Lian Li Lancool III Case Review: Build Quality, Thermals, & Cable Management
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- Опубліковано 16 лип 2024
- Sponsor: EVGA X570 Dark: geni.us/C8Tq
This review looks at the Lian Li Lancool III PC case, a new high airflow design with a lot of mechanical gimmicks and features. The Lancool III sells for around $150 to $170, depending on whether it's the RGB, white, or black model, and competes most directly with alternatives like the Corsair 5000D, Fractal Torrent (and Compact), Phanteks P500A, and others in our benchmarks and tests. The Lancool III is one of the most mechanically complex cases we've ever reviewed and, overall, it executes well. There are some fit and finish issues that we'll talk about, and thermals are interesting, but overall, Lian Li is onto something with this one.
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RELATED PRODUCTS [Affiliate Links]
Lian Li Lancool III on Amazon: geni.us/BtaVEF
Corsair 5000D on Amazon: geni.us/cnVP60
Phanteks P500A on Amazon: geni.us/0qIz
Lian Li Lancool II Mesh on Amazon: geni.us/io9HA8
Lian Li Lancool 215 on Amazon: geni.us/BJIsU
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 - Insanely Complicated Case
01:15 - Lancool One, II, and III
02:52 - Quick Points on Airflow & Mesh
06:57 - Water Cooling Support & More Mechanical Issues
08:19 - Additional Fit & Finish Issues
10:42 - JUST YANK HARD
10:46 - Fit & Finish Continued
11:32 - Airflow, Fan Placement, & Magnets
12:50 - Patrick on Front I/O
14:47 - Small Attention to Detail
17:07 - Steve on Thermals & Noise
17:27 - CPU Thermals for Lancool III Case
18:51 - GPU Thermals & Best PC Cases for Airflow
19:40 - Gaming Thermals (GPU Load) in Lancool III
20:04 - Standardized Fan Thermals
20:39 - Noise Levels
21:07 - Noise-Normalized Thermals
21:45 - Conclusion & Alternatives
26:30 - Removing Bias & Steve's vs. Patrick's Thoughts
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Host, Test Lead: Steve Burke
Writing, Testing: Patrick Lathan
Camera Work, Video Production: Andrew Coleman
Additional Video Work: Mike Gaglione - Ігри
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Can't afford one, but hope they sell out :D
The sliding panel serves more than convenience, it allows for different motherboard form factors (for those that use them) and keeping your wiring tight.
Just waiting for it to ship❤️
I have a Lancool II. I love it.
@gamersnexus will you be reviewing the Cooler Master Haf 700 Evo?
I wanted to thank the team at GN for single-handedly reviving the airflow-focused case market. Thanks in large part to your exceptional case reviews, I'm the happy owner of the best case I've ever owned, the Lancool II mesh. While I won't be upgrading to the third gen, it's nice to see all of the attention to detail and quality of life improvements Lian Li is committed to providing in future iterations of their cases. It shows they care, and that there's always room for improvement in a very crowded market with lots of competition.
Agreed! I bought the Lancool 215 Mesh based on GN thermal figures and it’s been amazing. It’s not the best looking or flashiest case, but thermally it’s incredible. It’s damn near silent, and when I first bought it I thought my CPU temps were being misreported because they were so low. The two front 200mm fans are so good at drawing in fresh air, and because they’re 200mm they’re not very fast so they’re inaudible.
Thank you! It's great to see manufacturers going in the right direction now.
+1 on this sentiment, have been with the lancool ii mesh for almost 2 years or so now, love it to death. only gripe is the backbreaking weight and size once its fully kitted with full atx system + full gpu lol otherwise 10/10 case.
@@DarthsigmaballsI was also not prepared for the absolute unit I had built when I first picked it up. On the bright side, it's sturdy AF.
@@dil6969 sturdy besides the glass on BOTH sides lmao. about the only major gripe weight aside is their mind numbing decision to glass the backside. If there was an option to buy with a standard vented metal back i wouldve chosen that.
I know the video is old BUT, for *anyone out there* watching this and *thinks about picking this case up* - then here's my *1 year* in review:
PROS:
- Super *modular* (like a lot)
- Everything runs *super cool* and *quiet* at stock, but I recommend *adding* 1-2 140mm fans in the bottom
- Don't worry about if stuff fits, *stuff will fit no matter what* (and then more stuff can fit)
- Verrrry *easy to clean* and maintain
- So much fun to mess around with and tinker with
CONS:
- It. Is. Heavy. Do not buy this if you *move around a lot* or include you lifting the thing
- It's *bigger* than you think, make sure to do a double and see if it fits your office / gaming area
- Kinda don't like the *glass panel* on the "cable" side of the pc, just adds more to the weight and more to worry about
And to add to *Steve's question about all of the mechanical parts and hinges* = after 1 year they still work like day one, and I use them a lot (I clean and tinker a lot with it)
I have the Fractal Design Meshify 2 Compact. First thing I did was pull out a tape measure to compare the size and holy moly the Lian Li Lancool III is huge by comparison. Good that all the doors work, seems over the top though.
