Lian Li X Dan Cases A3-mATX PC Case Review
Meet the Lian Li X Dan Cases A3-mATX
Compact, versatile, and surprisingly affordable – Meet the Lian Li X Dan Cases A3-mATX
Sometimes, it’s challenging to properly review a PC case. Yes, most cases have similar shapes and design features, but then there are cases like the Lian Li X Dan Cases A3-mATX. This is a case that simply has too many options to test individually, and enough configurability to almost guarantee that no two buyers will build identical PCs with this chassis.
The A3-mATX is a case for dreamers. If you just want to throw hardware into a system, this is not the case for you. Owners of this case will need to think about the hardware they use, and how to best configure this case to suit their needs. Many hardened PC enthusiasts will fall in love with this case, and many others will be turned off by its complexity.
As its name suggests, this is an Micro ATX PC case, but it is an incredibly compact one. Yes, you will be able to build much smaller Mini ITX PCs, but there are many benefits to the mATX form factor. That includes having more M.2 slots, potentially having more DIMM slots, and having access to more PCIe slots. The added size of this case is also great for ultra-large GPUs!
Two Colour Options
Lian Li and Dan Cases have released their new mATX case in both Black and White. Both models have an MSRP of $69.99, and neither models include any fans out of the box. This is a versatile case design, and that means that there are too many potential fan mounting options to consider. With this in mind, it makes sense that no fans are included. This gives users the freedom to do whatever they want with this PC’s cooling configuration. It’s also what makes this case so darn affordable.
Optional Extras and Pricing
Out of the box, this PC case features mesh side panels and doesn’t support vertical GPU mounting. However, users can purchase a tempered glass side panel window for this case, and a vertical GPU mounting kit should they desire one.
Lian Li has provided us with documentation that says that their tempered glass side panels will cost $12.99, and that their vertical GPU mounting kit will cost $49.99. If this is accurate, the tempered glass side panel is an incredibly affordable upgrade for anyone that wants it. However, we think Lian Li will need to bundle a PCIe Riser card if they want that vertical GPU mounting kit to feel like good value for money. Beyond that, I think a standard horizontal GPU mount is better from a cooling perspective.
Lian Li X Dan Cases A3-mATX Specifications – Too many options…
If you look at the specifications sheet below, you will know that tis case has a lot of options. Just looks at its fan and radiator support and GPU/CPU cooler clearances.
The space available for fans, GPUs, and heatsinks will depend on exactly where you mount your PSU, how large your graphics card is, and how you are cooling your PSU. You simply cannot max out on everything, there simply isn’t the space for that. Unless you have Tardis technology on hand, you will need to deeply consider how you plan to configure a PC inside this case. Space is at a premium, and this case lets your define how you use it.
