Lian Li PC-V800 HTPC Case

The sides of the Lian Li PC-V800 don't have much to show at first glance.  On closer inspection, you can see the gently curving corner of the case.  Top shelf metal working.  Gorgeous.

Around back, we see a standard desktop layout with two 60mm cooling fans set up as exhaust.  To the far right you notice the side panel locks.  These are screw type that when loosened, allow a small bar to be pulled back releasing the top or bottom panel depending on which screw lock was loosened.

     

A quick shot of the PC-V800's top.  An 80mm fan is visible, positioned over the CPU area in an intake setup to pull fresh cool air in and onto the processor.  The top itself is solid aluminum as is the rest of the PC-V800.  While it is lightweight and feels pretty sturdy, don't even think about putting a large screen television or an exceptional amount of weight up here.  However, short of a 21" CRT monitor with a shelf of books laid on top of that, it should be plenty firm.

The bottom of the case shows a small vent area underneath where the power supply mounts.  Here again, we see the smart design of the PC-V800 with the PSU being able to draw cool air from outside the case to keep itself running with cooler ambient air.  The bottom panel is removable as is the top.  The only benefit I can see to this is that if you have a tight fit for your HTPC case height wise in a rack or home entertainment system cabinet, removal of the bottom takes away the feet and gives the end user an extra 13mm of clearance if they need it.

     

Pop the hood

Looking down inside the Lian Li PC-V800 shows a tight but not overly crowded work area.  This is because of the rearrangement of the traditional HDD racks and PSU being mounted out of the way for maximum efficiency.

The rear of the case below shows single 3.5" drive rack and the two 60mm cooling fans.  Check out the power cables on the cooling fans.  They are 3-pin fans with standard Molex adapters letting you choose to run the fans off the PSU directly or via the mainboard fan headers.  The thick black cable you see is the power cable.  The external plug is in its regular place in the case's rear but with the power supply up front, Lian Li needed a solution to connect the two.  Simple answers as you can see are often best.  Also, as with all Lian Li cases, all seven expansion slots sport thumb screws.

BACK                    NEXT