@@trythis2821 It is on the bigger side for sure, I started oud with a Antec 1200 which is even bigger in comparison, then moved to a NZXT N5 (first edition), afterwards a Fractal Define R5 and now comfortable with the Lancool 3 :)
I'm a total sucker for modularity and mechanical parts haha
I have a Lancool 2 mesh and I pretty much have had the same experience for the most part and I absolutely 100 percent agree that they're too heavy
I love how GN has a veritable library of cases, and Steve just casually pulls a case from a shelf like a book.
And the case hallway smells of rich mahogany.
I love how dynamic this video is! Showing different angles and rooms, seeing Steve walking around instead of standing stationary behind the desk, and even the camera being handheld, all gave this video a really nice and very warm feel. Props to Andrew for the excellent filming and editing, and to the entire team for creating such great content! ♥ It's also an awesome change to have Patrick doing part of the review! I hope that becomes a constant for future case reviews. It's great to hear more thoughts on the case directly from the other tester, and it's just great to see more of Patrick in general. 🙂
We got a community post reader here.
They've always held the camera, by the way.
yesss
@@AceStrife It's actually mostly been on a tripod, so the poster is right.
@@GamersNexus Oh, has it? It's moved around a lot in most of the videos so I figured it was being held almost all the time.
@@AceStrife I think that's just a cameraman moving the angle, zoom, and focus. Point of origin has rarely moved in most GN videos that aren't live streams.
Interesting to see Lian Li's implementation of a resizable bar.
Hilarious.
Well played.
Smart Acess Cables tm.
TY for the Laugh
Damn 🤣
That curly haired young Steve is cool. Giving a hands on "how heavy is it fully assebled" is a nice addition when concidering a new case. Not many reviews look at how it flex when carrying around. 10/10
Not a stat that is commonly mentioned in reviews, it does seem ridiculously heavy. Patrick says 15:50 this weighs 14.9kg. By comparison the very similarly sized Be Quiet silent base 601 window weighs 11.22kg and the slightly larger Fractal Torrent apparently only weighs 11.1kg.
@@-opus i assume thats down to how much of your case is metal vs plastics, whichever is best is up to you :)
@@Desalater2 The extra glass panel would be a big addition to the weight, the excessive doors and mechanisms would add a bit of extra weight too. But in general, more weight should = better quality ie: thicker metal, less plastic, more bracing etc. I would always choose a predominantly metal case and don't really have much issue with the weight, although I was surprised to hear that the Lancool III weighs nearly 15kg!
i bought my lancool iii last week mostly because of this review. i dont think it can be understated how easy it is to work in this case
It's actually good that Lian Li actually looks like it's taking review feedback seriously.
I pre-orded this case two weeks ago and I should be receiving it before the end of the week. I'm an owner of the Lancool II, and although I liked it, I decided to upgrade to the Lancool III once I saw that Lian Li addressed all the things I found annoying/disappointing about it's predecessor. Thank you for doing such a great review on this case, Steve. You are my "goto" guy for comprehensive reviews/testing of products. Keep up the stellar work.
"Goto" or "go to"?
Mine will be here Friday lol
@@matthewf9909 finally we will be able to Mount a 360 radiator at the top! Another thing I like about the III is that you can now open the side panel by pulling on the front release latch. On the II, I had to slightly or lift or tilt my rig since it’s on a caddy on the floor which has short walls that prevent opening the lower doors.
@@evanl3985 old GW Basic humor.
@@htr5372 doubling the price? When I bought my Lancool II it was $149. The Lancool III I just bought was $149. Sure, the Lancool II is $89-$109 now, but that’s because it’s considered an older model and retailers are trying to get rid of stock.
Already got a Phanteks P500 and really happy with it but I watch anyway because the content is top notch.
Thanks Steve and Team GN 👍
The P500A is a good case!
@@GamersNexus I only got that one thanks to you, otherwise I probably wouldn't have known about it lol Extremely nice case
@@GamersNexus Can we get a review of the P600S? There aren't any proper thermal tests of its fabric mesh front panel.
It's a little bit older now, but the build quality & features are great for its price. And the front panel fabric is really unique and pretty much no other case has it.
@@coololly I bought a p600s matt white a few weeks ago :) Brilliant case
@@GamersNexus P600S is even better, you should test it.
"It's not abnormal to remove the front panel that wayl But for a case this advanced, with all the different levers, springs and gadgets, that might be winning our "Best Mechanical Design of the Year" award; they haven't done anything to advance the removal of the front panel."
This actually applies to basically every Lian Li case ever. This problem is so widespread that there's a cottage industry of people 3D-printing replacements for those plastic clips that they have been using since 1993.
Also Steve: _lets just yeet this black front panel to prove my point_
3d printers are amazing, so many uses
I got the lancool 2 mesh when GN originally criticized the original case and the thing is an absolute beast. Love these in depth reviews and the comparison charts are very helpful!
A new case to check out. Thank you for in depth coverage of products we can use. You guys are just keeping the quality high, and the community couldn't appreciate it more.
Lian Li always takes me back. They were ahead of the curve with their case designs. The squared off full glass aesthetic was basically perfected by them.
That...wasn't that long ago that was only around 2012. people are on drugs or something.
