Lian Li Lancool 217 Case Review: Thermal Benchmarks, Noise, & Cable Management
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Date: 2025-06-18
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Comments and reviews: 20
vertigo1055
Thankfully 4 & 8 TB NVME's exist and 16 TB 2.5 Inch SSDs exist so as to not have to use spinning rust for a means of storage. Plus Spinning Rust HDDs are ugly and unappealing at the 7200rmp limit on Consumers nowadays (RIP Velociraptor Drives if you need more than 16TB per drive with today's density). Also, with how cheap water cooling is with such high performance and lower noises I don't understand why anyone would want the Ugly, Bulky, and just Obnoxiously Heavy solution of air cooling. No, I do not support the term, terminology, or idea of E-Sports being a reason air cooling is still valid (sitting on your A pressing keys, moving a mouse, or smashing buttons like a Neanderthal [console gamers] is not a sport). Anyways, nice case if it was filled with water cooling parts. Cheers! time to go feed my pet gamer ...well, before she goes out and hunts and gathers ...
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Thankfully 4 & 8 TB NVME's exist and 16 TB 2.5 Inch SSDs exist so as to not have to use spinning rust for a means of storage. Plus Spinning Rust HDDs are ugly and unappealing at the 7200rmp limit on Consumers nowadays (RIP Velociraptor Drives if you need more than 16TB per drive with today's density). Also, with how cheap water cooling is with such high performance and lower noises I don't understand why anyone would want the Ugly, Bulky, and just Obnoxiously Heavy solution of air cooling. No, I do not support the term, terminology, or idea of E-Sports being a reason air cooling is still valid (sitting on your A pressing keys, moving a mouse, or smashing buttons like a Neanderthal [console gamers] is not a sport). Anyways, nice case if it was filled with water cooling parts. Cheers! time to go feed my pet gamer ...well, before she goes out and hunts and gathers ...
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nexy84
Nice review, but having mixed feelings about this case.
Kudos to Lian Li for including an optional front dust filter. As the tests here show, the dust filter doesn't affect the results in any major way. I would certainly use this case with the dust filter installed. Living in a dust free area is increasingly difficult, so this is a welcome option.
But that IO at the side makes this case DOA for me. No support for a 420mm AIO at the top of the case could be also a problem.
Suggestion to GN: there's no mention of vibration dampeners for 3.5 HDDs, which Steve usually mentioned in the past, for example for the Antec Flux Pro. This is important for me, so please keep including this in your reviews.
I'm personally looking forward to see the Lancool 4
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Nice review, but having mixed feelings about this case.
Kudos to Lian Li for including an optional front dust filter. As the tests here show, the dust filter doesn't affect the results in any major way. I would certainly use this case with the dust filter installed. Living in a dust free area is increasingly difficult, so this is a welcome option.
But that IO at the side makes this case DOA for me. No support for a 420mm AIO at the top of the case could be also a problem.
Suggestion to GN: there's no mention of vibration dampeners for 3.5 HDDs, which Steve usually mentioned in the past, for example for the Antec Flux Pro. This is important for me, so please keep including this in your reviews.
I'm personally looking forward to see the Lancool 4
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jimbothefuzzy
I really appreciate the quality of the case reviews here. Since there's a lot of subjectivity in choosing the right case for a specific person, it's nice to have somewhere I can send people to find the right case for them. Usually I'll find a 2-3 options that might work for them, and send them the GN video links. About half the time, they wind up going down the Case Review Rabbit Hole and reply with a GN link asking Would this one be a good idea It's wonderful to have such a helpful resource that looks at the pros and cons of things, and is respectful of the fact that each consumer is going to have their own preferences and priorities.
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I really appreciate the quality of the case reviews here. Since there's a lot of subjectivity in choosing the right case for a specific person, it's nice to have somewhere I can send people to find the right case for them. Usually I'll find a 2-3 options that might work for them, and send them the GN video links. About half the time, they wind up going down the Case Review Rabbit Hole and reply with a GN link asking Would this one be a good idea It's wonderful to have such a helpful resource that looks at the pros and cons of things, and is respectful of the fact that each consumer is going to have their own preferences and priorities.
