More case reviews on the way soon. We're working on the new Corsair ones and have seen a few requests for coverage of them, so they are in testing! Noise normalized & standardized fan methodology: ruclips.net/video/eVkAXSJeKKM/видео.html Article: www.gamersnexus.net/hwreviews/3621-lian-li-lancool-215-airflow-case-review
Got impatient and already ordered one (4000D airflow), hoping i have learnt enough from your previous videos to have made an informed decision. looking forward to the reviews.
@@DanteMetaphor i just bought the same case. I swapped from a phanteks enthoo luxe. Looks like no change in thermals even though it's significantly smaller. I have an overclocked r5 3600 and 3080. I'm happy with it
I must admit that case reviews are my favorite videos that GN does because watching Steve browbeat these manufacturers into creating better and better cases is very satisfying. I also picture marketing and design teams giving each other high fives when they place at or near the top of the all-time GN leaderboards.
Nobody does case reviews quite like GN, they usually focus on irrelevant stuff or just unboxing, design, etc. with little or none thermal testing... Thanks to GN I made the right choice and am enjoying my new PC in the Phanteks P400A case, all fan slots populated with Arctic P12 PWM. (Thanks Optimum Tech) Let me tell you, it's so damn quiet, especially now that I run SSD only, can reccommend.
"Overall, this seems fine. Thats high praise from us." I laughed at this one. The gist of the whole video is that it does well thermally, is quiet, and is the cheapest case in its weight class. The only downsides are ease of installation and creature comforts, which were cut in lieu of keeping the price low. Id say thats a win. I just placed my preorder.
@@noxar8451 I'm also eyeballing that case now thanks to GN. My only gripe with it is the horizontal IO. I don't know why manufacturers do this, its the dumbest oreintation to put usb slots in. If I have anything plugged into one of those ports, and the cable gets caught on something, either the port will be damaged, or the device/cable plugged into it. With a vertical design, something gets caught, cable unplugs, no big deal. Seems a case of aesthetics taking precedence over common sense.
Stops them from taking the piss, I like the scolding he gives otherwise, like you see already, manufacturers already are opting out with materials and trying to make cases for less money with even lesser build quality, they need to be pulled up about it and have those sales impacted.
Great review guys, thanks for the exhaustive info. I bought a lancool 2 mesh a few weeks ago and I'm very happy with it. Thanks for bringing airflow back to the mainstream.
I've actually stopped watching any GPU-specific videos at this point. Will definitely pick up again with the Big Navi release...but I'm pretty content with my 2070 Super...
I have reached a point where airflow is easy, as long as they continue updating cheap cases with mesh fronts and properly vented fronts, instead of a steel panel with 2 inches of airflow on top and bottom. It is refreshing to see them come back from the train wreck that was 2018 era cases. Also, refreshing to see a Lian Li budget case, mostly they had products with some eccentric aesthetic flair, but all sketch with something wrong with the functionality at a high price. This is an improvement IMO.
Part of me wishes you would get some sort of blank case and then mod it to what you would want a case to have so we know what to look for in cases for airflow and functionality.
Just get a cardboard box/some bits of wood, re-inforce the sides and stick the motherboard on, then cut out the areas you want airflow. A "case" is litterally whatever you want to be a case. you can litterally stick a computer in anything, you are limited only by your imagination.
Thanks for the review! I bought this case for a new build and I must say I like it. Cable management was quite easy, I found and the velcro straps work very well indeed. I can confirm, however, that they have not improved the front cover. I thought it was going to break off the first time I tried to remove it.
I think the compromises Lian Li made on this case are perfectly acceptable. It seems like they hit their goal. Clearly there were a few small design changes that could have possibly been made, but it does beg the question for what the real cost of making them would be. They set out to do something, and your extensive (and awesome) testing shows that they did it. Your reviews are brutally honest, but I think Lian Li can read between the lines :P
I know not everyone likes these, but I really appreciate case reviews with this level of detail. I built my rig in the CoolerMaster H500 (Blank) and love it, but it's your review of the CoolerMaster TD500 which made me pick it when we built my wife's new PC last month. Thanks for putting out this kind of content.
Glad LianLi addressed the fact that you can’t get a 280 rad in the top of the Lancool Mesh II. It has mounts for 2x140 but was just a hair too narrow for the full rad which was a complete bummer as a front push/pull didn’t give enough clearance for tubes down unless I manage to get a hold of a shortie graphics card to flip it around. Otherwise it was nice to build in a modern case upgrading from my very old Antec P180mini.
I bought this case a few weeks ago, and I am really impressed. Yes there are some cons, but it really isn't a bad option for the price. Best selling point is the airflow. I'm not running a wild, powerful setup in mine, but it stays cooler than I expected, even under heavy load. If I end up keeping it when I upgrade (which is highly likely) I will be replacing the 200mm fans with smaller ones. The huge mesh front is awesome though. Team air-cooling here. I have trust issues with a liquid setup lol. The only modification I've had to do so far was removing the front fan sticker as they drove me nuts being slightly off. But it doesn't look bad at all without the stickers, actually gave it a cleaner, more aggressive look.
@@Haugalandet it does a descent job. Fine particles will get in of course, but I dust my PC and clean the glass every couple weeks and it's very minimal. I have a cat so naturally cat hair floats around but the mesh catches it and I just wipe it off with a damp cloth. Seen it's been 3 months since I made review and I will say I am still very satisfied with this case.
I also hate that & ive actually had to remove some of fronts over years because problems it can cause, anywhere that air moves past all the time seems to get brittle & damages cables over time
@@Cal94 cables connected to front panel basically tethering it constant air flow will cause the cables to get brittle I have 3 broken front panels with no usb now
@@JLMtime what i meant, is on the Fractal Design Focus G, the front panel buttons/IO screwed straight into the case as a separate trim from the front panel, so you can pull the front panel without that whole yanking on wires issue. And the Focus G series is a lower price tier product than the Meshify line. so it's surprising they wouldn't apply the same principals to a case at a higher price point (and i'm pretty sure, a newer product... i think the meshify C is at least a few years younger than the focus G)
Hated that and the need to remove PSU shroud cover plate to install 3 front fans, thus leaving a GAPING HOLE exposing ALL CABLES underneath...ultimately led to ditching the Mesh (i.e. it's the fam case now) and going with the O11 Dynamic XL. Love that case.