@@gorkskoal9315 That was nearly a decade ago. Your standards of not long ago are probably different than most.
@@ligmanewtons2523 lol ok fair hit. A long time ago for me was trying to convince a janky Apple 2ci to print my homework....I feel like I just aged my self.
I''m honestly shocked they've managed to cram that much (apparently functional) mechanical complexity into a case for this price point, especially while retaining pretty favourable thermals. Overall I think Lian-Li has done a pretty great job here.
too loud for me
@@johnsi1345 set the fans curve and it will be as silent as any comparable case while maintaining lower temps. Watch again 21:07
so how can i change fans speed?@@VladK-1
This is the 4th review that I watched for this case. This is the first that mention the isshue with the top bracket avoiding the airflow, all otyer reviews made it look the case as a perfect one. That's why I follow and support Steve and his channel. The truth is always on the top... please never stop doing your work in the way that you do.
Out of all the cases that I've ever built in, had the most fun and overall a pleasant experience with the Lancool III. And she's runs veerry cold. Love it!
I feel confident saying that this is the most well shot case review on the channel. Love the direction you guys are taking right now, great job to all involved.
Also. 30 lbs. empty! The next iteration needs to work towards reducing the weight imo.
I think we can thank Patrick for a lot of those shots. This channel just keeps improving. Genuinely the best tech channel on UA-cam IMO.
@@MarioGoatse Andrew does the shots. But thank you!
@@GamersNexus Ah well he’s doing an amazing job. Loving the direction lately. Appreciate you guys!
It is just way to hilarious listening to cake making and at the end add some "price" into it.
Anyways point is that the camera work is good but out of mind at the same time not overdone. But if it all was recorded vertical on a phone no editing just raw cuts between any talking point or whatever. I really do believe people had still stayed around. ;)
As long as we get the points across in audio and some footage to view we are staying for this top tier coverage!
Or if they don’t improve the weight they start incorporating carry handles, wheels, or a bottom bracket so you can mount it on a roomba
I've been out of the loop for several years and just dove back in as I'm building a new rig. Your chan has quickly become one of my favs as you hit on things that a lot of others miss.
I ended up getting this case partly due to this review. Had it about 7 months now and every time I have to work in this thing it's just a wonderful experience. Coming from an older case, using this one just feels like they thought of everything. As an example today, I had to replace my radiator fans and it was a breeze - you can tilt up the radiator mounting plate to easily get at the back of the fans or the headers on the motherboard. For someone with big clumsy ham hands I'll take every convenience I can get.
As a first time builder, I chose this case for the extra helping hand it gives to people who are less savvy. It seems more beginner friendly with its organization and less screws needed. Thank you for the review!
and how is it?
Patrick doing his section is the best thing ever. He seems really passionate and this is a good change with building concerns and aesthetics being shown
I like how Steve is always like "RGB? Wouldn't know about it, that's a Patrick problem" XD
I bought a Lancool II Mesh Performance a while back based on the GN review and I am thrilled with it. GN had the best review on the Lancool II and this review is every bit as good.. this case isn't for me, but it was a great job showing all the positives and negatives of this case.
At this point, I wouldn't buy any case until I watched a GN review first.. you guys are THE authority on case reviews. Please keep it up.. it's really appreciated.
I can definitely see the improvements in the video's layout. From the Case Hallway to Patrick's take on Case details, this video's structure is a definite improvement 👌 One of my favourite channels around that lets us pc nerds embrace being pc nerds
I bought it. Get it Tuesday, actually excited for it. Great review GN. Just got my mod mat and coasters. The new shirt will be in soon !! Stoked
I'm impressed. Lian Li keeps getting better and so do these case reviews.
We're really spoilt for choice with some absolutely amazing cases these days.
And they do seem to be watching and improving, which is all we can ask for
Thanks for those in-depth professional reviews! You are the reason I bought the Fractal Meshify 2 Compact and did not cheap out on a case for the very first time. I also got a case for my girlfriend because you recommended it. We are both pretty happy and I personally cannot believe how much easier it is to upgrade and service your PC with a case that is designed to make it so simple. Love you and the team, keep it up!
I have Lancool II Mesh based on your review back then, never regret even one bit. Simple, beautiful, and very good performing case!
Becuase of you, Nexus, I decided to go with the Lancool 2 Mesh and I couldn’t be happier. The cooling on it is insane and I just wanna say thank you for going out of your way to do this for us!
Agreed. I also own a Lancool II Mesh and it's amazing.
@@spaneitogaming same, love it
It does my heart good to see the 215 still hanging with the newcomers near the top of the chart. I bought mine back when it was still near it's original MSRP of $70, partially as a result of your review, and it's been fantastic. Great review as always, and this looks like another great effort from Lian Li with some nice design elements for more complex builds.
Great purchase. I’m looking to build my first pc and all the good cases that gamer nexus recommends are all over their msrp lol.
I also got my 215 last year at msrp and it's such a great case! Sure it doesn't have all these gimmicks but as far as looks, price and cooling goes there isn't anything better imo.
I love the random tours through the studio during reviews - Looks awesome and super clean.
