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Lian Li PC-7B Plus Case Review

It is no surprise that with today’s high end gaming components comes the need for better air flow. The days of cases with four or five 80mm fans blowing in and out, this way and that, or somewhere in the midst attempting to cool your system are gone.

Case manufacturers have realized that today’s cases need to be able to move a lot of air, but understand that we would rather not be sitting next to what sounds like a jet engine taking off when we turn our PC on. The solution would lie in a pair of 120mm fans of which has been widely accepted into the manufacturer’s product lines.

Lian Li who has made a name for themselves in the past few months is no exception. Having been around for over a decade building high quality cases with system cooling always at the forefront of their minds, it was no surprise to see them come out with multiple variations of system cases featuring 120mm fans to fulfill our cooling needs.

Company:

Lian Li Industrial Co. Ltd., www.lian-li.com

Price:

$120.99 US at NewEgg.com.

Ratings

Price:
Install/Setup:
Craftsmanship:
Appearance:
Average Rating:

Pros:

• Efficient Air Flow
• High Quality Construction
• Low Noise

Cons:

• No removable motherboard tray

Getting Started

Today, we’re going to be taking a look at one of their cases geared towards the gaming market. The PC-7B Plus is a black, all aluminum case that is extremely light when picked up, making it a great choice for a LAN gamer. Also featuring a side window and a precut blowhole, Lian Li has the modding community on their mind as well.

Although this case does not have a removable motherboard tray, installation went without a hitch. As an added bonus, and to show the high craftsmanship standards of Lian Li, all corners were rounded off and no sharp edges were to be found during installation (which saved me a trip to the local band aide station). All other system components installed quickly, even the USB and 1394 ports located in the lower front of the case (I was not able to connect the MIC or Sound due to my motherboard not having this option).

After all the components from my previous case were transferred into the PC-7B, I turned on what I felt was a brand new system. At first, I did not even realize that the system was turned on until I stopped to listen for the low humming of the 120mm fans. I was amazed at how much quieter the PC-7B was, but was curious if it was cooling my system as good.

My previous case, which looked as if it was a prop from the movie “Weird Science” because of all the home modding attempts to add extra fans, had an ambient temperature of 45° C while the BFG Geforce 6800GT was running at 61° C. Since relocating into the PC-7B plus, ambient temperature dropped to a cool 34° C and the BFG Geforce 6800GT had lowered to an astounding 45° C.

My previous case was a sore thumb in my eyes, a black sheep of sorts. Although it housed some of best components available on the market, I hid it from sight due to the disfigured case it had become to fulfill my cooling needs. Having abandoned my old case, I now find sweet pleasure making room to show off my new case, the PC-7B Plus, on my desk for all to see.

Click on picture to enlarge image

Lian Li PC-7B Plus Specifications

Adding It All Up

In the end, Lian Li has surpassed my expectations with the PC-7B Plus. With a superior case such as the PC-7B Plus, you can expect it to last you longer than the components you put inside. When anyone asks me about what case they should upgrade to, I will not only suggest the Lian Li PC-7B Plus – but I’ll recommend it!

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