The gargantuan X2000FN full tower aluminium chassis is under the spotlight today; featuring support for E-ATX and packed with many enthusiast features.
Product on Review: PC-X2000FN
Manufacturer: Lian Li
Street Price: £390 (At time of review)
It goes without saying that Lian Li are highly revered amongst computer case gurus, over the years they have racked up a multitude of awards and high favour, making them a premium choice for those with an interest in cases and purchasing a new chassis for their build.
We review a lot of cases at Vortez and have built up a repertoire of experience in analysing them. We do not take things lightly, our critical analysis helps to identify pitfalls and strengths and today’s review sample is a noteworthy chassis with more features than is common.
Under the spotlight today is Lian Li’s new monolith PC-X2000FN. Standing tall at over 69cm (27”) Lian Li have given this chassis the slogan – “I came, I saw, I conquered” a saying rumoured to have been written by Julius Caesar and implying total victory over a foe. And so X2000FN is laden with a catalogue of features and luxurious craftsmanship akin to the associated name.
About Lian Li
Lian Li Industrial Co., LTD was founded in 1983. We are one of the largest and most reputable manufacturer of aluminium PC case in Taiwan. With over twenty years of experience in the computer products field, our dedicated team of engineers, production specialists and administrative staff provide the finest quality accessories available on the market.
In 1993, Lian-Li Introduced the new lines of computer hardware, including bracket( for case & interfaces), Mobile rack(for H.D.D.), mounting kit(for FDD & HDD), aluminum PC cases, IPC, external cases, server cases and more. We also provide OEM & ODM services, you are assured of designs that will meet your exact specifications, innovative ideas in manufacturing that will give your products an essential market edge.
Our outstanding quality has earned us ISO 9001 certification for all of our products. In addition, we back up our quality assurance with a two-year a guarantee on most of our products.
In 1993, Lian-Li Introduced the new lines of computer hardware, including bracket( for case & interfaces), Mobile rack(for H.D.D.), mounting kit(for FDD & HDD), aluminum PC cases, IPC, external cases, server cases and more. We also provide OEM & ODM services, you are assured of designs that will meet your exact specifications, innovative ideas in manufacturing that will give your products an essential market edge.
Our outstanding quality has earned us ISO 9001 certification for all of our products. In addition, we back up our quality assurance with a two-year a guarantee on most of our products.
Technical Specifications
Model
PC-X2000FN
Case Type
Full tower chassis
Dimensions
(W) 240mm x (H) 693mm x (D) 455mm
Front bezel Material
Aluminum
Color
All Black
Side Panel
Aluminum
Body Material
Aluminum
Net Weight
11KG
5.25″ drive bay (External)
2
3.5″ drive bay (External)
None
HDD bay
3.5-Inch HDD x9(hotswap x7) / 2.5-Inch HDD x3 or 3.5-Inch HDD x8(hotswap x7) / 2.5-Inch HDD x4
Expansion Slot
10
Motherboard
E-ATX / ATX / Micro-ATX
System Fan (Front)
140mm Fan x3
System Fan (Top)
None
System Fan (Rear)
120mm Fan x1 / 140mm Fan x1
I/O Ports
USB 3.0 x 4 / e-SATA x 1 / HD Audio
Maximum Compatibility
VGA Card length
340mm
PSU length
230mm
CPU cooler height
180mm
Package Dimensions
(W) 544mm x (H) 768mm x (D) 302mm
Gross Weight
12.8KG
PC-X2000FN
Case Type
Full tower chassis
Dimensions
(W) 240mm x (H) 693mm x (D) 455mm
Front bezel Material
Aluminum
Color
All Black
Side Panel
Aluminum
Body Material
Aluminum
Net Weight
11KG
5.25″ drive bay (External)
2
3.5″ drive bay (External)
None
HDD bay
3.5-Inch HDD x9(hotswap x7) / 2.5-Inch HDD x3 or 3.5-Inch HDD x8(hotswap x7) / 2.5-Inch HDD x4
Expansion Slot
10
Motherboard
E-ATX / ATX / Micro-ATX
System Fan (Front)
140mm Fan x3
System Fan (Top)
None
System Fan (Rear)
120mm Fan x1 / 140mm Fan x1
I/O Ports
USB 3.0 x 4 / e-SATA x 1 / HD Audio
Maximum Compatibility
VGA Card length
340mm
PSU length
230mm
CPU cooler height
180mm
Package Dimensions
(W) 544mm x (H) 768mm x (D) 302mm
Gross Weight
12.8KG
Packaging & First Look
The packaging for X2000FN is reminiscent of other Lian Li products. The contents are contained within a double-reinforced box which goes to great lengths showing the features and specifications. Inside, the case is covered in a clear plastic sheet and held in place via dual polystyrene pillars for a safe arrival.
