| Lian Li PC-90 Computer Case |  |
| Reviews - Featured Reviews: Cases | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Written by Austin Downing | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tuesday, 30 August 2011 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Lian Li PC-90 Computer Case Review
Manufacturer: Lian Li Full Disclosure: The product sample used in this article has been provided by Lian Li. For many enthusiasts, fitting the very best hardware into a computer case comes at a high price. Unfortunately it means having large, unwieldy enclosures to house all of their hardware. To combat this, Lian Li has created an enclosure with unique properties to combat the growing bloat of systems, and to their credit it seems to has worked. By allowing users to fit the EVGA Super Record 2 motherboard into a case that is 20.15" x 9.05" x 19.25", Lian Li has effectively allowed users to have a smaller more manageable case with all the features of its larger cousins. Benchmark Reviews will evaluate if the Lian Li PC-90 computer case has all of the cards in its hand or if in the end it was a bluff and users are still better off with a larger enclosure. In typical fashion Lian Li has created a very beautiful enclosure with the PC-90. Its dark brushed aluminum exterior, all aluminum interior, and unique design make it a joy to work even with the most powerful of components. All of this is done with Lian Li's legendary build quality and attention to detail. Even more impressive, users are able to fit HPTX motherboards like the EVGA Super Record 2 in a case that is 20.15" x 9.05" x 19.25" which only weighs 14.77lbs. Compared the 44lbs Corsair 800D the PC-90 is tiny allowing high power users to have a more manageable computing experience without the troubles of owning a giant case. So without further ado Benchmark Reviews will delve into the inner workings of the Lian Li PC-90 to see if this enclosure is as good as it sounds.
When reviewing a case you have four major things you need to look at. First, you need to look at build quality because no one wants to spend hours putting hardware in a case only to find defects or to have parts that will fail months later. Secondly, you need to look at cooling because as the heat output of components goes up, so do cooling needs. Third, you need to look at the acoustics of your new case because as anyone who has worked on or near servers knows adequate cooling can come at an acoustic cost unless a company put expenses into preventing this. Lastly, you need to look at the ease of build, which depending on your system may or may not play a big role in your choice of case. If you like, I spend lots of time inside of your case modifying parts then you want a system that you can easily move around in while making modifications. On the other hand if you want to setup your system and leave it then this becomes less of an importance and therefore can be moved lower on the requirements for your case. Lian Li PC-90 Features
Lian Li PC-90 Specifications
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Comments
Just me, and no slight to you, I'd not have knocked the price too much as aluminum is getting a bit high priced as is the chemical anodizing. Bang for the Buck says the $219 really isn't that bad to me. Looks like Lian Li has done it again.
I guess I look at it is when you go to Newegg over 70% cost less then $200 so that would make it in the top tier of pricing.
Is the left panel vented to aid in air flow over the drives?
It looks like you can't add/change cards, memory, etc without unplugging the drives unless you have lots of slack in the power and SATA cables.
There are no openings on the left panel to aid in the cooling of the drives. But again that should not be a problem for most systems.
Unfortunately changing components will require some disassemble with the PC-90 but I assume that unless you are also a reviewer that many users have fairly static systems.
This is a very interesting case design - not since Silverstone flipped a motherboard 90 degrees have I seen such an exciting-yet-obvious-in-retrospect case design.
I do not think I have ever read a review of a $220 case lacking wire management cutouts, or the room to tuck them behind the motherboard, that did not include a good castigation,impugnme nt, and or admonition. Also as Austin points out " it still lacks the cooling prowess of the Antec 900 or Silverstone RV02."
While acknowledging that looks and style are the definition of subjectivity. This case has what amounts to a Morse code of ...well...slots, much in the same fashion of those found on the back of my microwave. Not to mention that for being an "piece of art, they lack any architectural depth.
Not to be taken as a shot at you Austin. If you liked the case great. I do have to wonder however if this case (and many others by Lian Li) were to show up at sites around the net with the badge replaced with a different moniker. Would the comments and evaluations be so generous.
I think what you are seeing is people understanding that Lian Li walks to its own beat and doesn't follow what the rest of the market is doing. And in every design the build quality is superb.
Some food for thought though. If so many reviewers like Lian Li designs then one of two things must be happening. 1) Lian Li is paying off every major review company out there or 2) Lian Li genuinally makes a great product and that is why they score well almost every time.
You tell me which one is more logical.
Hence "Not to be taken as a shot at you Austin. If you liked the case great."