Thanks for the review. Have been waiting for more case reviews to come out. I think the Lancool II Mesh is still on my mind. I'm waiting for the Corsair 4000x airflow now.
@Tian Yes. I would like a case with 280 radiator support. I have seen in a forum someone fit a 280 in the Lancool II mesh with LPX memory. The 4000x shows 280 support as well with LPX memory.
The front fan issue is the exact same thing you have on the Coolermaster H500. On that case, I fixed it by cutting out the metal behind the fans to leave them completely unobstructed.
@@Boba19423O I left the material at the corners where the fans are screwed into, but cut out any metal that blocked the fans themselves. You do lose the ability to mount a radiator or smaller fans in the front, but that's not something I wanted to do with this case anyway.
@@Boba19423O I used a portable jig saw. I don't know what effect it had on temps because I modded the case before I used it for the first time. I just didn't like what I saw, and knew that removing that material could only improve the performance. I run a Noctua NH-D15S on an AMD 3950x CPU, and a 2080Ti GPU. CPU never gets above 73C, and GPU never gets above 65C, but I always run all my case fans (I am only using the front 200mm, and nothing else) and CPU fan (only one would fit due to RAM clearance issues on the second one) at 100%. GPU has dual BIOS and it's set to the performance fan mode, but I rarely even hear the fans ramp up on it.
Ha, I did the same thing - but this case looks even worse than the H500. With the H500 if you cut the rad supports out you have 0 obstruction at all. If you do that to this case it looks like you won't be left with any frame! Did you do any other mods to your CM H500? I'm thinking about relocating the rear fan and also riveting in some hexagon mesh sheet.
I knew you guys would review this eventually, it deserves the recognition. Im going to be building any future pc with either the 215 or the 4000D airflow but I will wait for benchmarks of the 4000D airflow first. Good stuff as always Steve :)
Thanks for your review. I am really looking forward to this case as a budget builder. I appreciate the testing to show where not to try to use AIOs, as well as the other planning issues.
Didn't you also test the Galahad AIO? I'm actually waiting for your review to be uploaded before i buy it together with the rest of my new rig. Can you maybe just give me a hint if it's safe to buy (without any details)? 😅 Love your content!!!
Good to hear you mention the Silverstone RL06! I bought that case after your reviews and I just came to see how newer cases are stacking up against it.
I rly like this case, and pre ordered my 215, I still Love you Steve, and thank you for your time :) I will now go order um... something from your store =D
@@seanmoist1217 Im going to say YES, Being it its a newer case, but PLZ check your dimensions once your motherboard is fitted in your case, sometimes they require 'mods'
I'm having a hard time understanding case price brackets. With GPUs or CPUs the gaps are easily between 100-200$ so it makes a lot of sense, but when going up 30$ is getting you a better case, which in most cases can outlast all the other hardware you use, then surely the cost of 1 or 2 happy meals is not a huge stretch.
Yep. But I find the cheapest cases are just fine for an air cooled mATX build. I.e. a normal peasant gamer. I've got a cheap Silverstone inverted case and I've never seen better thermals on a GPU. No one has reviewed my case but I'm sure it beats more expensive cases on account it is inverted. I think the model number is rl08 if I'm not mistaken. Thanks for reading.
The price brackets mainly come from feature prices. Many people just dont need a case with special features and for them there is no reason at all to spend even a dollar more, since it doesnt come with an advantage
@@Mystikus2 yea I reckon the more expensive cases are for water cooling and people with lots of drives. You cant go wrong in 2020 with a basic mesh case
In my opinion case selection is one of the really longlasting things so it´s fine to spend more on it, especially like you said it is not the huge difference in price. I am using a Coolermaster HAF X for 10 years now. And to be honest, i struggle to find a better case, as i need the HDD space and use airflow cooling. The Enthoo Pro II is on my radar now, but that took some time to come around and it is still not sure decision.
@@mostlypeacefulrowan8747 mATX gets basically no reviews, but is probably the best form factor for the vast majority of people. The RL08 was something i was looking at personally and it was hard to even get one for a reasonable price, but it should probably cool better than the vast majority of cases, and it looks pretty spiffy too.
I spent a an hour or so with a Dremel, a sheet of mesh and some double sided 3M tape on a cheap case and got the airflow i wanted at the price point i was happy with. Money saved went towards some high end case fans and tower cooler.
Just out of curiosity, will you guys review the new Corsair 4000D series, espcially the airflow one? That seems like a direct competitor to this. Also, will the Noctua 200mm fans fit in this case? Thanks! Edit: Didn't check the pinned comment, sorry
I’m so confused...if this case is outperforming $130 cases like the p500a for half the price, why isn’t this being more whole heartedly recommended? What am I missing?
I have heard some good things about this case. I was wondering how it would be against my Lancool II Mesh Performance!! Thanks Steve and the GN team for the GREAT video! I love this type of hard numbers review.
Is there any interest in a review of the Deepcool CL500 case? It looks interesting to me and it'd be interesting to see it subjected to the test procedure the GN team rock.
I bought the LanCool II Mesh because of your review, it fits perfect with what I wanted to do. Hoping to get the final components for my PC by late Nov
Can you do A - B testing with the case modified to allow the fan to push air through it's entirety? Sorry for bad englando. What I mean is cutting the front, where the fans are mounted, in a circular way, making it effectively 200 mm.
I have lianli lancool metal boned k7 since 2009, still fairly quiet today, it's been rarely turned off and none of the stock coolers are broken, the aluminium finish they do is nice
Only site I know where a 3 star "it's fine" is a ringing endorsement that topped charts haha. Really do appreciate the sites focus on firm numbers, real performance rather than a particular story or emotion you want your video to be about. It's why this is the first place I always go, then check out other stuff if I feel like it.
