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Looking to get the Lian-Li PC-V1200B plus this weekend.

S

Suzaku

Member
I've been upgrading my computer little by little over the last year or so. Thanks to the members here I got the retail access package AMD 64 3200+ with Asus K8V SE Deluxe which I am very pleased with. Again I took advantage of a deal posted here on the 300 Gig Seagate Barracuda. Now I am looking to upgrade the whole look and replace the case and my CD drives. Yesterday I bought me the Sony DVD writer, a black floppy drive, and a card reader. So now looking for a sleep cool and quiet black case to put everything in. Also looking to get a good video card because I want to catch up and play Doom 3 at a decent resolution

I've been looking around at some cases and the only case I really like is the Lian Li case.

Picture: http://www.lian-li.com/images/products/b_vc_v1200b.gif

I wanted to know if anyone has this particular case and can tell me if it's quiet and cool? What power supply do you recommend for it? I believe I have a 400W power supply and I am pretty sure it will be fine. But if anyone can recommend a really good and powerful quiet power supply for this case please let me know.

Also what is the best place to get this? I am thinking of ordering this from neegg for 210 dollars plus shipping.

Any word or two about it will be appreciated. Also other recommendations if possible. I am not looking for a gamer looking case .. looking for something sleek and professional that looks like a million bucks.
 
Originally posted by: Suzaku
I wanted to know if anyone has this particular case and can tell me if it's quiet and cool?
Click to expand...

I didn't have a good experience with the similar Lian-Li V1000.. The way the PSU is situated in these Lian Li cases, you can't take full advantage of a PSU with a slow-spinning 120mm fan due to the way it sits (which is a must if you want quiet).

Funny thing is, those vent holes on the V1000/1200 did not seem to have much of an effect on case cooling as I thought it might. When I moved my system over to the V1000 from an Antec Sonata, my system temp actually rose by 2C.

I went back to the Sonata and sold off the V1000.

 
You can put a 120mm-fan PSU in there, but that 120mm-fan in the PSU will be facing down, sitting about half an inch from the floor of the case. It restricts airflow going to the PSU.

If you want a professional-looking case, maybe it's time to consider going to something other than a tower. At the place where I work, I just finished putting together an office computer and it looks quite sleek and modern.. Closer view.

AND, that case has a 120mm-fan PSU (Seasonic Super Tornado), runs cool and quiet.
 
I own the V1000, and there are a few things you guys miss:

1. PSU - Yes, it faces downward, but there are holes on the bottom of the case that allow air to go to the PSU, which actually keeps it cooler than the hot air it would suck from the CPU in a normal case. I use an Enermax Whisper 460w PSU, which uses a 120mm fan and it's fine.

2. The holes in the case allow for the absence of a front air intake fan. The exhaust fan does all the work, pulls air in from the holes and pushes it out. However, a heat sink with a fan that faced the rear of the case, like the Thermaltake Silent Tower or the Arctic Freezer 64 (recommended) would work bettter than one that blew air down onto the heatsink.

BUT: There are some downsides (wherever there's a good there's a bad). The case is a bit on the noisy side. The holes don't help quieting the case down, that's for sure. However, the V1000 is still rated around 40 dba, which is above average, compared to the 60+ dba in the Gaming Bomb II. Also, the holes in the case do make it look a bit gawdy (not to any extreme though). Otherwise, it's very sturdy, everything in the case is positioned perfectly, and I love mine!

For a sleeker look, you could get the V1100 (which has the same form factor as the V1000, just a bit quieter and cleaner, sacrificing some cooling), or the PC6070 (which has the standard ATX form factor), the best looking case out there imo. It's quiet and sleek, but again, a bit hot.

Good luck with your upgrades!
 
There are holes on the bottom of the V1000 case in the PSU compartment, but it's offset from the 120mm fan location on the PSU. I had an Antec NeoPower 480 with my V1000. The thermally-controlled 120mm fan on that PSU always spooled up because of the restricted airflow. Definitely not quiet.

