This design has roots that go means again, and Lian Li has introduced it ahead over time, so that is going to be an essential one for us to maintain creating our take a look at methodology. We’ll proceed to iterate on our course of, however we have to take a look at an excellent cross-section of circumstances to ascertain future take a look at parameters and situations. There’s an exploratory section to methodology growth, and that’s what we’re doing now with Mini-ITX. The A4-H2O makes an excellent match to observe our Terra evaluate then, because it’s a extra ‘conventional’ ITX design. Take a look at our Terra evaluate for extra dialogue on how particularly we’re approaching ITX critiques as a complete.
Lian Li DAN A4-H2O Mini-ITX Case Specs
| COLOR | Anodized Black Exterior Silver Exterior |
| DIMENSION | (D) 326mm x (W) 140mm x (H) 244mm |
| CAPACITY | 11L |
| MATERIALS | Aluminum Exterior SPCC Metal Inside |
| MOTHERBOARD SUPPORT | Mini-ITX |
| FAN SUPPORT | Prime：2x 120mm |
| RADIATOR SUPPORT | Prime：1x 240mm (55mm. max complete thickness with followers) |
| PSU SUPPORT | SFX, SFX-L |
| GPU LENGTH CLEARANCE | Max 322mm |
| CPU COOLER CLEARANCE | Max 55mm |
| DRIVE Assist | 1x 2.5” SSD |
| EXPANSION SLOT | 3 |
| I/O PORTS | 1x USB 3.0 TYPE-A, 1x USB 3.1 TYPE-C, 1x Mic, 1x HD Audio. |
Overview
The A4-H2O has the elements compartmentalized on two sides – just like the Terra solely in that respect, however with out the moveable backbone. They’re mechanically very totally different, and thermally after all, due to the cooler assist. This deviates fairly a bit from the Terra, which suggests a few of the elements within the take a look at bench have modified, just like the cooler. Curiously, the video card really finally ends up the other way up contained in the case, and it’s connected through a PCIe riser cable. The facility provide mounts on the identical facet because the motherboard.
The A4-H2O is a direct descendant of the unique A4-SFX, however with what it calls “improved {hardware} compatibility,” which largely means it’s bigger to permit issues like a triple-slot GPU. The principle distinction is within the H2O half – the flexibility to mount a 240mm liquid cooler radiator within the prime of the case. The unique A4-SFX solely supported both 92mm or 120mm liquid coolers with heavy compromises. There are different tweaks versus the H2O’s precursor, however a lot of the focus is on the liquid cooling, given the identify.
Apart from the plain potential for protecting CPU thermals extra in verify versus a small air cooler, having the 240mm CLC take up primarily the whole prime of such a small case helps to forestall sizzling air from lingering inside. This has an influence on different elements within the case that we’ll see the consequences of within the thermal part.
The largest different characteristic is the detachable backside panel, which helps with entry to the underside fringe of the motherboard and the restricted cable administration space underneath the PSU.
This makes it attainable so as to add and take away modular energy cables with out eradicating the PSU. The panel comes off simply with 5 screws, though we’d wish to see a bigger gap right here. It was nonetheless slightly troublesome to plug or unplug a few of the PSU cables, and extra clearance would assist. Each millimeter counts in these small circumstances.
Dimensions
The case measures in at 340mm lengthy, 141mm extensive, and 251mm tall, which is bigger than the marketed 326x140x244mm. The distinction between marketed and precise dimensions additionally means the calculated general quantity is 12L quite than the 11L quantity that Lian Li declares. That is one other instance of the producer selecting to disregard protrusions like screws and case toes nearly arbitrarily, and we once more stand by our choice to incorporate these protrusions.
This can be a gripe now we have with circumstances typically, this isn’t only a Mini-ITX factor. Generally they select to disregard issues that stick out the again of the case. There was one such occasion at Computex this 12 months. We noticed a case, and we’ll see if they arrive to market like this, the place they had been electing to not rely a further 1 inch protrusion out the again as a result of it wasn’t a part of the structural case, it was only a arduous drive cage or one thing.
