Fractal vs Lian Li (mid v high end)

Orison

Orison

Orison

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13 Dec 2006
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142
Hi all,

Putting together my first new build in a while, decided it's time for a new case. I tend to re-use cases for several builds so I am willing to put in some cash.

I am weighing up the merits of going high-end vs mid-range, specifically the choice between:

Fractal design R4 (£90)
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-019-FD

Lian Li PC-Z70B Noise Dampened (£268)
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-512-LL

Relative silence is important for me, my current build is in a small Lian-Li and while by no means loud even the low hum reverberating around the aluminium chassis grates on me a bit. Exterior looks a bonus, interior not much of a consideration (am not one for windowed cases).

I have read the reviews and recommendations on the boards, and can make the obvious comparisons (size, construction material, number of bays etc). But with cases I think it's the "hands on" experience that really matters, which you obviously can't experience online. Wondering if people have used either of these cases (or the R3, R2) etc and would be able to give me an idea of what really sets the two cases apart.

So in your subjective and enlightened opinions, do you think the Lian Li is "worth it" in terms of the extra spend?
 
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PS:

Components so far as follows:

Mobo: Gigabyte Z77-D3H
CPU: Core i5 3570k
Cooler: Zalman CNPS10X Flex w/ 2 Noctua NFP-12 fans
RAM: 8GB Corsair Vengeance C9 Low Profile DDR3
SSD: 256GB Samsung 830
PSU: Corsair AX650
GFX: Gainward Geforce GTX 560Ti Phantom 1GB
Sound: Asus Xonar DG

You get the idea that I like to be selective and get decent "bang for buck" (the Zalman cooler, for instance, was chosen because I already had the Noctua fans to scavenge). I don't mind investing where it will last though, my current case I've been using for about 6 years!
 
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I've had my Fractal R2 for about 2 years or so now, and it really is a solid case. Its a good design, so you get good air flow. With the R2, the rear of the mb tray was a bit hard to route cables behind, but with their new R4, they've changed that, so it is no longer a problem, and even the fattest of cables fits behind nicely. Only other little part is that the 8pin may need a little extension for it, and put the 8pin cable through before attaching the motherboard into the case, just to make that part a little easier.

But overall, I find it a very good case, and would buy fractal again. And for the extra price you pay for other cases, I don't feel would be worth it as I have found that fractal's cases have everything that you would need for air cooling, and certainly will last.
 
Ryan-3 said:
I've had my Fractal R2 for about 2 years or so now, and it really is a solid case. Its a good design, so you get good air flow. With the R2, the rear of the mb tray was a bit hard to route cables behind, but with their new R4, they've changed that, so it is no longer a problem, and even the fattest of cables fits behind nicely. Only other little part is that the 8pin may need a little extension for it, and put the 8pin cable through before attaching the motherboard into the case, just to make that part a little easier.

But overall, I find it a very good case, and would buy fractal again. And for the extra price you pay for other cases, I don't feel would be worth it as I have found that fractal's cases have everything that you would need for air cooling, and certainly will last.
Click to expand...

Yep, I agree. And its a hell of a lot cheaper.
 
I'd go for the R4... Especially as it now has a part removable hdd cage, that is what put me off the R3 so i decided to get the silverstone ft02b :-/
 
Love my R2 but R4 has solved the only nags of the R2. More clearance for cable management, more clearance for CPU cooler, 140mm fans front and rear. bottom slide out filter on both PSU & vent. Some complained about the grommets coming loose when feed cables through but it's a minor problem and not a big deal to keep them in if you are careful. Great airflow and very quiet.

I made a caster base and removed the stock feet. Base is 30mm X 10mm frame. 2 side strips set against case with front and back strips glued across under them. Caster pins push into corner 20mm thickness and filter slide in over cross piece. A few cabinet door silencers (little silicone buttons) provide a cushion between case and base.

Raising case up quiets down the bottom fans and give them better airflow ;)

If I was replacing I would definately go R4
 
Gotta be the R4
I've used a couple of Lian li cases on builds in the past and never really liked them.
Yes the Lian li's are a quality product it's just for the money no not worth it.
Plus the £178 saved could be put to better use elsewhere in your build ;)
Those gtx660ti's are looking handy.
 
The R4 by miles for me. That Lian-Li never seem to look worth their price tags. Fractal cases are usually bang on the money and you get exactly what you pay for. Ordered my Arc Midi today as I feel fractal cases have the best thought out internal of any chassis I've seen.

