lian li lcd screen free sample

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Looking back less than 5 years ago i really can"t remember of anyone who owned an HTPC system and i can"t really say that i remember that many HTPC enclosure solutions either. Today things have obviously changed and so many people choose to have a single HTPC system to use both as a normal Desktop system and as a Hardware Media Player while at the same time skipping the cost of an LCD screen which would in most cases be a lot smaller than their main TV (naturally). Up until today i have to admit that although i do have an small HTPC system i never did like them much mainly because of the tiny interior space which doesn"t really allow you to install large and many components. Lian Li has been amongst the very few PC Case manufacturers who have actually designed and manufactured medium-sized HTPC enclosures and their latest PC-V353A might just be one of their best ones to date.

Lian Li Industrial Co., LTD was founded in 1983. We are one of the largest and most reputable manufacturers of aluminium PC case in Taiwan. With over twenty years of experience in the computer products field, our dedicated team of engineers, production specialists and administrative staff provide the finest quality accessories available on the market. In 1993, Lian-Li Introduced the new lines of computer hardware, including bracket( for case & interfaces), Mobile rack(for H.D.D.), mounting kit(for FDD & HDD), aluminum PC cases, IPC, external cases, server cases and more. We also provide OEM & ODM services, you are assured of designs that will meet your exact specifications, innovative ideas in manufacturing that will give your products an essential market edge. Our outstanding quality has earned us ISO 9001 certification for all of our products. In addition, we back up our quality assurance with a two-year guarantee on most of our products.

The PC-V353A may not be the largest HTPC enclosure manufactured by Lian-Li but it comes with many useful features such as a high quality aluminum body, 7 fan spots paired with air-filters, 2 optical drive bays, space for two 3,5" and two 2.5" disk drives, room for graphics cards up to 300mm long and CPU Coolers up to 105mm tall, removable mainboard tray, 2 USB 3.0 ports and 4 PCI slots. Generally the PC-V353A offers the kind of features we mostly find in high end midi/full towers however the real question is just how good the final result can be when placing all these in an HTPC enclosure and that"s what we are here to see.

On the sides we see the color choice (for the product inside the box) and a small list with the specifications of the PC-V353A written in 6 languages.

Something we don"t see much with HTPC enclosures is the ability to remove the PSU cover, mount it on the unit and then slide the unit back in. This feature makes the entire installation process a lot easier so naturally i was glad to see it.

The side panels may not feature any noise-absorbing coating but they are held in place via several jointers meaning you can remove them just by pulling.

All six 120mm fan spots (4 front/2 top) come complete with air-filters. Of course there are no fans pre-installed something that may annoy some people but do take into account that people who are willing to spend much for any HTPC Case pre-installed fans are usually the first thing to go.

Unfortunately since we currently have none of the high-end mATX mainboards here with us i decided to skip the part where i build a system to showcase interior space since a normal mITX board like the ones we have here would be way too small for the PC-V353A. Of course i did some tests with many graphics cards and as mentioned earlier there"s a slight clearance issue with mGPU cards like the GeForce GTX 590 and the Radeon HD 6990 but you can resolve that by using one of the many after-market 6/8pin extension cables out there which are extremely easy to bend. Of course using enthusiast mGPU graphics cards such as the ones mentioned above is hardly the goal for any HTPC enclosure but the PC-353A can take it. Overall i can"t really say i found anything bad about the PC-V353A by Lian-Li during all the time i was checking it out. First of all it features excellent build quality and an all-aluminum body that weighs only 4.13Kg. Then we have spots for 7 fans (6x120mm/1x92mm), a movable I/O (left/right), two USB 3.0 ports, an eSATA port, 2 movable (left/right) 5.25" optical drive bays, 300mm of free length for graphics cards, 105mm for CPU Coolers and a removable mainboard tray which can accommodate even the best mATX mainboards with up to 4 PCI expansion slots. True it comes without any fans pre-installed and that will certainly disappoint some users but I’d never choose a PC Case based on whether it came with fans or not, at least not a feature-rich one like the PC-V353A.

Excellent quality, feature-rich PC Cases unlike any other in the market has always been the main reason as to why Lian-Li has been held in high esteem over the past decade from enthusiasts around the world. However when one decides to get the best there is (applies for pretty much everything in life) that automatically translates to extra cost and the current price tag of USD170 inside the USA and 159.90Euros inside the EU (Caseking) for the PC-V353A is pretty much proof of that. Of course there are many HTPC cases in the market that cost two, three and even four times more but there are also many cheaper ones. Bottom line if you want an all-aluminum HTPC enclosure with plenty of features and great airflow and you"re also willing to pay the extra price premium then you just can"t go wrong with the Lian-Li PC-V353A which is why it gets our Platinum award.

Lian Li proves you can have your cake and eat it too when it comes to today"s AIOs. The Galahad 360 RGB is a stunner visually, it tops the charts in performance with little noise involved, provides everything needed, and does not break the bank! What more could you possibly ask for?

A few things come to mind when we think about Lian Li. From our long history with them, we have seen them go through multiple phases of life. In that journey, we had come to know them for their premium aesthetics, especially in the early days, when they were one of the only players building things with aluminum!

Quality has not been a concern, as anything to sport the Lian Li name (not the Lancool offshoot) has always been constructed superbly and minded even the finest of details. However, our history is based on cases and case fans, as that has been the bread and butter for Lian Li over the years.

Last year at CES, we caught the news that Lian Li was pondering an entry to the cooling segment, releasing their own AIOs at that time, if only in concept and development stages. However, everyone and their mother are making an AIO these days, which stacks the cards against Lian Li, before they even had a functional cooler to show off. In our opinion, you need to do one of three things to get your foot in the door at this stage.

You either need a fantastic looking product, done in a way never before seen, but if not, it needs to cool better than other options. If you can do neither of those, there is one last card up the sleeve, where the cost of the cooler may sway a customer to a bit less performance over high prices. Hopefully, Lian Li gets at least one of these right, and can get their foot into the door of a room packed full of options!

The cooler in question and the basis of this review is the Galahad Series from Lian Li. There are four variations of the Galahad that can be had. Lian Li is offering these sealed-loop systems with either a 240mm or 360mm radiator, and you will have the choice to buy a black version or a white version of both sizes. We don"t want to get too far ahead of ourselves, as there is much to see and discuss, but suffice it to say that if the usual suspects have not grabbed your attention with their AIO solutions, and you want to step outside of the box, Lian Li is jumping in with both feet in an attempt to take on the big-boys in the cooling industry while delivering a product that everyone needs to see!

