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Just as some of the finest cars in the world carry the Rolls-Royce insignia, one cannot have a discussion about high end computer cases without bringing up Lian Li. Representing over 20 years in luxurious case design, Lian Li's craftmanship continues to be touted by PC builders, and deservedly so. Intelligent airflow, solid construction, and beautifully brushed aluminum have become staples of Lian Li products rather than relying on a combination of gimmicky features and flashing LEDs. That's good news for home theater buffs, as today we'll be looking at the PC-C30B case, an enclosure designed specifically for the living room. But can their success in the desktop market translate in HTPC kudos? We intend to find out!
| Model | PC-C30B |
| Color | Black (Silver also available) |
| Dimensions | 435 x 167 x 433mm (W.H.D.) |
| Drive Bays | 2 x 5.25" (Optical only), 2 x 3.5" internal |
| Main Board Size | ATX (Max size: 12" x 9.6") |
| Expansion Slots | 7 |
| Front I/O | USB2.0 (2), Firewire (1), Mic, Ear |
| Cooling | 2 x 80mm exhaust fans |
Until a manufacturer decides to throw in a two-headed kitten with their chassis, going over the bundled contents during our case examination will continue to be our least favorite part of the review, but still a necessary one. What we're looking for is to ensure everything gets included for a smooth installation, and any extras are treated as a bonus, such as a case sticker or lint free cloth. With the PC-C30B, we get a basic instruction sheet, a product pamphlet, two baggies of assorted screws, another bag containing rubber grommets, two zip ties, and a plastic clamp to help route cabling, and three strips of double sided tape for securing the case's front optical covers to your optical drive(s).
Taking the PC-C30B out of the box, we're greeted with a light weight chassis that looks every bit a Lian Li. Brushed black aluminum all around gives off an elegant appearance, accented with a decorative pin strip across the middle, which also helps take away from the overall height of the case allowing it to better blend in with our home theater setup. On the top we can see support for up to two optical drives, and on the bottom sit the power and reset button, along with a bay cover on the lower right that stealthily hides the USB, Firewire, and sound input ports. For those looking for a front mounted display, Lian Li sells another version (PC-C30I) that comes with an iMON VFD (Vacuum Fluorescent Display) and IR remote control, though you'll give up an optical slot for the convenience.
Checking out the rear of this beauty (a task we pride ourselves on here at HardwareLogic), we see the standard back I/O plate below two 80mm exhaust fans. Aside from the power supply exhaust, these two fans provide the only active airflow found throughout the chassis, supplemented by vents on each side and whatever air manages to seep in through the front optical bays. After installing our AM2 3800+ X2 processor on the stock heatsink/fan along with a passively cooled Gigabyte 7600GT videocard, our processor chugged along at a comfortable 38C idle, and still acceptable 55C when both components were put under load.
Also visible are the bevy of PCI expansion slots (7 in all) with mirror reflective covers, and a PSU bay that accepts full sized ATX power supplies.
Flipping the unit over, we see a couple more vents to help with cooling, and rubber feet to both absorb vibrations for quieter operation, and prevent other components in our HTPC setup from becoming scuffed.
A quick removal of a single thumbscrew provides easy access to the inside, and the first thing we notice is the bar across the top (more on this in a moment). We're thrilled to see support for full sized ATX motherboards (complete with pre-installed standoffs) rather than limiting us to the mATX form factor, as mATX boards generally tend to lack the overall feature sets and enthusiast options found on their bigger brethren. Full size ATX power supplies are supported too, but you won't be cramming an elongated 8800GTX videocard into this chassis to complete the compatibility hat-trick.
The bar mentioned above provides stability for stacking components, while at the same time serving as a minor nuisance during installation. While installing our testbed's motherboard was easy enough, the support bar tended to get in the way when securing the middle row of screws. The bar can be removed, but be prepared to scuff up the side walls when attempting to do so. In the end, we opted to work around the support beam rather than tarnish the brushed aluminum.
Two removable cages support up to one 5.25" optical and one 3.5" hard drive each, and like the top panel, a single thumb screw makes this a tool-less affair. These cages also serve as make-shift cable management helpers, though keep in mind that vents sit directly below them to aid with airflow. Removing these cages prior to installing the motherboard and power supply also helped us maneuver around the support beam.
It's the subtle touches that separate Lian Li from the plethora of case manufacturers that litter the PC landscape, and the inclusion of rubber grommets are highly appreciated in a home theater environment. While tool-less drive rails provide the easiest means of installation, we have no qualms about busting out the screwdriver to install grommets to absorb vibration and noise in our living room.
Once the grommets have been screwed into the hard drive, you'll slide it securely into place in the drive cage. Optical installation remains old school however, requiring you to screw it into the cage. You'll also need to unscrew the case's front optical bay plate, and should you decide to stealth your DVD drive, Lian Li provides double sided tape to secure the plate to your drive. After you're finished installing the components, the drive cage (also sporting rubber grommets) slides right back into the PC-C30B.
As previously mentioned, two 80mm exhaust fans serve up active airflow duties. Both fans come with 3-pin connectors for plugging directly into the motherboard allowing you to dynamically control their speed with programs such as SpeedFan, and also a molex adapter if you opt to plug them directly into your power supply instead. Interesting, these molex connectors flip open, giving you easy access to removing the wires, should you desire.
Keeping with the full ATX motherboard theme, the PC-C30B provides seven PCI expansion slots. Each one is secured with a thumbscrew, and while the aesthetics will immediately be lost once the top panel is placed back on, the PCI slot covers all show off a reflective mirror finish. Expansion cards are so vain!
Kudos to any case that can make us here at HardwareLogic appear to have any semblance of cable management competence. While our modular power supply played a big role in this department as well, the drive cages provide excellent hiding places for stray cables, and the included zip ties and plastic clamp makes it possible to have a mostly clutter free interior.
Section | Grade | Comments |
| Build Quality (Durability & Construction) | 20/20 |
|
| Aesthetics / Appearance | 18/20 |
|
| Internal Layout & Installation | 17/20 |
|
| Performance (Sound & Cooling) | 9/10 |
|
| Bundle | 8/10 |
|
| Warranty & Support | 8/10 |
|
| Price / Value | 9/10 |
|
Our Recommendation
The Lian Li moniker carries a reputation for quality and refinement, as well as high expectations by the consumers and reviewers. When it comes to the latter, this can be both a blessing and a curse, depending on whether it lives up to those expectations or not. For the most part, the PC-C30B lived up to the Lian Li name. We could have done without the double sided tape for securing the stealthed optical covers, we wish the support bar was easily removable without scuffing up the inside, and nVidia's lengthy 8800GTX videocards won't fit, but we could find little else to fault in this chassis. We could nitpick and ding the case for using 80mm fans, but both noise and cooling were kept in check during testing. What we're left with is a well constructed brushed aluminum enclosure that supports full sized ATX motherboards, sports a conveniently removable drive cage, and offers plenty of rubber grommets at every turn. Throw in an affordable price tag, and the Lian Li PC-C30B would make a fine addition for any home theater setup. And don't forget to take a peek at the PC-C30I B if you'd prefer to have a VFD display as opposed to a second optical bay.Other Reviews of Note
It's always nice to have more than one opinion on a component before you spend your hard earned money. For one, We may see something others missed, or vice versa. As with all reviews published at HardwareLogic, we'll not only give you our recommendation, but also point out some reviews from some other great sites around the web.TechPowerUp
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