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Thread: Lian-Li PCA06B

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    Lian-Li PCA06B

    After a case to replace my TT Lanbox lite. Not really doing it by chioce, but thing is getting crazy hot with a new 4850 installed This one caught one eye. Have read a few reviews and it seems to get a mix reception on the slightly weird setup inside, main concerns seem to be about cooling?

    Just wondering if anyone owns one, has some expereince or other input or other mATX tower suggestions? (if I'm changing, I want something with plenty of clearance for a CPU cooler, 120mm fans front and back, etc). Also like the look of the Silverstone TJ08, just like my hero Webby has

    Linky.. http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Lian-...luminium-Black (currently on offer in scanshot email)

    Cheers.

  2. #2
    Folding Flunkie Webby's Avatar
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    • Webby's system
      • Motherboard:
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    Re: Lian-Li PCA06B

    Would it shatter the illusion if you discovered that I don't use the TJ08 anymore? It wasn't big enough for my watercooling to fit inside so I modified a TJ06 (the are photos around here somewhere).

    On a positive note the TJ08 is a brilliant case no issues with cooler clearance (I fit a Thermalright Ultima 90 with a 120mm fan in mine) has good airflow although the stock fans are a bit noisy and it will swallow up the HD4850 no problem. Only issues yo may have are if you want to mount a lot of hard drives or fancy lots of optical drives but these are limitations of any small case.

    You could always consider the Mini P180 although its not really all that mini, excellent cooling though.

    If you did go with the A06 then I would swap the rear 80mm fan for a 120mm one (if it will fit, or duel 92mm if it wont) will be a simple enough mod to do. I would also probably put a vent on the top panel at the rear if it doesnt already have one as that is where any hot air from the GPU will accumulate.
    Last edited by Webby; 05-02-2009 at 08:18 PM.

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    Senior Member Pob255's Avatar
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    Re: Lian-Li PCA06B

    I was just going to add that it's an ATX case not mATX.

    There's a couple of people here who really rate the Antec miniP180 it's larger then normal mATX cases but still around the size of a mid tower case and is said to have very good cooling.

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    Re: Lian-Li PCA06B

    hehe, nope I had wondered how you were fitting stacks of water cooling gear in a mATX case. Hope you don't the compliment, just you have a similar hardware setup nicely overclocked, so would be crazy not to look at your pre underwater mATX rig for some ideas on cooling, overclocking and housing my setup I reckons.

    Looked at the P180 a few times guys, awesome on paper, but tbh I don't think I could live with how ugly it is.

    Plan on the Lian was to do pretty much what you say, but not sure if I fancy cutting holes in the top of a £70 case. Thats the reason why the Lanbox is going, as it would need dremel'ing to death and been offered £40 for it, so happy with that. the 120mm fan mod at the back is easy enough though, most of the reviews etc suggest it. We reckon its a none starter without sorting cooling at the top?, AFIAK it doesnt come with anything but a silly little grill above the expansion slots.

    Silverstone does seem the better chioce and would work nicely without any effort from me, but the Lian is so purdy... Regardless, I gotta sort something quick as I got a 4850 here idleing hotter than the surface of the sun and a case you can fry eggs on!

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    Re: Lian-Li PCA06B

    Get the A05B as it has a rear 120mm fan instead of the 80mm on the A06B.

    Which cooler is on your 4850 stock or the improved black gainward?

    If the only reason for your change is the grapics temps then I would advise a new cooler as it will be cheaper & a direct solution to the problem.

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    Senior Member Pob255's Avatar
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    Re: Lian-Li PCA06B

    Have you considered the Lian-Li PCA09B ?
    Also the Lian Li PC7F
    http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Lian-...luminium-Black
    You may be put off by the blue fan, but the layout and cooling look good and an LED fan can be replaced.

    Fro good cooling in an actual mATX case (the TJ08 is ATX but shorter (less height) but longer than most mid tower case)
    Probably the Silverstone SUGO SG03
    http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Silve...r-Case-w-o-PSU

    But do you think it's ugly?