My Lancool 3 arrives Tuesday preordered as well. Looks like I’ll be happy with it! Thanks for the great review as always Steve
Patrick's presentation was so good! Would be really cool if he could cover some sections for each case review.
There's a special kind of absurdity about replacing the solid panel on the back with tempered glass so you can see through it, and then implementing solid panels to hide what the glass lets you see through to.
Corsair is teaching other manufacturers well.
It's so they can sell you extra RGB strips
I personally really like that. Using the normal Lancool 2 right now and I can't go back to steel-back cases anymore. Just makes both sides of the case interesting and if you were to put RGB SSDs there, it would become a feature of itself. Not everyone puts their case with the back to the wall. :)
I've been looking at Lian Li cases for the last few months as I consider building a new PC over time, they looks good, sound like they're solidly constructed and have space inside with some interesting features many cases don't use. Thanks for reviewing these GN! You guys give people the information they need most!
You won't be disappointed. I love my Lancool II Mesh. I couldn't be happier with the functionality, the room, cable management, and air flow that surpassed my Cooler Master case I had for years.
The way this is shot feels a lot more dynamic. Good job GN!
I've used your mesh II video to decide I want that case, then heard yesterday you were going to review this. I think I'm going to get this over the mesh II just because it can hold so many fans and storage lads. Also, I love the dual/split drive cages, as I don't need both of them.
Edit: oh wow its a heavy case
Im choosing between this, the torrent and the meshify 2. I haven't decided yet. But I probably go with Meshify 2, because it's god damn clean.
@@LordOfSweden fractal gang
@@user-sb7wj1vn4x Yeah im Swedish so I have to support our brands I suppose :P
i got the ll as well. its a alright case. airflow is great. almost all of my games run pretty much idle fanspeed. my only complaint so far is that one of the front case fans has developed a light ticking noise when revved up. other than that, yup its heavy. especially when its loaded with beefy components, so moving that thing 💦
I have the Lancool II Mesh. Bought it last year. It's really great to build with that case thanks to the modular design but it's freaking heavy.
Another Lancool Mesh 2 owner here. Love it and not ready to upgrade! I do like some of the new fiddly bits in the LC 3, but don't love the magnetic cable covers in back. I say leave them as thumbscrews. Thanks Steve! 🍺😁
I always enjoy the Patrick segments on the reviews, he's super laid back and points out a lot of useful info for potential users of the product.
I am loving this format, by the way, with different people doing the different sections of the review. Massive thumbs up!
I've had a Lian Li mesh 2 case mostly because of GNs favourable review as well as following an aesthetics style that I wanted. My only minor complains is that it's so heavy and that the io is on the top meaning my kitties could step on the power buttons as they love to enjoy the warmth in winter. This new case has definitely solved the 2nd issue. Would be great if there was an option that didn't have the tempered glass panel on the back side to reduce weight slightly. Anyhows! kudos to Lian Li for improving an already decent case even further and to GN for their amazing work
I thought the case was heavy until i lifted a fractal torrent, and i thought that was the heaviest until i lifted the O11 dynamic..
I know the pain with cats with my be quiet 802. They always seem to hit the power button accurately haha
@@Fruchti I suffer the same problem with my Pure Base 500DX, I've shut my PC down just from unplugging a USB. :)
The button is far too touch sensitive.
@@AlexLee-je5jg try a 5000x.
I got this case as soon as it became available in my region. Till now, I am loving this very much. The temps have been good. It looks great. I have added 360mm radiator on top, stock 140mm fans on front and back and 3 120mm fans below the GPU. The only thing which I have a gripe about is the magnetic mechanism for securing the back panels. For someone who is not good at cable management, it just takes additional effort to route the cables through specific cutout marked on the panels. Also, one thing to note, if the bottom fans are RGB, the shoddy cable management at the bottom is very much visible.
who cares how cables look. Making them tidy is a PITA. Though that (MIGHT) help if for some reason a cable came loose. otherwise who the fuck cares?
I got this one for the kid I volunteer with, and she loves the case. It was a little complicated, but the case itself looks amazing, and the build looks clean AF because of all the little areas you can shove cables or pull cables through.
Thank you for all your case reviews. I had bought a Lancool II Mesh based on your review when those released.
One thing that's missing from this review is dust management, and ease of removal and ease of cleaning of the filters. This case even has an optional dust filter kit, which you didn't even mention. Please add the dust subject to future reviews. Everything else was super in-detail. Thanks a lot!
Pretty dusty here so I saw the filter kit and that worries me. I am torn between the 216 and this one.
few things make me happier than in-deep reviews of computer cases by "airflow jesus" himself
O11D Evo Snow White, NEO Qube 2 Infinity Mirror, 5000D, Fractal Torrent or this?
@@rengoku2365 Depends on what size radiator and fans you want to put in it.
@@OntarioGuy430 i need the best case for airflow, 5000d or lianli lancool 3? 10 fans.
@@yoyigu The review said the 5000D airflow performs worse than the Lancool 3 - but the Lancool has many more future failure points and is super heavy. It kind of just comes down to what you like the look of more and what supports the fan sizes you want.
