I adoresmall variant factor case . The idea of fitting in high spirits - oddment computer hardware into a thick package really appeals to me . As a incentive , they do n’t take up a lot of space on your desk . Of course , one has to cope with challenge like computer hardware compatibility , thermal limit , pricier components , and the tot effort of oversee and routing all the transmission line .
To declare oneself the sound of both world , Lian Li introduced the A3 - mATX instance in the first place this yr . It is the second instance from the fellowship that has been made in collaborationism with Dan Cases and follows theA4 - H2O. It is n’t an upgrade , as it is almost dual in size . Rather the A3 - mATX is one of those uncommon ‘ smallish ’ PC instance that can fit large components , including micro - ATX motherboards , 360 millimeter radiators , ATX power supply , and four - slot nontextual matter card . And it ’s a heck of a lot flashy than mostITX case .
I perplex anearly previewof the compositor’s case at Computex this class , and I was intrigued by what Lian Li had to offer . After finally experiencing the typeface and using it as my casual gadget driver , it ’s remove the A3 - mATX is the best mATX case let go this year .
Specs and price
The A3 - mATX is priced at just $ 70 , which is laudable considering the physique lineament and the modularity prospects . you could purchase the casing in black or white . A particular Wood Edition is also available for an extra $ 10 and features a walnut trim front venire . This finicky front venire is more operable too , as it features a mesh filter behind the Natalie Wood trim that can supply extra airflow . Sadly , Lian Li is not offer a wood front control panel for the white variant of the case , but I have date custom unity being sold onEtsy .
Lian Li is also sell a tempered Methedrine side panel for $ 13 and a vertical GPU mount bracket with a PCIe Gen 4.0 rise cable for $ 50 . Both of these accessories are sell separately . By breaking out extra like the wood front panel and tempered glass side panel , Lian Li is able-bodied to vastly slim down the cost of the A3 - mATX compared to other small form divisor pillowcase .
Design
With a entire capacity of 26.3 liters , the A3 - mATX does n’t technically restrict as a traditional small form factor case , but it is smaller in term of acme when compared to most micro - ATX cases . It measures 443 mm in length , 194 mm in width , and 304 mm in pinnacle ( 17.8 by 7.64 by 12.66 inches )
You get steel interlock panel on both English and the top , with additional ventilation system from the bottom and buttocks . The front panel is made of plastic and is the only part of the case that feels bum . To address that , Lian Li released the previously mentioned wood - conclusion front panel version of the case a few months after the original .
The casing front and offers a very standardized layout to the pop Cooler Master NR200P and the Asus Prime AP201 , but it is far more versatile . In fact , its tagline , “ the compatibility is strong with this one ” holds , as it pop the question a variety of internal configurations and support for large computer hardware components .
get going with chilling , the character can accommodate three 120 mm or two 140 mm fans at the top and bottom and a single 120 mm buff in the rear end . The included side - mounting bracket allow you to install up to three 120 mm or two 140 millimeter fans , but doing so only makes sense when using the mesh side panel or else of deoxyephedrine . The top mount track also endorse up to a 360 mm radiator for liquid state chilling , while the side bracket can also be used to install up to a 280 millimeter radiator .
The fount can equip some of thebest CPU coolersthanks to its central processor ice chest clearance height of 165 millimeter , which is tall enough for most all - in - one ( AIO ) pump heads and beefy CPU zephyr coolers like the Deepcool Assassin IV or the Noctua NH - D15 .
If we look at the airflow traffic pattern , the case pulls in air from the bottom and push it out from the top and rear end . Lian Li has included a meshing filter that can impound magnetically to the bottom , while the two large foot offer up enough clearance for the fans to pull in fresh air .
Though it ’s a comparatively small case , the A3 - mATX supports computer graphic cards up to 415 mm in length , which is pretty harebrained . For character reference , the Asus ROG StrixRTX 4090has a length of 358 mm , and while technically it should fit , I do not recommend one in such a compact case . Notably , the compatibility of the GPU varies reckon on the power provision unit ( PSU ) .
The case supports SFX , SFX - L , and ATX power supplies , but the mount square bracket is removable and can be installed at the front or mighty next to the motherboard thanks to multiple height options . Similarly , there is a removable tray to install up to two 2.5 - in SSDs at the front or side . The compounding of where you deploy the bracket and the sizing of your PSU determines what distance of GPU can tally . Lian Li has deal adetailed infographicon its website with all configurations to make things easy .
As for the front panel I / O , you get two USB 3.0 Type - A ports , the power push , commit 3.5 mm jacks for audio input signal and yield , and a USB 3.1 Type - hundred port . Apart from the removable SSD tray , the face can accommodate a 2.5 - inch SSD or a 3.5 - column inch HDD at the bottom . The three - pin power sparking plug at the back come with an extension cable that expire all the way to the front to stop up in the PSU . This cable can be tucked into the consecrated channels right above the motherboard .
Overall , the physique quality is surprisingly near , which is expect from a brand like Lian Li . I did not find any imperfections or flaws , and particularly liked the all - bloodless front panel cable television with white connectors .