We cobbled the specifications from the media kit information, what we saw on the box, and a bit of common sense to get to what you see above. Out of the four variations of the Galahad coolers, we have the GA-360B, the black version of the Galahad 360 RGB. The radiator is made of aluminum, has fourteen rows of tubes with densely packed fins, and has aluminum plates sporting the Lian Li name. From ends to end, the radiator is 397.5mm in length, side to side it measures 122.2mm, and is 27.2mm in thickness.

Three fans come in the box, all of which are marked GF.12F19P.R50B0, and are 120mm PWM RGB fans. The fans utilize a Fluid Dynamic bearing with heavier than usual magnets, which center the hubs better and eliminate vibrations. These fans will spin in a range of 800 to 1900 RPM, delivering 69.17 CFM each, with 2.6 mmH2O of pressure to back the airflow through the small gaps in the fins. The power range starts at 6V, and the fans will allow for up to 13.8V through the 4-pin connector, and are shown to last 40,000 hours, which is roughly 4.6-years of constant use!

The head unit is connected to the radiator via 400mm of braid-covered tubing, and is dressed for success with its aluminum outer shell! The head unit measures 87.1mm, including the swivel fittings, and 74mm in the other direction, standing 62mm tall. Not much else is said about the pump beyond the noise and its near 8-year runtime. We do see it is powered via a 3-pin connection, which also means it runs full speed when in use. What they do not mention are things like the rotatable top, the additional "puck" to dress things up, even more, the use of copper for the cold plate, the additional lighting on the sides to go along with the light at the top which also helps set the Lian Li AIO apart from the masses.

Lastly, stepping up, Lian li backs the Galahad Series of AIOs with a 5-year warranty against defects, failure, and just about anything else that is not caused by the user!

You may see listings pop up on Amazon, but we did find early listings at Newegg, with the pre-order option, as they do not show availability until August 18th. WE also noticed that Newegg is following the MSRP set by Lian Li. When it comes time to look for the Galahad coolers, the color choice does not affect cost. Both of the 240mm versions are set at a $119.99 MSRP, and the 360mm options will sell with a $149.99 MSRP. Comparable to the likes of Corsair or NZXT pricing, however, once you absorb all that is the Galahad RGB AIO, you may feel like you are getting the better deal from Lian Li!

TodayYesterday7 days ago30 days ago* Prices last scanned on 2/21/2023 at 10:26 pm CST - prices may not be accurate, click links above for the latest price. We may earn an affiliate commission.

We will assume that this is not the final packaging, due to the typo where the word specification should be. Still, you will see some of the information we covered earlier on it, in multiple languages, and even the first mention of socket compatibility. To the right are the packing list and a pair of stickers, one for the serial number, the other with the model number, and bar codes.

The second of the long sides of the box is used to list features in multiple languages. The list is made of things like the machine detailed aluminum housing, various ARGB lighting modes for fans and head unit, removable aluminum cap, and the triple chamber pump design.

This smaller side is used to cover two things. Lian li mentions the use of 400mm of tubing for flexibility reasons, and that this cooler will easily sync to motherboard ARGB controls.

We feel this is not the retail packaging. It lacks a fan image where Lian Li covers the high static nature of them, followed by more on the use of aluminum, motherboard sync compatibility, and a look at the triple chamber pump in the top row. The bottom row notes the high-end braided tubing, the length of it, the default presentation of the head unit with ARGB lighting, and while mentioning the lighting in the last image, the cap is now covering the Lian Li name.

Starting things off with an up-close look at the head unit, we like what we see! The entire top half of the head unit is made of aluminum, where the sides are textured, but the top is machined to offer highly reflective angled sections. The center of the head unit is covered with plastic to hide the lighting for now, but painted in white is the Lian Li name. The orientation of the installation matters none, as the top of the head unit will spin 360° so that the name is always readable!

At the other end of those cables, we find that the ARGB control for the head unit is done over a 3-pin connector, which needs extra cabling from the box to make function. The pump"s power is handled over a 3-pin fan connector, and both of the braided cables measure in at sixteen inches in length-plenty of cable to manage and hide them.

We did remove the protective sticker that ships over the cold plate, which exposed a slightly convex copper base, which is left with more of a matte finish. We also notice that there are signs of use, with some residue on the plate, and what looks like a line from the edge of a processor. We will be thoroughly cleaning this before testing.

In this image, we find a few things to discuss. While the overall thickness of the radiator is 27mm, the fins inside are 22mm in thickness, but at either side, we see attached plates, which is why the Galahad"s radiator is slightly wider than most. We also like the look of the hexagonal caps that capture the tubing and braided cover, and should you have binned the box, the serial number is on the unit.

The 360mm radiator is made of aluminum, has aluminum fins, and a beefier feel to it than others we have seen in the past. The design is based on high fin count in mind, as our count has this radiator at 22 FPI. Opting for high static pressure fans is always a good idea with this type of radiator, and Lian Li seems to have that covered!

Opting to flank the sides of the radiator with premium material is always appreciated, and Lian Li opted for a 1.5mm thick aluminum plate, which is mechanically attached with screws. The finish is brushed on the flat side, but the edges are machined to match the head unit, and like the head unit, we get the Lian Li name in white paint here too!

In the zip-closed bag of hardware, the most significant components are the universal backplate for AMD and Intel installations, which is shown on the left. On the right is an Alphacool-like mounting bracket for the head unit. As shipped, the Galahad comes with the Intel bracket installed. For those using AMD systems, you will need to install the bracket seen at the right.

The trio of GF.12F19P.R50B0 ARGB PWM fans all come with black frames surrounding white fan blades, with a Lian Li logo sticker in the center of the hubs, covering the internal RGB LEDs. The frames are full-frames with enclosed screw holes, surrounded with rubber pads on both sides. As to the connectivity, each fan has two leads. One is a 4-pin PWM connector to power the fans, while the other is a 4-pin connector to control the lighting.

Should you not have the fan header support needed on your motherboard, Lian Li offers a SATA to 4-pin fan adapter, but the fans will run at full speed. Using it with the SATA power adapter cable or the motherboard header, Lian Li supplies a three-way fan splitter cable to power the radiator fans from a single point of connectivity.

