Build a Cooler, Faster PC with the Revolutionary Lian Li PC-100 Case

[btarunr]

Experienced case maker Lian Li has unveiled a radical rethink of the PC case, the new PC-100. The PC-100 is a long overdue redesign of the traditional PC chassis that improves cooling, prolongs component life, and saves space. This beautiful and compact mid tower case is roomy enough for the longest graphics cards and largest E-ATX/XL-ATX/ATX motherboards, thanks to its innovative layout. It is also remarkably easy to assemble without tools. Lian Li's innovative PC-100 is a breath of fresh air for the stagnant PC case market.

Superior cooling helps CPUs and graphics cards run at maximum speed without slowdowns or crashes due to overheating. This also means higher speeds for overclockers, and extends the life of disk drives and motherboards. However, traditional case layouts have two serious barriers to optimal cooling, performance, and ease-of-use: firstly, they block airflow with a wall of hard disk drives inside the front of the case. Secondly, important ports and connectors are at the back, making them difficult to access – a defect that manufacturers can only try to address by adding a few front panel connectors.



The PC-100's radical redesign solves both these problems. For the first time, a case is available that provides a clear path for cool air to flow unimpeded across the CPU, chipset, and voltage regulation components, forcing heat out of the case with maximum efficiency. The result is a dramatic improvement in cooling performance with standard PC parts, and no extra cost. The PC-100 actually needs less space than competing cases, but provides a less cramped interior, easier access to external connectors, and a shorter, more direct path for airflow.



Two Lian Li innovations have made this breakthrough in cooling possible. In the PC-100, the motherboard is rotated 180 degrees. So all those hard-to-reach connectors at the back of traditional PCs are now easily accessible at the front of the PC-100, and the graphics card is much closer to cool air drawn in at the front. Meanwhile, the hard disk drives are moved to the side of the case from their traditional location at the front (similar to Lian Li's recently released PC-90 chassis). The airflow direction remains the same, from the front of the case to the back, driven by two large, quiet 140mm fans filling the rear of the case, and another 120mm fan at the front.

Despite this radical redesign, there's less cable clutter. The front panel keeps things neat, with a cable access door. If necessary, any cable can still be routed to the rear or side internally through ducts, so no extra cables protrude from the front of the case and the front panel can be opened without unplugging cables.

The PC-100 also offers enhanced hard drive cooling. With the top side of three hard drives now arranged flat against the outside of the case, they are able to radiate heat directly to the outside over a bigger surface area, instead of being crammed together in a stack as they are in traditional cases. And there's still unimpeded airflow moving across every drive.

Unobstructed airflow reduces noise, as well as keeping the PC cooler. To further control noise and vibration, there are rubber anti-vibration pads under the case, and the disk drives are isolated with rubber strips on the hard drive tray.

All the neat Lian Li features that buyers have come to expect are still there, like washable air filters, a graphics card holder for stability and protection, and water cooling ports.

There's space for up to 8 full sized drives and 8 expansion slots. For removable and optical drives, there are two bays at the front of the case – at the top to avoid obstructing air flow.

Cool both inside and out, the PC-100's classic black anodized aluminum construction and smooth, rounded lines provide the perfect understated complement to the technical wizardry concealed inside.

Product Highlights of Lian Li PC-100

• Truly innovative design for optimal cooling performance
• All cables accessible at the front for unprecedented ease of use
• Supports E-ATX, XL-ATX, ATX and Micro ATX motherboards
• Accepts video cards up to 400mm, CPU coolers up to 165mm
• Up to 8 drives, including 2 external
• Multiple noise reduction and vibration damping features
• Product will be available in the market by end of December
• MSRP: US$199

[ZoneDymo]

Ermm so how is this revolutionary and better at cooling?
Its just pretty much the last motherboard(tray) orientation left but it in no way seems to be better.

Now, instead of the back, cables and hot air come out the front and the air is being taken in from the back.

This does not change anything in terms of cooling efficiency as far as I can see and the idea of cables and hot air coming out the front is just ermm backwards....

[Quantos]

Originally Posted by ZoneDymo

Ermm so how is this revolutionary and better at cooling?
Its just pretty much the last motherboard(tray) orientation left but it in now seems to be better.

Now instead of the back cables and hot air come out the front and the air is being taken in from the back.

This does not change anything in terms of cooling efficiency as far as I can see and the idea of cables and hot air coming out the front is just ermm backwards....

The airflow remains the same, the air is drawn from the front and exits at the back.

[enikmaster]

the idea is that the hard drives are not in front of the front fans so the air goes directly to the components that need to be cooled: the graphic card, memory and cpu. although, by placing the hard drives like that (sideways) they also get some of the airflow, allowing come cooling.

[RejZoR]

It's plain but Lian Li makes good cases. Aluminium is expensive but it's very light and their cases are strong unlike Thermaltake one that i had before that bend badly (so much that soundcard was constantly loosing PCI (or was it PCIe already) slot contact in some places. Also there are bunch of flashy cases but there aren't many with easy and calm design that can fit into a living room or some other more serious place.

[ZoneDymo]

Originally Posted by Quantos

The airflow remains the same, the air is drawn from the front and exits at the back.

Ermm ok, dont think that will work out drawing hot air from such a large space instead of just pushing in cool air.
And on top of that, the GPU still will port out hot air on the front, that will be a fight for where the air goes, does not seem that efficient to me.