Man, when $70 is "ultra budget" for a case. I remember when that was pretty expensive for one. Funnily enough I had some of those "expensive" cases back then and they were Lian Li. If I was in the market for a new case I'd probably put this one at the top of my list.
i was planning on buying this case for my first ever build but im glad i didnt rish it too much because the 2 usb ports on this case simply wont be enough. thanks for the great video even if i didnt quite understand most of the specifics
As I have done with many cases and as you have pointed out there is considerable blockage with the airflow up front. I simply break out my Dremel with a cutting wheel and get to work. Almost all of those blockages can be removed without jeopardizing the the strength integrity of the case(too much). The fans themselves can lend some strength in that regard. That would be my first piece of work before even putting any electronics in this case. For now its still the Meshify S2 for me with room on the top for my 45mm x 420mm Alpha Cool Radiator and Noc Radiator fans.
I’m building a compact form factor PC soon and would love it if you guys reviews the LIAN LI TI150!!! Your in depth reviews will help me better decide if that’s the right case for my build.
Hey Steve, I recently received my 2 mouse mats here in Germany. I'm quite happy with them. One is also used to isolate the vibrations of an external HDD which works quite well. Thanks for everything you do. So much goes into all if your reviews, it's crazy... but the good kind. ;-)
I'm sad this is no longer as cheap as it was. Now its about 110 dollars >.< Also, Compared to the LANCOOL 205 MESH RGB - TYPE C - ATX - Black. Which of these cases would be better?
I got this case in white as an open box for under 70$ and I really love it, I found it easy to build in, it's whisper quiet even when playing games and looks great, Steve is right in that the cutouts under the motherboard can make it a bit tight to get the connectors in but isn't a deal breaker at all since once they're in they're not going to be removed. I wish it had a few more front USB ports than just the two on top.
If you're building a mid-range pc and saving $20 on a case and maybe $20 somewhere else would mean you could upgrade from a 3300x to a 3600 or a 1660 Super to a 2060, the performance upgrade there is well worth the few downsides of this case compared to its more expensive competition. Overall this seems like a really strong contender, I'm just worried about the mesh letting in too much dust.
So many interesting Lian Li cases. The Lian Li Lancool 205m seems to be a good, cheap case. Would love to se a review of this case too. Keep up the good work
I would cut away the metal on the sides of the 200mm fans. Can you please do this and see if it helps cooling, which it should. Yes it might sound silly but if you have 2x 200mm fans why would you ever put 120/140mm fans. Silly design!
Your case reviews honestly are amazing. Unfortunately I got a case last year with the more closed off front panel RGB aesthetic nonsense and have been watching these mesh airflow reviews with massive jealousy. I'm getting high thermals and case noise and definitely wanting to change soon, right now for me it's the P400A but holding fire until black friday!
Similar here with a Pure Base 500 but my place is extremely dusty so not sure whether airflow without serious filters (which would essentially negate the benefits of an airflow case from what I've read) is really an option. I think I need to just stop minoring temps quite as much - I'm not getting very high temps and it's probably good enough for my needs. Still, this looks really tempting 😂.
Very interesting. I really like Lian Li as a company just for their innovation and their ability to take consumer/reviewer criticism and correcting their mistakes in the next generation. Would like to see them expand their product stack into more spaces like rgb light bars maybe. More accessories. I like the daisy chainable fans and AIOs they have available now. Maybe they could make their next AIO have some sort of bearing that rotates the tube input on the pump downward via gravity so that you physically can't mount it tubes up 😉
When I saw Fast and Furious 1, I underestimated the effect it would have on future generations instilling their preference for RGB "Fast 'N FURIOUS" PC lighting.
Man, Lian Li has really gotten cheap over the years, I remember a time where their cheapest case was $200. Sure they basically sold fancy aluminum boxes with little air flow, but they were nice for the time, I guess.
I have this case since about 3 month and I'm really happy with it. But the 2x 120 fan at the bottom rised the temp on my gpu by about 3-4 degrees under load on an asus gtx 1070 dual. I think they are just recirculating the hot air from the gpu back to it. I removed them and the temp got better. I kept the 2x 200mm intake + 2x140 at the top 1 x 120 at the back. Thanks for the review guys :)
One could probably cut away a bunch of the unwanted metal but I'm a bit surprised they didn't do that in the factory. I guess it was either too expensive or they're worried about strength.
@@NuclearArbitor The fans overhang the motherboard tray, so cutting to that side will only help you get more air for your cable mess :P You could take a cutter to the other side, and I suspect that because the fans spin slow that it won't matter too much that you have better flow on one side than the other. This can, however, make a lot of noise on 80mm fans when they are going at full kahoot.
Yeah, but then again. It did fine and is dirt cheap. The only ones who're going to buy it is people who like the look of two 240mm rainbow puke fans anyway.
@@andersjjensen personally, I like the 20cm fans but I also have a HAF-X in blue. Rainbow I'm not such a fan of. Getting air down the back of the mb might help some with thermals; someone has probably tested it. Would have to get past the cable though.
Those are some jumbo fans! Bet I can add wings and fly that thing! 🤣 I'm a huge fan of Lian Li's cases. Although it's a couple years old now, I'm still enjoying my Lancool II. One of my few practical purchases for my build.
They are definitely not just aesthetic. He kind of overstated the point that they are not performing as well as they could because of being partially blocked.
@@chantmedia-xs5vr They are aesthetic in the sense that 140mm fans would have better cooling performance. However, they seem to work well, especially considering the price of the case.
I have this case, keep my case fans at 100%, on stock AMD R5 5600x w/Stock cooler and a 6800xt both overclocked, and undervolted, but Ive literally NEVER heard fan noise from this case in any respect, and even CPU and GPU fans set so at 40 degrees, are ramped to 100% from there to thermal limits, its still dead silent from a cpl feet away. My gaming desktop makes my Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 sound like a fucking turbo jet in comparison, even jus playing a RUclips vid. Its actually Insane to me just how Much Quieter my Desktop is inside this case VS my tiny little 14" gaming laptop, even on a 5 fan cooler pad, in silent mode in AC. I was pleasantly surprised by this case, which I DID buy purely on aesthetics, its a good lookin case in white, arguably one of the best looking cases out there IMHO, obv.