Packaging for X2000FN
The packaging alludes to the sheer size of this computer chassis and with it removed from the packaging we can now reveal X2000FN in all its glory. In keeping with the styling we have seen many times previous with Lian Li’s repertoire, X2000FN is minimalist and discreet in its visual appearance.
As already mentioned this case stands tall at over 69cm (27”) and is without a shadow of a doubt classified as a full tower. In keeping with Lian Li’s legacy the entire construction is aluminium with both sides being completely solid except for the ventilation cut-outs which run vertically towards the front. Both side panels also have dual optical bay covers, the left side having a folding fascia whilst the alternate side having a solid cover. The idea of having optical drives on the side is quite quirky but it will require some clearance if a drive is installed.
The side panels do not have their thumbscrews in the typical locations but rather on the panel side because the side panels pull away from the case rather than sliding back in order to remove them.
Tall in stature, minimalist in style
Superior quality – aluminium construction
Exterior
Moving in for a closer look at the external aspects of X2000FN we can see the front is completely solid and has a brushed aluminium finish. The Lian Li emblem is the only significant feature on the front. The fans inside acquire air from the ventilation holes on both sides.
Turning our attention to the rear of X2000FN we see that there is an opening at the bottom of the case for mounting the PSU. Above this there are ten PCI expansion slot covers each have ventilation holes to encourage airflow within; there is also additional ventilation to the immediate right. X2000FN has two exhaust fans at the back of the chassis, the lower is 120mm whilst the upper is 140mm, these fans are designated to two different sections which is why there are two. Next to the upper 140mm fan there is a fan controller knob allowing the speed of fans to be managed.
The front and back of X2000FN
At the top of the chassis are the front panel controls which are concealed by an aluminium flip cover. Underneath this cover is an E-SATA port, 4x USB 3.0 ports (via internal motherboard header) and a headphone/microphone jack. Beside these ports there is a large power/reset button. Viewable from a top view is the curvature the front panel takes as it flows into the top panel – this is a single piece and demonstrates Lian Li’s finer engineering.
The front panel controls include 4x USB 3.0 ports
Further back from these ports is a smooth brushed aluminium top section which lends itself to identical styling as the front panel section. There are no significant features here such as mesh for cooling etc.
The top section of X2000FN
On the underside of X2000FN there are four feet. These, like other components on Lian Li cases are categorised as replacement parts because they can be purchased individually. Each of the feet are plastic with an inner rubber section which protrudes to allow anti-slip properties, each can be removed by simply unscrewing. Also on the underside is a dust filter which covers the area marked out for the PSU.
The underside of X2000FN
Interior
To gain access to the inside of X2000FN thumbscrews need to be removed from either side panel and then the panel simply pulls off. Below shows a picture of the mechanism which Lian Li have used to affix the panels to the chassis – metal plugs fit into a clamp to provide a snug fit. Relative force is required to remove each panel since there are a series of plugs to detach.
Side panels use a plug/clamp mechanism
Casting our eyes onto the inside of the case we see the interior is split into three different zones. The bottom is designated for the PSU and HDD storage, the middle is for motherboard and HDD storage and the upper is for HDD storage and optical drives. HDD storage in the lower and upper regions have the added bonus of being hot-swappable with docking ports. Separating components into different areas results in better thermal control and helps to assist with better cable management.
X2000FN’s expanse means an assortment of different form factors can be accommodated. Inside, M-ATX, ATX, XL-ATX and E-ATX are all supported (although Lian Li do not state XL-ATX is compatible on their website).
A look at the internal layout with three zones
Behind the motherboard tray
Interior (Continued)
Moving in for a closer observation of the inside we first come to the lower zone which houses the PSU and HDD storage. The PSU area on the left has anti-vibration strips to give the PSU a soft cushion to rest on. There is also adequate space for extended length units.
On the right are four rails for mounting 3.5” drives – each rail has a corresponding SATA power/connectivity ports to allow hot-swapping. This HDD cage can be completely removed quite easily, thumbscrews simply need removing. To get a drive into the cage screws and rubber rings just need attaching – more on this later in our installation section.