The ARGB lighting can take a bit more to get it working, dependent on the system used. On the left is a SATA to 2-pin power adapter to use with the ARGB control module found in the middle. The next cable connects to a 3-pin ARGB motherboard header and splits to a 3-pin and 4-pin connector for the pump lighting and fan lighting. The control module offers three buttons to change the mode and adjust the speed. To the right of it is a 3-way splitter cable that allows all three fans to be controlled, and connects to the motherboard ARGB cable, or to one of the two connectors on the last cable, which also attaches to the control module to send the signal out of it.

While last in the images, the manual is the first thing you see when opening the box. It unfolds to reveal four pages on the front and four on the back, covering most of what you need to know. There is a parts checklist, but no description of what the parts are. It then moves into Installation methods, three for the various compatible socket types, and even shows how to install the radiator. Where the manual lacks installation instruction, it makes up for it in the connectivity and controller information. All methods of connectivity are covered in a diagram, and we see that the controller offers seventeen display options in total.

The head unit is a bit taller than the likes of Corsair or NZXT, as well as many others, but with clearance to everything else around it, we do not see the increase as an issue. We also love the contrast of textures used in the aluminum cover on the head unit and the color contrast from the brownish sides to the natural look above.

With the head unit secured, we moved to the radiator and secure the fans, which you can now see the louvered design on the sides of them, and appreciate the plates running down the side of it, proclaiming the manufacturer in bright white letters. As for the head unit, we decided to put the cap in place to see what it is all about. While we like it in this configuration, we are fine, pimping the Lian Li name.

Even with the all-core clock moved to 4.2 GHz, the Galahad 360 RGB is up to the task. Leaving us with a 60.7-degree average temperature, now 3.2-degrees ahead of the competition, Lian Li impresses us so far, to say the very least! Temperatures did spike to 67-degrees, but are short bursts of temperature fluctuation.

Looking to see what Lian Li left in the tank, we set the fans to maximum speed, and run the overclocked testing again. We were able to reduce thermals another 1.1-degree, which is not much performance to be had for the insane amount of noise coming from Galahad to obtain it.

With the stock setting in play, we saw the fan averaging 950 RPM under load, delivering 24 dB to the environment. Since the pump is not PWM controlled, it spun in the range of 3333 to 3360 RPM in all testing.

We see that this is the first that the Galahad 360 RGB is not topping our charts, but the third-place results are still very respectable! With the overclock in place, the fans averaged a speed of 1050 RPM, delivering just 29 dB. Noise levels are still within many user"s comfort zone, and the thermal results speak for themselves.

Lian Li left a theoretical 850 RPM left in the fans, not used by the PWM curve for our standard testing. Allowing them to draw full power, we saw our trio of fans spinning at 1880 RPM, with a mind-numbing 60 dB of noise coming out of them. While we can appreciate the power the fans can deliver, our results show we were already very close to maximum efficiency, with PWM in control versus dealing with this sort of noise! There is no real need to abuse yourself over little more than a degree!

We want to be as thorough as possible as we conclude with things, but we feel that with so much on offer in the Galahad Series of AIOs, we are bound to forget something. Getting the obvious out of the way first, it is hard to deny chart-topping performance! In that quest, Lian li did everything within their power to deliver one of the better-performing coolers we have seen to date! Coolers such as this AIO are what got us into reviewing coolers in the first place, where performance mattered most, and if possible, try to do it with as little noise as possible.

Our Galahad 360 RGB has accomplished both delivering us terrific thermals, with noise levels well under control, when opting to connect them via PWM control! You can surpass the default design, but again, the noise level does not warrant what little was left to gain. Thermals and noise are just two of the details that Lian Li was sure to address with this release.

Even when it comes to things like the covers for the tubing ends, Lian Li opted for hexagonal covers instead of the plain skinny plastic sleeve, the braided sleeve is a tighter mesh than others for durability sake without fraying, and the lighting is a terrific mix of stylized lighting on the head unit while flooding the rest of the chassis with the glow from the fans! Every last detail was checked over to ensure there is nothing left to chance.

If we had to say that there was something we would have changed along the way, there is the possibility that we could get full mounting support as is given for Intel. However, the tab setup has worked for years, so there is no real need to fix what is not broken. The manual does leave a bit to be desired, but again, we do not believe we have the fully finished product in our hands, so that could change before these coolers hit the shelves.

We loved all of the extras that come with our Lian Li Galahad 360 RGB as well. First, the magnetically attached cover is slick, and an excellent option for those who want to add more aluminum styling to what is already terrific looking. We also like that the head unit can rotate the aluminum cover and Lian Li name, so even in an inverted chassis, you can read the name in proper orientation! As one who recently got onto the ARGB bandwagon, we appreciate all of the wiring for the fans, as in adapters and options.

Whether you want motherboard control of the coolers lighting or wish to try out the various settings of the control module, it is all there and easy to work with and get installed. Again, proving that Lian Li took a no prisoners approach to entering the overflowing AIO market that has existed long before they attempt to enter it!

Considering many of the top-dogs in the AIO market are trying to find ways to remove performance in favor of lighting and silence, and many of them do not offer ARGB control past the motherboard, seeing the Galahad Series and what this Galahad 360 RGB is capable of has brightened our outlook as to where this market is headed. With Lian Li stepping up as they have, those who have been resting on their laurels will be taking note and scrambling to come up with something close to what Lian Li delivers in this $149.99 sealed loop AIO.

Lian Li has given us the big three, performance, appeal, and cost and has provided us a CPU cooler that, in our opinion, is the new bar to reach across the industry!

Case modding took off in the late 90s, and taught us all that computers could (and should!) look awesome. Much of the aesthetic went mainstream, and now tons of computer cases come with lights and windows and all the rest. [WysWyg_Protogen] realized those simple case windows could be way cooler with a neat LCD hack, and set to work.

The concept is simple. Take an old LCD monitor, remove the backlight and extraneous hardware, and then install it to the window in a computer case. When lit from behind via LEDs in the case, the screen creates a ghostly display through which the computer’s internals can still partially be seen. It’s a really compelling effect, and in theory, quite easy to achieve. All one need do is mount the stripped-down screen to the case and pipe it video from the graphics card.

In practice, it’s a little tricky. Disassembling the screen and removing things like the anti-glare coating can be tough to do without damaging the delicate panel inside. The windows typically used on computer cases can dull the effect, too. However, [WysWyg_Protogen] is continuing to tinker with the project and the results are getting increasingly impressive with each iteration. It doesn’t photograph too well, but it looks truly amazing in motion.

