Evolution of Lian Li's SOHO Server Cases

PC-201B - Exterior

Our look at the newer PC-201B isn't going to be quite as extensive as our look at the PC-V2000, mainly because the two cases are so similar on the inside. However, the exterior is markedly different, as we'll see in the next couple pictures.

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Diverging from the rounded corners of the PC-V series, the PC-201 is exceptionally box-like, hinting more towards the classic Lian Li cases. The front is a one-piece door, accented by the only color differences on the case along the top, bottom, and right side and a newer, cursive Lian Li insignia.

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It's certainly more monolithic than the PC-V2000, but whether or not that's the look you're going for is something you'll have to decide before picking one of these two cases over the other.

Behind the door you'll find the same total number of 5.25" bays, but none are ready for a floppy drive. However, as time goes on, the usefulness of a floppy is slowly fading away and this probably won't concern too many people. For those who really need the external 3.5" bay, several e-tailers are selling the PC-201 with an included bay adapter.

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Along the right edge about half-way up is the slot for the lock for the door. The front ports have moved from the very bottom to the very top, which is a good move considering the majority of people using this case won't likely put it anywhere up high anyway.

Just like the PC-V2000B, the PC-201B has a very high quality brushed aluminum black finish that doesn't show fingerprints or scratches too easily.

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The inside bezel is arguably even more void of decoration than the outside - here looking at the bottom you'll only find the power and reset buttons, which are actually mostly translucent becase the power button glows blue indicating the computer is on, and the reset button glows red with HDD activity. The large grill is the only ventilation for air coming into the front of the case, which helps with keeping the case as free of dust as possible.

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The door itself has a very solid feel to it, with no real worries of how well it will stay shut thanks to the well-made latch. The spring-loaded ball doesn't make it too difficult to close the door but doesn't leave the closed position feeling flimsy either. It's also nice that Lian Li included a soft strip the whole length of the door to dampen any vibrations and keep the sound of the door closing from being too harsh.

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Looking at the rear of the case it's even easier to see just how boxy the PC-201 really is. Other than the lack of rounded corners though, the differences between the PC-V2000 and this case are so minuscule they're not even noticeable, except for the fact that the rear 120mm fan in this case is now an intake by default. (It is of course possible to orient the fans in either direction, should you choose to do so. However, we're inclined to stick with the default orientation that Lian Li chose.)

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