Lian Li Lancool 205 Mesh review: My new favorite PC case might be yours too

Lian Li Lancool 205 Source: Windows Central

Lian Li is a brand anyone hunting for the best PC case volition exist familiar with. The company is known for exquisite style and phenomenal build quality, making any PC build stun. But some of the visitor's best comes with a price premium. It'south probably non the first brand you're going to recall of if you're trying to build a lower-budget gaming PC.

That'southward where the Lancool 205 Mesh comes in. It's towards the higher reaches of what you might consider mid-range, but it's still an affordable PC instance. Meliorate notwithstanding, information technology'due south an affordable PC instance packed with that premium Lian Li style.

This mid-belfry PC case ticks so many boxes information technology's tough to know where to begin. Ultimately if you're looking for style, value, build quality and ease of utilise, it's going to have to be towards the acme of your shortlist.

Lian Li Lancool 205 Mesh

Bottom line: A stunning, high-quality, easy-to-build in PC case that should definitely exist on your shortlist in the mid-range.

The Good

Looks incredible
Masses of drive trophy
Not bad cablevision direction
Integrated PSU shroud
3 120mm fans included
Great airflow

The Bad

No 360mm radiator support
Radiator subclass could utilise boosted fixing points
GPU support bracket for longer/heavier cards would exist nice

Lian Li Lancool 205 Mesh: Price and availability

The Lian Li Lancool 205 Mesh is available at present in Lian Li's supported markets through its network of partner resellers. Pricing is effectually $100 and it'south available in either black or white.

Be careful non to confuse information technology with the cheaper Lancool 205, which doesn't come with the mesh front design and has fewer 120mm fans included as standard.

Lian Li Lancool 205 Mesh: Specifications

Category	Lian Li Lancool 205 Mesh
Motherboard	Mini-ITX Micro-ATX ATX
I/O	2x USB-A 3.0 1x headphone/microphone RGB controls
Expansion	7 horizontal PCI
Storage	4x 2.five-inch SSD 2x 2.v-inch SSD + 2x three.5-inch HDD
PSU	165mm
Included fans	1 x 120mm w/RGB 2 x 140mm w/RGB
Top fans	2x 120mm 2x 140mm 280mm radiator
Rear fan	1x 120mm
Front fans	2x 120mm 2x 140mm 280mm radiator
Filters	Mesh front panel Bottom Height
GPU clearance	160mm
GPU length	350mm
Dimensions	205mm ten 415mm x 485mm
Weight	xviii.73 pounds (eight.five kg)
Materials	Steel Tempered glass
Color	Black, white

Lian Li Lancool 205 Mesh: Pattern and hardware

Lian Li Lancool 205 Source: Windows Central

The Lancool 205 Mesh is a variation of Lian Li's existing Lancool 205, with the main divergence existence the introduction of a mesh console on the forepart of the example. This improves airflow over the original dramatically, and the fine holes besides seem to practise a decent chore at acting every bit a grit filter, too. In the space of a calendar week of constant use, at that place'due south no sign of any significant grit intrusion into the instance's interior.

As a piece of design, other than that mesh front, information technology's a fairly standard affair, nonetheless somehow however quite hitting. It's constructed entirely of steel, so it feels solid, just at the same fourth dimension it isn't so heavy you lot'll need a concrete block to stand up it on. The left side panel is all tempered glass, though only reaches most 75% of the way downwards the case.

The residuum of that side is taken upwardly by a PSU shroud that is integrated into the exterior of the case but is also removable for piece of cake access to your power supply. It's held in by a single screw and only slides out. Nothing fancy, just it'southward a seamless design integration that fits perfectly with the aesthetics of the case.

The right side console is all metal and behind information technology y'all find your 2.v-inch SSD caddies, cablevision management points, and admission to the 3.v-inch drive bays hidden just behind the front end panel. If you don't want them, nevertheless, the entire thing tin be removed leaving you lot with additional infinite to hide your ability supply cables in.

Lian Li Lancool 205 Source: Windows Central

The Lancool 205 Mesh takes up to an ATX motherboard and a whole bunch of cooling. The front can have a pair of 140mm fans or a 280mm radiator, the back is expert for a 120mm exhaust fan and in the pinnacle, at that place's also space for another pair of 140mm fans or 280mm radiator. Of particular annotation is the radiator bracket built into the tiptop of the instance, which simply unscrews and slides out, making information technology and so much easier to fix your cooling solution in identify.

Information technology's not a particularly hefty subclass, heed, and information technology does simply set in place with a single screw one time slotted into position. It shouldn't move most, simply at that place'south still some definite chance of movement, so it would have been squeamish to have an additional screw to fix it in identify at the other end likewise. If you're planning to use a 360mm radiator, too, you're out of luck. 280mm is the maximum the Lancool 205 Mesh supports either at the top or in the front.

The structure is absolutely starting time-rate, and on the white ane I have here there are no corners cut with the paint job. All of the interior is painted white, even the $.25 you lot tin't run into, leaving for a striking finish. Access is tool-gratuitous, likewise, with thumbscrews used on everything from the side panels to the bulldoze bays. The just two places you demand a screwdriver to access the case are removing the PSU shroud and the radiator bracket in the top.