We often forget LCDs are transparent in their basic form, as we generally only use them with backlights or reflective backers. They really do look great when used in this transmissive way, though. Video after the break.

Actually beside myself right now. How does this look this good? This was a trash pile monitor and this looks like a 700 dollar case upgrade pic.twitter.com/4yBXlcY921

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I saw a really cool video of a PC case called "Snowblind", that had a transparent LCD Screen as a side panel. I was amazed over how cool it was. The only problem was that it was really expensive. Therefore, I tried making my own! In this instructables I will go through how I made it, and how you could make your own. The best of all, since it was made from an old monitor that was thrown away, it was basically free! I just added some LED strips on the inside of the case to get better contrast on the screen. You could probably re-use the monitors backlight, but it"s safer and easier to just get some cheap LED strips.

The first step is to disassemble the monitor. The disassembly is pretty well documented in the video I made. I have also added some pictures so you can see the steps. The steps of disassembling the monitor will not be the same for every monitor, therefore I will not go into detail of every step.

First, remove the frame of the panel. It is fixed with clips, so just bend the frame a little and lift the frame up. Next, separate the front LCD from the backlight. For the next step, you will have to be careful. This step involves removing the anti glare film. It is glued to the panel, and therefore it"s easy to break the LCD when trying to remove it.

To remove it place some paper towels on top, and then carefully pour water on it until the towels are soaked. Let it sit for around 24 hours. After 24 hours, try to start pealing the layer from the corner. If it sticks in some places, place a wet paper towel on that space and wait some more.

Then you are done modding the LCD! Now, you can hook it up to the panel and test it. Just be careful with the ribbon cables going from the LCD PCB to the panel.

The side panel of this case fits the LCD perfectly. Just line it up to the side facing the back, and to the top, and use some tape to tape it to the glass. Then, use some vinyl on the outside where the LCD is not covering the glass.

Next, use some double-sided tape to fix the LED strips to the inside of the frame. Then, solder them together in series. You can now solder on a wire and connect them to the 12V line of the Molex connector.

It"s really important to have lots of lights inside the case, to make it easier to see the LCD. Therefore, try to fill the case with even more LED strips.

You can now power up the computer, open the screen settings and set it up for dual screens. You might have to flip the display 180 degrees too. When you have done that, open Wallpaper Engine and set a wallpaper of choice!

I have the same problem, I have read on google that the lcd could also be 3,3v (check if you have 3.3v lanes) so i will be trying to solder a sata cable to it because it comes with 3,3 and 5v connectors but the im not sure if save to use sata cables0

Hey I have a little question, I also have a Dell 1905FP, but I think it"s an older model because I don"t have a ribbon cable but a normal cable with a plug. My problem is that I have peeled off one film but it still looks like there is a second film on the back because it is still a little blurry. But I"m afraid that if I try to pull them off, my LCD display will break. Maybe you have an idea. Thanks in advance

Great tutorial and video! I"m trying my hand at replicating your process and I even got my hands on the exact monitor. I have reached the point where I"ve disassembled the panel and controllers, and discharged the capacitors from the PSU, but I am a little stuck at this point because I don"t know how to wire up the molex header. I watched your video and saw that you had two wires soldered to the power connector. Which connectors are they and where do they go on the molex cable? Thank you!

Really neat. I saw the same snowblind case and wanted it but too expensive. I also saw someone who made their own using a USB monitor. But I like your setup better.2

Terrific job! May I ask why you would need to remove the front polarizer? If my understanding is correct, both the front and back polarizers are needed in order for the LCD to work properly (i.e., the light gets polarized by the back polarizer first, and then passes through the front polarizer)? You comments will be appreciated!

I tried taking some photos, but I have covered the screen PCB with a cover, so it was hard to see in the photos. I basically just laid it inside the case with a 90-degree angle. I tried drawing it here: (view from the front)0

I used "wallpaper engine" to just set the animations as wallpaper on that screen. I mentioned it in the last step, but I could probably make a own step about that, if you are interested in more details.2

I think you should have more pics and info about the re- mounting the LCD. After all if you don"t do it right all that work is for nothing. While I understand your wiring diagram, I think that it should be explained and a larger part of this Instructible...for example to get white lite your are powering all 3 lanes (red,green,blue) on the RGB tape.

Hello, Wonderfull project, I have the same case and I would love to do it (if I have time and the screen to the right size). Just a question, can you put a photo of the cable connection to see if it"s easy to open the case ? One little suggestion, instead of connecting the panel to the graphic card (which mean to run a cable outside, why don"t you use a USB to VGA or DVI converter (like this https://www.amazon.fr/Adaptateur-convertisseur-adaptateur-Affichage-multi-écrans/dp/B079L81FRD/ref=asc_df_B079L81FRD/?tag=googshopfr-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=227894524041&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17927658121409960098&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9055710&hvtargid=pla-442905712462&psc=1) ?More CommentsPost Comment

Every day at Tom’s Hardware, we have the privilege of testing the latest gear and the responsibility of accurately sharing our findings with our readers. From CPUs to gaming PCs, 3D printers and Raspberry Pi expansion boards, a lot of enthusiast hardware passes through our labs. While a lot of products offer great performance and are worth buying, few actually break any new ground.

In order to be eligible for consideration, products must have been either announced or shipped within the last year. While we tested many of the devices below – and linked to our reviews where available – some have not shipped yet and are included here based on their potential. Whether any untested products are worth your money is a question we’ll have to answer in future reviews, but what we can say for all of the gear-below is that it breaks out of the box in ways likely to shape the tech industry’s future.

AMD’s Ryzen 7 5800X3D brings an innovative new 3D packaging technology that breathes more life into an existing architecture, creating the best CPU for gaming that we’ve ever tested. AMD pulled this feat off with an eight-core 16-thread chip based on the same 7nm process and Zen 3 architecture as the original Ryzen 5000 chips that debuted back in 2020, but used an innovative hybrid bonding technology to fuse an extra slice of cache atop the processing cores, a first for desktop PCs.

This technique stacks an extra slice of L3 cache atop the chip, called 3D V-Cache, that enables a massive 96MB of total L3 cache capacity. That pays tremendous dividends in gaming — AMD’s chip is 7% faster than the Core i9-12900KS, but Intel’s flagship costs 70% more. The 5800X3D also drops into AM4 motherboards stretching all the way back to the original models that debuted in 2017, a boon for Ryzen fans, and consumes a fraction of the power of Intel’s flagship.

