New Lian Li micro ATX case that supports 7 HDs EDIT: first review up

[DisgruntledVirus]

Looks to be great for a small file server (7x 3.5 HDs), or a mini-gaming box that still has decent HD space (3 or 4 depending on which cage) while using a full length graphics card. Oh, and $110 USD is the MSRP. Now, do I want this or the V-354R (with 6x 3.5 inch bays) for my server lol.

http://www.maximumpc.com/article/news/lian_li_claims_new_pc-a04_one_huge_mini-tower

http://www.lian-li.com/v2/en/produc...ex=561&cl_index=1&sc_index=25&ss_index=63&g=f

EDIT: First review is fairly short, but here it is http://www.dirks-computerecke.de/testberichte/lian-li-pc-a04-mini-tower-gehaeuse-im-test.htm (it is in German so you will need to translate it or read German obviously ). Hopefully that means it's going to be in stores in a week or so.

 

[aigomorla]

lol... which matx board can u think of that can take more then 6 sata ports?

 

[frostedflakes]

A lot of people use RAID cards with their file servers instead of onboard RAID.

Anyway, looks like a nice case for a compact file server, or even just a mATX gaming system. Kind of deep compared to other mATX cases, but width and height are about on par with mATX cases.

 

[mindwreck]

saw it last week. almost bought one to replace my sg-02.. is such a sweet looking case. and 3x120mm fans!!

 

[llee]

I love how they've adapted the look of the NSK3000 series cases from Antec and modernized it with aluminum. Very Cool ^_^

 

[Zap]

Here's a blurb I wrote about this case.

Lian Li PC-A04: High end chassis meets micro ATX

What do you envision when you think of a powerful enthusiast or gaming computer? Chances are you picture in your mind a system consisting of multiple graphics cards, overclocked processor, numerous drives and lots of big fans, all housed in a large tower case.

What do you envision when you think of a micro ATX computer? Chances are you picture in your mind a boring office computer, perhaps provided by a big box brand and sporting the latest underwhelming development in integrated graphics, with little expandability and zero excitement.

Prepare yourself, because your enthusiast preconceptions and predilections are being challenged by Lian Li with their new PC-A04 micro ATX chassis.

Lian Li is a company that needs little introduction to the world of computer gamers and enthusiasts. As one of the first manufacturers of aluminum PC cases, Lian Li has enjoyed an unprecedented brand cachet of quality and design for computer cases.

Lian Li produces a number of micro ATX chassis based on either cube or HTPC designs. The last time Lian Li produced a mini tower micro ATX design was the PC-A03. If that model doesn't sound familiar, that is because it appeared to have very limited availability.

Since then, Lian Li has continued to churn out a number of new ATX towers and a surprisingly large number of mini ITX cases. “Cases” is perhaps not the right word. Perhaps inspired by the compact size, the Lian Li mini ITX designs range from mild micro towers to wild... spider?!?! Yes, Lian Li makes a mini ITX chassis that resembles a spider. With such a prolific roll-out of new designs in the past two years, Lian Li is ready to revisit the micro ATX mini tower form factor.

 

[DisgruntledVirus]

A lot of people use RAID cards with their file servers instead of onboard RAID.

Anyway, looks like a nice case for a compact file server, or even just a mATX gaming system. Kind of deep compared to other mATX cases, but width and height are about on par with mATX cases.

Yeah, I would use a RAID card I have with the board. The card I have has built in proc and mem for the xor calculations and has 8 ports .

Although all of these mobos have 7 SATA onboard

 

[God Mode]

I got excited but the 80mm fan in the rear totally kills it for me. Its really telling because lian li doesn't mention this on their site. "System Fan (Rear): None". They know it was a bad design decision.

 

[Throckmorton]

I love how they've adapted the look of the NSK3000 series cases from Antec and modernized it with aluminum. Very Cool ^_^

Lian Li has been building cases like this for at least 10 years. I'm still using one I got around 2000.

 

[DisgruntledVirus]

I got excited but the 80mm fan in the rear totally kills it for me. Its really telling because lian li doesn't mention this on their site. "System Fan (Rear): None". They know it was a bad design decision.

True, but it has 3x 120 mm fans. I don't think that a rear 80 is honestly something that is needed. Perhaps it is an oversight, but realistically in a case this size do you need more than 3x 120 mm fans?

 

[God Mode]

True, but it has 3x 120 mm fans. I don't think that a rear 80 is honestly something that is needed. Perhaps it is an oversight, but realistically in a case this size do you need more than 3x 120 mm fans?

I'd rather have nothing there than some 80mm mount and a weird single hole of which it looks to be for a water cooling tube. If I'm buying non-budget hardware, I want to be reasonably satisfied and this is one of the worst ways a modern pc case can piss me off. They couldn't make it a tiny bit wider and fit a 120mm there?

 

[DisgruntledVirus]

I'd rather have nothing there than some 80mm mount and a weird single hole of which it looks to be for a water cooling tube. If I'm buying non-budget hardware, I want to be reasonably satisfied and this is one of the worst ways a modern pc case can piss me off. They couldn't make it a tiny bit wider and fit a 120mm there?

Fair enough. It does look odd, and appears as though a 120 MM would fit there based off pics here. I could be wrong though. Either way, I see what you mean.

To be fair to Lian Li though, two things. First, it's the back of the case. When will you honestly see it? Second, getting a low speed 80mm fan isn't expensive, or if you get a larger aftermarket CPU cooler then it could allow for that to exhaust air almost straight out back (in addition to the fan above it).

you could always just get an adapter for a 120 mm fan

 

[mindwreck]

There's a 120mm in the back.. its at the top

3x120mm fans in a small case like that is amazing. plus the design also gives the case a positive pressure interior

 

[frostedflakes]

Yeah I don't think you can complain about 3x120 in a microATX case, that's pretty decent airflow. 120mm rear would have been nice as well, but that's a pretty minor nitpick IMO.