@@OntarioGuy430 The 5000D also comes with a criminal lack of fans pre-installed, with only 2 basic 120mm non-RGB fans. If you fill all 10 fan slots, the 5000D's performance increases significantly.
I just brought my roommate this case as a thak you for helping me build my first gaming pc. He never asked for a dime and I felt bad for not being able to show my thanks. He's been talking about this case a lot.
Another great case review, thanks. I got the Lancool Mesh II last year after seeing the review here and loved it.
The III looks like it is even (just slightly) bigger than the II.
7:15 The bottom mounted io (or option to have it that way) is a great/logical idea, it is a pity that it looks like they got the angle wrong though.
I never plug in any USB drives in the front anyway. It's a 100% positive for me.
Works better on a flatter bottomed case.
Fantastic review, I think this one beats the previous Lancool in looks (II & II Mesh) and I love the amount of fan/rad mounting options and the fact both PSU shroud doors are mesh but we'd need a follow-up on this case to really know how useful shroud mounted fans and rads would be (it was mentioned talking about shroud mounting in the thermal section but I didn't hear anything about it there). A follow-up video could also perhaps show the results of a bit of torture testing of all the door mechanisms, nothing extreme but enough to show how well the mechanisms hold up through a number of uses
Last thing, wish they didn't have glass on both sides, it really doesn't add much to the look having glass on the side behind the motherboard tray, would rather it be a metal panel and reduce the cost a little bit (but I will say those cable covers do make the glass there viable as an attractive option for anyone that does like it)
Bought a lancool mesh II directly as a result of the GN review. Thanks and back to you Steve! 👍
Great review, very happy with my Lancool II Mesh that I bought last year after watching tons of your case reviews and hoping that LIan Li is still making solid cases like these if I ever need to upgrade in the future :)
Quick comment/critique for Patrick as I always appreciate his input and reviews. He is always hard for me to hear in the audio [partially cause I have lost part of gearing due to military service]. This may be just a me problem but if it is possible to get a bit more volume to match Steve [I understand different pitch & tone] but in post edit, it would be greatly appreciated. If it is just me, no worries. Can't wait for my skele shirt! Keep up the great work folks!
I've got the Lian Li Lancool Mesh II and I would still recommend it over the III,
Have you tried the 3?
Thank you for doing all the in-depth research into the important details that can affect performance, also take the tail chasing research that many of us do. Being a LianLi O11D Evo owner I gotta say they make amazing cases, though the one I got is a bit bulky for me but that's all I could get (wanted Pantex meshify). I've only owned a maingear tower from 2006 and an old HP envy that i upgraded back in 2014. My dreamachine replaced my dell 7559 and got to say its super fun to be back building/optimizing everything.
Great review!! I upgraded in December from an NZXT h710i to a Lancool ii. I love the case. It dropped my temps 10-15 degrees. The case looks great and I’m a fan of the doors.
The Lancool 3 has so many more features that make the case even better. It offers mesh filter kit for the top, front, and bottom, where they previously didn’t offer a front mesh kit on the Lancool 2. USB-C comes preinstalled! The Lancool 2 usb-C kit was a pain to install. And being able to use the O11-Evo gpu riser kit allows us to have PCIE 4.0 riser cable now.
I love my Lancool 2 and my next build will be in a Lancool 3. Again great review and props to the Lian Li team for the massive improvements to an already great case
The overall quality of GN is truly unrivaled. Thank you and team so so so much for not giving in to trashy tech trends and staying real. Don't ever change, you guys are amazing!
Excellent job, gentlemen! Couple of points:
- I think you forgot to add the GPU thermals for the PSU shroud mounted fans
- I'd appreciate it for future reviews if Patrick would mention if the case comes with an HDD LED, as sometimes the power LED can have a dual purpose of being a power and HDD indicator, or just include some footage of the internal connectors
- At the risk of sounding ancient, but here goes: does the case come with a beeper? I still use mine which I cannibalized from my previous Thermaltake Chaser I bought back in 2014 as my Aorus B550 did not come with a seven segment display, so I use the beeper for diagnosis...
Thank you for your hard work. Review was great and definitely like the new style of videos.
The last time I've seen a beeper was in my very first PC, an IBM think center. I ripped it out as soon as kid me understood enough about computers to do so. I didn't even know modern motherboards still supported them!
As one that has a 215, I'm going to be ture the guess that this too does not include a POST clear/error code speaker/beeper
Really appreciate this review! I'm in love with my Lancool II Mesh, which will be getting passed on to my kiddo in a few months when I get the parts together for my first epic build and when I saw the Lancool III was coming out and how roomy it was supposed to be etc I was pretty stoked.
I've had really good experiences with their customer support and engagement, so just in case, I sent them some of my concerns about the case. I absolutely Love the side door thing and really hope it catches on cause it's a life saver.