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mysterioso4865
to me the front seems like wasted potential. it would be great to see some more cases outside the reusing tooling from 20 years ago and the expensive giant cases (like the ones from silverstone) with 5.25 slot drives, especially since the spacers seems to be about as big as a 5.25 bay. if they made 2 front panels the size of the fans instead of 1 big (since you prob wont swap them out anyways) and add some structural support stuff for the bays, the drives should fit in. mid range price, good to great thermals and 2 5.25 bays would be a unique selling point since the last case that fit that discription was the pop air series from 2022
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to me the front seems like wasted potential. it would be great to see some more cases outside the reusing tooling from 20 years ago and the expensive giant cases (like the ones from silverstone) with 5.25 slot drives, especially since the spacers seems to be about as big as a 5.25 bay. if they made 2 front panels the size of the fans instead of 1 big (since you prob wont swap them out anyways) and add some structural support stuff for the bays, the drives should fit in. mid range price, good to great thermals and 2 5.25 bays would be a unique selling point since the last case that fit that discription was the pop air series from 2022
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Waffls
I've had the 217 for 3 weeks and I quite like it. I upgraded from a Meshify 2 Compact because I needed something that supported top-mounted 280mm rads. The wood accents match my desk well and the noise level is good IF the fans are kept under 1000rpm.
My gripes about the case are similar to Steve's. I wish it had retaining screws for the side panels. The perforated panel under the glass feels flimsy but it does the job. I don't know how useful the psu dust filter is because the psu is raised off of the bottom panel and there are large holes nearby for the drive cages. I might just close off the holes with electrical tape.
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I've had the 217 for 3 weeks and I quite like it. I upgraded from a Meshify 2 Compact because I needed something that supported top-mounted 280mm rads. The wood accents match my desk well and the noise level is good IF the fans are kept under 1000rpm.
My gripes about the case are similar to Steve's. I wish it had retaining screws for the side panels. The perforated panel under the glass feels flimsy but it does the job. I don't know how useful the psu dust filter is because the psu is raised off of the bottom panel and there are large holes nearby for the drive cages. I might just close off the holes with electrical tape.
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drenaudc100156
I own both the 216 and 217. I found the 217 to be a great upgrade to the 216 because of all the free upgrades. 216 made me purchase the front filter and I also bought the 2nd IO module and that made the 216 about 30 dollars more expensive than the 217. The 216 didn't like the 140 infinity fan in the rear without scratching the mirror a bit while the 217 loved it. Also I think I still mount a cd burner in the 217. ( yeah I still do that). I am keeping both since I like a 2 rig setup. 1 for work and 1 for play but the 217 makes think about needing 2 anymore. Thanks for the great review.
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I own both the 216 and 217. I found the 217 to be a great upgrade to the 216 because of all the free upgrades. 216 made me purchase the front filter and I also bought the 2nd IO module and that made the 216 about 30 dollars more expensive than the 217. The 216 didn't like the 140 infinity fan in the rear without scratching the mirror a bit while the 217 loved it. Also I think I still mount a cd burner in the 217. ( yeah I still do that). I am keeping both since I like a 2 rig setup. 1 for work and 1 for play but the 217 makes think about needing 2 anymore. Thanks for the great review.
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NathanBudd
Having just built my first PC and made the grave error of discovering once it's been build and I tried to put the side pannel on, that I can't close it as the Thermalright Peerless Assassin is too tall...
Will this fit in here Is there a specific dimension that I should be looking at for a new case I know I have the case physical dimensions, but once you factor in the space behind the motherboard for cable management the standoffs plus the depth of the CPU mount etc, the fan doesn't fit.
Is there an industry standard stack height that I am missing
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Having just built my first PC and made the grave error of discovering once it's been build and I tried to put the side pannel on, that I can't close it as the Thermalright Peerless Assassin is too tall...
Will this fit in here Is there a specific dimension that I should be looking at for a new case I know I have the case physical dimensions, but once you factor in the space behind the motherboard for cable management the standoffs plus the depth of the CPU mount etc, the fan doesn't fit.
Is there an industry standard stack height that I am missing
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frikkievuiltrens
My 217 arived in CPU mode. I used the Corsair Shift 1000W PSU to draw in cold air from the bottom and exhaust it out the rear. Then I used 2mm black foam board to close off the side mesh from dust and seeing my ugly cables. Also installed the front dust filter. Now my case is protected against dust and the lower front 170mm fan in GPU mode now draws in focussed cold air and the PSU shroud fans excelerate that air into the GPU. Maybe, maybe lost a degree in a GPU temps and case looks slick with blacked out mesh panels and nothing being visible.
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My 217 arived in CPU mode. I used the Corsair Shift 1000W PSU to draw in cold air from the bottom and exhaust it out the rear. Then I used 2mm black foam board to close off the side mesh from dust and seeing my ugly cables. Also installed the front dust filter. Now my case is protected against dust and the lower front 170mm fan in GPU mode now draws in focussed cold air and the PSU shroud fans excelerate that air into the GPU. Maybe, maybe lost a degree in a GPU temps and case looks slick with blacked out mesh panels and nothing being visible.