And as mindwreck mentioned, positive pressure is probably the idea behind the design. Two 120mm intake and one 120mm exhaust will ensure that air gets sucked through the filtered front 120mm fans. With the positive pressure, some of the air will be forced out through the rear fan hole (it doesn't even look like a fan is supposed to be able to be mounted there, the hole is just there for air to leave), which will provide some more airflow over the CPU heatsink in addition to the top 120mm exhaust. And then some should also flow out the vents in the PCI slot area, cooling the video card. Then the PSU fan shouldn't have any affect on case airflow, at least assuming you use one with bottom mounted fan it will just suck air in from outside the case (also filtered) and blow it out the back.

 

[God Mode]

Given a choice, I'd rather have a rear exhaust fan than a top one. IME, top exhaust fans amplified system noise far more than a rear fan.

Positive pressure works for some people but that can be achieved with any case if you cover up exhaust fan/holes.

As-is, this case looks incomplete or frankensteined which is totally unacceptable for Lian Li price range. I want this case but that rear has to change.

 

[Operandi]

Pretty sweet looking case, it looks like 3/4 version of Lian Li PC-9F which I absolutely love. I might have to try it for a future build.

I do agree that 80mm fan mount in the rear is an odd choice, clearly there room for at least a 92mm for sure if not a 120. I also agree that a 120mm in the back would be preferred over a top mount location, I don’t think either of these issues are deal killer though.

 

[Skott]

Just a FYI, Silverstone makes a 92mm fan inside a 80mm housing(FN82). Basically its an 80mm fan but with 92mm blades. They work pretty good. I have used them in the past. That could be one possible solution for that back fan on the case. Also, I'm wondering if there was enough room to dremel out a 120mm hole on the back. As Operandi mentioned 92mm probably and maybe 120mm.

 

[DisgruntledVirus]

Just a FYI, Silverstone makes a 92mm fan inside a 80mm housing(FN82). Basically its an 80mm fan but with 92mm blades. They work pretty good. I have used them in the past. That could be one possible solution for that back fan on the case. Also, I'm wondering if there was enough room to dremel out a 120mm hole on the back. As Operandi mentioned 92mm probably and maybe 120mm.

I don't think we will know until somebody tries. I don't have it yet though so I couldn't tell you

It looks like it *should* be able to fit a 120 mm fan though. If somebody wanted to spend the time measuring with the pics online I'm sure we could figure it out lol.

What Google tells me is that a 80 mm fan is 2.815 inches from center hole to center hole (for screws) and a 120 mm fan is 4.125 which means there is a total of 1.31 inches that need added to length and height.

EDIT: I decided to just do a quick estimation via photoshop. It would be very tight if it fits at all in the length aspect of it. I lined it up with what appears to be the closest the fan could be on the side, but it appears a 120 mm (copied via the front fan on the same image to get as close to accurate as possible) won't work because there isn't enough space from the mobo backplate housing to the other side of the case. Anyways, here is the pic for you to judge yourself (it still could fit but it will be a tight fit if it could be modded):

EDIT: EDIT: I know it looks like the length side of things are longer than the height, but they are the same I promise . It was copied once and pasted twice, then just rotated 90 degrees. Keep in mind this is an isotropic image that I then pasted a non-iso image for the length on which means the perspective is a bit off so it will end up being closer in reality. If it's enough for a 120mm fan, I doubt it.

EDIT: EDIT: EDIT: Now I'm obsessing over this and it's bothering me. I got another pic (this one from the review I linked to in OP) which hopefully is the final production version. Assuming it's final production, it's going to be a very very tight fit if it fits at all. It could though. I think this pic is much more accurate (although I'm still not happy with it). I copied the side of the top 120mm fan closest to the back side, and then rotated it to roughly parallel to the 80mm top edge. Since it's within the metal on the back, I'm more convinced that a 120mm would fit with some modification.

 

[DisgruntledVirus]

FYI Newegg has it FS

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811112316

 

[Zap]

FYI Newegg has it FS

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811112316

Wow, that was quick! Pricing isn't too bad. If I can get it for under $100 shipped I'd probably get one just because.

 

[Throckmorton]

Why are people so convinced you need both intake and exhaust fans? Unless flow is restricted, you'll get about the same airflow with just one set.


I like to mount my rear fans as intakes along with the front ones. Air goes out of the PCI slot holes and PSU

 

[DisgruntledVirus]

Wow, that was quick! Pricing isn't too bad. If I can get it for under $100 shipped I'd probably get one just because.

Yeah, it makes cases like the PC-354 less appealing since they are ~$50 more for the same features basically and the Q08 which is about the same cost but 1 less HD bay (and mini-ITX mobo support only). Just wish they did it in red .

 

[Zap]

Just wish they did it in red .

You know that if they did, would cost $20 more.

 

[DisgruntledVirus]

You know that if they did, would cost $20 more.

Yeah, but it looks so sexy and is definitely unique enough to warrant the $20 more IMHO. Silver/black are just so boring/normal. Paint is horrible on any case regardless of color. Red anodized is just awesome since it's not painted (no chipping) and isn't black/silver like almost all other cases are.

 

[Skott]

Why are people so convinced you need both intake and exhaust fans? Unless flow is restricted, you'll get about the same airflow with just one set.


I like to mount my rear fans as intakes along with the front ones. Air goes out of the PCI slot holes and PSU

Having both intake and exhaust is more efficient. I'm one of those that believes that. I know not everyone believes in that but there it is. I guess it comes down to what you believe is best and you buy accordingly.