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The Lian Li arrives in a simple coloured box with the highlighted marking top right which says “2010 new” – refering to the fact this is a new tool-less design.
As I have been reviewing many steel cases lately I was stunned how light the PC-8FIB really is, you can easily lift it with one finger, it weighs less for instance than the Antec P193 side panel alone which we reviewed recently.
Classic, stylish and simple designs are at the forefront of Lian Li's products and the PC-8FIB doesn't fail to meet these goals. The engineering quality is absolutely stunning and it is easily seen once you get down on your knees to look at the edges, finish and fitting mechanisms.
The front view of the case is a master class example of how to create a chassis without the design ruining the sleek, formed lines. The anodised aluminum finish is stellar.
The front features 2 x 120mm 1,200 rpm intake fans which are filtered and hidden underneath a ridged exterior design. They have blue LED's, however on the red ‘spider edition' they have included red LED's to match the design.
The bundle contains everything you need to create a fully fledged system, from a USB 3.0 double header adapter which plugs directly into the motherboard to thumbless finger screws for connecting all the devices. Lian Li also include an SSD 2.5 inch drive mount and a 140mm fan filter if you decide to populate the top chassis position – we will look at this later.
Both side panels are identical and extremely high quality aluminum material, which is very light weight yet surprisingly strong to hold.
Underneath is a filtered intake area for the power supply, when we crack open the case later we will look at this from the interior view. This filter is removable and washable.
The rear of the chassis is home to another 120mm 1,200 rpm fan which sits above 2 rubber encased watercooling hose feeds. There is accommodation next to this for 7 PCI slots and underneath is the housing for the power supply.
Each side panel is opened by the simple removal of four thumbscrews, two on each panel.
The top is home to a wealth of connectivity. 2 USB 3.0 capable ports, high definition headphone and microphone jacks as well as reset and power buttons. There is also an eSATA port here which we always love to see.