In my Antec Sonata, the PSU becomes part of the ventilation system (i.e. takes full advantage of that PSU 120mm fan), consequently I can dial down the case-mounted 120mm fan so my machine is quiet and cool. I liked that arrangement better, which is why I got rid of my V1000 and went back to the Sonata.
 

I currently own a Lian Li V-1200 and a Antec NeoPower 480. The loudest thing in my computer beside my hard drives is the Zalman Heatsink on my X800XL...

Do not buy the V-1200 and expect it to be silent. It's made to be cool and a good case.

My NeoPower always stays at the lowest fan setting due to the fact that is not with the rest of the system components, this is a very good thing as we do not have to deal with the fan being any louder than it is, which isn't very much.

The power supply fits perfectly, the arm that holds it up does not even remotely hit the fan on the underside of the power supply. The holes on the underside of the case are not directly under the powersupply but there is more than enough space between the bottom of the case and the fan of the power supply and there are plenty of holes.

A V-1200 and a NeoPower are a great start to a good machine.
 
I have the v1200 and like it a lot. It of course works with any power supply quite well tho a bottom feeding 120mm psu would seem to work the best. I think it is the best looking Lian Li case. It is billed as quiet but the case alone will not make your computer quiet. You still need quiet fans. However those same quiet fans on a normal system will become near silent in the 1200. If you can, spring for the 2200, its taller but also a lot deeper, which is nice. The only downside to these cases is the cooling, because there is no good intake of air onto the motherboard and CPU. It's not too big of a problem tho, my CPU (A64 3500+ & XP-120) idles at 30 and 40 load, which is fine. If you're creative, you can find ways to get cool air into the system anyway.
 
wisdomtooth thank you for the great advice. I must admit that is one good looking case you got there. What kind of case is it, and is it available in black? I already bought all the drives and card reader in black.

I was considering building a desktop computer instead of a tower but I figured I can build one later as I am going to need a second system. I was considering a shuttle system.

So far people have pointed out that it's not the quietest system, and some people pointed out that it's not the coolest either. I have to admit I have second thoughts especially since it's not exactly a cheap case, and if im not happy with it, I don't need the hassle of selling it and shipping that big thing out.

Unless someone can give me a few alternatives I might go ahead and order this on Monday, I guess I can live with the noise for a little while and replace the fans with quieter ones later. Might consider a water cooling kit as well.

I wanted to ask if adding a quiet 120mm fan right in the middle of the case, on top of the motherboard would help cooling since it seems to be the weak spot for this case.

Anyway, if anyone has some nice alternatives please send me some links. But I'd like to point out that I'm looking for a case without a window since it's just not my thing.
 
Originally posted by: Suzaku
wisdomtooth thank you for the great advice. I must admit that is one good looking case you got there. What kind of case is it, and is it available in black? I already bought all the drives and card reader in black.
Click to expand...

Of course it's available in black. 😀

That case I used in the office is the Silverstone LC03 case for HTPCs. (the link takes you to the black version). This is one of the more compact HTPC cases though (only 16 inches deep) which some people don't like.. If you want roomier, here are more:

Silverstone LC13. This one is bigger at 17 inches deep, and seems to be the most popular HTPC case out there right now because of its very clean lines.

Silverstone LC01. This one is full aluminum and roomiest at 17.75 inches deep.

These all take full-ATX motherboards, full-ATX PSUs (a 120mm-fan PSU works best with these cases), and has 2 external 3.5" bays and 2 external 5.25" bays. All of them are available in either silver or black.

HTH.

 
Wow thanks for the link. These seem pretty perfect. Man they are so sleek and sexy I want to buy all three. So these little things have like a switch that opens the front panel to the drive bays? I am surprised they take a full sized PSU and have two bays for each kind. I think I made my choice now .. they are cheaper and better looking.

So do they keep things pretty cool there? Will I need to take any additional things into consideration to do a little gaming on them?
 