In terms of these protrusions, utilizing the case with out them isn’t real looking. Even when not counting them towards quantity, they need to be counted in the direction of exterior measurements. To decide on to disregard sure protrusions just isn’t solely a slippery slope, however may imply somebody simply barely isn’t capable of match a case in a media console or nook.
A part of the suggestions we bought on the Terra evaluate was to incorporate a “footprint” determine – that means the 2-dimensional space the case takes up on a desk. We built-in quite a lot of the suggestions from the neighborhood, as you’ll see on this evaluate, like switching energy provides. Nevertheless, there are some issues we’re not integrating, and we wished to make use of this for instance. An space calculation, on this occasion, doesn’t make a lot sense as a evaluate metric. Actually, what you want is simply easy size by width, and that’s type of it.
The A4-H2O’s footprint calculates out to 479cm2 – attempt to visualize that. We expect it’s even much less intuitive than quantity, and that it largely serves as a semi-arbitrary option to create a single quantity to rank circumstances. Footprint loses the directionality of size and width measurements, that are what matter for visualizing the realm a case will take up on a desk. A theoretical case that measured 50mm extensive by 400mm lengthy would have roughly the identical 200cm2 footprint as one which measured 141mm by 141mm. It doesn’t actually inform you something.
Generally, we don’t want fancy reviewer metrics — simply plain outdated size by width already tells us the footprint, and it’s one thing you may learn within the spec sheet and measure while not having us. Assuming the producer is being trustworthy in regards to the dimensions, that’s.
Let’s get into the construct high quality particulars.
The Construct
The A4-H2O is designed round one particular kind of construct, leading to a targeted and intentional general bundle. That is evident all through the construct course of and the guide – it has restricted choices and selections. That’s not a foul factor although, as we will admire merchandise that do one factor nicely over making an attempt to do an excessive amount of without delay and failing.
Each the PSU and the radiator mount to detachable brackets inside the case, which has grow to be a preferred strategy in small and huge circumstances alike. It provides flexibility to the designer and may have ease-of-use benefits for the builder.
As soon as assembled, the radiator and bracket set up with out a lot problem – so long as there aren’t too many wires to handle. These followers act as the one energetic airflow for the remainder of the case as nicely, and there are not any further fan mount places.
There’s principally zero wasted area within the motherboard facet of the case – every part matches extraordinarily snugly. The ASUS Z790-I we’re utilizing has a very cumbersome rear I/O cowl that hardly clears the radiator part on the prime, and we needed to angle the board in from the underside edge first to make it match.
The highest fringe of the board is barely accessible with the radiator and followers in place, however that may be mitigated by leaving the cooler out or not mounted in place till completed with the motherboard.
Energy provide set up is fairly easy, aside from one notice. Relying on the place the on/off swap is positioned in your energy provide, the thickness of the cooling answer, the dimensions of the GPU, and many others., it may possibly have an effect on the accessibility of the facility swap itself. We’d suggest toggling it on prior to installing it. Nevertheless, when you did not toggle it on, you may take away the 4 screws from the cooler bracket to get entry to the facility swap. With the cooler put in, we will nonetheless simply barely entry the outer fringe of the PSU. Relying on the selection of energy provide, and extra importantly the size of the GPU, it could grow to be much less accessible.
Putting in the GPU into place on the included riser cable is made best by turning the entire case the other way up. We didn’t encounter any actual issues with this course of, and the area inside the GPU chamber is beneficiant contemplating the general dimension of the case and the dimensions of contemporary video playing cards. We’ll discuss extra specifics about GPU fitment slightly later. As soon as the cardboard is screwed in and the case is upright in its last place, the GPU finally ends up the other way up.
Thermally talking, in most cases being the other way up like this would possibly not actually damage something. A GPU with a vapor chamber is already in successfully its worst orientation when it is put in in a normal ATX case horizontally, as a result of it’s combating gravity at that time. So, the GPU being the other way up in a vertical orientation like it’s within the H4-H2O is not going to harm the efficiency of the cooler in any significant means – at the very least not based mostly on what we have researched. You possibly can see our interview with NVIDIA’s thermal engineer Malcolm Gutenburg for extra dialogue on the subject.