Building
The material body process count fairly easy , but midway through , I take in some quirks that need to be addressed . Before that , let me take you through the parts I used .
CPU : Intel Core i7 - 13700KMotherboard : Gigabyte Z790 M Aorus Elite AX m - ATXMemory : G.Skill Trident Z5 32 GB DDR5 6000MHzGPU : Zotac Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Super 6GBCooler : Lian Li Galahad II Trinity 240 mm AiOPSU : Asus ROG Strix 850W White EditionStorage : Seagate Firecuda 530 500 GB NVMe PCIe Gen 4.0Secondary storage : Kingston NV1 - E 2 TB NVMe PCIe Gen 3.0Additional fans : Barbary pirate iCUE Link QX120 RGB
The side and front panels pop off quite easily thanks to a peter - less mechanism , while the top panel has two thumb screws that help make the disassembly procedure quite elementary . The lawsuit support micro - ATX and mini - ITX motherboards , although the duration of the front panel cables is more desirable for micro - ATX . Before securing the motherboard , it is best to make a plan for routing cables for your fans , as there is n’t enough distance behind the motherboard tray . It gets even more complicated if you need to install a lover or RGB control .
I ab initio went ahead with Lian Li ’s AL120 RGB fan , which feature a daisy chain design . Despite that , the amount of cable system mess just put me off as I had additional cables from the AIO . I then swapped them out for Corsair ’s iCUE Link QX120 fans , which reduced cable clutter by a huge border . If you could not live without RGB lighting on your fans , you will have difficultness manage all the connective .
Next , I installed the tycoon provision and was immediately contact with another challenge : taming all the king cables . I would highly suggest using an SFX or SFX - L power provision as it allows more way to ferment with the cabling . If you do choose an ATX top executive supplying , insure that you get a small one , rather with modular cables . Using some cable ties and Velcro shoulder strap , I managed to tuck all the additional duration of the cables neatly under the power supply . Next , I ensure the AIO radiator at the top , followed by the lawsuit lover . last , I installed the GPU .
As with any small phase ingredient design , there are challenges with managing all of your cable while fitting the hardware you desire inwardly . Given the varying space you ’ll have depending on your power provision , it ’s a well mind to plan ahead with your sports fan and might supply if you want to build inside the Lian Li A3 - mATX . Otherwise , you may be blindsided by a cable’s length mess that ’s tough to tame .
Performance
Having an understanding of the airflow pattern is essential to get the best execution out of any PC case . Thus , I installed two fans at the bottom and one at the rear end as intake , while the two radiator rooter on the top were set as exhaust . While there is scope for installing more fan , you are go to shinny for room , peculiarly when it number to overseas telegram management .
To test the thermic performance , I set the lover ( case and radiator ) to 100 % ( 2,400 RPM ) and the AIO pump to 80 % ( 3,000 RPM ) . The central processing unit was put to play at 5GHz on the P - Cores and 4GHz on the vitamin E - cores to restrict CPU power consumption to 225W. I ran Cinebench R23 for 30 minutes to try the CPU . At 25 degree Celsius ambient elbow room temperature , I recorded the CPU parcel going up to 91 degrees Celsius with an average of 87 grade Celsius The CPU cores also went up to 91 degree Celsius with an norm of 77 degree Celsius
For the GPU , I hold the case fan fastness at 80 % while the GPU fan were place to move according to the default fan curve . Running Furmark at 4 K resolution for 30 minutes , the GPU temperature went up to a maximum of 62 level Celsius with an norm of 61 degrees Anders Celsius , while the GPU hot spot went up to 75 degrees Celsius with an norm of 73 degrees Celsius .
incline the same tests with the shabu side venire , the results were very like . The CPU software package went up to 91 degrees Celsius with an average of 88 degrees Celsius and the central processing unit cores go up to 91 degree Celsius with an norm of 78 degree Anders Celsius .
As for the GPU , temperatures go up to a level best of 63 degrees Celsius with an average of 61.5 degrees Anders Celsius , while the GPU hot smudge went up to 76 degrees Celsius with an average of 74 degree Celsius .
Airflow performance is quite good , peculiarly for a face of this size run a 13th - gen Intel Core i7 CPU . I was surprised to see only a pocket-sized difference in temperature when using the spyglass side control panel , which is corking if you like to showcase the internals . The only downside of using the mesh side panel is that you get more fan noise , which is crucial especially when gambling .
Should you buy it?
There are quite a few good micro - ATX cases out there , but the Lian Li A3 m - ATX stands out for multiple reason . It offers blanket compatibility with big GPUs , central processing unit tank , and ability supplies , while still having enough room to install extra rooter . Build quality is first-class ( blockade the front panel ) , while the modularity expression of the PSU , SSD , and fan wall bracket are a bonus .
With a price tag of $ 70 , I would highly commend this case for your next build unless you are a novitiate at building microcomputer . It may involve some extra skills to meet all your parts correctly and rout out the cables is a project . But if you desire a fairly heavyset case that can fit them all , you wo n’t be disappoint .
