Joined on 02/09/05
Great case, some changes needed
Pros: * Light * Mostly well machined (The aluminum is perfectly brushed and all component seems to be of high quality despite the price) (See cons) * Mostly easy to work in (cable management and removable motherboard tray help a lot) (See cons) * Decent Stock Airflow (Received impressive scores in benchmarks) * Removable Motherboard Tray (makes it much easier to connect the motherboard and change NB fan) (also see cons) * Damping for HDDs (helps reduce vibration from the HDD, does a decent job) * Positive Pressure (give and take on this one. Helps keep dust out, helps prevent air from being recycled into the video card.) * Ridiculously easy to remove the front panel * Dust filters on the front (in combination with positive pressure) helps to keep the internals spotless.
Cons: * Not 100% Aluminum. Though this decision kept cost down. Steel in case keeps it mostly sturdy, but it will twist if you try to pick it up from the corners. * I had an issue with the rear I/O not being able to exactly match up with the shield plate. It was off by about a millimeter which required a flat head screw driver and an uncomfortable amount of force to push it through the holes in the shield plate. * The removable motherboard tray was a nice touch, however it should be noted that larger coolers will not fit back in since the tray has to be tilted back in (as opposed to sliding in straight from the back). * There isn't much room behind the motherboard tray to route cables. If you don't have a modular PSU, this might be frustrating. * A tad bit loud due to the 0.8mm Aluminum and stock fans. There's a fair amount of vibration coming from the doors as well. * The top 5.25" bay is blocked by the front I/O port's cables. It may still be useful for a fan controller, though.
Overall Review: In all, this case is well built, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone seeking an all metal case on a budget. There are other chassis that may have better airflow or features. But, they will undoubtedly be made of flimsy plastic parts (see the Antec P180). I bought this case for my girlfriend for her first gaming PC. I also bought a Lian-Li B25F to replace my deteriorating P180 which I'll receive shortly. Stay tuned for that review!
Good until it DIED
Pros: Very quite, generally stable psu.
Cons: Died almost exactly when my warranty ended. So close, in fact, that I'm almost suspicious. Died exactly 3 years after purchase.
Worthless
Pros: It's solid metal.
Cons: The screw holes are NOT STANDARD! If you have a Lian-Li case with any type of vibration resistant mounting, DO NOT BUY THIS! It WILL NOT screw in, and you WILL NOT be able to mount it to your case.
Overall Review: Now I have to pay to ship this piece of junk back... which means I'll lose money because the design is stupid.
Great Card, Warranty!?
Pros: Has all the features of the 012-P3-1572-AR, but also includes the high-flow bracket in the back.
Cons: NO LIFETIME WARRANTY!!!! This is the only reason I buy eVGA and if this is a new trend, I will promptly STOP buying their products. Buy the 012-P3-1572-AR instead. The bracket isn't worth the warranty.
TERRIBLE SUPPORT!!!
Pros: High Quality materials (completely aluminum) Purchased elsewhere and had the classic Lian-Li wheels attached at the retailer. Very clean look after attaching the optical drive bay covers.
Cons: - Not enough room behind motherboard tray - Not enough room for cables to pass through MB tray - One MB stand off not properly threaded - Front and top of the case pop off too easily - Fan filters were warped from the factory. Negates benefits since there's no seal what-so-ever. - expansion slot latches actually make it harder to get components into the case. - Negative Pressure configuration promotes dust buildup inside the case. *** The power button gets stuck underneath the bezel. Tried to tighten it, but that made it worse. I had it half tightened for a while so it still functioned. Spent MONTHS trying to get a hold of a Lian-Li tech support agent for a replacement. Later, the switch broke altogether. Finally got a hold of an agent and they sent me....... the USB/eSATA/AUDIO connections. I contacted them again and they sent the package to the wrong house. I contacted them a third time and they sent me the button caps, not the buttons!!! UNACCEPTABLE!!!
Overall Review: I know Lian-Li is normally renowned for their high quality, but I haven't had the opportunity to enjoy it. The other problems with the case are forgivable, but this company lacks any real customer service! It's bad enough that you have to contact Taiwan (via internet explorer only), but having the wrong parts sent to you twice is just pathetic. Also, they do not sell the power/reset buttons on their site for this case. Only the old black plastic buttons. So, unless you can convince them to send you the right part, you're pretty much out of luck. This is the first and LAST lian-li case I will ever buy.
Overpriced, shoddy quality
Pros: Mechanical switches
Cons: Overpriced Keys wiggle around way too much Loud