Thank you gn for all your hard work, its always nice double checking with gn before making any purchase decisions
I’ve got the Lian Li Cool 2 Mesh, and built my own pc with it. I found it to be a very easy unit to build in ( I’ve built four pc’s so far, and this was the easiest case to build in). I actually think the older unit looks better than this new one. I also wonder if the new side panel latches that run all the way down both sides of the front of the case are actually slightly blocking airflow compared to the older case which doesn’t have these latches on it? The older design that required the bottom doors to be open before the glass panels could be opened was perfectly fine in my opinion, and adding these massive latches on the new case is a step backwards as they are potentially a fail point with over usage. Also, the two solid metal doors on the back side that cover all the cables for neatness are far better on the older model as they can be screwed shut rather than using magnets. From personal experience, I struggled to get all the cables bolted behind the doors, and the magnet version would have been a giant pain to have to deal with. I can also verify that, once you get all you components in this case and it’s ready to turn on, it’s a VERY heavy boy! I built my son’s gaming pc using another case (admittedly with a smaller GPU) and my pc is probably three times heavier than his. Another improvement that could be made to both the older and newer case would be to use the Lian Li SL120 Uni Fan Infinity ARGB PWM 120mm at the front of the case. It would increase the price, but these fans look far better, and with their interlocking system you would only have one cable to deal with rather than each fan having its own cables.
A smart case manufacturer would construct a prototype and get you to review it prior to the final design.
Proud owner of the Lancool II Mesh. Bought based on your excellent review. Glad to see Lian Li fine tuning the design.
The only thing I really dislike about the III is the covers for the wires. I like being able to take them off and then securing them with a screw. Not everything needs a magnet.
Shame about the HDD backplate. I actually use that.
Anyways, can't wait to see the Lancool IV!
Yay!! Been waiting for a review for Lan Cool III from y'all
While watching the review I also thought it to be an ~$250 case--Seeing the list price at $150-170 is surprising and refreshing. To me, it looks like a killer case at this price point.
honestly what this shows me is just how damn good the lancool II mesh was/is. Honestly if it can be had cheaper than this new one i'd say it is the best competitor if you don't need the new fan flexibility
100%, I have the Mesh II, and I would still buy it over the III, its $60 cheaper and the gpu being rather a lot cooler too.
Even Lian Li knows it. They recently increased the price of the Mesh II because it was undercutting the competition by 50 bucks or so. I got mine for 80€ now it's selling for more than 120€... The III feels a bit over the top with too many niche features.
I got mine for like 100 euros and its the best case ever, stock fans are good but pretty noisy and you can fit the arctic 360 in the front, the finish and quality overall is unbeatable at the price :)
@@Shadow2311 Everything except the plastic hard drive things feels so high quality and is actually useful. I have a 280 and it didn't quite fit op mounted, so it had to be used as intake as well. I even use one of those metal phone holding rings as an door handle and it looks like it was part of it all along. Best case I ever owned for sure!
@@andydbedford But what about the hole below? How was the dust collection?
I have my rig on a living room.
I have this case, and it was confusing at first. Now? I love it. It's so easy to work inside this thing.
is it as heavy as they say?
I love this new 2 section review process! It gives so many opportunities for you to make more "Back to you Steve" gags. 😁
Honestly this would look great with a storm trooper style to it and I would love to see a model like that, white case with black front mesh and black interior/pcie covers/PSU filter vents, heck make fans with a white frame and black fans. Also am I the only one who misses gunmetal colored cases?
You could say this case is a-DOOR-able. I feel like this is going to be on my short list for my next build.
Bought this case and swapped out with my O-11D, could not be happier, thanks GN!
I love this channel. they have a video for basically everything and I feel informed before I make a purchase. Doing a new build soon and it really helps making a choice.
I am really glad to see my Lian Li Lancool II Mesh is STILL a top charter especially when comparing to the Lancool III. I absolutely love my Lancool II Mesh, and it was all thanks to you guys at Gamers Nexus to help me find one of the best upgrades I could have done for my system. However, I will say, the little things that Lian Li did to improve the design, speaks volumes for me. They actually care about the products they are pushing out.
It's fantastic how Lian Li improved on some of the shortcomings of the Lancool II Mesh, a couple of which I gave them feedback about after I built my PC. Looks like the cable covers no longer interfere with routing around the edge of the case, and I kind of want to put one of those new HDD trays in my system. I also told them they could hide the front I/O better, but the new reversible panel is probably the most useless new gimmick of them all.
very cool case, and very heavy! i honestly feel like this case looks amazing, from an ease of installation angle to the aesthetics as well, it looks great. great review, loved how it was shot.
Big jump in quality on the review! Not in the market for a case but I still find it entertaining!
I would buy this but I absolutely *hate* glass panels, especially im the back where cable management needs to be on point and mine is definitely not. If they offered a no glass alternative with room for messy cables? I'm down every time.
Maybe learn to build better?
I hide my messy cables pretty successfully with lancool II mesh screw in panels. Dont mind the glass.
@@AryaStarky same -100% and this case has the doors to hide all the wiring. So the argument that @redteamreview does not like the glass because it shows the cable management or that it has to be on point....not true on this type of case ;)
Pro tip, cable management is all about being patient. Don't be afraid to walk away after its built then come back later to fix the cabling with some zip ties. Goes a long way!
@@ratboyiscool and also, don't expect to get it perfect the first time. Sometimes you learn from the first cable management exercise and have to do a second or third pass to get it really clean.