[ZoneDymo]

Originally Posted by enikmaster

the idea is that the hard drives are not in front of the front fans so the air goes directly to the components that need to be cooled: the graphic card, memory and cpu. although, by placing the hard drives like that (sideways) they also get some of the airflow, allowing come cooling.

I don't think HDD's need that much cooling for one (other cases have put SSD's on the back of the mobotray with seemingly no cool air going past it at all) and two you could have done this with a traditional design as well (again like has been done)

[Quantos]

Originally Posted by ZoneDymo

Ermm ok, dont think that will work out drawing hot air from such a large space instead of just pushing in cool air.
And on top of that, the GPU still will port out hot air on the front, that will be a fight for where the air goes, does not seem that efficient to me.

I guess it depends what GPU you're using. If it's a blower, then yes it does seem stupid to blow the air to the front, where you have a fan working against it.

[badtaylorx]

no thanks.....

but please dont stop trying lian li!!!

[KieranD]

Mount it in the front panel? NOOOOOOOO! you have cables either sticking out the front or having to be dragged to the back through routing.

The Raven cases are a good example of how to turn airflow on its head.

[Thrackan]

Now this is just making something different for the sake of making something different...

[jsfitz54]

I am open to Lian Li sending me a free sample to try.

[pantherx12]

Dear Lian Li, there's a reason we have all the I/O cable out areas at the back.

Stupid bloody design.

Maybe they are in cahoots with extra long cable companies lol

[TheLostSwede]

The PSU also goes in the front, with the cable coming out the front, but all the cables have to be routed out the back along the bottom of the case, although inside the chassis behind the side panel. It's a really odd case that makes no sense at all to me.

[Thrackan]

Originally Posted by TheLostSwede

The PSU also goes in the front, with the cable coming out the front, but all the cables have to be routed out the back along the bottom of the case, although inside the chassis behind the side panel. It's a really odd case that makes no sense at all to me.

They've made good cases with the PSU in front, the PC-A05 being a very good example, but this is like dr. Frankenstein was playing with parts of cases and put them together all wrong...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNkZpySwdt4

[jsfitz54]

I think that the Power Supply is in the rear per the pictures and that the Optical drives go in the front.

In any event, I like the concept of moving the hard drives, as I always thought that front mounting was restrictive...I always spaced my drives not to stack together.

[pantherx12]

Originally Posted by jsfitz54

I think that the Power Supply is in the rear per the pictures and that the Optical drives go in the front.

You're right, it's just the I/O and the pci-e slots that in are in stupid places.

Although I suppose it might be quite nice if you live in a cold place and want warm air on your face

[renosablast]

ZoneDymo I suggest you re-read the release. Exhuast air does NOT come out the front -- airflow is still front to back. More open spaces with dedicated wiring tracks results in more cooling efficiency -- always has, always will.

[pantherx12]

Originally Posted by renosablast

ZoneDymo I suggest you re-read the release. Exhuast air does NOT come out the front -- airflow is still front to back. More open spaces with dedicated wiring tracks results in more cooling efficiency -- always has, always will.

Except the graphics cards will still dump their heat out the pci expansion slots, so if airflow is front to back still then all that lovely hot exhaust air will be sucked straight back in and blow right onto your cpu.

Lovely!

[fochkoph]

I suspect there will be a number of users who will reverse the air flow of the case. It just seems more practical that way. But I suppose the main draw of this case is having the CPU cooler so close to the intake fan, but there is no mention of hot GPU exhaust being recirculated. What I find most interesting is how they're claiming this is their first case that provides direct air flow over the CPU and voltage regulators without any mention of the original A05N.

In the end, why not just buy the PC-90? It seems like a less convoluted version of this case.

[Widjaja]

To me this is Lian-Li running out of new ideas, but then again, how many new innovative ideas can you come up with for a computer case which doesn't have flaws.

Nice try from Lian-Li but there is only so much room for improvement over a form factor which is already at it's best.

[Assimilator]

Let's wait to see how it performs before we judge it, hmmm?

[pantherx12]

Originally Posted by Assimilator

Let's wait to see how it performs before we judge it, hmmm?

Bugger that, it's fun testing out your knowledge and posting it publicly that way you can go " TOLD YOU !" at a later date or people get lulz at your expense.

Either way it's a whole lot more fun.

[Whilhelm]

Its all backwards but because of the locations of the hard drives it leaves a nice big open space for a 2x140mm rad mounted internally at the back of the case. It wouldn't even require much modding to make it happen from the looks of it. So I see a lot of potential with this case and a bit of modding.

In terms of functionality it is a bit odd. I have found that my keyboard and mouse cables are already way too short. Also the prospect of video cards blasting hot air in my face constantly is rather disturbing.

[pantherx12]

Originally Posted by Whilhelm

Its all backwards but because of the locations of the hard drives it leaves a nice big open space for a 2x140mm rad mounted internally at the back of the case. It wouldn't even require much modding to make it happen from the looks of it. So I see a lot of potential with this case and a bit of modding.

In terms of functionality it is a bit odd. I have found that my keyboard and mouse cables are already way too short. Also the prospect of video cards blasting hot air in my face constantly is rather disturbing.

Good point, as a solely water cooled build it would work out nicely.

For air cooling, not so much