Lian Li A04 - New MicroATX case

True 120 didn't fit. From the top of my cpu (i3-550) to the inside of the side panel is 6 3/16" (~157mm) where as the True was 6 3/8" (~162mm). Those measurements should be within 1/16" (~1.5mm) (I tried to get it as close as possible) but even just looking at it, it's obvious that it won't fit without modding. It's close, but just barely doesn't make it. I suppose if one could trim the top of the heatpipes then it would just barely clear it, but otherwise you're gonna need to look for something a little shorter.

Thanks for the info! Making the case that small is a terrible decision by Lian Li, in my opinion. Most heat sinks with 120 mm fans are 158 - 163 mm tall. So just adding a few millimeters would have made this case so much more useful. Anyone know a good 120 mm heat sink that would fit this case?
 
Thanks for the info! Making the case that small is a terrible decision by Lian Li, in my opinion. Most heat sinks with 120 mm fans are 158 - 163 mm tall. So just adding a few millimeters would have made this case so much more useful. Anyone know a good 120 mm heat sink that would fit this case?

Yea I wonder what happened there

I am going to use a Cooler master Gemini II I think, I do have a Cogage TS but I just don't think it's going to fit, it barely fits in the Antec 900 I have now (I can't even attempt to use the side panel fan). So yea I do wish that it was a fit without any modding. This is perhaps the only "Downside" to this case really. Hopefully that CM HSF is up to the job for my 2500K.
 
If it's really 159mm like their site says, probably not. Again, those who are [H]ard enough to trim down their heatpipes may be able to get some of these to fit, but I don't have the money to be modifying and possibly breaking $60+ heatsinks just to get one to fit.
 
Not sure if serious? None of those dimensions are anywhere near 160mm, there's no reason it shouldn't fit inside the case. You'd just have to make sure it'll work with the rest of your components.
 
Not sure if serious? None of those dimensions are anywhere near 160mm, there's no reason it shouldn't fit inside the case. You'd just have to make sure it'll work with the rest of your components.

Just giving some options if some of the previous posters had not thought to use it. It's what I plan on using in mine.
 
Thanks for the info! Making the case that small is a terrible decision by Lian Li, in my opinion. Most heat sinks with 120 mm fans are 158 - 163 mm tall. So just adding a few millimeters would have made this case so much more useful.

It is arguable that the newer platforms don't put out much heat. For instance if Sandy Bridge can OC to low-mid 4GHz range with the tiny stock cooler, then just about any aftermarket cooler will do. No need to go huge unless you are stuck with Lynnfield and aiming for huge overclocks (but which mobo does that?).

Okay, I guess this being Micro ATX you can fit socket 1366 in it, but few people are going to be buying that these days.
 
Yeah, but it's still annoying since a lot of coolers are in the 160mm range and are unusable in this case. I personally don't just go with what performs well, but it has to look nice too so that further cuts down on my selection.
 
Very tempted to get one of these to replace my mini-P180 that currently has:

EVGA X58 Micro
i7-930 @ 3.33GHz
Noctua NH-U12P (single fan version, had it for ages)
2 x ASUS 5870v1 CrossfireX
Seasonic X750 PSU
Intel X25-M 160GB
Sony SATA DVD
12GB G.Skill RAM (it was cheap, lol)

Issue with Noctua cooler with this mobo is that it extends slightly past the top edge of the mobo and so will probably hit the top fan, the CPU sits closer to the edge on X58 than on P55 ... might need to look at mounting it so that it shoots upwards towards the top case fan ...

I've used the NH-U9B in an NSK3480 case (E8400) which did a reasonable job and is still going as my parents computer ... and I could swap my Noctua for my brothers NH-U9B-SE2 with 2 fans if I had to, I'm sure he wouldn't complain getting an upgrade :)

I would however like to know if there is any chance of fitting the H50 or newer H60 into this case as that would certainly let me overclock more if I wanted to.
 
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Very tempted to get one of these to replace my mini-P180 that currently has:

EVGA X58 Micro
i7-930 @ 3.33GHz
Noctua NH-U12P (single fan version, had it for ages)
2 x ASUS 5870v1 CrossfireX
Seasonic X750 PSU
Intel X25-M 160GB
Sony SATA DVD
12GB G.Skill RAM (it was cheap, lol)

Issue with Noctua cooler with this mobo is that it extends slightly past the top edge of the mobo and so will probably hit the top fan, the CPU sits closer to the edge on X58 than on P55 ... might need to look at mounting it so that it shoots upwards towards the top case fan ...

I've used the NH-U9B in an NSK3480 case (E8400) which did a reasonable job and is still going as my parents computer ... and I could swap my Noctua for my brothers NH-U9B-SE2 with 2 fans if I had to, I'm sure he wouldn't complain getting an upgrade :)

I would however like to know if there is any chance of fitting the H50 or newer H60 into this case as that would certainly let me overclock more if I wanted to.

At 158 mm height, the NH-U12P will probably not fit. If it does please let us know!
 
I'm considering selling mine. Not entirely sure what I would pick up to replace it which is what's stopping me at this point, but it's definitely something I'm considering.
 
I'll trade you a v 351b for it

Hmm, I'll think about that. My main reason for wanting a different case is the heatsink height limitation which would obviously still exist with the 351 lol. BUT, I've wanted a v351 for a looong time sooo... I'll letcha know. I kinda wanna wait and see if there are any changes with the new A05FN before I commit to anything.

I like them but ....