There’s some flexibility for 2-slot playing cards – two standoffs are included that enable the person to mount the GPU into the outer two slots quite than the inside two. That is meant to assist by giving the GPU extra direct entry to contemporary air by the facet panel. We examined in each configurations for the thermal part later.
Cable Administration Commerce-Off
Our most important criticism with the A4-H2O is cable administration – it’s extra non-existent than it’s unhealthy. There aren’t any devoted cable administration options or tie-downs. Lian Li simply throws in two cable-ties and an implicit “good luck.” Compacting the elements this shut collectively leaves the person with very restricted areas to shove or tie up cables. There’s actually solely underneath the facility provide or in any space of the GPU facet that isn’t occupied by the GPU itself. It’s undoubtedly workable. You’ll simply spend a while to get it very nice — however in ITX, that’s anticipated.
Our Fractal Lumen S24 RGB has particular person cables for the followers and RGB of each element, so fishing them into the case and later discovering locations for the surplus size to go was a problem. We may have managed the wires in a extra tidy vogue elsewhere inside the case, however we wished to maintain the GPU facet uncluttered for GPU fitment testing.
The motherboard facet of the case leaves the person with out some other alternative however to put cables excessive of the board till they’ll go to an space of free area. With cautious planning and quite a lot of persistence we’re certain customers may find yourself with a clear trying construct, but it surely’s not simple. We’d suggest towards followers with particular person RGB cables for a begin, although.
Match and End
The case is constructed in an easy, nearly formulaic means with flat exterior panels connected to an inside body through pushpins. On this respect it’s just like different Lian Li constructed circumstances just like the SSUPD Meshroom and the unique Ncase M1.
Regardless of the usage of skinny stamped metals all through, the case maintains shocking rigidity. We had been impressed with the general sturdiness of the case. Skinny inside items do flex when manipulated, however as assembled, the construct high quality is nice. That’s essential for a case that you just may really take from place to put in a semi-mobile setup. Lian Li has clearly gotten this methodology of building right down to a science – balancing easy supplies and mature manufacturing strategies to make a reliable last product.
Fitment and Clearance
CPU Cooler Fitment
The CPU cooler clearance is just 55mm, however working an air cooler goes towards the primary promoting level, which is assist for 240mm liquid coolers. Although it is very important preserve that clearance in thoughts for the CLC pump block – it’s greatest to go for coolers the place the tubes exit the facet quite than the highest.
The higher space the place the radiator and followers sit measures at roughly 275mm lengthy, 132mm extensive, and 58mm deep. That is tight sufficient that customers must pay shut consideration to the size of the cooler they wish to use. The Arctic Liquid Freezer II 240, for instance, doesn’t match.
The guide’s advised tube routing represents an excellent case that isn’t simple to duplicate with the Fractal S24 CLC now we have. We ended up needing to squish down on the tubes with the facet panel to make it shut, however we don’t suppose it’s to a problematic diploma. Customers ought to undoubtedly experiment with totally different mounting orientations and tube instructions for greatest outcomes.
GPU Fitment
The GPU facet of the case is spacious and forgiving in comparison with the motherboard facet. GPUs as much as 322mm lengthy, 150mm tall, and three slots (60mm) thick are supported. There’s even appreciable area (by ITX requirements) over the underside of the upside-down GPU.
The entrance of the case has a gap that’s supposed to assist with putting in notably massive GPUs. Lian Li reveals it getting used to load the GPU in from the entrance of the case, however in apply it’s fairly awkward to do with the liquid cooler tubes in the way in which. Extra virtually, the person can angle the lengthy finish of the cardboard in the direction of the outlet from the within, then carry it again in to fit the cardboard.