I got this case in October 2020, the front panel removal is still a pain in the ass. Thermals are decent, around 50°c core CPU temperature, using a Ryzen 3 3300X & MSI B550M Pro-VDH Wifi Mobo with a 1660 Super. I'm using a stock CPU cooler and no additional case fans, so totally in stock settings. Probably would upgrade the CPU cooler after a few months if needed... fitting in the 750W Antec HCG PSU and plugging the cables was a bit difficult, but managed after a few tries to have a neat cable management. I'm happy with it, so that's good for me. 😊
It’s cool that companies like Lian-Li are incorporating feedback from places like GN, but on the flip side it concerns me that places like GN are generally anti-RGB.
Hey thanks for putting out this review! I know you're probably slammed with new projects because of Ampere and the upcoming Zen 3, but could you find some time to slip in more ITX case reviews? They've gotten really good at being air flow focused too, and they can fit 3080s and 3090s like champs. Ncase M1. Coolermaster NR200. Ghost S1. Sliger SM580. Oh, and for AIO reviews, can you fan standardize them too, like you do for cases?
More case reviews on the way soon. We're working on the new Corsair ones and have seen a few requests for coverage of them, so they are in testing!
Noise normalized & standardized fan methodology: ruclips.net/video/eVkAXSJeKKM/видео.html
Article: www.gamersnexus.net/hwreviews/3621-lian-li-lancool-215-airflow-case-review
Got impatient and already ordered one (4000D airflow), hoping i have learnt enough from your previous videos to have made an informed decision. looking forward to the reviews.
Hey man...u guys looking for someone to help out in ur lab? Let me know! I'm even down to shadow.
On the note of cases, I sent the team an email about the case mod allowing the use of the parabolic mirror I mentioned on a previous video.
@@DanteMetaphor i just bought the same case. I swapped from a phanteks enthoo luxe. Looks like no change in thermals even though it's significantly smaller. I have an overclocked r5 3600 and 3080. I'm happy with it
I just purchased a Corsair 4000D Airflow but I still can't wait to see your review of it. I love these case reviews.
"Overall this seems fine." Watch out, you were almost going overboard there with the praise.
28:10 "Overall this seems fine... and that's high praise from us." Heh. Keep telling it like it is, folks. *thumbs up*
It was said with a poker face so they should be good.
@@dryii l
Can’t even get a real review these days.... well except here lol
I don't know they might raise the price to 100 anyways after this
I must admit that case reviews are my favorite videos that GN does because watching Steve browbeat these manufacturers into creating better and better cases is very satisfying. I also picture marketing and design teams giving each other high fives when they place at or near the top of the all-time GN leaderboards.
Yea me too. Its their best n most reliable content here
Nobody does case reviews quite like GN, they usually focus on irrelevant stuff or just unboxing, design, etc. with little or none thermal testing...
Thanks to GN I made the right choice and am enjoying my new PC in the Phanteks P400A case, all fan slots populated with Arctic P12 PWM. (Thanks Optimum Tech)
Let me tell you, it's so damn quiet, especially now that I run SSD only, can reccommend.
"Overall, this seems fine. Thats high praise from us."
I laughed at this one. The gist of the whole video is that it does well thermally, is quiet, and is the cheapest case in its weight class. The only downsides are ease of installation and creature comforts, which were cut in lieu of keeping the price low. Id say thats a win. I just placed my preorder.
@@noxar8451 I'm also eyeballing that case now thanks to GN. My only gripe with it is the horizontal IO. I don't know why manufacturers do this, its the dumbest oreintation to put usb slots in. If I have anything plugged into one of those ports, and the cable gets caught on something, either the port will be damaged, or the device/cable plugged into it. With a vertical design, something gets caught, cable unplugs, no big deal. Seems a case of aesthetics taking precedence over common sense.
Stops them from taking the piss, I like the scolding he gives otherwise, like you see already, manufacturers already are opting out with materials and trying to make cases for less money with even lesser build quality, they need to be pulled up about it and have those sales impacted.
Thank you for not having any mid-roll ads youtube puts nowadays on every upload 💙
Great review guys, thanks for the exhaustive info. I bought a lancool 2 mesh a few weeks ago and I'm very happy with it. Thanks for bringing airflow back to the mainstream.
I was starting to miss this content with GPUs destroying my RUclips feed. Thanks for getting this in, I'm stoked for the 1 million shirt to come in
Me too.
I've actually stopped watching any GPU-specific videos at this point. Will definitely pick up again with the Big Navi release...but I'm pretty content with my 2070 Super...
There was a farmer who water cooled
E K A I O
Hahahaha, good one, now it’s stuck in my head 😜👍
“Old McDonald watercooled his farm,
EK AIO”
@Miss Jae Don't insult people
Lfmao nice
Thats so coo, great job 👍
@@bytezero3818 no they are right, the first was good jest, the second was mimicry cringe and should be shamed for it.
"Production of this case was delayed - for reasons that... Surely nobody is aware of" XD
🤔
*Corona-Chan has entered the chat*
Maybe a shortage of metals or aluminium materials ?
@@DurzoBlunts Mixing Chinese with Japanese, I see.
@@lexarflash5150 technically latin and japanese
I have reached a point where airflow is easy, as long as they continue updating cheap cases with mesh fronts and properly vented fronts, instead of a steel panel with 2 inches of airflow on top and bottom. It is refreshing to see them come back from the train wreck that was 2018 era cases. Also, refreshing to see a Lian Li budget case, mostly they had products with some eccentric aesthetic flair, but all sketch with something wrong with the functionality at a high price. This is an improvement IMO.
Part of me wishes you would get some sort of blank case and then mod it to what you would want a case to have so we know what to look for in cases for airflow and functionality.
Or, eventually, a GamersNexus designed and branded case...