I understand the longevity concerns over the features (aka 'gimmicks') but it seems like a cool case at the price point. Nothing wrong with the Fractal Design either, but it's functional without much interesting design.
I honestly dont see the longevity thing as a concern at all for 99.99% of people. Most people install their stuff in the PC, then clean it like twice a year. Throw in a new part maybe every 2 years and you keep the thing for lets say 6 years. 6x2= 12 cleanings, 3 times for new parts...you're looking at opening it 15 times. It's honestly not a problem at all.
When I got my Lancool Mesh 2, I was one of those customers who received their case with the SUPER tight screws. They were nice enough to send me another, free of charge.
They mistakenly sent me a white version, which I really disliked. I contacted them and they sent me yet another replacement, free of charge and with express shipping paid. They also told me to keep the white one and the one with the tight screws, which I gave away on Twitter.
I rarely come across customer support like this. They won a customer for life, for sure.
I really like the dynamic way this video was shot! It felt fresh and less tense than standing there with a fixed camera angle. Please note that 'tense' really doesn't mean unpleasant! A computer case isn't rocket science by any means, and in my opinion a review of such a thing doesn't need to take itself too serious (like in this video). Just keep experimenting with that, you've already nailed the technical review part anyway.
My take on the case: Every time a manufacturer tries to implement rather complicated mechanical designs for parts that, under normal operation, almost never get used, it feels a bit wasteful in my mind. They could have left out half of the panels, magnets and springs and that case would still be a top performer on noise and airflow with an easy building experience.
The glass side panel behind the MB is probably the most pointless thing I've seen on a PC case. All you can really do with it is put some LED strips back there to make it glow and/or show off your almost out of date SATA SSDs. Other than that, a solid panel would serve the purpose just fine.
A solid panel wouldn't just be "just fine", it would be better because one could lose the internal case covers and thus lose weight. The solid panel itself would also weigh and cost less than a glass panel, so overall, there would be a good reduction in weight and cost. I would even like the option of a solid panel on the left hand side as well because I would place the case on the floor, so don't need to be able to look inside, plus one could cut out a side exhaust for the GPU.
@@BlackhatAudio What about cost reductions for shipping a lighter case? Also, why having to use a friend, if it shouldn't be necessary?
i wonder if adding 2 fans at the bottom would help with gpu thermals, or maybe its best to buy the regular non rgb version and then just swapping out the fans for better fans. For optimal air cooling.
I like this new format, Patrick’s input and usage of the new location.
Thanks for the review! Upgrading my PC for the first time in... 7 years? Decided to go with Lian Li Lancool III RGB black
What is the point of a glass window on the back if it has 3 metal doors to cover the cables anyways?
Just put a metal door on that side.
No point
I'm just not a fan of having a glass panel on my cable management side of my case, and yes I do manage my cables as neat as I can. Especially if they're just going to cover all the cable management shit with panels??? Like just make it metal....
Oh nice :) A new GN video. Been looking forward to the GN review of this one!
This video looked really cool. I like the new camera angles and getting to see the studio!
I bought the Lancool II Mesh based on your review last year. Its the one case I have purchased were I did not regret buying due to something prettier or newer coming out. I think in some ways the Lancool III is a step backwards, specifically in gpu thermals for example, which lets face is the most important thermal testing as it is the hottest component in the system. I love what they have improved upon over the Lancool II mesh, however I would still buy 2 over 3 purely based on your gpu thermal testing. Lian Li I feel, is really competing with itself here, the Lancool III Is interesting sure, but it is not as compelling as the Lancool II Mesh, especially when considering the high price increase.
Agreed. I think GN should have discussed the worse GPU temperatures more. What is causing this degradation? Who should be getting the III vs the II Mesh, etc.?
I agree, I think the III's biggest competition is the II Mesh, and was hoping Steve would cover more comparisons between the two. Looking at the thermal results (including noise normalized), it seemed as if the II Mesh was actually better overall. I was intrigued by the III coming with 3x 140mm stock, but it seems as if those larger fans only contributed to noise, and not so much performance. I'm currently using the II Mesh and I feel that was money well spent (thanks to GN's review). Still, appreciate Lian Li for continuing to trying to improve based on feedback, and appreciate GN for providing tons of info.
@@coolcat23 Yeah, I'm surprised they didn't harp on that more. The III looks like it mostly just hangs with the II Mesh (never really pulling ahead or falling way behind), making that massive GPU temp difference stand out. Then factor in the price difference, and I can't really see a reason to recommend the III over the II Mesh. In any case, I definitely won't be replacing my II Mesh with the III, nor am I planning to change my recommendation of the II Mesh to new PC builders.
I might be wrong. But lancool 2 mesh released in July 2020. He probably did the review of the case before the release date. RTX 3XXX released September 2020. So assuming his using the latest hardware to test thermals he would have been using a RTX 2080ti. So there's your temperature diference 3000 series draws like a extra 100 - 200 watts. Would be more beneficial if they also listed the hardware that was tested with
@@Threesnap he's testing using the same GPU for all cases, its the same GPU in lancool 2 as well as lancool 3
what a fantastic company Lian Li has become
Become? Always been top notch.
