Thoughts on the Lian Li PC-V2000

[sparkyclarky]

The case reviewed here Linkage

I'm considering picking this up to replace my PC-60. I dig the pseudo-G5 look, the case supposedly cools nicely, it is quiet thanks to the 120 mm fans, I think the 12 internal 3.5" bays is a great feature (I currently have 4 HD and am going to expand in the not too distant future (that's what HTPC duties do), I may add watercooling eventually (something rather difficult to do in a PC-60), and the case layout leads me to believe that accessibility will not be an issue

What are your thoughts on this case?

 

[daba]

I love it . I'm either going to buy the V1000 or the V2000 at the end of the summer (hopefully the price will drop). The cheapest I've seen them for is $200 and $250, respectively.

 

[sparkyclarky]

any other ideas?

 

[Corporate Thug]

wannabe G5, falls short in my book

 

[hifisoftware]

I've only seen PC-V2000 in reviews, but it just did not seem to be of the same finish as G5. At the end I figured that it did not felt like a 250$ case, so I went with Enermax case. Part of the problem I do not like look of unpolished alluminum. I prefer steel cases.

G5 strangy enough is alluminum, but I like it's look. G5 is better made. We have one at work (not sure what it's used for) and it's nice. The way it cools CPU is very smart (simple, but very efficient). BTX factor should have a simmilar colling thogh, when i comes out.

 

[chadomaly]

when they provide an add-on or included window panel I'll go for it. Have not had good luck with aluminum being laser cut, unlike success with steel.

 

[Gravity]

While impressive, I'm not convinced it will be quiet. What about drive mounts? Do they have anything like the antec sonata to combat drive noise?

 

[Neurofreeze]

Originally posted by: hifisoftware
We have one at work (not sure what it's used for) and it's nice. The way it cools CPU is very smart (simple, but very efficient).

I wouldn't say it's smart. Anyone with a bit of knowledge in thermal dynamics could completely redesign a motherboard layout to fit a better cooling solution. The really inguinuitive solutions are the ones that make better cooling setups with the current aging and static ATX form factor.

 

[sparkyclarky]

Originally posted by: Neurofreeze

Originally posted by: hifisoftware
We have one at work (not sure what it's used for) and it's nice. The way it cools CPU is very smart (simple, but very efficient).

I wouldn't say it's smart. Anyone with a bit of knowledge in thermal dynamics could completely redesign a motherboard layout to fit a better cooling solution. The really inguinuitive solutions are the ones that make better cooling setups with the current aging and static ATX form factor.

This is an ATX form factor....

 

[sparkyclarky]

It has been bought - I'll have to update this thread when I get it in/assembled

 

[Odeen]

Take lots of pictures, and give before-and-after temps, if available. This case is on my short list of cases try.

 

[sparkyclarky]

Originally posted by: Odeen
Take lots of pictures, and give before-and-after temps, if available. This case is on my short list of cases try.

There's 2 solid reviews out there with great pics, but if you need a specific pic, I can probably accomodate you (although I'm on 56k for the next 2 months). I'll see what I can do for temps. My current rig is quite dusty and I don't have MBM5 installed right now....

 

[Odeen]

Couple of things I don't like about the Lian-Li V1000 and V2000

1) No reset button. Nuff said.
2) The upside-down motherboard mount means you must have incredibly long IDE cables, especially with the trend of having IDE connectors on the bottom edge of motherboard. So you'd need the cables to go through the ENTIRE height of the case to connect your drives. Remember, the "spec" for ATA cables is a scant 18", which isn't an issue in most cases, but is glaring here.
Having a PCI PATA card makes things even worse, you can't just snake IDE cables over the floor of the case and not have them affect airflow like you can if your PCI PATA card is near the bottom, and connects to your drives which are similarly near the bottom.
3) The PSU can't breathe. Most of us have 2-fan PSU's with a 92 or 120mm fan "sucking" from the bottom of the unit. In this Li-Li, there's no place to suck from.

That said.. it's an incredible concept, and if it wasn't for these dealbreakers (particularly the sheer impracticality of using PCI PATA cards w/o mounting the drives in the CD-ROM bays) I'd get one.

 

[AnnoyedGrunt]

There is actually a vent in the floor for the PSU fan. It will suck the cold air from under the case.

Not sure how good the airflow will be, but since it's pulling cooler, outside air, I don't think you'd have a problem.

The rest of the points still stand, unfortunately.

-D'oh!

 

[Diablo6178]

Originally posted by: Odeen
Couple of things I don't like about the Lian-Li V1000 and V2000

1) No reset button. Nuff said.
2) The upside-down motherboard mount means you must have incredibly long IDE cables, especially with the trend of having IDE connectors on the bottom edge of motherboard. So you'd need the cables to go through the ENTIRE height of the case to connect your drives. Remember, the "spec" for ATA cables is a scant 18", which isn't an issue in most cases, but is glaring here.
Having a PCI PATA card makes things even worse, you can't just snake IDE cables over the floor of the case and not have them affect airflow like you can if your PCI PATA card is near the bottom, and connects to your drives which are similarly near the bottom.
3) The PSU can't breathe. Most of us have 2-fan PSU's with a 92 or 120mm fan "sucking" from the bottom of the unit. In this Li-Li, there's no place to suck from.

That said.. it's an incredible concept, and if it wasn't for these dealbreakers (particularly the sheer impracticality of using PCI PATA cards w/o mounting the drives in the CD-ROM bays) I'd get one.

I have the PC-V1000 and have been using it for about 2 weeks. I can tell you for my system at least it works well.

The Case is faily Quite I had an Xaser II previously and could hear it down the hall in my bedroom faintly with all the stock fans. I can't hear this case outside of the office its in. Even then my 5.1 surround speakers easily drown it out on low volume. I have in my older age chanegd my preference to a system that is fairly quite yet not silent. This fits the bill 100%.