@@willchapman4616 that would be nice too but thats expensive so I'll take a heavily modded one
Maybe the reason that hasnt happened yet is bc they're scared they cant make a better case
@@willchapman4616 That looks like a cat.
Just get a cardboard box/some bits of wood, re-inforce the sides and stick the motherboard on, then cut out the areas you want airflow. A "case" is litterally whatever you want to be a case. you can litterally stick a computer in anything, you are limited only by your imagination.
Be aware, this case and many other's that were reviewed and considered good, lowest cost, it's no longer lowest cost, it's around $100 to $130 now.
everything is more expensive now... but this case can be found for 89$. none the less, you are still correct.
@@William-Morey-Baker where did you find that, all i see is $100 or higher
@@brananandreu4086 Newegg has it as high as $167! That’s as of April 11, 2022.
Yup 145 on Amazon right now
Got it for 50 on special yesterday.
"Exhaustive suite"
I see what you did there.
Thanks for the review! I bought this case for a new build and I must say I like it. Cable management was quite easy, I found and the velcro straps work very well indeed. I can confirm, however, that they have not improved the front cover. I thought it was going to break off the first time I tried to remove it.
I think the compromises Lian Li made on this case are perfectly acceptable. It seems like they hit their goal. Clearly there were a few small design changes that could have possibly been made, but it does beg the question for what the real cost of making them would be. They set out to do something, and your extensive (and awesome) testing shows that they did it. Your reviews are brutally honest, but I think Lian Li can read between the lines :P
HEY Steve! Great work you're doing keep it up.
I know not everyone likes these, but I really appreciate case reviews with this level of detail. I built my rig in the CoolerMaster H500 (Blank) and love it, but it's your review of the CoolerMaster TD500 which made me pick it when we built my wife's new PC last month. Thanks for putting out this kind of content.
I'm a huge fan of those 200mm fans
Thos ethings are massive lol. I think it looks great tbh. I am a huge fan of those huge fans too.
Any front panel you can walk away from taking off with OUT drawing blood and not realizing it for a few minutes is good for me bro.
I would like to see you cutting the sheet covering the back of the 200mm fans and see if there is a thermal difference.
Glad LianLi addressed the fact that you can’t get a 280 rad in the top of the Lancool Mesh II. It has mounts for 2x140 but was just a hair too narrow for the full rad which was a complete bummer as a front push/pull didn’t give enough clearance for tubes down unless I manage to get a hold of a shortie graphics card to flip it around. Otherwise it was nice to build in a modern case upgrading from my very old Antec P180mini.
I bought this case a few weeks ago, and I am really impressed. Yes there are some cons, but it really isn't a bad option for the price. Best selling point is the airflow. I'm not running a wild, powerful setup in mine, but it stays cooler than I expected, even under heavy load. If I end up keeping it when I upgrade (which is highly likely) I will be replacing the 200mm fans with smaller ones. The huge mesh front is awesome though. Team air-cooling here. I have trust issues with a liquid setup lol. The only modification I've had to do so far was removing the front fan sticker as they drove me nuts being slightly off. But it doesn't look bad at all without the stickers, actually gave it a cleaner, more aggressive look.
Are the front mesh keeping the dust from coming in?
@@Haugalandet it does a descent job. Fine particles will get in of course, but I dust my PC and clean the glass every couple weeks and it's very minimal. I have a cat so naturally cat hair floats around but the mesh catches it and I just wipe it off with a damp cloth. Seen it's been 3 months since I made review and I will say I am still very satisfied with this case.
@@houstoner Hi. Thanks for the replay.
Can micro atx motherboard fit in this case?
I am glad GN does case reviews, they are my #1 source for comprehensive reviews when building a pc.
"At least the fronts not teathered to the case by cables..."
*cries in Meshify C n broken I/O cables
I also hate that & ive actually had to remove some of fronts over years because problems it can cause, anywhere that air moves past all the time seems to get brittle & damages cables over time
That's a thing? The front panel pops right off on my Focus G, so fractal knew how not to do that...
@@Cal94 cables connected to front panel basically tethering it constant air flow will cause the cables to get brittle I have 3 broken front panels with no usb now
@@JLMtime what i meant, is on the Fractal Design Focus G, the front panel buttons/IO screwed straight into the case as a separate trim from the front panel, so you can pull the front panel without that whole yanking on wires issue. And the Focus G series is a lower price tier product than the Meshify line. so it's surprising they wouldn't apply the same principals to a case at a higher price point (and i'm pretty sure, a newer product... i think the meshify C is at least a few years younger than the focus G)
Hated that and the need to remove PSU shroud cover plate to install 3 front fans, thus leaving a GAPING HOLE exposing ALL CABLES underneath...ultimately led to ditching the Mesh (i.e. it's the fam case now) and going with the O11 Dynamic XL. Love that case.
Thanks for the review. Have been waiting for more case reviews to come out. I think the Lancool II Mesh is still on my mind. I'm waiting for the Corsair 4000x airflow now.
@Tian Yes. I would like a case with 280 radiator support. I have seen in a forum someone fit a 280 in the Lancool II mesh with LPX memory. The 4000x shows 280 support as well with LPX memory.
How to stay off GN’s radar: Do not include “airflow” in name.
Waited for your review of this case since August, ugghhhhh. Thank you Steve❤️
The case is still not available anywhere though LOL
@@heavymetalmixer91 it was available in my country around a week ago.
But it's very overpriced like it's around 105 dollars
The front fan issue is the exact same thing you have on the Coolermaster H500. On that case, I fixed it by cutting out the metal behind the fans to leave them completely unobstructed.
You mean where it cuts off a third of the surface area? How does that work? Aren’t the screws in that metal?
@@Boba19423O I left the material at the corners where the fans are screwed into, but cut out any metal that blocked the fans themselves. You do lose the ability to mount a radiator or smaller fans in the front, but that's not something I wanted to do with this case anyway.
