Lian-Li makes an XBox360 case

LIAN-LI WAS SHOWING off some of the usual and the very unusual cases this year. The real surprise was the XBox360 case, who would have thought that would be there?

XBox360 case

This case is called the XBOX360 Modding Case, and it is just that, a Lian-Li quality aluminum case custom fitted for the 360. They can't officially recommend you take a screwdriver to your 360, but should you want to avoid the heat-related RROD, you are $160 away from a new lease on life. Very cool.

Lancool K6

Next up we have a new sub-brand called Lancool. They are a lower end line from Lian-Li, basically all the goodies but costed down. The main way to do this is by using a steel frame instead of aluminum. This adds weight but cuts cost a lot.

You still have the foam noise reducing pad in front and tool free everything. The side mounted drives even have a plastic clamp on holder with rubber shock mounts, you don't even need a screwdriver there. The K9 is more or less the same case with a much better looking front and a hot plug SATA backplane. Look for them in the $90-120 range soon.

Lian-Li sliding catches

A really nice touch that several Lian-Li cases have is the mechanism you see above, the case closing catches. One way that Lian-Li cases close so well is that the catches are on a sliding bar. You put the case side on, and then push the bar, not the side, in to lock things down. It makes a lot of sense and makes life easier as well.

X500 mini-tower case

While most of their case lines were refreshed, the best was the all new X500/2000/cube line. They are all aluminum and have thermal compartments like the the V series, but they lack wheels. As you would expect, they are tool free, have massive sound deadening, and baffled air intakes.

What you would not expect is side mounted drives. The 2 5.25 inch and 3.5 inch bays all are side mounted, so the CDs eject out of the side, not the front. This is a unique feature that will probably have as many adherents as detractors, but it is going to polarize people.

I like it, and if I had to pick a case now, the X2000 would be on my short list. It is the full tower version of the X500, itself a mini-tower, and the cube is a small HTPC box. They cost about $520, $390 and $150 respectively. µ