The lower region for PSU and HDD storage
In the middle zone are the ten PCI expansion slot covers. These covers are metal and come with ventilation holes to encourage better airflow inside the case. There are no thumbscrews to fix these covers into place because Lian Li have incorporated their tool-less retention level system. This has been an integral feature on many other Lian Li cases and has been proven to be very effective. We think it’s a great feature – helping to avoid losing screws and providing a fast method of securing a device.
Up to ten PCI expansion slot covers with lever retention system
In the upper section towards the back is another HDD cage with docking ports. This can accommodate a further four 3.5” drives and has a 140mm cooling fan positioned to extract heat out of the case just behind the cage.
More HDD storage at the top
Within the top section are the optical drive options. On the prominent side there are two slots available with matching aluminium fascias which fold down. On the other side there are simply 5.25” drive covers, although there are a total of four slots only two drives can be installed at any one time – so two drives can be installed on one side or one drive on one side and another on the other etc.
Beneath the 5.25” cage is another cage to house two 2.5” drives. This entire section is removable should the user decide to take it out – thumbscrews simply need removing.
Optical drive choices with fascias
Towards the front of X2000FN there are three 140mm cooling fans which are positioned as intakes to bring cool air into the chassis. These fans have a large dust filter which is removable and easy to clean. On the previous page you will notice there is usually a metal plate next to these fans, this plate is detachable and can house even more storage options including 2.5” and 3.5”.
Three 140mm cooling fans at the front
Installation
Looking at a bare computer chassis only reveals one side of the coin and so it’s important for us to take a look at the X2000FN with a full system installed so that we can determine its strengths and weaknesses (if any!).
We would usually install our XL-ATX system inside such a large chassis but unfortunately the biggest form factor X2000FN takes is E-ATX so our ATX system had to suffice. Even with an ATX system installed there is plenty of space around the motherboard and this really does help with the installation process. Cable management and installation of devices is an absolute breeze, although there is allocation for the CPU power cable to route behind the motherboard tray and drop down it is rather a large distance to cover and struggles to fit. Thankfully Lian Li provide an extension cable which makes this possible.
One aspect which is emphasised time and again with X2000FN is the multitude of HDD storage options; this case is tailored for storage and thanks to the inter-swappable cages the inside can be customised to the needs of the user.
One slight niggle to present itself when installing the system inside X2000FN – the front fan cables were not sufficiently long enough to reach the fan controller at the back of the case. Instead, these must be plugged into motherboard headers or Molex connectors.
Clearance is paramount to many users and this aspect of X2000FN is where the case excels.
ATX system installed with lots of space
Cable management is easy to maintain
There are numerous options to install storage drives inside X2000FN, both 2.5” and 3.5” drives can be placed inside the case. 3.5” drives require screws and rubber rings in order to slide into the HDD cages provided; 2.5” drives require the same treatment but on the underside instead and must be attached to the metal plate which covers the side of the case (pictured).
Once attached to the case the drives fit extremely snug thanks to the rubber rings.
Installing 2.5”, 3.5” drives is easy
Clearance – CPU Cooler, GPU, WC, Cable Management
Clearance is an important aspect of case design for the enthusiast as it establishes whether certain hardware will be compatible with a chassis or not.
First of all the CPU cooler, here there is a generous amount of space for high-end air coolers. X2000FN can entertain big CPU coolers such as Noctua NH-D14, Thermalright Silver Arrow, Alpenfohn K2. Installed is Noctua’s NH-U12P which is 158mm in height.
Excellent CPU cooler clearance
Moving swiftly on we come to the graphics card, here, once again there is more than adequate space for long graphics cards. Pictured is XFX HD7970 DD which is 10.5” in length and there is an extra 3-4” in additional clearance.
Furthermore, Lian Li include GPU retention pegs to work in correspondence with the large metal plate – this helps to take the strain off the PCI-E as graphics cards are quite heavy nowadays, especially from the high-end selection.
X2000FN can house long graphics cards
Although X2000FN is big on size and clearance there are no areas to mount water-cooling radiators or ALC units, this may come as a surprise to many but it isn’t Lian Li’s intention to furnish X2000FN with water-cooling functionality. This case is designed for air cooling, hence the plethora of included cooling fans.
Behind the motherboard tray there approximately 2.3cm of clearance between the tray and the side panel – paving the way for good cable management. The more space you have behind the motherboard tray the easier it is to control thicker cables and thus you can keep redundant cables tucked away.