AMD’s 3D V-Cache tech doesn’t boost all types of work — its gains for desktop PCs remain confined to gaming — but it does show that new types of packaging technology are the new battleground as chipmakers struggle to increase performance and density in the waning light of Moore’s Law. AMD already uses its 3D V-Cache tech for its EPYC data center chips and its arrival for desktop PCs has redefined what’s possible, so we expect to see more of this technology in the company’s future products.

True innovation in graphics cards tends to come in spurts: You get a new architecture or two, like we had in 2020 with Nvidia"s Ampere and AMD"s RDNA 2, and then a couple of years go by with derivations of those architectures. Nvidia"s GeForce RTX 3090 Ti falls into the familiar pattern, packing a fully enabled GA102 chip, but it is a hint of things to come. Whether that"s a good thing or not remains to be seen.

Nvidia took the now-familiar GA102, but this time instead of 24 1GB GDDR6X chips on both sides of the PCB, operating in "clamshell mode," it upgraded the memory to 2GB GDDR6X chips. Then, for good measure, it is the first to use Micron"s latest and greatest 21 Gbps GDDR6X to boost memory bandwidth. It didn"t stop there.

How far will power consumption go when Nvidia launches its Ada architecture and the expected RTX 40-series later this year? Don"t be surprised if we see 600W GPUs. On the one hand, that seems horrible, but we"ve previously tested triple-SLI setups, and we"re sure the overall performance gains will be far more enticing than anything multi-GPU gaming ever provided on a consistent basis.

Perhaps just as important is Valve"s use of Proton, a Windows compatibility layer for Linux. While Valve is still working through the library to judge how playable games are, that work has made a ton of games that wouldn"t work on a Linux system run on the Steam Deck (albeit with some hiccups). And if you want to install Windows, it"s possible to do that instead.

And Valve did this all, including a custom AMD Zen 2 chip, at a surprisingly affordable price point. Competitors doing similar things are far more expensive, but they don"t make money off of selling games.

We’ve seen OLED-based monitors for PC desktop duties in the past, but most have taken on the form of repurposed TV panels. However, Alienware has changed things significantly with the AW3423DW, which features a familiar (for PC gamers) 34-inch ultra-wide form-factor with a 3440x1440 resolution and 1800R curve.

The AW3423DW impresses on just about every front, as its OLED panel provides impressive image quality in both SDR and HDR modes, the latter of which can go up to 1000 nits of brightness. In addition, Alienware’s curved screen features an impressively large color gamut, hitting 108 percent of the DCI-P3 color space on our tests. We also have to mention the excellent color saturation and inky blacks thanks to its infinite contrast ratio.

Alienware also gets the basics right with a supported 175 Hz refresh rate, Nvidia G-Sync Ultimate and AMD FreeSync support, and excellent build quality. And when we used it, the gaming felt as smooth and tear-free as we’ve experienced on faster, 240 Hz panels.

When Microsoft released Windows 11, it needed a piece of hardware to show it off. The Surface Laptop Studio, replacing the Surface Book, highlighted the new operating system by packing it in a new form factor. Rather than the Surface Book"s detachable tablet, the Surface Laptop Studio puts the screen on a hinge that moves like an easel, aiming it at artists and others who are handy with a stylus.

It also got around an engineering challenge: the Surface Book was limited to keeping key components behind the tablet screen. With the Surface Laptop Studio, Microsoft engineered around the problem allowing for a discrete GPU, although Microsoft went with low-power CPUs anyway.

Compact 65% keyboards are popular for both at-home and on-the-go users for their space-saving design that still delivers most of the keys required for gaming and typing. But with no space between the keys for extra features or buttons, it’s hard to find ways to innovate. But with the ROG Falchion NX, Asus has added a configurable touch bar on the left edge that you can use for volume, zooming in and out, adjust lighting, or whatever else you choose in the keyboard’s Armoury Crate software.

There’s also a rigid plastic cover that protects the Falchion NX while traveling, and can be used as a stand to lift the keyboard up a bit while typing. The 2.4-GHz wireless dongle stores magnetically, you can choose between three Asus switch types (brown, red or the blue switches we tested), and the PBT shine-through keycaps show off the ubiquitous RGB lighting.

If you want longevity between charges though, you may want to use the lighting sparingly. Asus says you’ll get up to 450 hours between charges with the Falchion NX in stealth mode, but only 53 in full-on disco mode.

Razer’s wired gaming mouse upped the ante with its HyperScroll Tilt wheel, which automatically switches between notched and smooth scrolling, depending on your actions. Sure, we’ve seen this kind of feature on mice like the Logitech MX Master 3, but Razer takes its scroll wheel to another level for gaming, adding a Scroll Acceleration feature and allowing you to configure actions for when you move the wheel left or right.

The Basilisk V3 has 13 different programmable buttons and, if that’s not enough customization for you, hit the HyperShift button and each will take on a second function. The mouse uses optical mechanical switches which offer long life and great tactility while there are 11 customizable RGB zones. It also operates at up to 26,000 CPI, but there’s a sniper button which immediately speeds up the input so you can take quick shots.

While most of the best gaming headsets, top out at 30 hours of endurance, HyperX’s Cloud Alpha Wireless promises ten times that amount of battery life. We used the headset on a regular basis over a period of two weeks and it barely dipped below 50 percent capacity.

The Alpha Wireless keeps the tough build, design, and comfort of its wired counterpart, all in a slimmer form factor with improved dual-chamber drivers. The sound quality is great and made even better with software enhancements like NGenuity EQ and DTSX spatial audio. The detachable bi-directional microphone is surprisingly good as well.

There are some trade-offers. Namely, this headset only connects via 2.4-GHz wireless with no wired or Bluetooth options. There’s also no RGB light show or haptic feedback, either of which would require more juice.

If you"re the type of PC builder who"s never quite happy with the features of any one case, or you want a rig that can grow and change along with your build, Lian Li"s O11D EVO should be at the top of your list. An evolution in the design of the company’s popular O11 Dynamicline that debuted in 2018, the O11D Evo is the first case in a while that feels more like an ecosystem than a fixed product.

Out of the box, the mid-tower ATX case can be configured in standard orientation, or reversed so that the glass side panel and motherboard live on the opposite side of the case. And the front-panel IO can be moved as well, giving you easy access to two USB-A, one USB-C, and an audio combo jack either up front or on either side of the bottom of the case.