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alexsanrainbow
217 is better than base antec flux; base flux has an issue with bottom airflow which is too obstructed and makes the fans on it super noisy unless you cut the bottom of the case to avoid perturbations (i bought the base flux, the version with solid side panel, and i had to do that because it was making NOCTUA fans noisy); also fans included with the base flux are making a ticking noise at low rpm, which is not something i would put on a case holding the silent edition label as far as the naming on the base flux with solid side panel
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217 is better than base antec flux; base flux has an issue with bottom airflow which is too obstructed and makes the fans on it super noisy unless you cut the bottom of the case to avoid perturbations (i bought the base flux, the version with solid side panel, and i had to do that because it was making NOCTUA fans noisy); also fans included with the base flux are making a ticking noise at low rpm, which is not something i would put on a case holding the silent edition label as far as the naming on the base flux with solid side panel
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jamescarlsen4083
Great review! I actually have this case with the Lian Li Edge and decided to mount it fan-down so it wouldn't be competing with the GPU. Everything seems to fun fine thus far, but is this just because the instructions call for it to be fan-up only I confess I didn't see that when skimming them lol.
Also in my specific case, after mounting a 360 rad to the top, it was a PAIN to get the top panel snapped back on, making me think something was off or warped by a few mm. I'll have to see how it goes when I clean it.
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Great review! I actually have this case with the Lian Li Edge and decided to mount it fan-down so it wouldn't be competing with the GPU. Everything seems to fun fine thus far, but is this just because the instructions call for it to be fan-up only I confess I didn't see that when skimming them lol.
Also in my specific case, after mounting a 360 rad to the top, it was a PAIN to get the top panel snapped back on, making me think something was off or warped by a few mm. I'll have to see how it goes when I clean it.
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osgrov
This is very nice! Glad to see they're evolving without changing too much of the success that is the 216.
I use the 216 in my main workstation rig, which runs hard 24/7 due to rendering & video encoding, and the 216 handles it with ease. Best case I've had the pleasure to work with so far.
I quite like the wooden frame of the 217, which may be a deciding factor if I'm honest. I've been pretty set on the Flux Pro for my next build but we'll see. :)
Great video, I treasure your case reviews.
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This is very nice! Glad to see they're evolving without changing too much of the success that is the 216.
I use the 216 in my main workstation rig, which runs hard 24/7 due to rendering & video encoding, and the 216 handles it with ease. Best case I've had the pleasure to work with so far.
I quite like the wooden frame of the 217, which may be a deciding factor if I'm honest. I've been pretty set on the Flux Pro for my next build but we'll see. :)
Great video, I treasure your case reviews.
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ehrinim
i have a 216 i bought based on the positive reviews at the time. i am overall content with it. one thing to note was that the bottom of the case looked like it could house two hard drive mounts side by side but the stock configuration did not support that. it is good to see lian-li improved on that. but i didnt like the location of io panel in the 217. it forces you to locate the case on a desk. i wouldnt want to lean all the way to ground every time i have to use the io panel.
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i have a 216 i bought based on the positive reviews at the time. i am overall content with it. one thing to note was that the bottom of the case looked like it could house two hard drive mounts side by side but the stock configuration did not support that. it is good to see lian-li improved on that. but i didnt like the location of io panel in the 217. it forces you to locate the case on a desk. i wouldnt want to lean all the way to ground every time i have to use the io panel.
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ghost6813
It's a big fail: too expensive, nonstandard fan size, gimmicky wood accents, PSU in nonstandard orientation. As the years pass, it is getting harder and harder to buy an affordable case with good airflow and no RBG, weird motherboard cutouts all over the place that make the motherboard tray weaker or other dumb stuff like PSU's in weird positions. I don't look at the inside of my computer once it's built and don't care about hiding cables. That's what a case is for!
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It's a big fail: too expensive, nonstandard fan size, gimmicky wood accents, PSU in nonstandard orientation. As the years pass, it is getting harder and harder to buy an affordable case with good airflow and no RBG, weird motherboard cutouts all over the place that make the motherboard tray weaker or other dumb stuff like PSU's in weird positions. I don't look at the inside of my computer once it's built and don't care about hiding cables. That's what a case is for!
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_GntlStone_
This looks like a beautiful machine for those who want a more understated, almost business meets high design aesthetic. Or a piece to go on a bookcase in a living room for a great home theatre PC.