What did you use to cut it out? Also how did it affect your temps? Thanks so much for helping me out
@@Boba19423O I used a portable jig saw. I don't know what effect it had on temps because I modded the case before I used it for the first time. I just didn't like what I saw, and knew that removing that material could only improve the performance. I run a Noctua NH-D15S on an AMD 3950x CPU, and a 2080Ti GPU. CPU never gets above 73C, and GPU never gets above 65C, but I always run all my case fans (I am only using the front 200mm, and nothing else) and CPU fan (only one would fit due to RAM clearance issues on the second one) at 100%. GPU has dual BIOS and it's set to the performance fan mode, but I rarely even hear the fans ramp up on it.
Ha, I did the same thing - but this case looks even worse than the H500. With the H500 if you cut the rad supports out you have 0 obstruction at all. If you do that to this case it looks like you won't be left with any frame!
Did you do any other mods to your CM H500? I'm thinking about relocating the rear fan and also riveting in some hexagon mesh sheet.
Great job. I like that we have access to a written article to review the graphs. Thank you
I knew you guys would review this eventually, it deserves the recognition. Im going to be building any future pc with either the 215 or the 4000D airflow but I will wait for benchmarks of the 4000D airflow first. Good stuff as always Steve :)
Thanks for your review. I am really looking forward to this case as a budget builder. I appreciate the testing to show where not to try to use AIOs, as well as the other planning issues.
Didn't you also test the Galahad AIO? I'm actually waiting for your review to be uploaded before i buy it together with the rest of my new rig. Can you maybe just give me a hint if it's safe to buy (without any details)? 😅 Love your content!!!
Good to hear you mention the Silverstone RL06! I bought that case after your reviews and I just came to see how newer cases are stacking up against it.
I rly like this case, and pre ordered my 215, I still Love you Steve, and thank you for your time :) I will now go order um... something from your store =D
Would this case fit a 3070 or 2080 ti?
@@seanmoist1217 Im going to say YES, Being it its a newer case, but PLZ check your dimensions once your motherboard is fitted in your case, sometimes they require 'mods'
@@kitsune2858 thanks
@@seanmoist1217 the biggest card atm 3080 is 318mm lenght, this lian li 215 has gpu space 380mm so yes is will fit both 3070 and 2080 ti
Hey how load are the included 200mm fans? Are they decent?
Aw man, I was so pumped for the "maximum cooling configuration" from their product page. Back to the case hunt grind.
I'm having a hard time understanding case price brackets. With GPUs or CPUs the gaps are easily between 100-200$ so it makes a lot of sense, but when going up 30$ is getting you a better case, which in most cases can outlast all the other hardware you use, then surely the cost of 1 or 2 happy meals is not a huge stretch.
Yep. But I find the cheapest cases are just fine for an air cooled mATX build. I.e. a normal peasant gamer. I've got a cheap Silverstone inverted case and I've never seen better thermals on a GPU. No one has reviewed my case but I'm sure it beats more expensive cases on account it is inverted. I think the model number is rl08 if I'm not mistaken. Thanks for reading.
The price brackets mainly come from feature prices. Many people just dont need a case with special features and for them there is no reason at all to spend even a dollar more, since it doesnt come with an advantage
@@Mystikus2 yea I reckon the more expensive cases are for water cooling and people with lots of drives. You cant go wrong in 2020 with a basic mesh case
In my opinion case selection is one of the really longlasting things so it´s fine to spend more on it, especially like you said it is not the huge difference in price.
I am using a Coolermaster HAF X for 10 years now. And to be honest, i struggle to find a better case, as i need the HDD space and use airflow cooling.
The Enthoo Pro II is on my radar now, but that took some time to come around and it is still not sure decision.
@@mostlypeacefulrowan8747 mATX gets basically no reviews, but is probably the best form factor for the vast majority of people. The RL08 was something i was looking at personally and it was hard to even get one for a reasonable price, but it should probably cool better than the vast majority of cases, and it looks pretty spiffy too.
Im happy Lian Li LANCOOL II Mesh is still up there with the best thanks to your vid, GN. Amazing case!
Hey Steve, dare you to break out the tin snips and remove that backing steel. Or Dremel whatever.
I was thinking the same thing
Yep I’d love to see that
Gotta love GN showing how much they like the case but trying not to look and sound biased as possible. I really enjoy theircasw reviews!!
Just gotta wait for a modder to take a Dremel to the metal behind those 200mm fans for an unobstructed airflow
I did this with the cooler master h500
I would totally do this! I've pre-ordering 2 of these. I may post a video on the final result 😉
I’m contemplating it
I spent a an hour or so with a Dremel, a sheet of mesh and some double sided 3M tape on a cheap case and got the airflow i wanted at the price point i was happy with. Money saved went towards some high end case fans and tower cooler.
What is the difference between Lancool 215 and Lancool 215X?
Hi from Puerto Rico!! Always love your videos!!
Hi! Awesome to see viewers from all over. Thanks for watching!
Just out of curiosity, will you guys review the new Corsair 4000D series, espcially the airflow one? That seems like a direct competitor to this.
Also, will the Noctua 200mm fans fit in this case? Thanks!
Edit: Didn't check the pinned comment, sorry
Read the pin comment he said he will review it
fresh lemon water If I’m not incorrect, one of the reasons 200mm is almost dead is because a standard was never agreed on.
@fresh lemon water sadly only up to 140mm is standardized :(
@fresh lemon water many places can but some do not accept returns or costs as much as another fan. Plus you would be stuck with two
If one really wanted to swap in Noctua 200mm's, they would likely be prepared to drill new screw holes, and cut out the front panel behind each.
Been waiting for this review for months, and you finally post it... at 2am... No sleep for me I guess :P In all seriousness, great review as usual.
Its been a while Steve reviewing case, Im still waiting for the O11D Mini.
Was just looking at preordering this yesterday. Cheers for the review mate!
I assume there's nothing really stopping someone from cutting out some of the metal obstructing the fans?
Super stoked for the 4000D airflow review
I’m so confused...if this case is outperforming $130 cases like the p500a for half the price, why isn’t this being more whole heartedly recommended? What am I missing?
i wonder the same
According to him, the chassis blocked the fans... lol. what an idiot
I have heard some good things about this case. I was wondering how it would be against my Lancool II Mesh Performance!!