With the right PSU, yes, they keep reasonably cool. I used a Seasonic Super Tornado in that office case. The case temps never get above 31C under load when room temp is 25C, and that's with a hot-running P4 3.0gHz Northwood in there along with a Radeon 9800Pro (hot-running) vid card. The 9800Pro does have an Arctic ATI Silencer 1 to dump heat directly out of the case though. The heatsink I'm using with that Northwood is a Zalman CNPS7000AlCu. There is enough overhead clearance for you to fit a Thermalright XP90 heatsink and fan if you like.

Your Athlon64 should be a lot easier to cool than my P4 3.0C though. For your K8V Deluxe, the Seasonic Super Tornado 400 should work quite well.

EDIT: And yes, HTPC = Home Theatre PC. 😎

HTH!
 
Thank you again for the great help in making a decision. I was on the verge of making a potential mistake. With my busy 12-14 hour work days and virtually no day offs, I wouldn't want to something I don't want to keep in the longrun.

Thanks for all the links as well. Now let me go and order that nice Silverstone LC01 and the PSU you posted. Will upgrade a video card later when the right deal comes along.

😀
 
I'm not sure the Silverstone LC01 is the best choice for a low noise system. Not only is the source that much closer (desktop) it also has weaker cooling then most towers. Regardless the Lian-Li V series would defiantly be quieter and offer better cooling performance. If you want the system to sit on your desktop I would look into a SFF PC.

Side note; you don't need a PSU with a 120mm fan for low noise PSU, there are plenty of 80mm cooled PSU's that are just as quite.
 
Edit: Never mind all that. I might consider an SFF PC as I've been thinking about a Shuttle for a while now. But don't these come in barebone only? Finding something compatible with my mobo and CPU will be sort of a pain, no?

Any links or particular SFF case links?
 
Originally posted by: Operandi
I'm not sure the Silverstone LC01 is the best choice for a low noise system. Not only is the source that much closer (desktop) it also has weaker cooling then most towers.
Click to expand...
LOL, you gotta remember that HTPCers like me are the ones who HATE computer noise in the background while we are watching our DVDs with THX surround sound. 😀

The thing with HTPC crowd is that we are all NOISE NAZIS when it comes to noise control. That LC01 can be made to run quiet AND cool as long as you got the right PSU, CPU heatsink and GPU heatsink.

Drop by HTPC News and take a look at how the HTPCers cool and quiet their rigs.

You can definitely run that LC01 cool and quiet, more so than a lot of towers out there.
 
I understand that every type of cases and barebones have their ups and downs. But I am looking to use the stuff I already have in a new enclosure and looking for the best all around route to go. Now the Lian-Li is something I've been wanting for a while but the only case they have that I like seems to have more ups than downs as far as that goes, despite all the editors choice reviews I've read from people just looking to get free shit.

Now those HTPC cases seem very pretty. I understand that any system can be made quiet and that most likely will be the route to go. However, I am not sure if I am gonna go to that board to ask questions since I am not looking to actually make an HTPC system .. I am just looking for the clean sleek modern look.

If and when I do get that SilverStone .. I might just go ahead and get the same PSU and card and cooling stuff that you got since you already have that tested.

I am not gonna blow 210 dollars plus 20 dollars shipping on a LianLi case that is not all that, or the same amount for a SFF computer that will cost me more than I want replacing all the crap in there.

I appreciate all the help from the other members, but wisdomtooth is wise + has a wisdom tooth .. besides, all I get for advice is categories and not specific things that I can take into consideration.
 
Originally posted by: wisdomtooth
The thing with HTPC crowd is that we are all NOISE NAZIS when it comes to noise control. That LC01 can be made to run quiet AND cool as long as you got the right PSU, CPU heatsink and GPU heatsink.

Remember that we are the ones who HATE computer noise in the background while we are watching our DVDs with THX surround sound. 😀

Drop by HTPC News and take a look at how the HTPCers cool and quiet their rigs.