I did not anywhere question your sincerity.
"Some food for thought though. If so many reviewers like Lian Li designs then one of two things must be happening. 1) Lian Li is paying off every major review company out there or 2) Lian Li genuinally makes a great product and that is why they score well almost every time.
You tell me which one is more logical."
I don't have to think either. I actually meant what I wrote;
"I do have to wonder however if this case (and many others by Lian Li) were to show up at sites around the net with the badge replaced with a different moniker. Would the comments and evaluations be so generous."
I read reviews, and hear people complain about the very same lacking of the Lian Li cases in other brands...and give Lian Li a pass. That was what I said.That is what i am saying. You chose to take it in a different direction.
Go troll somewhere else.
Can you run the power cables for the hard drives from the top over to the back where the drives are? If so, that accounts for a huge number of cables on some systems. On others, it just reroutes a single hard drive power cable, but at least you can do that.
My only problem is 220.00 are you kidding me Li? My Antec Stacker was aluminum and twice the case this is for 290.00. Other than that, I like it.
Nice, clean, easy to read review too.
I look at my PC-60 cases and think hmm.. ok make it a little wider take move things around a little bit to accomadate 120mm fans (or larger) and voila! perfect case.. But no.. Come on Lian-Li!!!
Austin, Yeah my PC60 case has an i7 setup with a hyper 212 in it from coolermaster. Because it's in there I can't get the tray out.. (hense why I said new ones today need to be just a little deeper then the ones from they early 2000s.
I have worked with a couple Lian Li cases and although I have some quips about them I do appreciate their attention to detail.
Earlier this year I bought my PC A77F-B Lian Li which should last...well, until new motherboard standards arrive and I am compelled to buy such new tech.
As always here a BMR, a very thorough, complete review. Keep up the good work!
How hotter do 3 cards in Tri-fire/SLI get in there compared to the RV02-EW?
How much would the side fan improve the cooling?
Would the side fan get in a large heat-sink's way?
Can I buy the same fan Lian Li has in its case?
Secondly there is no place to put a side fan on the PC-90.
I have a silver Lian Li PC 60 (I think) which has served me well, but it was time to get a new one in order to fit in the newer crop of video cards which are getting ridiculously wide.
It's the smallest HPTX case I could find, and I generally follow a rule where any case I buy has to be able to accept any size component. This is because I have a few computers, and I tend to do a bit of 'hand me down' parts replacement. Eg. I can't hand down an e-atx motherboard into a m-atx chassis.
I use this case as a media center PC, located in a living area.
The draw of the look is that it is sedate.
As with all my computers, I want them to not stand out when located in a public space.
The case is also rather compact for the kind of parts compatibility it offers.
It's essentially the same external size as a Lian Li PC-50 (another case I have)(it's a pinkie-thickness wider), and has gobs more space inside.
To me, I see the PC-90 as a 'mid tower'.
Technically, the case is not perfect.
Two changes would make it ideal.
1) The power supply should be on bottom, with a triple 120mm fan array on top for a good radiator.
2) the mainboard should be moved out an inch+, and the drive mounting system flipped to be 'behind the motherboard'.
Also, the 5.25 bays could use a 3rd bay, so you could do this :
1) Optical
2) IO panel / card reader
3) fan controller panel
The cable management could be better with mainboard tray cutouts.
However, there is a reason why they are missing.
The case is built with the presumption that you want a compact HPTX system.
An HPTX motherboard would span the entire back panel, effectively blocking any cutouts should they be there.
Granted an ATX board would make good use of the cutouts...
-scheherazade
I'm not a brand fan of any sort. I simply find a large selection of minimalist appearing cases with Lian-Li, and out of all minimalist cases I've looked at, Lian-Li has just happened to have a setup I like at the time that I was in the market.
A non-Lian-Li case I have is the Aerocool Masstige. Terrific airflow, elegant, and rather cheap.
There are plenty of great cases from many companies.
However, out of the 'good air flow' category of cases, from most companies, the majority of their offerings are just flamboyant.
I don't want crazy colors, crazy grilles, blue lights stuffed everywhere, etc.
So that generally leaves one or two cases per company that I could consider, and a few dozen I could consider from Lian-Li.
Note :
In regards to cooling, I use the top 14cm opening with :
(14cm fan) (14/12 adapter) (12cm radiator) (12cm fan).
It's adequate for a solid overclock, albeit not breakig records.