Lian Li Launches Slick Gaming Mid-Towers
Lian Li has been busy as of late, and its latest PC chassis series definitely has the gamer in mind.
Although Lian Li has released a few PC cases over the last few weeks, its new PC-8FI mid tower series is certainly one of the more interesting designs since the release of its crazy spider-shaped case last month. Designed for gamers, the hair-line brushed all-aluminum chassis comes in three flavors: the pricier red Spider edition, and the less expensive black and silver models. However all three sport tool-less installation and customization capabilities.
With the PC-8FI, Lian Li is making sure gamers are staying cool. All three models feature two 120-mm @1200 rpm intake fans on the front panel, and one 120-mm @ 1200 rpm exhaust fan mounted on the back panel. If that's not enough air flow, Lian Li has incorporated an additional 140-mm fan hole into the top panel. To spruce things up a little, the intake fans on the black case are lit up with blue LEDs--the red Spider edition sports a side panel featuring a large, spider-shaped, transparent window that not only exposes the PC's innards, but the red LEDs lighting up the rear panel's exhaust fan.
"The PC-8FI series is designed to give gamers lots of hardware options," the company said. "The tool-less, anti-vibration rubber ring suspension hard disk drive rack can hold six 3.5-inch HDDs. Externally, the chassis' 5.25-inch x3 Optical Device Drive (ODD) bays, with the capability of a 3.5-inch x1 bay (use a 5.25-inch converter), mount without the use of tools and are held in place by a rubber-padded arm to prevent vibration. The eight PCI mounting brackets enable CrossFireX and three-way SLI graphics card setups, and are equipped with a rubber pad to reduce noise and vibrations."
These three new PC cans are slated to go retail by the end of the month. Expect to pay a meaty $299+VAT for the uber-cool Spider edition (PC-8FIR), and a less hefty $189+VAT pricetag for the black and silver versions (PC-8FIB/A).
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Make it a full tower and id buy it. Props to Lian-Li..
People actually like that design. The side panel looks silly, and the front looks cheap.
Lian Li cases are waaaaaaaaaay overpriced
People actually like that design. The side panel looks silly, and the front looks cheap.
Despite what you may think the front looks like if youve ever owned a Lian Li you would know every last facet of their cases are anything but cheap.
I own one and while I wont ever spend that much on a case again I will say its quality and design is leagues above any other case I have ever owned.
...and why would I buy one of these over an Antec Nine-Hundred? I'd save enough money to cover the cost of a good CPU cooler, plus have enough left over to replace all of those out of style LED fans with good Noctua/Scythe/Delta ones.
Mid tower and gaming PC, is that a bad joke or something?
Sometimes case selection is a matter of personal preference.
What did surprise me was the space available for a video card. Over at the Lian Li web site they are showing 285mm of available space for a video card. The extra long video cards obviously will not fit. The space is a little less than the Lian Li/Lancool Dragon Lord cases introduced last year. They had 290mm of space available. Wondering why Lian Li shortened the space.
Still happy with my HAF 932.... it bigger and had better airflow. While ive always been a fan for the Lian very sleek design, Ill always take the cheaper, better performer.
WHAAAAAAWW, $299 for a case. Let's see, $80 antec 900 will do fine and I'll use $220 for uhm... black wii. Yea I'll choose that instead.
eh not bad but also not my taste
I loved it until I saw the price tag.
Is that Euros? That'll make it about $220 and $120, won't it?
Mid tower and gaming PC, is that a bad joke or something?
No not really.
After the summer I am adding a 5870 to my MicroATX system, and setting up eyefinity.
You, stop trying to be funny, your not!
Lian Li cases are waaaaaaaaaay overpriced
But they make nice stuff, these are too flashy for an old guy like me but I have used their standard nice aluminum black ones for my last 3 builds, quality is all there.
PS Lian Li regular cases, all aluminum mid towers run about $100 US
I like them, besides the side panel.