But that’s just the tip of the transforming iceberg. Lian Li sells five kits for the O11D EVO, letting you move the front IO to the top, replace the front glass panel with mesh for much-improved airflow, or double up on those front-/side-facing USB A/C ports. There are also two different kits for showing off your graphics card, standing up but running horizontally, from the back of the case to the front, or vertically at the front of the case.

Samsung’s PM1743 is the world’s first PCIe 5.0 SSD and touts up to 13 GBps of read throughput and a mind-boggling 2.5 million random read IOPS, both of which are twice that of standard PCIe 4.0 SSDs. While this SSD is destined for the data center and not your desktop PC, we will see variants based on this same technology arrive to more mainstream climes in the near future.

Intel’s Alder Lake and AMD’s soon-to-be-released AM5 platform both support the PCIe 5.0 interface, and storage devices have proven to be the only devices for mainstream PCs that already saturate the PCIe 4.0 bus. With up to 13 / 6.6 GBps of sequential read/write throughput and 2.5 million / 250,000 random read/write IOPS, we can see that SSDs equipped with revamped controllers will push the PCIe 5.0 bus to its fullest right out of the gate.

That blistering performance comes at a cost, though: The Samsung PM1743 gulps down ~30W of power under load, roughly triple that of a PCIe 4.0 model. It’s no wonder, then, that SSD makers have already indicated that some of the highest-performance PCIe 5.0 SSDs will need active cooling (i.e., a fan) when they arrive later this year.

We, for one, welcome the blistering speed. Pairing PCIe 5.0 SSDs with Microsoft’s DirectStorage, which can load PC games in roughly one second, we could see SSDs spur yet another renaissance for PC gaming performance.

More important than the Dell Ultrasharp’s resolution and frame rate is its jaw-dropping image quality. The $200 camera and its Sony Starvis CMOS sensor provided better low-light performance than other top-tier cameras such as the Razer Kiyo Pro. And when we took an image with a sunny window behind our face, a common situation, the camera did what no competitor could: kept our face from being washed out.

Dell’s webcam also features a uniquely sleek cylindrical design and it offers three different FOVs. If For wide shots, you can get up to 90 degrees – way more than most cameras – or you can crop down to 78 or 65-degree views. Dell has thrown down the glove here and hopefully we’ll see the company’s main webcam competitors, Logitech and Razer, up their games to match.

Perhaps 3D prints will never output as fast as their paper counterparts, but there’s a lot of room for improvement in a world where a decent model can take literally all day to complete. The AnkerMake M5 promises to solve the speed problem by outputting regular prints at 250mm per second and 2,500mm per second in an accelerated (but lower quality) mode.

Popular FDM 3D printers such as the Creality Ender 3 Pro usually output at around 60mm per second, which is less than a quarter of the M5’s claimed speed. Due out later this year, Anker’s first 3D printer also features a built-in camera you can use to watch your prints, Wi-Fi, its own smartphone app and sturdy metal parts. Its 235 x 235 x 250mm build volume is nothing to sneeze at either.

RGB is so 2019! The coolest bling you can bring to the inside of your PC involves screens; lots of screens. While we’ve seen motherboards with status displays on them and AIO coolers with round LCD displays on them, Thermaltake takes internal screens to the next level with its Pacific R2 Ultra.

The Pacific R2 Ultra is a 3.9-inch, full-color LCD screen that sits on top of your DDR4 or DDR5 RAM and shows everything from your system health to your favorite animation. Using Thermaltake’s TT RGB Plus application you can make the 480 x 128 resolution display show the temperature, frequency or use percentage of the RAM or other key components such as the CPU and GPU. You can also select from a list of animated GIFs or upload your own. The device attaches to your motherboard or RGB hub via its included micro USB to 9-pin cable.

Turning a Raspberry Pi into a NAS is nothing new, but with Argon’s EON we see how it can be done with style. The innovation is in the design. Gone are the wires and boring boxes, instead we have a gleaming tower of aluminum and acrylic which contains up to four SATA drives and your choice of Raspberry Pi 4.

Cooling the Raspberry Pi 4 is made possible via a beefy heatsink, and the drives are kept cool with a super quiet fan at the top of the case. This is a NAS that will look at home in your office, makerspace or living room.

Over the years, we’ve seen a number of attempts at bringing the multi-screen experience to laptops. From Asus’s ZenBook Duo, which puts a second display on top of the keyboard, to Apple’s MacBooks with Touch Bars to Lenovo’s ancient and bulky ThinkPad W701ds, which had a 10-inch screen that popped out of the lid, all of these were interesting ideas that weren’t not very practical.

Lenovo’s upcoming ThinkBook Plus Gen 3 laptop has a secondary, 8-inch display that sits to the right of the keyboard and provides some actual value. The 800 x 1280 touch panel uses the company’s software to provide some features you wouldn’t get elsewhere, even if you attached a portable monitor to your laptop. It can zoom in on a particular part of an image while seeing the entire picture on the main screen – something we experienced when using Adobe Lightroom on the ThinkBook at a Lenovo press event.

Lenovo’s software also allows you to use the secondary display as a touchscreen calculator, an app launcher or a white board for drawing. There’s a “waterfall display” feature which vertically extends the main screen so you can see more rows on a spreadsheet, for example. You can also use it to mirror the screen on your Android phone.

The MPG321UR-QD Xbox Edition uses an IPS panel calibrated to near perfection out of the box and provides excellent color; in fact, it’s one of the most colorful monitors that we’ve ever tested. It can hit 117% of the DCI-P3 color gamut and 83% of Rec.2020.

Lenovo already makes some of the best portable monitors in the Lenovo ThinkVision M14 and M14t, but its next-generation mobile display promises a new level of screen and buid quality. The ThinkVision M14d steps up to a 16:10 aspect ratio and a 2240 x 1400 resolution from the 16:9, 1080p specs of its predecessors.

Like prior ThinkVision portable monitors, the M14d has an attractive and sturdy kickstand to keep it standing up on your desk. The monitor weighs just 1.3 pounds, which means that it won’t add much heft to your bag as you carry it on your next business trip or commute. Its rated 300 nits of brightness should be more than enough to see your work, even if there’s some sunlight coming into the room.

The ThinkVision M14d t connects to your laptop via USB-C alt mode, using either of the USB-C 3.2 ports that sit on either side of it. You can use whatever USB-C port isn’t attached to your laptop as a pass-through to connect peripherals or even charge a smartphone. When it launches later this year for $449, the M14d promises to be the ultimate portable productivity screen.