Thanks Steve and the GN team for the GREAT video! I love this type of hard numbers review.
Is there any interest in a review of the Deepcool CL500 case? It looks interesting to me and it'd be interesting to see it subjected to the test procedure the GN team rock.
Oh man.. I've been waiting for this review! Thank you so much for your hard work
Wow that looks like amazing airflow for $70! It's hard to even get a case that isn't ugly for 70 let alone with good airflow.
sirgallium I agree 100%. Most airflow cases lack a decent design, this is overall a nice decent case.
I bought the LanCool II Mesh because of your review, it fits perfect with what I wanted to do. Hoping to get the final components for my PC by late Nov
I click like when I see case review and gamer nexus
Thanks for the video! Please do Micro-ATX case benchmarks! Waiting on the Silverstone RL-08 review :)
"Overall this seems fine, which is high praise from us." It really, really is.
Please do more case reviews and more cooler reviews. Those are your best!!!
Can you do A - B testing with the case modified to allow the fan to push air through it's entirety? Sorry for bad englando. What I mean is cutting the front, where the fans are mounted, in a circular way, making it effectively 200 mm.
I have lianli lancool metal boned k7 since 2009, still fairly quiet today, it's been rarely turned off and none of the stock coolers are broken, the aluminium finish they do is nice
TAKE A SHOT EVERY TIME HE SAYS "PURELY AESTHETIC"
I'd prefer to stay out of the hospital ;)
"He" has a name - it's Gamers
I've got a hangover. I think this is a good idea.
Only site I know where a 3 star "it's fine" is a ringing endorsement that topped charts haha.
Really do appreciate the sites focus on firm numbers, real performance rather than a particular story or emotion you want your video to be about. It's why this is the first place I always go, then check out other stuff if I feel like it.
Man, when $70 is "ultra budget" for a case. I remember when that was pretty expensive for one. Funnily enough I had some of those "expensive" cases back then and they were Lian Li.
If I was in the market for a new case I'd probably put this one at the top of my list.
yeah haha, I bought my full tower for $100 10 years ago lmao, and that was considered super expensive. seems thats the standard now.
i was planning on buying this case for my first ever build but im glad i didnt rish it too much because the 2 usb ports on this case simply wont be enough. thanks for the great video even if i didnt quite understand most of the specifics
16:05 looks like the lower front fan's texture is animated at a lower framerate than everything else.
As I have done with many cases and as you have pointed out there is considerable blockage with the airflow up front. I simply break out my Dremel with a cutting wheel and get to work. Almost all of those blockages can be removed without jeopardizing the the strength integrity of the case(too much). The fans themselves can lend some strength in that regard. That would be my first piece of work before even putting any electronics in this case. For now its still the Meshify S2 for me with room on the top for my 45mm x 420mm Alpha Cool Radiator and Noc Radiator fans.
I´m waiting for your review of the Corsair 4000D Airflow, will there be a review of it out soon?
I’m building a compact form factor PC soon and would love it if you guys reviews the LIAN LI TI150!!! Your in depth reviews will help me better decide if that’s the right case for my build.
"This seems fine. So, that's high praise from us!" => very true! LOL
Hey Steve, I recently received my 2 mouse mats here in Germany. I'm quite happy with them. One is also used to isolate the vibrations of an external HDD which works quite well.
Thanks for everything you do. So much goes into all if your reviews, it's crazy... but the good kind. ;-)
Very creative approach to isolating it, haha. Thanks for picking it up!
@@GamersNexus can Lian Li lancool fit 167mm air cooler as i used 34mm ram rather than 32 which noctua nh d15 recommands
I'm sad this is no longer as cheap as it was. Now its about 110 dollars >.< Also, Compared to the LANCOOL 205 MESH RGB - TYPE C - ATX - Black. Which of these cases would be better?
Paid $89 I believe today at Micro Center in GA.
@@kimberblake4215 O.O even looking on their website I would have to pay 130 for it including shipping. I wish I had a microcenter near me, dang
@@kimberblake4215 Same haha, just got mine yesterday for that price at MC! Definitely true about the PSU/wiring clearance as stated in the vid.
@@kimberblake4215 Got mine at a Memory Express (basically Canadian Micro Center) for about 130 CAD, which is around $95 US
I just bought my Lancool II Mesh Performance like $85 over here.
this video literally answered my dilemma if arctic 280mm will fit on top as its rad is usually thicker than others, thank You!
Does the 240 fit ?
That huge logo at the front is off putting
Paint or tape would take care of that
Worst design choice ever seen ahahaha
@@Gamer2Key I don’t even mind it, it’s just branding and is at least rgb
I got this case in white as an open box for under 70$ and I really love it, I found it easy to build in, it's whisper quiet even when playing games and looks great, Steve is right in that the cutouts under the motherboard can make it a bit tight to get the connectors in but isn't a deal breaker at all since once they're in they're not going to be removed. I wish it had a few more front USB ports than just the two on top.
If you're building a mid-range pc and saving $20 on a case and maybe $20 somewhere else would mean you could upgrade from a 3300x to a 3600 or a 1660 Super to a 2060, the performance upgrade there is well worth the few downsides of this case compared to its more expensive competition. Overall this seems like a really strong contender, I'm just worried about the mesh letting in too much dust.
So many interesting Lian Li cases. The Lian Li Lancool 205m seems to be a good, cheap case. Would love to se a review of this case too.
Keep up the good work
I would cut away the metal on the sides of the 200mm fans. Can you please do this and see if it helps cooling, which it should.
Yes it might sound silly but if you have 2x 200mm fans why would you ever put 120/140mm fans. Silly design!
Your case reviews honestly are amazing. Unfortunately I got a case last year with the more closed off front panel RGB aesthetic nonsense and have been watching these mesh airflow reviews with massive jealousy. I'm getting high thermals and case noise and definitely wanting to change soon, right now for me it's the P400A but holding fire until black friday!
