Noise and Thermal Testing - Lian Li PC-TU100 Mini-ITX Case Review

Noise and Thermal Testing

I concede that I didn't go into testing with high hopes for the Lian Li PC-TU100, and my reasons for that are fairly evident. One powerful fan blowing through the right components can definitely be an extremely efficient way to keep things cool as SilverStone's Temjin TJ08-E can attest, but it has to be well-placed and well-chosen. The 120mm fan in the PC-TU100 seems a little underwhelming, and its airflow is directed almost entirely at the CPU with very little ancillary flow making it to the expansion slots.

That iffy fan positioning turns out to be problematic even for just the CPU; the Core i3 in our testbed isn't overheating, but the PC-TU100 isn't thermally competitive. 5C higher than the middle of the pack just doesn't bode well.

With just a 3-pin intake fan and no real fan control to speak of, idle noise isn't very good either. The case is still quiet, but SilverStone's Sugo SG08 is able to produce both superior thermals and superior noise. Fractal Design's Node 304 also proves to be a better choice on both fronts.

Add in even a modest graphics card like the ZOTAC GeForce GTS 450 Eco we use, and things only get worse for Lian Li's carry-on case. Thermals on the video card are poor, but worse, a pocket of heat builds up at the bottom of the case near the drive trays. Note that the GTS 450 Eco is under 75W and draws all of its power from the PCIe slot, and imagine how much worse things might be with a more powerful card.

With the video card added, noise turns out to be an even bigger issue as well. SilverStone's comparably sized Sugo SG08 outclasses it at every turn, and the Fractal Design Node 304 puts in a stellar showing against it as well.

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