Lian Li Lancool 205 Mesh: What information technology's like to build in

LancoLian Li Lancool 205 Meshol 205 Mobo Source: Windows Central

The all-time-looking, all-time-quality instance in the earth is no expert if it'south a nightmare to build in. Then what about the Lancool 205 Mesh? For the purposes of this review, I've built a organization that not only showcases its good looks, merely that makes as much utilise every bit possible of the infinite inside. Here's a quick rundown of the primary parts list:

NZXT N7 Z590 ATX motherboard
MSI RTX 2080 8GB GPU
be placidity! Dark Ability 12 750W PSU
ID-Cooling 280mm AIO cooler
Samsung 870 Evo 2.5-inch SSD

ATX is the maximum size motherboard the Lancool 205 Mesh will take, and you get a full complement of available PCIe expansion slots on the rear of the example every bit a companion. The NZXT N7 Z590 has a lot of of import $.25 on the very bottom of the motherboard, but feeding cables to the right headers is elementary thanks to the 2 sizeable, merely still discreet-looking access holes in the bottom.

Also to the sides and top of the motherboard yous're left with ample space to feed cables without the need for much swearing, and even with a radiator installed there'southward just enough clearance to get your fingers in to connect things upward without having to remove it first. Out front it'southward a very make clean, tidy blueprint, and in the back, in that location are plenty of loops to adhere cablevision ties and keep things groovy.

Lian Li Lancool 205 Mesh Source: Windows Fundamental

Removing the three.5-inch drive bays besides makes the basement of this example a joy to work in. Normally, when building a PC I'll adhere the ability supply cables before mounting it inside. But in the Lancool 205 Mesh without those drive bays installed y'all become so much space to work in that you can attach and tidy every bit you get. The Dark Power 12 isn't the smallest 750W ability supply effectually, but this cavernous example gobbles it up with ease.

How about performance, though? With an Intel Core i5-11600K and an RTX 2080 installed, things have been nice and absurd under idle and lite workloads. The CPU sits effectually the 30C (86F) mark, while the GPU is normally also at effectually 30C (86F) when not called into action. The two included fans on the forepart of the case suck in a lot of air, and by mounting a radiator in the roof the estrus from the CPU rises straight out.

Lian Li Lancool 205 Mesh Source: Windows Central

Fifty-fifty when cranking up the loads, heat dissipation is superb, with the rear frazzle fan never struggling and rarely feeling like information technology's actually warm air coming out. Maximum CPU temperatures under a full stress examination only ever reached the depression 70s Celsius (158F) and the fully open elevation did a great job at venting the heat. You could expect similar results using a blower-manner GPU too, and if you're air cooling the corporeality of air that the front 140mm fans pull through, this means you're going to have no issues cooling even a warm CPU.

The included fans are whisper quiet, besides, and as an added bonus Lian Li includes a fan controller in the rear of the case so you don't even have to worry near running cables all around your motherboard every bit information technology's good enough for up to five fans, also as five RGB cables from those fans.

There'south too enough room for some pocket-size water cooling, though it'due south all the same a fairly compact example despite all the space within to build in. If you're looking for a full water-cooled setup, y'all might be better served by something larger.

Lian Li Lancool 205 Mesh Source: Windows CentralSomething a flake more elegant than this might take been nice.

I'd also take liked some kind of GPU support integrated, though admittedly I'm really picking hither. The case will easily accommodate today's hugest, heaviest graphics cards, but unless your motherboard has slots of steel you're probably going to fight some sag. Indeed, the heavy old RTX 2080 I've used here sags a fiddling, and I've taken to using a white power brick to prop it up (and also not ruin the white aesthetics!) Manifestly, if you're not using a behemothic GPU it won't be a problem, but something more than elegant than my homemade solution would take been welcome.

Lian Li Lancool 205 Mesh: Competition

Phanteks Eclipse P350X Source: Richard Devine / Windows Central

The mid-range PC example is packed with great choices right now, with Phanteks and Corsair, in particular, 2 of the main competitors with the P350X and 275R Airflow respectively.

The Phanteks P350X doesn't accept a full mesh front, only still provides splendid airflow and like the Lancool 205 Mesh, accepts an ATX motherboard and boasts plenty of space within to build. It'southward a quality PC case and costs a little less than the Lancool 205 Mesh, though absolutely doesn't look every bit good and comes with fewer included fans.

The Corsair 275R Airflow is too a little cheaper than the Lancool 205 Mesh and also has a front end panel designed purely for cartoon in equally much air equally possible. It'southward available in white, too, though takes a dissimilar approach to its PSU shroud and doesn't accept the same all-white exterior you lot find from Lian Li. It does take a 360mm radiator though and it has a trio of 120mm fans included.

Lian Li Lancool 205 Mesh: Should you buy information technology?

Lian Li Lancool 205 Source: Windows Central

You should buy this if ...

You want a high-quality, good-looking case that doesn't pause the bank
You're looking for plenty of interior space to easily build in
Yous're looking for neat airflow to keep your rig overnice and frosty

You shouldn't buy this if ...

Yous're building a full water-cooled setup
You need to use a 360mm radiator

The Lian Li Lancool 205 Mesh is nigh impossible to fault, offering a stunning blueprint at a reasonable price that lends itself to a truly special-looking PC build.

Lian Li consistently makes outstanding PC cases and the Lancool 205 Mesh is no exception. I am a piddling nervous most the long-term grit factor of having a mesh front and no traditional dust filter, but at the aforementioned time, it's incredible how much air it pulls through and how absurd everything is within.

Information technology's easily one of the simplest and most enjoyable cases I've ever built a PC in, and while it'southward a trivial more expensive than some of its competitors, the Lancool 205 Mesh is great value for it and well worth housing your next build.

Lian Li Lancool 205 Mesh

Bottom line: A stunning, high-quality, easy-to-build in PC case that should definitely exist on your shortlist in the mid-range.

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