Lian Li

tcody

tcody

tcody

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30 Dec 2008
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121
Over in the general hardware section, I have a spec me thread (in fact have had two) and on both of them I have chosen Lian Li's with a door.
To me they are the best looking cases on the market. Aesthetics are just as important as function to me.
The problem is, everyone who's helping me with my spec, recommends I change the case! But can someone offer me advice in maybe a new Lian Li (with a door) which is perfectly viable still? Most of those offering advice had not dealt with Lian Li for a while, so maybe the newer ones are okay?
I am looking to rival the silverstone fortress with a Lian li (with a door)...
All advice is welcome!
 
I don't think what you want exists, and there's probably a good reason why people don't recommend the cases you've chosen over the fortress. Making another thread to get people to tell you what you want to hear probably won't help, it looks like you've already made up your mind, and it's your money after all. Just buy the one you want and take onboard what everyone has said too.

I don't disagree with the fact that the Lian li cases are the best looking, but they're not always the best performance or layout. Personally, I don't think the fortress isn't that bad looking at all, but then looks aren't the most important thing. A case can look great but be a ******* to work in, which you'll regret once you've had it a few years.

For ease and cooling, get the biggest Lian Li with 120mm fans, something like the new P50 is good, though doesn't stand up to the fortress i'm afraid. As for case doors, they do get a bit annoying if the power button is on the inside (speaking from experience with my P182!).

But yeah, sounds like you've made your mind up already.
 
alexhull24 said:
I don't think what you want exists, and there's probably a good reason why people don't recommend the cases you've chosen over the fortress. Making another thread to get people to tell you what you want to hear probably won't help, it looks like you've already made up your mind, and it's your money after all. Just buy the one you want and take onboard what everyone has said too.

I don't disagree with the fact that the Lian li cases are the best looking, but they're not always the best performance or layout. Personally, I don't think the fortress isn't that bad looking at all, but then looks aren't the most important thing. A case can look great but be a ******* to work in, which you'll regret once you've had it a few years.

For ease and cooling, get the biggest Lian Li with 120mm fans, something like the new P50 is good, though doesn't stand up to the fortress i'm afraid. As for case doors, they do get a bit annoying if the power button is on the inside (speaking from experience with my P182!).

But yeah, sounds like you've made your mind up already.
Click to expand...

Heh thanks, in a backward kind of way, you showed me I was being stupid.
As its my first build, I will go along with the wealth of knowledge as opposed to my narrow view.
Shall get a fortress for now, and maybe one day a Lian Li will step up..
But yeah you were right, made a thread for reassurance :p damn you for not giving it!
 
Why do you want a door? They are completely useless and just get in the way. They don't help contain the sound if you're thinking along those lines.

The Fortress is a far superior case, get that instead.
 
The door on my P182 certainly helps keep the machine quieter, it's noticeably louder when open, especially since i've fitted a fan in the front.
 
alexhull24 said:
The door on my P182 certainly helps keep the machine quieter, it's noticeably louder when open, especially since i've fitted a fan in the front.
Click to expand...

Every experience I've had with them I've noticed no real audible change. Sometimes it's even amplified.

Probably depends on the case construction, all the ones I've ever had I've removed the door as they serve very little purpose.
 
From the reviews I've read, doors can be quieter (not that i care, can turn the music up :p) and the heating issues aren't as bad anymore, due to better designs with vents. Plus you could always run the system with the door open in processor hungry tasks.. If you needed.
So why a door? because it looks about 10 times better... in my acute opinion...
Still it is my first build so may sack that idea in for a fortress...
What I dont like about non-door designs is the optical drive always look dead out of place. Is there some kind of fascia you can replace on the drives to help blend? That would suffice for me!
 
mjones1 said:
Do a drive stealth mod, look it up on google.
Click to expand...
Thanks wasn't able to google it without knowing what people call it. Did a quick search and have found them for various cases. Looks possibly like a solution, so thanks.

Helios1234 said:
Lian li B25?
Click to expand...
This was one of my considerations, and one that I specced myself. But again, have been thus far advised against all Lian Li's.
I really want an x500 tbh.

Am going to order my build on monday, so whatever I'm feeling on that day, shall be coming on tuesday :p have a strong feeling it might still be a lian li, as I'm stubborn.
Thanks for all the advice though, I know you're all correct and I'd have a better build with a fortress but aesthetics are just too important to me.
I guess I just decided now, as opposed to monday :p

Thanks for the advice,
Tom
 
Helios1234 said:
Lian li B25?
Click to expand...
Costs same as A71 and only thing possibly better is that side panel construction (but additional dampening material might not work so well) and then many worser things:
Lot less working space and device bays, PSU in hot place. And they've even equipped exhaust fan vent with more restrictive mesh instead of basic wire made finger guard.


tcody said:
Thanks wasn't able to google it without knowing what people call it. Did a quick search and have found them for various cases. Looks possibly like a solution, so thanks.
Click to expand...
Stealth drive bays aren't that good, depending on design of it and drive tray might not be able to open so easily and while drawing tray back in it might get caught.