You can definitely run that LC01 cool and quiet, more so than a lot of towers out there.
Click to expand...

I'm sure it can but to me it just doesn?t make any sense to use one for a traditional PC, its clearly designed with HTPC in mind.

Originally posted by: Suzaku
Edit: Never mind all that. I might consider an SFF PC as I've been thinking about a Shuttle for a while now. But don't these come in barebone only? Finding something compatible with my mobo and CPU will be sort of a pain, no?

Any links or particular SFF case links?
Click to expand...

SFF are viable alternative to towers in terms practicality and noise. You just have to pick the right one; some are better suited to low noise then others. To find the right one I'd check out Silent PC Review, anything that passes their definition for low noise surely won't disappoint. Also be aware that all SFF use their own custom MB's PSU's and HS/Fs.
 
Well whaddayaknow... Silverstone LC01 review at Silent PC Review. 😀

Yeah, it's easier to go tower these days because 90% of the cases out there are towers.. Sometimes it feels good to buck the trend though. 😉

Computer cases started out horizontal, after all. When it comes down to the basics, HTPC cases are just horizontal cases with a nice front bezel. I'm using one in an office setting, not as an HTPC, (see my linked photos above) and it looks very professional.
 
Originally posted by: Suzaku
I understand that every type of cases and barebones have their ups and downs. But I am looking to use the stuff I already have in a new enclosure and looking for the best all around route to go. Now the Lian-Li is something I've been wanting for a while but the only case they have that I like seems to have more ups than downs as far as that goes, despite all the editors choice reviews I've read from people just looking to get free shit.

Now those HTPC cases seem very pretty. I understand that any system can be made quiet and that most likely will be the route to go. However, I am not sure if I am gonna go to that board to ask questions since I am not looking to actually make an HTPC system .. I am just looking for the clean sleek modern look.

If and when I do get that SilverStone .. I might just go ahead and get the same PSU and card and cooling stuff that you got since you already have that tested.

I am not gonna blow 210 dollars plus 20 dollars shipping on a LianLi case that is not all that, or the same amount for a SFF computer that will cost me more than I want replacing all the crap in there.

I appreciate all the help from the other members, but wisdomtooth is wise + has a wisdom tooth .. besides, all I get for advice is categories and not specific things that I can take into consideration.
Click to expand...

Unless you want your system on your desk and don't want a SFF the SilverStone has no advantage over the Lian-Li V series. The Lian-Li will cool better and do so while making less noise that?s just a fact.
 
I appreciate the help but it's just not for me. Mainly because I am gonna have to get rid of some of the main parts of my computer, most possibly the motherboard. Again, I am not looking for a new build I am just upgrading what I have.. which I am quite pleased with. I have a good motherboard, ram, cpu, hd, and drives. Now looking to get an encolsure and a video card.

Besides, SFF is sorta of HTPC in a way. Except it does require more cash flow. I am sure in the future I am going to use this information to build what I need.

I understand that HTPC is for Home Theater.. but since when did we do what we're supposed to do. When they first made computer they wanted you to buy dells, hps, and IBMs .. not build your own. 😀
 
Originally posted by: Suzaku
I appreciate the help but it's just not for me. Mainly because I am gonna have to get rid of some of the main parts of my computer, most possibly the motherboard. Again, I am not looking for a new build I am just upgrading what I have.. which I am quite pleased with. I have a good motherboard, ram, cpu, hd, and drives. Now looking to get an encolsure and a video card.

Besides, SFF is sorta of HTPC in a way. Except it does require more cash flow. I am sure in the future I am going to use this information to build what I need.

I understand that HTPC is for Home Theater.. but since when did we do what we're supposed to do. When they first made computer they wanted you to buy dells, hps, and IBMs .. not build your own. 😀
Click to expand...

I get that. I guess my main point is the SilverStone (desktop) is inferior to the Lian-Li (tower) from a cooling and noise output perspective.
 
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