Great post :p
 
Hmm, I'll think about that. My main reason for wanting a different case is the heatsink height limitation which would obviously still exist with the 351 lol. BUT, I've wanted a v351 for a looong time sooo... I'll letcha know. I kinda wanna wait and see if there are any changes with the new A05FN before I commit to

Let me know. I would kick in a few bucks too. I need more hdd bays a this is my server
 
Hmm, I'll think about that. My main reason for wanting a different case is the heatsink height limitation which would obviously still exist with the 351 lol. BUT, I've wanted a v351 for a looong time sooo... I'll letcha know. I kinda wanna wait and see if there are any changes with the new A05FN before I commit to anything.



Great post :p


what is the A05-FN? is that a new revision?
 
2x80mm fans looks like it would just barely fit. It's hard to call without having something physical to check it with other than a tape measure. From the top slot to where the top panel screws in is almost exactly 6.5" (~165mm). 2x92mm definitely will not.
 
I'm looking to move my i5 system from my Antec Solo to a new case. I have my other system in a Lian Li PC-A05NB that I bought from a member here. Love the case but the reverse mounting with no blowhole would not work well with my i5 system due to the TV Tuner. The card generates a lot of heat so I am looking for something that would deal with it better than the Solo.

I may just pickup another A05NB and mod a blowhole if the A04 does not come back in stock soon. I was looking at the A04 since the mobo mounts traditionally so the TV tuner card would be on the bottom and a couple of Scythe GT's in the front and top should move air in the case very well.
 
A blowhole takes very little time to mod. Not to mention you've got the A05N so you could just buy the premodded top panel if you didn't want to hack one up yourself. They are easy to do though.
 
A blowhole takes very little time to mod. Not to mention you've got the A05N so you could just buy the premodded top panel if you didn't want to hack one up yourself. They are easy to do though.

The premodded top panel is not easy to find. As far as modding the hole... It might be easy to do if I had a working dremel (mine died a few months ago) or a bit for my drill to make the hole.

I need another case though as my other machine is housed in the A05N that I already have and will be upgrading that system to a 2500k shortly. The Solo is a nice case, but I have had it through 2 or 3 builds now and it's a little long in the tooth and would like something new like the A05N or A04 to transfer it to.

The A05N that I have will get a 2500k, mATX P67 mobo (when more options are available) and already have the rest of the parts so just looking for a case for my i5 system which would not be ugpraded again for probably 2 years.
 
The premodded top panel is not easy to find. As far as modding the hole... It might be easy to do if I had a working dremel (mine died a few months ago) or a bit for my drill to make the hole.

~45 seconds of google (including time to find out the part number). ;)

I know whatcha mean though. I'm the one trading my A04 with Bastage for his V351 but I may trade that again or sell it while I'm figuring out my sandy bridge build. Haven't fully decided how crazy I wanna get with it.
 
I'm the one trading my A04 with Bastage for his V351 but I may trade that again or sell it while I'm figuring out my sandy bridge build. Haven't fully decided how crazy I wanna get with it.

& Here I am just excited that I will be able to add more HDD's to my server & still ahve it fit on the same shelf..
 
I've seen the cover at that site, but I guess I should have rephrased it to say that "a reasonably priced" prefab top cover is difficult to find. Tack the $40 + shipping on to the price of the A05N and the case becomes $125+ where, if I could find the A04 would be around the same price and offer me more of what I am looking for.
 
Hey everyone that's my first post here :D

...however somehow I do like the A04, but I think it could be done better and smaller!

I would have canceled both 5,25'' bay's and put the PSU into that space I also would have thought the whole placement of the HDDs over. The HDDs should be mounted behinde the motherboard tray like in the FT03. You have a few cm space there for the wiring anyway so why not put it into better use. An let the side panel touch the drives to cool them down a litle.
And if there realy wasn't enough space for a 120mm fan at the back they should have made it wider that still would have been a wise use of space.


The PSU should be put like this, with the exhaust on top of the case. Without the 5,25'' bay's a closed front would be possible. Argh... these ODD Bezel's...
 
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Hey everyone that's my first post here :D

...however somehow I do like the A04, but I think it could be done better and smaller!

I would have canceled both 5,25'' bay's and put the PSU into that space I also would have thought the whole placement of the HDDs over. The HDDs should be mounted behinde the motherboard tray like in the FT03. You have a few cm space there for the wiring anyway so why not put it into better use. An let the side panel touch the drives to cool them down a litle.
And if there realy wasn't enough space for a 120mm fan at the back they should have made it wider that still would have been a wise use of space.


The PSU should be put like this, with the exhaust on top of the case. Without the 5,25'' bay's a closed front would be possible. Argh... these ODD Bezel's...

Umm are you kidding you have opposing airflow in the case. Also I don't see how air is going to get out from over the PSU like that.
 
Umm are you kidding you have opposing airflow in the case. Also I don't see how air is going to get out from over the PSU like that.

No I'm not kidding. The air from the fan in the front is sucked in by the graphics card and the fan at the back is blowing air to the cpu cooler which is most likely a tower-type with a fan that will push the air farther to the psu.
As for the psu, dont you have one with a fan on it? It works the same as always.
 
It would work if the PSU fan orientation was on one end like on the HCP-1200 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371043&Tpk=hcp%201200. However most PSUs have their fan on the "broad" side like in my AX850 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139015&Tpk=ax850.
In general, hot air rises so the air blowing from the front will rise up and interfere with the back intake fan blowing air in. Either the front or the back should be reversed; in general the airflow throughout the case should optimally be blowing in one general direction.
 
Try to think of it as two seperated (by a long graphics card PCB) zones. But even without the separation, since there is more outtake than intake of air in the illustrated configuration of the fans I cant realy see those two working against each other.

This was made just for example the basic idea is too make a case that provides long cards and is still quite small sized.
That's just the best way, I think.

h774-2.jpg


...see, now that's what you've got so far. Were would try to put all the components which are left, if a small size of the case is your goal?

EDIT: The PSU that I would use is designed like yours. Sucking air from the CPU cooler direction.
 
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