Similar here with a Pure Base 500 but my place is extremely dusty so not sure whether airflow without serious filters (which would essentially negate the benefits of an airflow case from what I've read) is really an option. I think I need to just stop minoring temps quite as much - I'm not getting very high temps and it's probably good enough for my needs. Still, this looks really tempting 😂.
Very interesting. I really like Lian Li as a company just for their innovation and their ability to take consumer/reviewer criticism and correcting their mistakes in the next generation. Would like to see them expand their product stack into more spaces like rgb light bars maybe. More accessories. I like the daisy chainable fans and AIOs they have available now. Maybe they could make their next AIO have some sort of bearing that rotates the tube input on the pump downward via gravity so that you physically can't mount it tubes up 😉
When I saw Fast and Furious 1, I underestimated the effect it would have on future generations instilling their preference for RGB "Fast 'N FURIOUS" PC lighting.
Omg finally a case review! I'm so happy!
Man, Lian Li has really gotten cheap over the years, I remember a time where their cheapest case was $200. Sure they basically sold fancy aluminum boxes with little air flow, but they were nice for the time, I guess.
Great video Steve...keep "em coming brother, and I'll keep watching.
It was $70??
I got it for $99 at microcenter...
I have this case since about 3 month and I'm really happy with it. But the 2x 120 fan at the bottom rised the temp on my gpu by about 3-4 degrees under load on an asus gtx 1070 dual. I think they are just recirculating the hot air from the gpu back to it. I removed them and the temp got better.
I kept the 2x 200mm intake + 2x140 at the top 1 x 120 at the back.
Thanks for the review guys :)
you have 4 intake and 1 exhaust?
Positive review by gamer's nexus typically means a price increase :(
These 1am uploads keep me going at night working.
What a bummer the 200mm are choked off, also a single 120mm fan in the back is also a bit of a dissapointment.
One could probably cut away a bunch of the unwanted metal but I'm a bit surprised they didn't do that in the factory. I guess it was either too expensive or they're worried about strength.
@@NuclearArbitor The fans overhang the motherboard tray, so cutting to that side will only help you get more air for your cable mess :P You could take a cutter to the other side, and I suspect that because the fans spin slow that it won't matter too much that you have better flow on one side than the other. This can, however, make a lot of noise on 80mm fans when they are going at full kahoot.
Yeah, but then again. It did fine and is dirt cheap. The only ones who're going to buy it is people who like the look of two 240mm rainbow puke fans anyway.
@@andersjjensen personally, I like the 20cm fans but I also have a HAF-X in blue. Rainbow I'm not such a fan of.
Getting air down the back of the mb might help some with thermals; someone has probably tested it. Would have to get past the cable though.
I have a lancool II mesh, so I have no reason to be watching this. Yet here I am, just a testament to how interesting and imformative these videos are
: Ah, my perfect sunday-morning-breakfast-entertainment :D
Just bought 3 Phanteks P400A RGB cases and the go to store here had quite a few in stock. 😁
Finally! Also what's Snowflakes verdict, that what I want to know?
Those are some jumbo fans! Bet I can add wings and fly that thing! 🤣 I'm a huge fan of Lian Li's cases. Although it's a couple years old now, I'm still enjoying my Lancool II. One of my few practical purchases for my build.
"200 mm fans are purely aesthetic"? Aren't the quieter or at least more pleasant sounding than small whining fans?
They meant compared to the cutouts in the front panel which were made for smaller fans so they don't allow the full 200mm space for airflow
They are definitely not just aesthetic. He kind of overstated the point that they are not performing as well as they could because of being partially blocked.
@@chantmedia-xs5vr They are aesthetic in the sense that 140mm fans would have better cooling performance. However, they seem to work well, especially considering the price of the case.
@@nathaniels.9897 Yep. But not 'Purely'.
I have this case, keep my case fans at 100%, on stock AMD R5 5600x w/Stock cooler and a 6800xt both overclocked, and undervolted, but Ive literally NEVER heard fan noise from this case in any respect, and even CPU and GPU fans set so at 40 degrees, are ramped to 100% from there to thermal limits, its still dead silent from a cpl feet away. My gaming desktop makes my Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 sound like a fucking turbo jet in comparison, even jus playing a RUclips vid. Its actually Insane to me just how Much Quieter my Desktop is inside this case VS my tiny little 14" gaming laptop, even on a 5 fan cooler pad, in silent mode in AC. I was pleasantly surprised by this case, which I DID buy purely on aesthetics, its a good lookin case in white, arguably one of the best looking cases out there IMHO, obv.
I got this case in October 2020, the front panel removal is still a pain in the ass. Thermals are decent, around 50°c core CPU temperature, using a Ryzen 3 3300X & MSI B550M Pro-VDH Wifi Mobo with a 1660 Super. I'm using a stock CPU cooler and no additional case fans, so totally in stock settings. Probably would upgrade the CPU cooler after a few months if needed... fitting in the 750W Antec HCG PSU and plugging the cables was a bit difficult, but managed after a few tries to have a neat cable management. I'm happy with it, so that's good for me. 😊
This is probably the earliest* I'll ever get to a video (21 seconds). I've peaked haha
I'm 14 minutes late! damn you win!
22 mins here
bl dos I’m 14 mins late to your comment lol
@@blockbertus same
31 minutes late
Been waiting for this, great work guys!
It’s cool that companies like Lian-Li are incorporating feedback from places like GN, but on the flip side it concerns me that places like GN are generally anti-RGB.
When you grow a bit it starts to get annoying having all those rgbs
Thank you for all the hard work you do Gamers Nexus :)
“Exhaustive suite”... airflow... nice!
Hey thanks for putting out this review! I know you're probably slammed with new projects because of Ampere and the upcoming Zen 3, but could you find some time to slip in more ITX case reviews? They've gotten really good at being air flow focused too, and they can fit 3080s and 3090s like champs. Ncase M1. Coolermaster NR200. Ghost S1. Sliger SM580.
Oh, and for AIO reviews, can you fan standardize them too, like you do for cases?