Review: The model name rhymes, so the new Lian Li PC-Z70B chassis must be good! Right?
Aluminium is a glorious element. The silvery substance is at the forefront of many modern electronic devices, acting as a lightweight yet aesthetically pleasing shield around our delicate computing kit. Such examples are HTCs unibody phones, the popular Macbook Pro range, and this very Lian-Li case. Its natural corrosion resistance by way of passivation means it can be admired without protective measures such as galvanisation. On the other hand, it's quite expensive.
The entirety of the PC-Z70 is made from aluminium. It was no surprise that when we lifted the Lian-Li to position it for careful inspection, the apparent weight compared to the likes of traditional steel cases was blatantly clear - it hardly feels like you're putting in any effort at all, despite being a full tower case. To be exact, it weights a mere 8.8kg!
Lian-Li's PC-Z70 cases come in two colours, silver and black, as indicated by the last digit in the model name ('A' for silver, 'B' for black). We were sent the black version, which when opened, reveals a roomy grey aluminium interior. The first thing that jumped out as "really cool" (that's a technical term, we assure you), was the numerous routes of which cables can be managed. Veteran PC builders and perfectionists alike will find great pleasure in using the numerous rubber edged gaps in the motherboard backplate, which have been fitted to sit next to common port areas of modern ATX/E-ATX motherboards. Now you can hide those ugly fluro coloured SATA cables as cleanly and as promptly as possible! There's very little blocking access to the rear of the backplate, so there's no excuse for having stray cables lying out in the open.
Mechanic storage is cheap, so it's nice to have no less than nine hot swappable 3.5" drive bays at your disposal, plus two 2.5" bays for SSDs. Plastic strips are applied to the sides of each drive using rubber-lined thumbscrews, which can then be removed and replaced tool-lessly. These bays are securable using an inbuilt key based locking mechanism, to reduce the ease of physical theft. Molex connectors power each drive via a custom PCB, with cable clips running along the edge of the HDD cage to route SATA cables away from view.
Rear expansion is abundant; there's eleven screw-less slots, which are quite fun to play with. You know a case is fancy when metal (not plastic!) securing clips latch on with a satisfying snap! Not need to struggle with flimsy insecure mechanisms, or hunting for a suitable screwdriver. Cards as large as 390mm can be installed, so there's no concerns when looking to purchase massive powerhouses such as the HD6990.
Front panel ports are fairly standard. Two USB 3.0, a USB 2.0, eSATA and HD audio ports are situated at the top of the case. The front facia is easily removed to access the drive bays; just a simple tug on the edges will reveal the case innards. At the rear we're greeted by two rubber grommets to allow water cooling tubing to pass through.
Three 120mm fans fitted with removable dust filters form the air intake, but are attached to the side panel rather than a traditional front side installation. A further three exhaust fans (two 140mm up top, and a single 120mm at the rear) complete the package, although we wonder if this setup provides enough air pressure to prevent dust build-up from the various vents. Beneath the case is a removable washable dust filter for air displaced by an installed PSU.
Speaking of the PSU, a nifty latch system makes it possible to install one without using screws! That being said, Lian-Li make it clear that it is advised that screws are used during transportation. Ahh well, can't be lazy all the time!
All things considered, this full-tower case really is a prime example of quality engineering, with great attention to detail. Even the screws come in an organised storage box! But all this doesn't come cheap. $465 is definitely on the pricey side, which for most users would place this is a luxury item. We recommend telling the misses that it's an 'investment'; an item which will serve for several builds, thereby saving money in the long run. Well, it was worth a try...
Issue: 137 | June, 2012