LET’S GO LIAN LI ! Love the Lancool II Mesh Performance, got it after GN’s review and it hasn’t let me down
Your reviews lead me to the Lancool 2 mesh for my last pc. Quite happy with it overall.
Thanks for the review, guys! I was looking into this case to potentially replace my Lancool II Mesh, but I think I'm going to stick with what I have. It was routinely losing to the LC2 Mesh in your tests, and its dramatic increase in size, weight and price over my case dissuaded me further. I agree that things like the spring loaded latches, side panel release mechanism, etc... all look like stuff primed to fail. I'm not sure if Lian Li will be providing replacement parts for this case 5-6 years from now.
Same think I will stick to the Mesh II, love that case but it would have been nice if they had a usb c already to go in it. But other than that it was fun to build in and easy to work on.
The LanCool 3 lose to the LC2 in those particular tests, but is still a better case in term of cooling capapcity.
GN standardised configuration (4x120 mm fans + 1 CPU aircooler) does not take advantage af this case stronger suit : his capacity for more and bigger fans/radiatiors than his competition.
@@Blafard666 As Steve said, if a case loses in specific categories and loses in their standardized configuration, it means the case is brute forcing cooling with its fans.
What this shows is that the Lancool 2 Mesh has better airflow dynamics as a case than the LC3, and that its stock fans are more than enough to sit at or near the top of the charts consistently.
It seems the increased volume of the case may be working against it here.
@@RicochetForce I totally agree, especially with your last sentence. But isn't that proof that such a modest test-configuration will always cripple the bigger cases ?
20:05 On the standardized fans test, is it a coincidence that all of the 5 cases beating the LC3 are compact/smaller cases ?
I believe GN testing format misrepresent the compared performances of larger cases at the benefit of smaller volume ones.
@@Blafard666 I do agree that GN will eventually have to bite the bullet and move on to more modern, intensely hot components to provide more representative results.
It reminds me of how Noctua's large coolers like the NH-U12A, U14S, NHD15/S seem to perform no better than bog standard heatsinks on low thermal loads. But when you force a massive amount of heat on them, the smaller units quickly get overwhelmed and the actual performance of the large towers becomes obvious (cooler + quieter while providing that cooling).
Why are the GPU temperatures on the Lancool III worse than on the Lancool II Mesh? Wouldn't that be interesting to investigate? Are the Lancool II Mesh GPU temperatures really better than those of the Fractal Torrent? Either something went wrong during testing or there are some really interesting lessons to be learned about how hot air can be efficiently removed from the GPU (e.g., through an optimal distance between GPU side and case (glass) cover.
Sadly they're testing it stock and without fans on the GPU shroud.
With up to 3 fans installed on the shroud pulling in air, the temperatures will definitely drop.
@@jakechuaweipeng I agree it is sad, that they are not trying a few more fan configurations that make a lot of sense. Their current approach lets a case with a bottom GPU cooling option look the same as one which does not have such an option. Regarding the comparison to the Lancool II Mesh, though, the latter has the same option and they did not use it to obtain their GPU measurements either. There must be some reason (distance from front fans, gap to side panel, measurement error for the Lancool II Mesh, etc.) that explains the worse performance of the Lancool III. I don't understand why some people are raving about GN so much, given that they don't really put in more effort into case testing than other channels. The only advantage GN has, is their standardised testing methodology, but they do very little to nothing to find out how to best cool a case. From a top notch channel that deserves the raving praise GN already receives, I would expect that they try different top fan setups, for instance, and not just speculate that one might be better than the other.
Great case review. One thing I'd like to see is even when Patrick was pointing out the built in IO, the spec of the different USB ports was not mentioned. I've noticed this is a pattern not only in this review but in the majority of your case reviews. It's usually not hard to find out, but it seems like a spec worth mentioning. Especially since there are about 4 possible data transfer rates they could be in nowadays and there are more than one type of motherboard connector required. Not a big complaint, just seems like it ought to be there in so thorough a review.
I like this case a lot. Going to recommend it to my friend who is getting ready to build his first PC.
It made me laugh to watch the front panel get yanked off after all those fancy mechanisms, and then Steve said exactly what I was thinking. Hiliarious.
Damn, this case beats the original Torrent in noise normalized? Lian Li is out for blood, becoming one of the best case manufacturers IMO (even if this case is a tad strange)
Coming stock with ***4 140 millimeter fans*** is also just great. Of which, the non RGB ones are even better. Then you've still got plenty of room for a 360 millimeter radiator up top if you want.
The thing can stay frosty
It’s funny when you look at the only feature it beats it in
@@devaxionrl8189 regardless, this case rates well thermally all around, even with all of the excess junk on it... or perhaps some of that is working as a heatsink
@@-opus none of the junk really get in the way of airflow. Still not going to upgrade from my 011 evo case.
@@devaxionrl8189 the Lancool is also a little bit cheaper, when comparing the non RGB versions. And the gap gets a lot bigger when comparing the RGB versions
Really loving that case, just wanted to let you know that in the temps benchmark during the first slide, when you talk about the front panel removed its the lancool 2 that's highlighted instead of the 3. Otherwise great in depth review as always. Keep up the great work gn team.