Here is a review of the Lian Li 011 Dynamic vs Air. The essence of this review is to provide pieces of information about the two pc cases. By this, we tend to make easy judgments or choices as to what type of case we want. Particularly if we are even about to purchase one of the two. In the case where we discover the better one, that is exactly what we will go for instead of settling for the lesser. This review helps to reveal why one case is superior to the other and why one is inferior to the other. In the end, we will conclude by recommending our choice and back it up with reasons. Before the comparison between the two cases can be made, it is paramount we list the pros and cons of these cases. In that way, a quick overview is achieved and a stage is set for a proper review. Without wasting much time, here is a list of the pros and cons of the Lian Li 011 Dynamic and Air.
Lian Li 011 Dynamic
The Lian Li 001 Dynamic is designed to maximize case performance as well as aesthetics. It uses SECC, Aluminum, and temperature glass for build materials. It supports three 3.5 inches drives and up to 5 2.5 inches SSDs. You also get support for up to nine 120mm fans and two 140mm fans.
Specifications:
Dimensions : 450mm x 450mm x 275mm
Net Weight: 9.7kg
HDD bay: 3.5″ x2 + 2.5″ x4
PCI Slot: 8
MB: E-ATX/ATX
I/O: USB3.0 x2,USB3.1 x1,HD Audio
Fan/Cooling support: (Top) 120mm x3 or 140mm x2, (Bottom) 120mm x3, (Side) 120mm x3
Power Slot: ATX x2
Pros
- We must commend it for its great aesthetics
- The glass offers a fantastic view of the interior
- It comes with enough room for two 360s
- It is simple, minimal and boxy
- It comes with a brushed aluminum accent that has a subtle blurred reflection
- Unlike other cases, the glass panels do not mount with big bulky screws on every corner, but rather slot into place with the top panel securing it all down. Even the case feet follow the simple aesthetic.
- The creativity inspired by the space this case comes with is very impressive because three 360 mm radiators can fit in it at a goal.
- The power supply mounted behind the motherboard opens up for more possibilities to mount fans at the bottom directly under a video card. It will interest you to know that nine 120 km fans or six 120 mm fans plus two 140 mm fans can fit in conveniently.
Cons
- The review reveals that is has a bad QC. One reviewer complained that his damaged either during construction or shipping and a hook was missing.
- bad RMA policies and lack of customer service
- A reviewer’s personal experience indicates that his case arrived with one of the fasteners from the top panel broken off inside it but still usable without it as there are 6 more fasteners though.
- If you want fans on the bottom and you have a USB 3.0 header on the bottom of your motherboard you’ll not be able to use it unless you order a low-profile 20-pin internal USB 3.0 extension ($15.00 from modmymods, similar prices from china sellers).
- There are no cable tie points on the floor of the case.
- Side panel window wasn’t completely flush against the front window. In this customer’s experience, he had to cram something under the side window to push it against the front window as there was a gap between them at the bottom. He also observed a stiff tubing pressing against the side panel glass slowly began to separate the lower-front corner of the glass from the metal which fastens it to the case. His experience was that the metal is affixed to the glass with double-sided foam tape and it isn’t difficult to pry apart. He further took off the metal from the side of the glass that was pealing apart, scraped off the foam tape, and re-affixed it together with 3M VHB. In his words, “It seems a little more secure now, but I’m still paranoid about that corner peeling off.”
- To keep the case from being “too wide” some width was sacrificed in the main chamber so check your GPU water block compatibility. Generally, if your video card has a wide PCB a standard water block will be too wide unless you can use some adapter to narrow it.
Lian Li 011 Air
Lian Li 001 Air was strictly designed to cater for airflow. It uses SECC, Plastic, and Tempered glass as build materials. It supports up to three 3.5 inches drives and up to five 2.5 inches drives. It can accommodate up to twelve 120mm fans and four 140mm fans.
Specifications:
Type: ATX Mid Tower
Material: Plastic (Front), Tempered Glass (Side), 0.8mm SECC (Body) M/B Type: ATX, E-ATX
MicroATX Drive Bays: 9
Internal Bay: 3x 3.5″ HDD, 6x 2.5″ SSD Expansion Slots: 8
Cooling System: Front: 3x 120mm Fan Vents (Fans not included) Top: 1x 120mm/2x 140mm Fan Vents (Fans not included), 2x 120mm Fan Middle: 3x 120mm Fan Vents (Fans not included) Bottom: 3x 120mm Fan Vents (Fans not included) RGB Fans included or 2x 140 mm (option) Radiator: 120x 360mm/120x 240mm/140x 280mm Side Windows: Yes Front I/O Panel: 1x USB 3.1 Type-C Port, 2x USB 3.0 Ports, HD Audio Maximum Compatibility: Maximum VGA Card Length: 420 mm Maximum VGA Card Height: 159 mm Maximum CPU Cooler Height: 155 mm Power Supply: None Dimensions(WxDxH): 270.0 x 476.0 x 465.0 mm
Weight: 9.5 kg
Pros
- Lian Li’s excellent build quality, Magnetic dust filters, Razer Chroma RGB and Synapse integration, Reasonably priced
Cons
- Tight fit in the back chamber with a large PSU and 3.5″ drive
- USB 3.1 Type C headers still a bit hard to come by on modern motherboards, Magnetic strips on the dust filters a bit slim, which means they come off a tad too easily
Recommendation
Our pick is the Lian Li 001 Air simply because it corrects one major challenge in the Lian Li 001 Dynamic. This challenge is also experienced with many cases where the power LED is a blindingly bright blue LED shining through clear plastic with no diffusion. Solving this problem yourself would require unplugging the entire HDD activity. There is space for two 80mm fans at the back, but no mounting points so you’d have to zip tie them. This problem is addressed in the Lian Li 001 Air.