Lian Li...

That's all you really need to know right? Now shut up and show us the pictures! In truth, no other manufacturer's name conjures thoughts of design excellence and superb craftsmanship like Lian Li does. Since their introduction, Lian Li cases have been among the most coveted computer enclosures on the market. With their clean lines and aluminum construction they have had exceptional success among the modding community. In general, you either own a Lian Li case or you want to own a Lian Li case. Thanks to Hampton Technologies (a Lian-Li case distributor) I was able to get a hands-on look at the G50.

The new PC-G50 is the latest in Lian Li's Classical Plus Series which includes the venerable PC-60 plus and the PC-7 plus. And like it's siblings, it is intended as a more economical alternative to some of Lian Li's pricier offerings. Usually cost cutting means steel construction and plastic bezels, doors that rattle, as well as warped and/or sharp edges that can remove a finger if unwary. Not so with Lian Li; for your Benjamin you get quality all-aluminum construction. Unlike other manufacturers, they don't try to pass off a mid-tower as a full-tower; I find that kind of honesty very refreshing in a market place filled with mid towers harboring delusions of full tower grandeur. Of course, Lian Li actually does manufacture massive full towers that actually warrant the moniker, so subtle deception is really not in order. One vendor I spotted actually refers to the G50 as a "Mini Tower", a term I find somewhat reminiscent of "Jumbo Shrimp", but accurate enough for descriptive purposes.

Well under two feet tall and deep the G50 is certainly not a large case, but it's not a SFF (small form factor) case either. Power users won't find this case appealing for a host of reasons other than space alone, but the average user will find plenty of room for their gear in the G50. About the only thing you won't have room for in the G50 is a floppy drive. Dropping the archaic floppy drive is something I expect to see more of in future case design. I know the only reason I still have a floppy drive is because the model I currently own has flash media ports incorporated into the bezel. I have never used the floppy drive itself.

Specs

Dimensions - 210x381x490mm (WxHxD)
Weight - 4.7kg net / 5.8 kg gross
Mother Board - ATX & Pentium 4 (max size: 12" x 9'6")
Drive Bays - 4 x 5.25", 3 x 3.5"
Fan - 1 x 120mm up front and 1 x 120mm integrated in the removable cooling kit. 1 x 80mm top fan mount (fan not included)
I/O - USB 2.0 x 2, IEEE 1394 x 1, MIC x1, EAR x 1
PCI Slots - 7