Generous clearance behind motherboard tray
Thermal Performance Testing
Placed inside X2000FN are five cooling fans 4x 140mm and 1x 120mm. X2000FN has these fans in key areas to maximise airflow, on paper the thermal performance should be good with a balance of intake and exhaust being used.
To discover the thermal performance of the X2000FN we will record idle temperatures after 20 minutes from a cold boot. We will then stress the system and temperatures will again be monitored after 30 minutes have elapsed. Fan controller will be set to highest setting.
For the purpose of accurate analysis the idle and load temperatures for CPU and GPU will be recorded and the range between idle and load will be calculated to determine how efficient cooling is.
NOTE: Ambient temperature is 20C
System Components
CPU AMD Phenom II X6 1055T 2.8GHz
Motherboard ASUS M4A89TD PRO
Graphics NVIDIA GTX 480 (Different from card pictured)
Memory 4GB Mushkin EM3-10666 DDR3
HDD Samsung Spinpoint 500GB SATA-II
PSU FSP AURUM GOLD 650M
Motherboard ASUS M4A89TD PRO
Graphics NVIDIA GTX 480 (Different from card pictured)
Memory 4GB Mushkin EM3-10666 DDR3
HDD Samsung Spinpoint 500GB SATA-II
PSU FSP AURUM GOLD 650M
Noise
The noise emitted from the five fans inside X2000FN isn’t too bad at all. With the rear fans set to low there is very little to hear, turning them up to maximum and a full humming tone can be heard but this is by no means disruptive. The fan controller which Lian Li have implemented onto X2000FN is much better than most you usually find on computer chassis which only offer fixed states – two or three. The fan controller is variable since it uses an adjustment knob, meaning the noise/speed can be customised entirely by the user’s preference.
Conclusion
Whenever we get anything in for review from Lian Li we always feel excited due to their sensational products and unique approach to case design. But regardless of reputation we always analyse a product without any pre-conceived opinion; Lian Li have impressed before, have they done it again with X2000FN?
X2000FN is quite easily one of the biggest computer cases we have had the pleasure of working with at Vortez. It stands tall in stature both with its physical dimensions and its excellent build quality. As with many Lian Li cases, X2000FN does not compromise on styling but rather settles with the minimalist approach and does a great job at looking sleek and professional.
As you can well imagine the chassis is very roomy and even has space to hide a small child. M-ATX, ATX, XL-ATX and E-ATX are provided for and with these form factors come a very generous amount of clearance for high-end kit such as long graphics cards and big CPU coolers. Some will be puzzled by the lack of water-cooling support with X2000FN but it was never Lian Li’s intention to enable such a feature; this case is primarily designed for air cooling – if this wasn’t obvious the five pre-installed cooling fans is quite a give-away!
One particular aspect in which X2000FN shines is the oodles of storage options, there are HDD cages found in each of the three zones and furthermore the 3.5” cages are furnished with hot-swappable ports to allow quick and easy access to your drives.
X2000FN’s feature-set is rich with options to help assist with building a clean, tidy system in next to no time. Cable management has been well thought out and there are even graphics card retention pegs to take the stress of the PCI slots of your motherboard. One particular favourite of ours is the PCI retention lever system; this does away with thumbscrews and replaces an archaic method with a much more robust system.
Pricing for X2000FN is quite a conundrum and something which Lian Li devotees will only be too familiar with. X2000FN is available for a princely sum of £390; far beyond what many will pay per individual components going into the chassis. Weighing up the justifications for the price we can understand why the case would be expensive based on the engineering of a fully aluminium chassis with just about every feature you could wave a stick at, it just won’t sit well with many.
Lian Li’s PC-X2000FN is an absolute monolith; in stature, feature-set and build quality. To avid Lian Li fans this case will be the case to own because it oozes flair and finesse, but to those outside the circle the high-cost might be just too much to stomach. Based on our experience with X2000FN we are pleased to give this case our much revered Elite award.
Pros
+ Beautiful to the eye
+ Unmatched build quality
+ Very roomy
+ Numerous useful features
+ Good clearance options
+ Great cable management
+ Lots of storage options w/ docking
+ Five fans included w/ fan controller
Cons
– Front fan cables do not reach fan controller
– No WC support
– Cost
+ Beautiful to the eye
+ Unmatched build quality
+ Very roomy
+ Numerous useful features
+ Good clearance options
+ Great cable management
+ Lots of storage options w/ docking
+ Five fans included w/ fan controller
Cons
– Front fan cables do not reach fan controller
– No WC support
– Cost
Click here for an explanation of our awards at Vortez.net.
