Hardware Lian Li PC-XB01 Review & Installation Guide

http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/2008/08/29/lian-li-pc-xb01-review-installation-guide/1

We take a look at the eagerly awaited Lian Li PC-XB01, the first complete replacement chassis for the Microsoft Xbox 360. Promising improved cooling and quieter operation, but at the cost of your Xbox's three year warranty, we investigate to see whether the PC-XB01 is worth the risk.



Digg If you Digg.. it

 

A minor question about the motherboard mounting, on the pictures there appears to be x-clamps on the actual case, are these fixed and do they replace the existing x-clamps on the motherboard? If they are fixed then I see that as a major issue as the x-clamps actually cause most of the problems with the 360.

The x-clamps are exceptionally tight on the motherboard and since the 360 has no central support under the board the x-clamps cause bowing around the GPU, CPU and GPU RAM (which is under the board on older models, but Microsoft have moved to the top of the board on the latest revisions), this continued bowing/flexing during the heat/cooling cycles causes the solder joints to dry and cause the RROD.

The way I repaired my 360 (out of warranty because I repainted the case a couple of years ago) was to remove the x-clamps completely and replace the matching fixings on the heatsinks with M5 screws & washers, this removes the tension and puts the force where it should be, whilst at the same time allowing the board to be supported more appropriately on the existing case.

If those are x-clamps on the XB01 then it'll mean I'll have to drill mine out as soon as it arrives next week!

I also think that the massive amount of unused space was to provide a large volume of cool incoming air and the height of the 120mm fan.

Is the build quality 6/10 just because of the front hatches?

 

The only thing that stops me getting a pair of these is the hard drive.

I need to be able to swap them over, because a friend brings his over - My profile being on a memory unit, we play using his HDD for a number of games, yay achievement whoring, and this case would basically crap all over what we do

Other than that, I'd probably buy a pair.

Maybe with XB02, eh?

 

Just modify the case, run an extension to the HDD port...

 

Because of the excessive internal space, the gaps for the plugs, the excessive gap over the USB ports, the non-removable hard drive, the lack of gromits for DVD drive. The actual construction is solid, as we'd expect, but it doesn't do any more than necessary and it's far from perfect.

The Xclamps on the board are just representative - they don't do anything for the build. They are just to show you where the heatsinks go in the middle.

 

editted - Bindi said it better

 

I'm sure it'll be easy enough to adapt the HDD for removability, but I don't remove mine at all, it's 120GB so I have no need to switch it over, I don't need to transfer data to mates as we all download the same stuff. Grommets are easy enough to come by anyway, but you are right about the plug gap, that was mentioned on the first build and actually the original builds had the USB plugs not lining up correctly preventing you from attaching devices.

With the internal space, I reckon it's also there to allow for water cooling, it must be fairly easy to add a small radiator in that space no?

 

It'd be more modification of the cable that'd be the hard part. Since the 'plug' it seats itself in is hardwired to the board, and to be able to use my friends hdd without modification would require that to be accessible, it'd be a nightmare.

Moding the case to have a few clips, though, would be the easy part

I see this case being better for the 360 W/C crowd, due to the internal space, which is where (I assume) their (Lian Li) target is.

 

I think you're right, I'm still getting one as I am very much a minimalist case design person, even though I don't watercool, but the ports at the back of the case look like they've designed it so the pipes can go out to a passive radiator, as I mention above there should be enough space for an internal radiator, especially since people have squeezed one into the original 360 case.

I wouldn't go for a window personally, but I can imagine people will fit a side panel window (for the board) and then a top window & a DVD window

 

I can definitely see that happening, especially with the people on XB-S and Llama.

Personally, I'd put the radiator externally, simply because if it was internal, you'd maybe get a 120 on the fan hole, but if you had it on/by the side panel, you would probably be firing hot air straight back at the things you're cooling, unless you reversed the airflow, which might not end too well.

Only one way to find out, I guess

 

Since you're watercooling it surely it's not going to heat up the water within the blocks is it?

 

Well, I was thinking the rest of the board more than anything.

I can't remember, off the top of my head, what temperature rating the capacitors are - They're already going to be warm, firing 40-50 degrees of heat back at them isn't going to be the best thing in the world, IMO. Considering the instability of the console as it is.

I think this case makes it more suitable in appearance for sitting near a HTPC/in that general area

 

The fact that the case has watercooling ports suggests the the radiator should be mounted externally. I personally have never understood these ports since have bits of your watercooling external to your system makes it a pain in the ass to move and spoils the looks.

On a second note, why have they called is a PC-XB01 when it's not a PC case? It should just be the XB01.

 

That's why I think it's for a passive radiator, something like a reserator which is massive.

 

If Peole are that bothered by the sound and heat, then surely water cooling is a better option.

I had my xobx for 2 years before it finally gave up with the red ring. MS sorted it out really fast and I had it back in just over a week.
Not sure what they did, but the new one seems a lot quieter. I know it is the same case, but I guess they changed the motherboard.
The DVD drive now make most of the noise on the machine.

 

Due to it's large size it's not really going to be as easy to move about anyway.

 

If I had more spare money and time to use the extra modding space provided by this case, I might think about getting one of these. However, as it stands, I just can't see a reason to void the 3 year warrenty to get something slightly quieter.

 

1. Maybe there is a way to cram that HUGE power brick into some of that empty space, so the unit only needs a standard PC power cable.
2. What I really want to know is, how long until someone fits a gaming PC into one of these?

 

I'm working on that

 

Surely fitting an Xbox and a PC in the same case would be interesting. I mean having a ITX or PicoITX based system in there for office, photo and web tasks and the xbox for gaming. A slim line DVD drive and a HDD. most monitors now adays have multiple source inputs so being able to select the PC or the Xbox would not need anything more than changing the monitor source. Finally Keyboard, mouse and gamepad are all wireless and so you would have a good little system there for gaming, office use and looking smart.

If your willing to void your warranty