Mid tower and gaming PC, is that a bad joke or something?
I've been using a Mid Tower with an overclocked system and there's plenty of room and it stays very cool. Micro ATX gaming rigs are not uncommon these days either.
Mid tower and gaming PC, is that a bad joke or something?
Chill kid. Mah MicroATX system is pumpin out dem frames like youve nevr known
Got to say, I'm really only interested in Full Towers these days. All the room in my Thermaltake Armor 8003BWS is awesome to work with.
Is that Euros? That'll make it about $220 and $120, won't it?
Pretty sure that "dollar" sign means dollars. Not to mention that you've got your conversion upside-down. Last time I checked, the Euro was still kicking the dollars ass.
I honestly think Lian Li charge WAY to much for there cases. JMO
I've never liked any of the Lian Li designs i have seen. i agree they seem to overcharge for their cases as well...although i did pay more for my current case then i paid for my video card. it was worth it tho i really like my thermaltake spedo advance package case.
the bars across the front makes it look kinda weird, but a case is mainly personal preference. at least they have 2intake fans finally
I've had my Iian Li pc6070 plus case for 5 years now and it's only overpriced in the picture. In person you see what your paying for. This case is easy to work with. Built VERY solid like a tank but it's aluminum and therefore lighter than any case you can name and so well noise insulated that even configured as a gaming rig with more than a dozen fans spinning in it right now it's still quiet enough to be an HTPC if I wanted to use it as such.
I've rebuilt it a few times it started as a single core amd then dual core and finally now it's a quad core intel at each configuration I've never had issues moving enough air to suit whatever overclocking profile I wanted.
Now the Antec 900 is a solid design. I've built 3 of them for friends and family over the last 3 years and they're definitely the default gaming case for a budget gaming system. They move air better than any other case out there. But they are just a slightly on the flimsy side when you pick one up and feel the creaking going on inside. And they're anything but quiet even if you upgrade the fans.
After 5 years I'm about to do an upgrade for myself I'm going to sell this system and start from scratch with a completely blank slate and a decently large budget to put anything I want in it. I'm not totally set on Lian Li but they are at the top of the list. After 20 years of the "beige box" we've had the last 10 years of the "Black box" and I'm sick of that now I want some color in my new system. I'll take a look at this red one as well as anything else out there by any other maker.
Is that Euros? That'll make it about $220 and $120, won't it?
You're converting the wrong way--Euro is stronger than the dollar and it has been for quite a while.
Red...
Black...
Silver...
hhmmm... no Green?
Those saying the Lian Li cases are "overpriced" have never actually owned one. They cost more than the $29 piece of crap you're using now, and for good reason. They are top-quality in every area. I don't even look at any other brands.
But they make nice stuff, these are too flashy for an old guy like me but I have used their standard nice aluminum black ones for my last 3 builds, quality is all there.
Do people usually buy new cases for new builds? I've been using my P180 for my last three builds and don't see myself getting a new case for at least another build or 2.
I still love my Xclio Windtunnel. Full size case for under 100$. Sure it may not be great quality, but a full size case with good cooling already added along with being able to upgrade fans, couldn't refuse.
hmmm, someone rated it 3 stars for how it reads temp in C* and not F*
I love my CM ATCS840 FULL tower. It's top quality, awesome looking, and costs about the same as the "basic" Lian-Li PC-8FI featured here.
I don't like that much "flash" in my cases. Ever since I picked up the Thermaltake Element G, I have the feeling that I've bought my last case. Regardless what some reviews might be slighted towards, up in person it's quality and convenience throughout for the average (note: Average) gamers case. Heck it's the first case I've owned where I didn't have to cut any holes and 90%+ of my wires aren't seen inside of the case, and thus not blocking the airflow like some of the overpriced cases that I've bought in the past were like. I can do without the led flash lights in the Element G but I recognize that some folks like that sort of stuff. Yup, I'm a person that loves simple clean lines not flash.