Putting in the RTX 4080 or 4090 FE is troublesome however not unattainable. As soon as it’s in there it takes up nearly the entire accessible area in such a means that makes us suppose the dimensions of this cooler was a important dimension through the design course of.
Because the vertical area is so beneficiant, even exceptionally tall playing cards just like the (out of date) ASUS Strix Vega 64 match high-quality. The XFX RX 7700 XT is just too lengthy to truly match, however due to the open gap on the entrance it’s technically attainable for GPUs of infinite size to fit in.
PSU Fitment
One other piece of suggestions we bought after the Fractal Terra evaluate that we really agree with was that regardless of the facility benefits of SFX-L, most small type issue builders nonetheless go for customary SFX energy provides for ease-of-use sake.
A correct ATX 3.0 compliant 850W unit is sufficient to energy almost any client construct as nicely, so we’ll be choosing this Phanteks Revolt SFX as our customary going ahead. We’ll use the Corsair SF1000L for SFX-L fitment testing.
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Phanteks Revolt SFX 850W -
Corsair SF1000L
All that stated, the A4-H2O helps SFX-L fashions, with the plain discount of cable administration area beneath the PSU. Customers will want all of the area they’ll get right here, so we suggest sticking with common SFX.
Take a look at Methodology
GN Mini-ITX Variable Take a look at Bench (2023)
Thermal Benchmarks
As we get into this, needless to say our purpose with ITX critiques is to evaluate solely the case, so we’re analyzing issues just like the impedance brought on by the panels, the airflow path, and the compactness of the elements affecting thermals. Due to that, these outcomes can’t be in comparison with our different ITX case critiques as a result of totally different coolers. That simply turns into a cooler benchmark sooner or later, and we already do these individually.
CPU Thermals – Full Torture
First up are CPU thermals underneath a full system torture workload. Our “default” setup for the A4-H2O has the system at a hard and fast 62% fan velocity on the CLC, 100% on the pump, motherboard followers off, and the GPU within the inside place with followers at 44%. The GPU fan velocity is chosen by the nominal velocity of the fan underneath the usual VBIOS temperature targets, whereas the CLC fan velocity is chosen based mostly on noise targets. This ends in 36.5dbA as measured in accordance with our outdated ATX case testing methodology, exterior of the chamber in a noise ground of 26bA. Noise evaluation from our hemi-anechoic chamber comes later.
The default setup at regular state had the P-Core common at 57C delta T over ambient. Locking the CLC followers to 100% dropped it by 5.4 levels, really outperforming the no facet panels outcome (with diminished fan velocity) too. That and the small change between no facet panels and the default outcome stand as a testomony to the environment friendly airflow sample the A4-H2O supplies. All the airflow is directed by the top-mounted cooler, pulling air over most different elements, and the panels aren’t too restrictive, as proven by the “No Aspect Panels” take a look at.
Flipping the PSU round so the fan faces the GPU isn’t coated within the guide, however it’s attainable. In our testing, it didn’t change CPU thermals. The identical might be stated for working the 2-slot RTX 4070 within the outer place, however the knowledge leans barely hotter on the averages.
GPU Thermals – Full Torture
That brings us to GPU thermals, the place now we have GPU die idle, load, hotspot, and reminiscence temperature. The default setup is definitely the worst on the chart, however the 53-degree-over-ambient load common continues to be utterly high-quality — we’re within the 70s when ambient is added in. Working the CLC followers at 100% didn’t transfer the needle for the GPU, regardless of further air motion into the case, however flipping the PSU to help the flow-through 4070 FE dropped 2C off the load and hotspot readings versus default.
Pulling the facet panels gained slightly extra, however as all the time, is simply for instance impedance brought on by case design. It’s not a lot. The actual winner right here is that outer mounting place for 2-slot playing cards. That setup gained us between 6.8 and eight levels off core load, reminiscence, and hotspot. That’s a large achieve for a GPU, and that’s with none modifications to fan velocity in any way. That’s as a result of the GPU is now ready to attract in contemporary air from instantly exterior the case, so the flow-through exhaust has extra space to blow into, and that warmed air is straight away pulled out of the case by the CLC. That is what an environment friendly and fewer restricted airflow path can do.
