Well, said... glad I refreshed before I posted!
Case labs is just an aluminum custom case. There are more configuration options, but the build quality, not that CL is bad, is night nad day.
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FRONTPAGE Lian Li PC-O8 Case Review
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Case labs is just an aluminum custom case. There are more configuration options, but the build quality, not that CL is bad, is night nad day.
I was thinking of buying this case or Corsair Air 540. If someone could help me
1. Hows the noise level compared to other cases like Corsair and Phanteks?
2. If you go Air Cooling does the case stay cooling enough?
3. I know their is Zero Support for 5.25 Bays. Is their a way to put a single 5.25 cage at the bottom. I want to use my ROG OC Panel.
1. Hows the noise level compared to other cases like Corsair and Phanteks?
2. If you go Air Cooling does the case stay cooling enough?
3. I know their is Zero Support for 5.25 Bays. Is their a way to put a single 5.25 cage at the bottom. I want to use my ROG OC Panel.
- Joined
- Jun 28, 2012
1. Noise level is dependant upon what fans you use, but the ones included with this case are very quiet.
2. My GPU stayed plenty cool and it was on air.
3. I'm not sure if you could fit it, sorry. Either way you would have to take off the glass panel to access it.
2. My GPU stayed plenty cool and it was on air.
3. I'm not sure if you could fit it, sorry. Either way you would have to take off the glass panel to access it.
1. I have a bunch of BeQuiet Fans which don't go over 19 DBA.
2. Ok Thanks, that is good to hear. Since I don't want to use reference card found in EVGA Copper Hydro if I do watercooling down the road.
3. I don't have to plans to play around with it. I wanted to display so I can see temps and fan Speed. I was thinking maybe using could sided industrial Velcro.
PlotinusRedux
New Member
- Joined
- Sep 6, 2015
I'm just not getting the airflow on the MB side at all. It looks like without the radiator that side would have negative pressure and be pulling in air (and dust) through the PCI vents? I'm assuming the radiator must be pulling air into the case rather than exhausting it, and that's where your getting most of the air for that side?
If you could just give a general sense of how air is flowing on that side I'd appreciate it.
If you could just give a general sense of how air is flowing on that side I'd appreciate it.
PlotinusRedux
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- Sep 6, 2015
Hmm, looking at it more, especially with the top intake through the radiator--I had assumed air was supposed to flow in from the front of the MB side, but it looks like air would actually flow out of the front of the MB side and around into the intake fans on the PSU/HDD side--which is maybe a good thing. I had been bothered by the thin side vent with a filter supposed to supply the 3x120mm at the front of the PSU/HDD side and somehow still move air over to the MB side--but maybe the point is for the vent to supply only part of the air so that the rest is pulled from the front of the MB side. Then on the MB side you would have air coming in from the top and splitting, with some going towards the back and out the exhaust fan and some going towards the front and around.
That still doesn't explain how the GPU is staying so cool, though--but maybe just the amount of open space down there is helping. I hope it isn't pulling it's air in through the PCI vents.
I'm in a very high dust environment, so the positive pressure question is make or break for me--if it's pulling in any unfiltered air I won't be able to see the MB in 6 months through the dust. I don't suppose you still have it set up? If you do, could you hold a piece of paper up to the PCI vents beneath the video card and see if it gets sucked up against the vents or blow away from them?
Hopefully they'll post an airflow diagram at some point--it's clear something more complex than a standard case is going on, and it looks like having or not having a top intake fan/radiator would radically change the overall airflow.
Thanks for the review and response, yours is the only review I've been able to find, and it did answer a lot of questions.
- Joined
- Jun 28, 2012
I expect you're correct about the air flow, I just have no way to test it and see.
I would say the amount of open space coupled with the amount of sit being pulled through the radiator toward the 3x120 do it.
Sorry, I don't have it set up with components any more. They had to be moved to another case for a different review.
One option could be for you to seal the PCI slots though.
Glad I could be of assistance, wish I could have been of more.
PlotinusRedux
New Member
- Joined
- Sep 6, 2015
Unfortunately you can never make anything air tight enough to keep the dust here out, the only defense is to make sure air is going out any cracks rather than coming in them. I have 4 kids, 5 cats, a dog--if I stand still a few minutes I start collecting dust.
But maybe even if there is negative pressure down by the graphics card, there's something crazy enough that it just might work--turning the MB side exhaust fan around to be an intake fan and slapping a filter on it, putting a 3x120 radiator on the PSU/HDD side rather than the top of the MB side, but still putting 2x120mm fans on the top of the MB side without a radiator slowing them down.
That would insure positive pressure on the MB side; insure the main air flow went MB-->Radiator-->HDD/PSU, which is the ideal order and one reason to prefer a case that lets you isolate the radiator from the MB side in the first place, instead of Radiator-->MB; and give a 3x120mm radiator instead of a 2x120mm one.
Though I suspect there's just something I'm not understanding that makes it better for the MB back fan to be exhaust rather than intake like they have it--I just can't imagine what it is.
Anyway, I'm just thinking out loud at this point. Thanks again for your review and responses.
I had it on order, But had to cancel since their was no airflow to my GPU. It may not be same quality, I went with Corsair Air 540. I was going to get Core X9, However ever Thermaltake product I have owned had felt cheap or it didn't work. I wasn't going to risk it. Now I can spend the extra money on other things I need for my PC.
PlotinusRedux
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- Sep 6, 2015
Revan,
The 540's airflow is definitely easier to see. But Atminside's empirical testing showed the GPU was well ventilated in the PC-o8, even though it's hard to see how that works. And I have to think Lian Li had good reasons for the design, I just wish they'd explain them.