I feel the two cases are aimed at completely different markets. Bit of a strange comparison. For the price of the Lian Li you can get an R4 and completely kit it out with fans and maybe even get a watercooling kit started too.
 
BrianB said:
The R4 by miles for me. That Lian-Li never seem to look worth their price tags. Fractal cases are usually bang on the money and you get exactly what you pay for. Ordered my Arc Midi today as I feel fractal cases have the best thought out internal of any chassis I've seen.

I feel the two cases are aimed at completely different markets. Bit of a strange comparison. For the price of the Lian Li you can get an R4 and completely kit it out with fans and maybe even get a watercooling kit started too.
Click to expand...

Have you ever owned a lian li?

Fractals have had well publicised quality issues with their cases mind...

They're very good, and the only real competitor to the r3/4 is the 550D around the same price mark...

Lian li's are just built incredibly and ooze quality.

kd
 
Yeah, they are known for their high quality, but I don't think it justifies the price tag still. I haven't owned one nearly did a few years ago used to be one of my favourites. Really nice case if you got the money for it. For the price difference if he likes the R4 he is probably better off with that and keeping the money for other things.
 
Wow guys, thanks for all the responses, really appreciate the input.

I realise it was a bit of a weird apples/oranges comparison but that was the point, to establish whether people felt there was a good reason to go "high end" over the supposedly mid-range R4.

The big show of support of the R4 has really encouraged me to think it's the right move, order's been placed with OcUK. I'm sure the Lian Li is gorgeous in the flesh, but I agree with the general consensus, I might better use that money elsewhere.

I'm putting it towards uprating my sound setup instead, no more headphones-only listening for me :D

On a side note, still loving the service from OcUK as ever. Got my CPU cooler in the post today and they'd chucked in a packet of Haribo. Most restorative.

Thanks again everyone for the opinions!
 
If you currently have a case you are happy with but it's vibrating, you could try vibration dampening foam from a car HiFi place or you can often just put a blob of blu-tack on the panel which alters the resonant frequency. I wouldn't move from a Lian Li to a Factal.
 
Ooh, let us know how you are getting on with the R4, and show us how the changes have made it easier for you to build your pc into it! :)
 
Ryan-3 said:
Ooh, let us know how you are getting on with the R4, and show us how the changes have made it easier for you to build your pc into it! :)
Click to expand...

:D I will, was contemplating doing a new-build thread with a few photos, hopefully it'll be up in the next week or so (work and time dependent).

WJA96 said:
...I wouldn't move from a Lian Li to a Fractal.
Click to expand...

Well in fairness my current case is a 6 year old Lian Li PC-7 Plus, which a lot of people probably wouldn't consider a "real" Lian Li. It was definitely more of a "budget" offering compared to their usual ranges - it cost me £57 new. I'm led to believe the aluminium panels were a lot thinner than Lian Li normally use. It's a smallish midi tower, 120mm fan portholes to front and rear and an 80mm on top, old school top-mounted PSU design.

I always tended to find the panels vibrated pretty badly, so took out the 80mm fan and lined the whole thing in sound-deadening bitumen sheets and foam blocks. I even fitted a silicone PSU mount (with some considerable huffing and swearing as it did not want to go in!) and rubber fan mounts to quieten it down.

By most people's standards it's quiet but I still notice an appreciable reverberation, and can't decide whether it's the intake/exhaust fans (Noctua, running at full pelt mind), my rather long-in-the-tooth (but still going strong) Corsair HX620 PSU (yes the original one), or the Arctic Freezer CPU cooler.

Still a perfectly good case but I was ready for a change and curious to see whether I could get good noise results with a Zalman Flex on 2x Noctua NF-P12s, Corsair AX650 PSU, SSD-only storage and a Fractal R4 case. I'll let you know how I go.

Part of me still would like to have gone for the PC-Z70B just to see what a "proper" Lian Li is like, and following a comment from one of the posters in this thread NO COMPETITOR MENTIONING! But I couldn't find that much info on the Z70 really, one or two very glowing things said, one or two minor grumbles; and the extra money has gone towards other components of the upgrade.

Much as anything though, the build I'm doing (single storage drive, single GPU, smallish mobo, basic air cooling) really just doesn't justify the big case. I'd have felt a bit like I owned a Rolls Royce with a Fiesta engine in it. :D

Had some money just come in though, bit of me is tempted to get both and make the comparison for myself... think that might be a bit too self indulgent though. :D
 
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