Originally posted by: Pariah
Definitely Coolermaster, it's simply a better case. The ATC 201 has a much nicer finish and more refined look, whether or not you think it looks better is a different issue. Just picking up the case you can tell it is constructed better than the Lian Li, it's more solid and sturdy feeling down to the slide out motherboard tray, though it is still light. The interior is a quite a bit roomier and easier to work with. Both use thumbscrew for everything. The only thing I like better on the Lian Li is the removable face plate, though that wouldn't be a deciding factor for me unless everything else was even. You just get the impression that more effort was put into the Coolermaster and greater attention was paid to detail, when you look at things like the metal machined power button vs the plastic on the Lian Li, and the plastic feet on the Lian Li compared to the nice metal and no slip rubber feet on the ATC 201. If you want a window in your case, go with the Lian Li because putting one in a Coolermaster would sort of be like putting ground-effects and a racing stripe on a Mercedes, it just wouldn't look right.
Actually, Li-Li's have been improving from the first run models. The PC-60's first made are not the same as the ones made now. One of the most noteable improvements is the new buttons on the new face plate, which are no longer that cheesy dark grey plastic square deal of the past (they're flush with the rest of the bezel, with some cool oval blue and red LED's instead of the puke yellow and green of the past).
I do have to agree that some of the Coolermasters do have a better build quality, but for a higher price (I've seen PC60's go for $129 at very, very reputable sites [
www.so-trickcomputers.com], while the ATC201 still hovers at $178 at Newegg). I think of the Li-Li's as the mainstream products of the aluminum case world, and Coolermasters as the higher end (with PoS stuff like Skyhawk being the budget sector). Forty bucks can go a long way toward other purchases (like new fans for that aluminum case, since I hate the stock fans that come with both the Li-Li's and Coolermasters.
Windows on an ATC201 would look pretty good if done right, probably something akin to the PC-65's window style. But most DIY window mods have that molding which I think would look like ass on the ATC201 (well, I think molding looks like ass regardless, but especially on the ATC201).
Personally, if I were to get yet another aluminum case, I'd go for the ATC110. I tend to dislike doors that cover optical drives, but sometimes I just don't feel like making/buying/painting faceplates to match aluminum. Li-Li is definitely not a bad choice though. There's a reason why they're the standard.
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