Steve2000 said:
Every experience I've had with them I've noticed no real audible change. Sometimes it's even amplified.
Click to expand...
While loosely attached light door could well start vibrating if there are bad fans and HDDs don't have soft mounting even very light plastic door of Chieftec DA-01 maxi-tower was able to muffle worst part of noises of overeager high speed CD-ROM drives.
Next case, open fronted CM Stacker was then plain horrible in lack of containing any noise of drives and fans...
Now A71's door again muffles noise of intake fans by something like nearly 200rpm. And with soft mounting and combination mat lining keeps full stroke seek noises of three different acoustic management disabled WDs nearly completely inside which is lot better than I was expecting and would consider as achievement considering lack of elastic suspension mounting.



tcody said:
But again, have been thus far advised against all Lian Li's.
Click to expand...
Better not to listen everyone, there are those who recommend Silverstone Fortress also for cough and diarrhea!
(lately found only other comparable fanatics: Apple product zealots... these religious people make MS vs. Linux arguers look anemic)

DeadMan said:
Doors suck dude, you need a fortress!
Click to expand...
And so seems to do also Fortress:
However, the graphics card misses out on much of the cool air from the top 180mm, which is swiftly removed by the 120mm exhaust and because the front 180mm intake is significantly blocked by the large drive cage assembly the GPU performance suffers terribly as a result.
http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/cases/2008/10/20/silverstone-ft01-review/5
And not even any door...
 
tcody said:
Very informative EsaT, thank you!
Do you have an opinion on the pricey x500? Seen mixed reviews, some saying almost perfect, some saying less positive things...
Click to expand...
No doubt X500 being mixed bag has its fingers in those results.
It takes less floor/table space than minitowers while retaining same amount of device bays and lot of space for motherboard/cards (with more cooling than in minitowers) but there are also questionable things:

Todays standard 12cm fanned PSU don't have space for intake air, below there's restrictive mesh and hot air in motherboard chamber and above PSU's position there's that HDD cage:
http://lian-li.com/v2/tw/product/upload/image/X500/x500t08.jpg
As other point from cooling aspect you can't improve expansion card cooling by getting PCI cooling kit unlike in A71 which is clear minus for hot GPU's with non exhausting cooler.
From usefulness aspect HDD mounting is couple (dozen) steps backward from A70/71 style. Similarly external bay configuration is unpractical for accessing them and if drive bezel doesn't fit to style of the case it still shows when looked from side unlike from behind door.
With door you can hide any kind of 5.25" devices: You have complete freedom for selecting card reader/fan controller/etc. devices because you don't have to care about them not fitting to style of the case. (with angle plug I can even have headphones connected to X-Fi's I/O panel with door closed because of that, good for airflow, gap between door and front panel)

And that light and thin Akasa Crapmate foam of side panels is acoustically useless and only good for cosmetics.

Unless that style is must for some reason I don't see any reason to pay that much for that kind deficiencies... not forgetting ~£70 cheaper case giving more space and features:
X500
A71
 
EsaT said:
No doubt X500 being mixed bag has its fingers in those results.
It takes less floor/table space than minitowers while retaining same amount of device bays and lot of space for motherboard/cards (with more cooling than in minitowers) but there are also questionable things:

Todays standard 12cm fanned PSU don't have space for intake air, below there's restrictive mesh and hot air in motherboard chamber and above PSU's position there's that HDD cage:
http://lian-li.com/v2/tw/product/upload/image/X500/x500t08.jpg
As other point from cooling aspect you can't improve expansion card cooling by getting PCI cooling kit unlike in A71 which is clear minus for hot GPU's with non exhausting cooler.
From usefulness aspect HDD mounting is couple (dozen) steps backward from A70/71 style. Similarly external bay configuration is unpractical for accessing them and if drive bezel doesn't fit to style of the case it still shows when looked from side unlike from behind door.
With door you can hide any kind of 5.25" devices: You have complete freedom for selecting card reader/fan controller/etc. devices because you don't have to care about them not fitting to style of the case. (with angle plug I can even have headphones connected to X-Fi's I/O panel with door closed because of that, good for airflow, gap between door and front panel)

And that light and thin Akasa Crapmate foam of side panels is acoustically useless and only good for cosmetics.

Unless that style is must for some reason I don't see any reason to pay that much for that kind deficiencies... not forgetting ~£70 cheaper case giving more space and features:
X500
A71
Click to expand...

Thought my thread was dead......
Thanks for the reply... Ill make the X500 work......! ordered it this morning before seeing this..... I'm not a gamer so I don't need it to overclock to any great degree... Would prefer it to look good...
Somehow don't regret the purchase even with all the flaws you just highlighted...
Thanks for the advice guys
 
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