Noise Levels
When it came to noise testing, we used a fairly simple method to get results. Noise testing was performed using a dB Meter pointed at the case from the same relative position where I’d be sitting. The room was brought to a silence, and the dB Meter was given a minute to stabilize. This was then repeated for each fan speed selection.
- Low Speed: 43.1 dBA
- Medium Speed: 45.2 dBA
- High Speed: 47.1 dBA
Even with it’s large amount of fans, the Lian Li PC-A7010 doesn’t sound much louder then any of it’s competitors. Though the medium speed setting seems to be the sweet spot, I barely heard anything that I would categorize as annoying in any of the speed settings. The fan controller, though simple looking, also managed to handle the six 120mm fans plugged into it without frying itself. So with all that figured, I think it’s time to wrap this up.
Final Thoughts and Conclusion
Lian Li is indeed known for high quality cases that have the features and specifications enthusiasts and power users seek. The PC-A7010 does continue on that path. This case is well built, and well thought out overall. The exterior looks great with its all metal finish. The placement of the LEDs and the external ports suits a wide range of users. There’s even plenty of expansion room for more components down the road.
The interior tells the same story, with a host of features many will take a liking to. The case is almost cavernous with the amount of room given to work with. The SATA backplane is a nice touch, and it’s very nice to see such a convenient feature trickle down from the enterprise market. Overall, the case was easy to work with when installing a system, and didn’t drive me mental with fan noise when in operation.
Still there a couple minor issues, and one decently sized one. The minor issue is the placement of the fan switch. Though I’m sure Lian Li was worried about ruining the aesthetics of the case, it would have been nice to be able to switch fan speeds without having to pull off the front bezel. Though on the bright side, people do tend to set and forget. As for cooling the internal components, the way the mobo tray comes out needs to be re-assessed. The way it is setup right now does make it difficult to install some larger coolers that are popular these days. This is something that you’re going to want to take note of so you can take advantage of all that airflow.
In the end, we have another great enclosure from the folks at Lian Li. The price may be a little steep, but you get what you pay for. With the added features like the SATA backplane, the six quiet but cool fans, and the incredibly roomy layout, this case will likely find itself to be the home of my new main desktop rig. I’m sure it will do just as well as your own.
Pros
- Lot’s of room
- Hot swappable SATA backplane
- Wide array of motherboard support
- Very well constructed
Cons
- Large coolers don’t mix with the removable mobo tray
- Need to remove the bezel to change fan speeds
- Might be a little pricey for some
Overall Rating: 9.0/10.0
Discuss This Review in the Futurelooks Community Forums