There are only a few gaming laptops designed for those who want their rig to be truly compact and pretty. Alienware"s x14 fits that bill, at just 0.57 inches thick and 4.06 pounds. It"s far more travel-friendly than full-power 15- or 17-inch beasts. And it’s the first gaming laptop we’ve seen that charges solely over USB-C. We look forward to a future where all (or at least most) gaming laptops can ditch the traditional power brick, and the Alienware X14 feels like a taste of that tantalizing future.

In terms of look and feel, the Alienware x14 is basically just a smaller version of what we’ve seen with previous Alienware x15 and x17 laptops in the last couple years. But that’s great because the design looks and feels great.

There"s no rear light ring as there is with the x14"s larger siblings, but you do get RGB lighting on the keyboard and the iconic alien head on the lid. We’d love to see options for GPUs more powerful than the 3060, and a mechanical keyboard option like on larger models, but here’s hoping for that when Alienware gets around to refreshing its smallest spaceship.

For obvious reasons, the frequency of virtual meetings from home has exploded over the last couple of years. And if you want to maintain a commanding, respectable presence among your colleagues while you’re secretly dressed like a clown from the waist down, you’ll want to look and sound as good as possible.

That problem is that, to look professional, you need a good camera, a quality microphone and, depending on the time of day or weather, some lighting so you don’t look like a corpse hiding in the darkness.

Despite being primarily a microphone company, Movo has managed to combine a ring light, quality camera and a great-sounding condenser mic into a single device. It’s not perfect. As our reviewer noted, it’s bulky and the stand and mounting mechanism aren’t great. But after spending a few months with the 4K model, the video and sound quality are excellent, and it takes up much less room on my cramped desk than three separate devices.

Flashy lighting and other visual features are often wasted on things you don’t actually see much, like mice that disappear in your palm or headsets that are out of sight when you’re wearing them. But Asus ROG Strix Flare II Animate brings the striking AniMe Matrix display, first found on the lid of the company’s ROG Zephyrus G14 laptop, to a full-size gaming keyboard that will occupy a fairly large amount of your desk space.

And lights aside, it also features swappable switches, great media controls, a soft wrist rest and double-shot PBT keycaps. It feels like the luxury retro-future of our 90s cyberpunk dreams, and offers up levels of customizability usually relegated to pricier custom keyboard enthusiast kits. The gamer aesthetic won’t be for everyone, but if you like it, the ROG Strix Flare II Animate delivers lots of high-end features and a customizable display unlike anything you’ll find on other keyboards.

14-inch gaming laptops are the new hotness, but they typically suffer from one issue: limited configuration options that leave out the most powerful parts. Razer is going for the gold this year, by placing an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti and AMD"s Ryzen 9 6900HX. Considering the Alienware x14 only goes up to an RTX 3060, this is a big upgrade.

We haven"t gotten to test the Blade 14 just yet, but if the Blade"s vapor chamber cooling can keep this 0.66-inch thick chassis cool, it will be one to keep an eye on.

Creality’s CR-30 uses a conveyor belt to keep the printing going even when you’re not around to supervise. You can even print really long parts that wouldn’t fit on a normal print bed.

Co Print 3D, a new accessory that’s due out later this year, seamlessly switches the feed to your printer among up to seven different filaments. You just feed your filaments into the back of the device, configure your slicer and watch as it sends the right roll down your printer’s Bowden tube at the right time. You can even use the Co Print 3D to mix different kinds of filament into your project, including ABS, PLA and water-soluble materials.

While even mid-range smartphones now use computational photography – adjusting images based on CPU processing – computer webcams haven’t used this technology . . . up until now. The Opal C1 Webcam uses an onboard processor to handle complex situations such as low-light environments with great aplomb.

The 4K webcam offers fantastic fidelity and even has a built-in array of three omnidirectional, beamforming mics. In several scenarios during our testing, it even beat the Dell Ultrasharp webcam, which is our overall favorite. However, you will pay a pretty penny for the device as it costs $300 and works best when paired with its Mac-only software.

If you’re a stat-checker like me, you’ve likely seen external system monitors in custom systems. If your available time for tinkering is like mine, you likely still look at those with envy, as getting them installed and set up all on your own takes time and a skillset that many don’t have.

First and foremost, Lamptron’s hardware monitors currently all offer the same user interface and functionality. Powered by a micro USB connection and interfacing with your PC by way of a full-sized HDMI connection, they’re universal and easy to use.

Since they connect through HDMI, Lamptron’s system monitors function as an additional display. While that means that your video source will have to be multi-monitor capable in order to use them, it also makes them simple and eliminates any need for additional drivers.

You will of course need a copy of the AIDA64 software. If you don’t have a copy don’t worry – the flash drive included with your Lamptron monitor includes a fully-licensed copy of the software. Licensing for AIDA64 (as of the date of this post) starts at $49.99US, so this is a nice inclusion.

AIDA64 is capable of monitoring nearly every piece of data about your PC and displaying it on the Lamptron System Monitors. Anything from memory utilization to disk activity to per-core CPU temperatures. Temps, voltages, clock speeds, power values, disk space – pretty much anything you might want to know about what your PC is doing can be monitored in real time and displayed.

What’s more, AIDA64 allows you to build a completely custom screen for your new monitor. You can decide not only which pieces of data are displayed, but customize the way they’re displayed. Bars, graphs, gauges, simple numbers – the choice is yours. You can customize nearly every aspect of your screen, right down to the color and font used in the different data displays and more. You can add your own images and even make your own custom gauges if you’re savvy with image editing software.

The HM022 is the smallest of the monitors that Lamptron offers, with a diminutive 2.2-inch LCD. Why would you want a monitor with a screen that small, you ask? Because this one is built into a graphics card support bracket.

The HM022 is unique among Lamptron’s monitors in that it only requires only a USB connection to function – both power and data are supplied. The ARGB function has its own connection, with a passthrough plug to facilitate daisy chaining.

The HC060 monitor offers a six-inch LCD screen and comes with mounts to install in any dual 5.25” position in a PC case. Fully enclosed and only 6mm thick, the HC060 can also be housed outside your PC case, though no mounts or stands are included for this purpose.

Moving up in screen size brings us to the HC070. Offering a 7-inch screen and matching the 6mm thickness of the HC060, the HC070 is designed to mount in a PCI slot inside your case.

The HM070 monitor is a modification of the HC070. While using the same 7-inch screen, it provides an enclosure 10mm thick that allows it to function freestanding outside of the PC case. It also includes the same mounting options as the HC070.