    Hard to say with cases as they are often gut reaction to looks (I like the look of the miniP180 in black not so much in white)

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    Re: Lian-Li PCA06B

    Its the standard Gainward cooler on my card, just like the GS, but minus the heatpipes and ramsinks. TBH the cooling is doing an amazing job considering the case temp etc. Not the first time the Lanbox has fought me either, so deffintely feeling its time to get rid. Got it under 40C idle now, but the fan aint half giving it some!

    Thanks for the other suggestions guys. Looked at the A05B, nice trade up for a 120mm rear fan, but actually quite like the silly LEDs on the A06B, so would go with that and Mod it for a 120 fan. Other two Lian's look decent enough, but not really doing it for me. Getting less convinced on the weird layout and cooling setup of the A06B the more I read tbh. Gah!

    SUGO is just plain nasty looking LOL! But must admit the P180 mini is starting to grow on me a bit, go against the trend again and say I also quite like it white. Question is, if I'm going midi tower sized, why not just buy a midi tower case and be done with it. Something like the Antec 300 would cost me nothing. Off to have another google around, must be something out there with my name on it.

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    Senior Member Pob255's Avatar
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    Re: Lian-Li PCA06B

    Deffinately consider the PC7F then it's useing the current lower psu setup as seen in many new cases
    You can even get a side window version if you like gazeing at you hardware

    Review here http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/671

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    Re: Lian-Li PCA06B

    antec 300 is still pretty small & has damn good cooling to boot. I have even have a spare one ill let you have cheap

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    Re: Lian-Li PCA06B

    In one of my classic turnarounds then, screw the whole mATX idea. Seems to be getting more expensive and creating as many problems as it fixes lol. Do like that PC7F, Pob, but is quite a bit more than the 300 which seems to be standard issue around here and looks to have more cooling options stock?. At £45 would leave me some change for a CPU cooler too, as I have been dying to get stuck into this E4500 for a while now. Hmmm.. Thanks for the suggestions all, shall muse on this over the weekend.

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    Senior Member Pob255's Avatar
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    Re: Lian-Li PCA06B

    Only sugested the PC7f as it was a Lian-Li and you seem to like the look of thoes (and it's a good mid tower case)

    The Antec 300 is nice and cheap, it's steel and uses a plastic front panel, not brushed aluminium like the lian-li, nore does it have the nice grommeted hard drive mounting system.
    Ya pays ya money, ya makes ya choise.
    ALso have a look at the CM 590, another good case for cooling.

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    Re: Lian-Li PCA06B

    Aye, Lian Li cases are the dogs but hard to justify one when with the saving I can get a TRUE, Ninja II or whatever and uprate some fans etc. Looked at the CM590 and CM690, look like dust magnets and again the expense over something like the 300 I'm struggling to justify as my heart is still in mATX so its a head thing lol. I can make silicon/rubber gromets for the PSU and drives for a few pence and removable drives are handy, but not something I really want or need. If I did would be looking at the 900 aswell I suppose. Also its cheap enough to have a crack at modding if the mood takes me. Do fancy spraying the insides black to match the outside.

    Gonna order a 300 tomorrow as its basically a free upgrade. Only issue is a 12v 4pin extension, Maplins sell them but Ebuyer don't which seems madness and a real pain.

    Cheers again, Pob.

    Psst.. Missed your post PwnDirect, sorry mate. Thanks for the offer, but is easist for me to just buy new as Lanbox sale is on a limited timeframe basis, dude having it is very fickle, so wanna get it gone before his changes his mind!

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    Re: Lian-Li PCA06B

    Ordered up an Antec 300 and couple of cheapo blue fans, reckon it'll do the trick and has basically cost me nothing with sale of the Lanbox, so can't really be a bad upgrade, can it? LOL!

    Cheers again for the links and advice all.

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    Re: Lian-Li PCA06B

    Arrived today and stuck me bits in. GPU temps have dropped 20c @ idle (31c from 50c+) and CPU has seen a 5c drop too! Very pleased with it and even the cheapo fans arent half bad.

    All I need now is a decent CPU cooler and 3ghz+, then job done.

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