Odeen-

As for your concerns I can address them as this:

1. I don't use reset buttons. I haven't in a very long time. Press and hold the power button works for me. Most pre-built boxes are the same Dell etc...

2. This I can't argue with at all. For me I bought the case when I built a new system so I purchased SATA drives. These work without a problem at all, but I can see where PATA drives would be an issue. Though alot of motherboards doo put their conncetors for the drives on the front edge of the atx board or in the middle. This can help somewhat.

3. The case has vents running the entire bottom of the unit. What this does is exhaust hot air for the Drives and pull in fresh air for the PSU. Two vents for the drive area and one for the PSU.


Over all I am very satisfied with the case. I ordered an extra Aluminium Drive cover with the case which with shipping brought my total to 234 shipped. I had to drill out the extra one to accept the screws it came with and you have to slide the front drives in top to bottom and remove the floppy to get the new drive cover in.

If you have any questions about any of this I can try to answer them and give pics of my system if you would like.

 

[chadomaly]

Would very much like to see the pictures of an installed system. Reviews and such of these cases seems pretty hard to find. If you'd like to email them PM me for address. Thanks for breaking the ice with a new product

 

[sparkyclarky]

just got it in today and am slowly getting used to it - it's quite a bit different than the PC-60 I was using before. I'll keep updating this as I progress.

 

[MidasKnight]

Originally posted by: crleap
when they provide an add-on or included window panel I'll go for it. Have not had good luck with aluminum being laser cut, unlike success with steel.

Same here. I'll wait.

 

[M0NEYSH0T]

1 word...

WOW.

Another word...

SUHWEET!

 

[nageov3t]

IMO, the PC-V2000 is kinda fugly. I just don't dig the mesh look... I bet it'd look sweet with some LED's and cold cathods inside, though

I've been strongly looking at the PC-V1100 for my next case. that thing is beautiful <3

linkage: http://www.silverpcs.com/product/CS_PCV1100

 

[otispunkmeyer]

Originally posted by: Gravity
While impressive, I'm not convinced it will be quiet. What about drive mounts? Do they have anything like the antec sonata to combat drive noise?

yeah its got rubber grommets on the screws to the HDD i think

 

[Chucu]

I own one and I personally reviewed it here:


silentpcreview


the IDE cables are not an issue, all my standard ones worked just fine.

It is infact a quiet case. I have already made improvements to lower the noise as well as temps. I will be writing an addition to the article within a week or so as time permits.


chucu

 

[sparkyclarky]

Originally posted by: Chucu
I own one and I personally reviewed it here:


silentpcreivew


the IDE cables are not an issue, all my standard ones worked just fine.

It is infact a quiet case. I have already made improvements to lower the noise as well as temps. I will be writing an addition to the article within a week or so as time permits.


chucu

Thanks for that review - it was one of the main reasons why I bought the case.

My impressions so far - I definitely notice a reduction in the drive noise coming from my case (2 WD 36 gig non FDB raptors, 1 200 gig WD SE, 1 100 gig WD SE, and 2 newly added 160 gig WD SEs). Thee noise is still there, but the case seems to have taken the edge off of the high pitched whine those drives make, making it much more bearable (unfortunately, nobody is able to touch WD in the price/performance/gig equation at this moment, so I put up with the noise for cost reasons). I'm assuming the plastic drive rails combined with the thicker aluminum than the PC-60 is causing this. The stealthed bezels are a very nice addition, making my old method of stealthing (just the flat sheet of aluminum velcroed to the drive) much less attractive. I'm trying to figure out how I want to put in a memory card reader. I may get the Mitsumi floppy/card reader combo and put that in, or I may spring for another 5.25-3.5 adapter and get Lian Li's brushed aluminum card reader. The rear fan is pretty restricted because of the grill, so I will eventually be opening that grill up (when I get the courage) with my dremel. I may use that back spot to mount a black ice extreme radiator and do some watercooling action. I seem to be getting some excessive noise from what appears to be the front fan. I'm going to ditch the filter for it to open up its airflow and hopefully quite it down. Drive cable are an issue for me, with mid-mobo mounted IDE ports. My SATA cables are at the top of my mobo, and the raptor cables just barely reach them with the raptors in the top right most 3.5 bays. So I'm going to purchase some 24+ inch rounded (and shielded) IDE and SATA cables. This must be taken into consideration when buying this case. My Antec Tru-430 PSU required a bit of finagling to get it to screw in right, but overall it wasn't too much work. I might try what was discussed in the SPCR forums and reverse the fan flow, to make sure that no air stagnates around the HD bay (due to hot air rising). This may sound like a lot of nitpicking but it really isn't that much to do. Overall, I love the compartmentalization of the case, as it allows for a very easy working environment - it's much easier to poke around in than the PC-60. The fit and finish seem superb. And one of the main selling points for me is that it has space for 12 air cooled HDs! That is very hard to come by nowadays.

 

[Tiamat]

Originally posted by: loki8481
IMO, the PC-V2000 is kinda fugly. I just don't dig the mesh look...

Not directed towards loki8481 (just stole the quote)
Lian Li has a version that has a door infront of the mesh. It also comes with that sound dampening material. Lian-Li's website has it along side the mesh version.

 

[nageov3t]

Originally posted by: Tiamat

Originally posted by: loki8481
IMO, the PC-V2000 is kinda fugly. I just don't dig the mesh look...

Not directed towards loki8481 (just stole the quote)
Lian Li has a version that has a door infront of the mesh. It also comes with that sound dampening material. Lian-Li's website has it along side the mesh version.

yeah. I linked to it in my post I'm thinking of buying it in the next couple months.