A further modification of the HC070, the HM070 LIFT places the 7-inch LCD screen in a larger housing that’s 30mm thick and includes an option for wall mounting.

Though the screen on the HM088 is an 8.8” LCD, its form factor is longer and narrower than the 070 series. Designed to be mounted inside your PC case in a PCI location, its length will cover a large portion of most side panel windows.

The HM101 moves away from the smaller screens used in previous models, offering a 10.1-inch LCD and includes a single-position stand for placing it on a desk.

An evolution of the HM101, the HM101 Touch has the same screen size, but the bezel is larger and notably thicker along one of the long edges. Touch-control enabled, the HM101 Touch has a virtual keyboard function that allows the user to interact with the monitor directly.

Similar to the HM088, the HM140 offers a long narrow form factor, but with a full 14-inch LCD screen. Mounting for inside the PC case is included. While it is 14mm thick, the shape of the HM140 will not allow freestanding use without a stand of some sort.

The HM140 Touch brings a screen identical in size to the HM140, but wrapped in a thicker bezel and including the same multi-position stand that comes with the HM101 Touch. Virtual keyboard support is also present.

The largest of Lamptron’s monitors, the HM173 is a gargantuan 17.3 inches of screen. Sharing the same uniform narrow bezel as the HM101, it also comes a non-adjustable single-position stand.

Lamptron has really stepped up to the challenge with their new line of system monitors. By using AIDA64 as their data connection they’ve made installation simple and given users a huge array of data to choose from when deciding what to display. The sheer variety of size and shape options are amazing, and anyone wanting to get started with a separate system monitor will be able to find something to fit their needs.

Wow… This pretty much sums up the first impressions of the Lian Li PC-Q21. The case is tiny to the point of being comparative to a nineties micro stereo (yep, sadly I’m getting on a bit…). Its diminutive size along with the sleek brushed aluminium outer chassis also helps to give the PC-Q21 a rather sleek, almost timeless appearance that’s sure to fit in with any environment. This does however beg the question ‘how the hell am I going to fit a gaming rig inside it?!?’

The Lian Li PC-Q21 is currently available in two colours, black (PC-Q21B) or silver (PC-Q21A) like our review sample. As I’ve mentioned already the case itself is tiny measuring just 149mm(W) x 257mm(H) x 224mm(D). To put this into perspective, the fantastic Noctua NH-D15 measures in at 150mm(W) x 165mm(H) x 161mm(D). The case may be minuscule, but the materials and workmanship are anything but. The PC-Q21A definitely shows its Lian Li pedigree. Brushed aluminium is always a winner as far as I’m concerned and this silver hairline textured cube certainly looks the business. Yet what are aesthetics without the build quality to back it up? Well the good news is the case has it in spades. The main chassis (front, top, back & underside) are composed of just the two sheets of brushed aluminium taking away any sharp angles and giving the PC-Q21A a beautifully curved appearance.

From the left we find the PC-Q21A to be largely featureless despite its rather lovely brushed aluminium appearance. Towards the front and at the foot of the panel, we find vented areas to help allow cool air inside the rather unusual little case. Something worthy of note is how well cut and finished the intake cut-outs are. They are nigh on perfectly finished and unlike some of the competition, will not take away small pieces of finger upon removal.

Looking at the left we find that just like almost every other case available today, the panel is entirely featureless. Of course does we still get the wonderful aesthetics of the brushed aluminium, so its not all bad.

Due to its little stature, the Lian Li PC-Q21A features a very basic front I/O panel with just two USB 3.0 ports and a power button. The power button itself sits completely flush with the panel, but it isn’t made using the same brushed aluminium as the rest of the front panel, instead we find a button made of plastic and painted silver with a tone accurate enough to make you think it identical at first glance.

From the rear we get a better idea as to how Lian Li have made the case so compact. On the left we find a typical cut-out for an MITX motherboard I/O shield, to the right of which we find an unusually placed PSU cut-out for SFX or SFX-L power supplies. This is a great space saving idea, however it does limit the height of the CPU cooler used to a maximum of 60mm and potentially could make for not only a tasty looking rig, but a toasty one as well. Surrounding the two dominant cut-outs we find a large amount of venting which the rig inside will surely need, beneath this we find two expansion slots with a dust-cap styled blanking plate. Just as previously mentioned on the left side panel, the finish of each and every cut-out is perfect, which should help to prevent no accidental injuries during installation. To show how much care and attention Lian Li give to their cases, even the PCIE expansion plates feel of high quality, in fact the blanking plates and fittings almost look as if they’ve been chrome plated.

Once the left panel is removed, the Lian Li PC-Q21A still looks tiny, but also incredibly empty due to the lack of drive racks. As we can see, the motherboard tray itself features four pre-installed stand-offs and a rather large CPU cooler cut-out. The basic feature set of the front I/O panel is actually of great benefit to the interior of the PC-Q21A as it helps to reduce cable clutter. Whilst it’s nice to see that both the USB 3.0 and front panel cables are entirely black, it does seem a little odd that the cables are incredibly long for a case of this size. Measuring across the depth of the chassis shows the PC-Q21A will accept graphics cards up to 170mm in length, whilst the maximum CPU cooler height is just 60mm. This will of course limits your choice of components somewhat.

One area that the PC-Q21A certainly excels in is internal space management and it’s comes as a huge surprise as to what you can actually fit inside it. On the floor of the case we find a removable vented tray held in place via a long black thumb screw. The tray itself features mounts for not one, but two 2.5″ storage drives of your choosing. The mounting screws for the drives are described by Lian Li as Tool-less, which should be interesting during the install.

With the 2.5″ drive tray removed, we find yet two more sets of mounts. One for the installation of a 3.5″ storage drive, the other for a 120mm fan. Sadly there isn’t quite enough space to install a 3.5″ drive and the 2.5″ drive tray above it. Similarly even a slimline 120mm fan won’t fit beneath the tray. Luckily there are further mounting points for storage drives elsewhere.

Looking at the roof of the case we find a rather sturdy looking tray for a 5.25″ ODD. With the space limitations, Lian Li have understandably chosen to make the PC-Q21A compatible with slimline slot loaded drives only. For me this is personally not a problem, I can’t honestly remember the last time I’d even seen a DVD or disc of any kind, let alone used a drive. It also gives the case a slight boost in aesthetics and helps to give it a much cleaner look externally. If you choose not to use the tray for an ODD, there are also mounts available for yet another 2.5″ storage drive.

If t