Noise Testing
Noise ranges are easy for this one. We’ve accomplished a variety of deeper explanations on our acoustic testing course of now, together with our video displaying the build-out of the hemi-anechoic chamber, the information video that adopted, the Terra evaluate, and the ROG Ally evaluate. Verify every of these if this course of is as cool to you as it’s to us.
For this one, we’ll simply have a look at one chart.
As a result of this isn’t comparative towards different ITX circumstances as a result of a change in elements between the smaller Terra and the Dan Case, we’re solely going to take a look at the noise traits between the selection we discovered most impactful: The GPU positioning. In the event you’re working a 2-slot card, particularly one with a flow-through space, we’d strongly suggest the outer place. However we have to see if that meaningfully impacted our acoustics. This can fluctuate closely based mostly on fan blade design of the GPU behind the panel, however the FE card makes use of a reasonably customary trendy blade design.
Frequency Spectrum Evaluation
Inventory GPU Place
Plotting the GPU inventory place first, we noticed the noise profile of the case from straight-on at 1m distance was loudest within the 500Hz to 900Hz vary. “Loudest” right here simply within the comparative towards different frequencies, however not really in a foul means. General although, even on this vary, the profile just isn’t indicative of any deviations that will be perceived as notably disagreeable to a listener. This is sensible: Because the panels aren’t perforated in a means that causes a whiny or turbulent noise from the followers and air motion, now we have a frequency spectrum that primarily represents the elements chosen and doesn’t replicate a lot direct detrimental influence from the case.
Outer GPU Place
Including the GPU outer place, there’s functionally no distinction in outcomes. Shifting our card to the outer place had vital thermal profit and no goal acoustic change. There’s actually no draw back to having it this manner.
Conclusion
The Lian Li A4-H2O is a targeted and competent mini-ITX case. There’s not quite a lot of freedom or alternative in how the system is constructed, however that’s not what this case is right here to do. It desires to do one or two issues nicely, and it succeeds. That’s high-quality so long as the person is conscious of it. The case in all probability shouldn’t attempt to do too many extra issues at a dimension like this. The expertise in each the design by DAN and the manufacturing by Lian Li come by.
The thermals are good, bordering on spectacular for the dimensions – notably for 2-slot flow-through GPUs just like the 4070 FE. We wouldn’t suggest going wild with half choice, however in comparison with the Fractal Terra, we would be extra comfy with working higher-end elements like a 13700K and RTX 4080. There’s some thermal headroom to spare from our configuration.
Mini-ITX circumstances are inclined to run on the costly facet. The Fractal Terra was $180, and there are many different circumstances within the $200 vary, plus or minus about $20. The worth for the A4-H2O at $155 finally ends up being one of many extra competitively positioned circumstances. Sure, there are some choices like sure Cooler Grasp NR200P variants which are very price contemplating, even right now. We’re nonetheless including circumstances to the listing, and we’re trying ahead to testing decrease price choices as nicely.
Regardless of being cheaper than the Terra or a FormD T1 Sandwich, the A4-H2O does really feel slightly costly in our opinion – simply strictly based mostly on what it’s in isolation, given the development strategies and comparatively easy design. It’s simply not out of line for the mini-ITX crowd. This comes again to 2 elements. One is economies of scale – decrease quantity resulting in larger manufacturing prices relative to high-volume ATX circumstances. The opposite is being adjoining to the boutique facet of the market, the place fanatics are prepared to pay.
The individuals who is likely to be essentially the most annoyed by this are ones who need good cable administration or those that wish to retain unrestricted entry to the motherboard. The detachable backside panel is a useful characteristic in that respect, however in the end has limits as to how a lot it may possibly assist.
General, we suggest the A4-H2O for anybody who desires to get higher-end elements in a small bundle. That comes again to the 240mm CLC, it actually opens up choices for the CPU and creates a strain system inside the case that sucks out lingering sizzling air.