I've been really happy with my LanCool 207 for those who are looking for a high-performance case for under $100 US. And it sits at about the same place on the charts. It's the only one Steve didn't mention even though it's on the table just to his right .
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This looks like a beautiful machine for those who want a more understated, almost business meets high design aesthetic. Or a piece to go on a bookcase in a living room for a great home theatre PC.
I've been really happy with my LanCool 207 for those who are looking for a high-performance case for under $100 US. And it sits at about the same place on the charts. It's the only one Steve didn't mention even though it's on the table just to his right .
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JohnDoe-zb7dz
Make sure you save your power and reset adapter with your motherboard. You're going to need it with this case. The dual power switch is proprietary and bundled into an internal 10 pin USB dongle. No instructions. Has to be offset in the adapter.
Lian Li please send instructions on your
proprietary dongle.
Other than that minor issue, I'm loving this case.
Beautiful and well put together. Many compliments
on this build.
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Make sure you save your power and reset adapter with your motherboard. You're going to need it with this case. The dual power switch is proprietary and bundled into an internal 10 pin USB dongle. No instructions. Has to be offset in the adapter.
Lian Li please send instructions on your
proprietary dongle.
Other than that minor issue, I'm loving this case.
Beautiful and well put together. Many compliments
on this build.
reply
maggot01
lack of I/O ports on top it's a mistake
170mm fan is a potential dead spot, they don't sell them even on their official website
we'll see a new infinity version in the fall
I was waiting for this review but now I have no time and I'm going go to antec flux
meshify 3 is good but costs 300 dollars in my country lol
in general, at present I offer us at least 3 options of excellent cases at a similar price (not for everyone)
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lack of I/O ports on top it's a mistake
170mm fan is a potential dead spot, they don't sell them even on their official website
we'll see a new infinity version in the fall
I was waiting for this review but now I have no time and I'm going go to antec flux
meshify 3 is good but costs 300 dollars in my country lol
in general, at present I offer us at least 3 options of excellent cases at a similar price (not for everyone)
reply
PeteVanFleet
This looks ike a great case at a great price. Aesthetics likely skew to older builders, but I love the wood myself. I've had a few of Lian Li's older, aluminum, 2-chamber cases over the years and thought I might go back to them for my new build, but I fell in love with the HAVN HS 420.. So despite another $100 in cost over this case, we'll see how I feel next week when I put it together. Thanks for the review!
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This looks ike a great case at a great price. Aesthetics likely skew to older builders, but I love the wood myself. I've had a few of Lian Li's older, aluminum, 2-chamber cases over the years and thought I might go back to them for my new build, but I fell in love with the HAVN HS 420.. So despite another $100 in cost over this case, we'll see how I feel next week when I put it together. Thanks for the review!
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kabelo3071
I have the 215 since launch and when you said the 217 is the loudest you've reviewed I wasnt shocked. I used to think thats just the price you pay for a cheep case with great airflow but for this to be priced like this and to be loud is kinda questionable in my humble opinion i'd look at the 4000D frame or flux pro if acoustics are a concern.
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I have the 215 since launch and when you said the 217 is the loudest you've reviewed I wasnt shocked. I used to think thats just the price you pay for a cheep case with great airflow but for this to be priced like this and to be loud is kinda questionable in my humble opinion i'd look at the 4000D frame or flux pro if acoustics are a concern.
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xsdfl4244
Im using the 217 one problem I have is the atx board I use have usb 3.0 port at the bottom and is blocked by the bottom fan on stock config So I need to use a 90degree adapter or relocate the fan. And that include the pcie power for the gpu its very tight to wire it from the bottom. So you may need to wire it from the side grommet.
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Im using the 217 one problem I have is the atx board I use have usb 3.0 port at the bottom and is blocked by the bottom fan on stock config So I need to use a 90degree adapter or relocate the fan. And that include the pcie power for the gpu its very tight to wire it from the bottom. So you may need to wire it from the side grommet.
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Lappboi
when picking a case for my new build, i wanted wood and black. so it was the 217 or antec flux pro. but where i live the flux is like 130 dollar more expensive, so the option tp go with the 217 was a no brainer.
also, heccing love yalls case reviews. and the content that yall at GN put out is a heccing blessing to the community
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when picking a case for my new build, i wanted wood and black. so it was the 217 or antec flux pro. but where i live the flux is like 130 dollar more expensive, so the option tp go with the 217 was a no brainer.
also, heccing love yalls case reviews. and the content that yall at GN put out is a heccing blessing to the community
reply
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