I'm still using the old Fortress FT02, which despite it's age is still one of the best airflow cases ever made. 3x180mm fans at the bottom blowing straight up over a 90 degree rotated MB so the graphics card is at the top of the case, with air from a 180mm on each side of it. It's a great case, though so heavy I had to make a wheeled cart for it to be able to move it around, but it completely lacks good radiator mounting sites, and I'm starting to get into water cooling just as a hobby, not really because of any benefits it gives.
What I really like about the PC-o8 is the idea of mounting a 3x120mm radiator behind those 3 fans on the PSU/HDD side, so it's getting some of the benefits of an intake--fresh cool air from outside the case--without the usual downside of intake--blowing hot air over the MB. But I'm just going to have to understand how the MB side is getting cooled before I can pull the trigger on it. Lacking that, I'm looking at the 540 too.
Money isn't really an issue at this point in my career or I wouldn't even be considering the PC-o8. If you're building with a budget, you'd definitely be better off with a cheaper case to free up money for more important hardware. For me, it's not really about pragmatic value at this point, its about blowing cash on a hobby I enjoy to reach an excessive ideal of water cooling that looks how I want it to look, but that in the end won't really even help the system's OC potential or longevity over a much cheaper case with air cooling. It's like looking at a Cadillac when you known a Camry is better on every practical measure.
The 540's airflow is definitely easier to see. But Atminside's empirical testing showed the GPU was well ventilated in the PC-o8, even though it's hard to see how that works. And I have to think Lian Li had good reasons for the design, I just wish they'd explain them.
I'm still using the old Fortress FT02, which despite it's age is still one of the best airflow cases ever made. 3x180mm fans at the bottom blowing straight up over a 90 degree rotated MB so the graphics card is at the top of the case, with air from a 180mm on each side of it. It's a great case, though so heavy I had to make a wheeled cart for it to be able to move it around, but it completely lacks good radiator mounting sites, and I'm starting to get into water cooling just as a hobby, not really because of any benefits it gives.
What I really like about the PC-o8 is the idea of mounting a 3x120mm radiator behind those 3 fans on the PSU/HDD side, so it's getting some of the benefits of an intake--fresh cool air from outside the case--without the usual downside of intake--blowing hot air over the MB. But I'm just going to have to understand how the MB side is getting cooled before I can pull the trigger on it. Lacking that, I'm looking at the 540 too.
Money isn't really an issue at this point in my career or I wouldn't even be considering the PC-o8. If you're building with a budget, you'd definitely be better off with a cheaper case to free up money for more important hardware. For me, it's not really about pragmatic value at this point, its about blowing cash on a hobby I enjoy to reach an excessive ideal of water cooling that looks how I want it to look, but that in the end won't really even help the system's OC potential or longevity over a much cheaper case with air cooling. It's like looking at a Cadillac when you known a Camry is better on every practical measure.
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Money isn't an issue for me. But I have a feeling one side is going to get allot hotter then it suppose to. Unless your going to water cool everything, don't think it's good case for just air cooling.
I was looking at core x9 but everything I have bought from thermaltake has not worked or felt cheap. Not sure if I wanted to risk it again with that company.
I still thinking about getting this case. Would this setup work? Also would it be a good idea? or should I go with a different AIO that does Exhaust?
Front (Intake)
Top: (Intake - AIO can only be mounted as a Intake)
Rear: (Exhaust)
HDD: (Exhaust)
Front (Intake)
Top: (Intake - AIO can only be mounted as a Intake)
Rear: (Exhaust)
HDD: (Exhaust)
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- Joined
- Mar 7, 2008
If I may revive this thread, I found out about this case on the weekend and have been trying to resist it. Those two glass surfaces look so good!
Currently my main system is in a Corsair Air 540, and I now need more 3.5" bays than the 2 it has (excluding possibly adapting 5.25 bays). The PC-O8 seems ideal, as well as looking better. Then I noticed, if I'm correct the PC-O8 is built around 120mm fans? I'm running a 280mm (2x140) radiator, so would I be correct in assuming that isn't going to fit and look nice, if it can even fit at all? Would I need to replace it with a 120mm based rad?
Currently my main system is in a Corsair Air 540, and I now need more 3.5" bays than the 2 it has (excluding possibly adapting 5.25 bays). The PC-O8 seems ideal, as well as looking better. Then I noticed, if I'm correct the PC-O8 is built around 120mm fans? I'm running a 280mm (2x140) radiator, so would I be correct in assuming that isn't going to fit and look nice, if it can even fit at all? Would I need to replace it with a 120mm based rad?
- Joined
- Mar 7, 2008
If I go for this, it would be by far the most expensive case I dare to look at, and I don't think I want to ruin it by hacking away at it. Replacing the rad seems the better option. This is for a lightly overclocked CPU and I didn't need such a big rad in the first place.
Do you still have/use the case? I'm also wondering how often the glass might need cleaning as I'm finding dust a problem. Any long term comments on its general use?
Do you still have/use the case? I'm also wondering how often the glass might need cleaning as I'm finding dust a problem. Any long term comments on its general use?
- Joined
- Jun 28, 2012
If dust is an issue make sure you have more intake than exhaust and have all intake areas filtered.
I don't have the case any longer, I simply didn't have a system for it. If I still kept an ATX sized system for my gaming rig I would absolutely still have it.
I don't have the case any longer, I simply didn't have a system for it. If I still kept an ATX sized system for my gaming rig I would absolutely still have it.
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