.
The mesh section above the PSU is for nothing - there are no screw mounts, or rails supporting a radiator or extra PSU - it's dead space.
We're objective as we can be here at bit-tech. We know there's a lot choice in the case market, so have to be thorough when looking at cases. For the price premium, we expect the best, and whilst the PC-X2000 delivered in some areas (it is beautiful and a stonking performer), you don't expect so many minor design oversights in a high end case.
Mirroring some of the other comments here, I have to agree that this is not a HTPC case based on size and appearance.
The noise (or lack of) factor is important and from that point of view this would be a good HTPC case... now if they can take the silent running and incorporate it into a case that looks like other HT components and is similarily sized then I would expect they would have a winner.
Nice review! I had been waiting for a review of the X2000 because IMHO it's quite a different case (to the usual norm).
The only thing missing (for me) was that the PC-B25 heat results weren't on the comparison list. With the risk of being severely off-topic: which is the quieter and/or cooler case, the Lancool K7 or the Lian-Li PC-B25? Does anyone know?
I have wanted a case that has the bays on the side for years but after seeing this wasteful layout I am rethinking the whole idea. The case is huge and way larger then it needs to be. People are going to have a hard time fitting this into an entertainment unit to use it as a HTPC. Really the idea would work better as a desktop but it is way too tall to use in that form. Overall a fail in my book.
Sure there is loads of space, surely its far too tall - why don't they have the hard drive section behind the motherboard with the hdds flat or something; taking 30cm off the height of the case but making it 5cm wider?!
I have the Lian Li PC-P80 (black version) and despite what people say you really dont know how great it is until you actually see it with your own eyes. LIAN LI ROCKZ KEEP IT GOIN YEZZ!
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It's a truly inspired design with a few short falls. Given that it's a Lian Li case it saddens me to hear to issues like rattling side panels, no anti-vibration hd mounting and 80mm fan's, and "a fan controller where"?. None of these issues have been present in Lian Li cases for some time, given the cost I certainly expect much better.
It was on my short list for a quiet slightly unassuming case (not sure that really applies), however I think I will go for the 2110 instead.
Shame really because a significant amount of innovation has gone into this case, I hope that Lian Li can use your review to further perfect a great entry to the HTPC case line-up.
overall i like the case, but i agree with bit-tech's scepticism in the cases ability to 'fit' in with existing furniture and flaw standing speakers....
peace
fatman
also, when are case manufactures going to stop using beige cables for the front port connectors and use black ones?
But the main reason I'm not running off to find a supplier right away is:
£200!
bloody hell, that's enough to buy a mini laptop.
but still...
It's their job to be objective, can you imagine the nightmare we would all have if we had to depend on reviews from fanboy's. There are way to many sites already that would not know what the word objective means even if it smacked them in the mouth!. BT are about the only ones left giving a true representation of a products value and worth.
Before I found BT god only knows how many PC related item's I bought based on site reviews, only to find a vastly different product than they described.......*cough*Madshrimps*cough
the design seems to make the mobo compartment always have a +ve pressure. im pretty sure -ve pressure produces better cooling.....
you cant have a rad in the front, the holes are for 140mm fans, not 120mm.
Actually, there is existing a rad for 140mm :)
HWLabs has produced a 420, 280, and a 140 Rad :p
But about that the holes are correct and etc. I do not know about.
On top of all that, it's extremely expensive and doesn't seem to be finished to Lian Li's usual high standards.
It's got some nice plus points but far too many minus points for me.
Nope you can't mount a radiator in the front without some modification.
The mesh section above the PSU is for nothing - there are no screw mounts, or rails supporting a radiator or extra PSU - it's dead space.
We're objective as we can be here at bit-tech. We know there's a lot choice in the case market, so have to be thorough when looking at cases. For the price premium, we expect the best, and whilst the PC-X2000 delivered in some areas (it is beautiful and a stonking performer), you don't expect so many minor design oversights in a high end case.
They are, for 140mm fans. What is not correct, unfortunately, is their width: 153mm. Thus making them just 3mm too wide to fit in a 5.25" bay area.
What he said
Anyone want to buy a TJ-09?
The noise (or lack of) factor is important and from that point of view this would be a good HTPC case... now if they can take the silent running and incorporate it into a case that looks like other HT components and is similarily sized then I would expect they would have a winner.
The only thing missing (for me) was that the PC-B25 heat results weren't on the comparison list. With the risk of being severely off-topic: which is the quieter and/or cooler case, the Lancool K7 or the Lian-Li PC-B25? Does anyone know?
how much? :)