[Hardware Canucks] Why is EVERYONE Buying this $79 Case? (Lian Li 207 Compact vs Phanteks G400A & Corsair FRAME 4000D)

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Jeep-Eep@reddit

I will once again come in and point at the old reliable value option, the good old Fractal Focus G.

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SEI_JAKU@reddit

It's real creepy you're getting downvoted here.

I can't believe there's a good case with drive bays still being sold in 2025.

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Jeep-Eep@reddit

I mean, to be fair, arguably the fractal pop is better in many use cases, but yeah.

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SEI_JAKU@reddit

My apologies, I meant optical drive bays. None of the Pops I've seen have them.

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Jeep-Eep@reddit

https://www.fractal-design.com/products/cases/pop/pop-xl-air/rgb-black-tg-clear/

Turns out they for some bizarre reason keep them hidden in a panel in the base. Now, that position makes sense with modern 'basements' in PCs, but why hide it?

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SEI_JAKU@reddit

That's wwwwwwwwwack. Maybe someone at Fractal decided that optical drives were "ugly" or something. Thank you for pointing this out.

Feel like I'd rather be cheap and just go with the Focus. My Micro Center has a bunch of them just sitting around, and I'm sure they're not happy about that.

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My white whale case remains 'Fractal Torrent In Petrol Blue with a kit that replaces the removable roof with a version that holds a 5.25 bay opening toward the windowed side.' I'd settle for the last.

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kikimaru024@reddit (OP)

The case for people who think butter on toast is bourgeoisie.

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Jeep-Eep@reddit

The case for folks who like a good practical design that lets the stuff inside shine and has loads of utility.

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kikimaru024@reddit (OP)

It wasn't a good case even when new. It was simply cheap.

1x USB-3.0 + 1x USB-2.0 for I/O should disqualify it automatically from any serious recommendations.

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SEI_JAKU@reddit

Who keeps upvoting this slop?

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Jeep-Eep@reddit

You've got more USB then you'll ever fucking need hanging out the back, modern mobos use frankly too much of their lanes on that stuff, so lol.

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nanonan@reddit

It's not junk, but it is very dated and there are a ton of better options. Also overpriced in that link.

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Jeep-Eep@reddit

Only dated bit I really have beef with is ' no rear panel HDD mounts tbh.

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PotentialAstronaut39@reddit

I'd never buy this case, the room for HDDs and SATA SSDs is anemic ( if at all present without obstructing the bottom intake fans ).

Not for me.

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Unusual_Mess_7962@reddit

You just want a big tower then. Theyre honestly quite if you can fit them, its very easy to work and clean a big, tidied up case.

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Strazdas1@reddit

unless you constantly have to move the case, always buy a full tower. its better in every way.

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kikimaru024@reddit (OP)

I'd be surprised if most users even bother installing more than one 2.5"/3.5" drive these days.

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PotentialAstronaut39@reddit

I agree, yet here I am with 5 drives and still short on storage space.

2 nvme, 1tb and 512gb 2 HDD, 4tb and 8tb 1 Sata SSD, 1tb All are above 75%

shrugs

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kikimaru024@reddit (OP)

I had a similar SSD layout, just upgraded them slowly.

Eventually I had enough SSD space that I could ditch the spinning rust.
Next I hope to have enough M.2 to remove the 2.5" SATA drives.

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CupZealous@reddit

I have a 2.5" taped to the inside of my case because mATX has a 1000w PSU and a 3 fan GPU and a massive air cooler.

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chipface@reddit

I really don't get why Hardware Canucks always lists the American price. They market themselves as Canadian so anyone with half a brain would realize the price is in Canadian.

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sysKin@reddit

Canadian price is useless for anyone other than Canadians. I wouldn't be able to translate to AUD even if I tried: even if I tried to subtract Canadian GST, add Australian GST, apply currency conversion, look up Canadian tariffs, and so on - it still wouldn't be remotely right.

On the other hand, I know that 79 USD computer part becomes 130-140 AUD. I don't need to know why, it just does.

Although American tariffs, if they target various producers unequally, might kill that convenience in the future.

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djashjones@reddit

Same as Hardware unboxed. US price, US shops. I'm guessing Yanks are too dumb to do currency conversions.

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dehydrogen@reddit

Youtube is an American platform. Americans are the primary audience demographic.

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Unusual_Mess_7962@reddit

If youre talking HUB, then no, they dont have a 'primary demographic'. Americans make up for 30% of their viewers, from their own statements.

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AdAvailable2589@reddit

they dont have a 'primary demographic'

You should look up what that phrase means. And throw 'plurality' in there while you're at it.

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Unusual_Mess_7962@reddit

If you bother to write something, make an actual argument. Nothing is more worthless than a snarky comment on reddit.

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chipface@reddit

Of a channel that calls itself Hardware Canucks?

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Sarin10@reddit

Yes?

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djashjones@reddit

I know Captain obvious!

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Tasty-Traffic-680@reddit

Likely because USD is the single most known currency worldwide and the majority of their audience is likely American.

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derpycheetah@reddit

Yeah they are kind screwed because even as a Canadian outlet in origin, I'm sure like 90% of their total viewership is US and the rest of the world. If not more.

The title in this post (and their videos) should definitely include 'USD' tho, that's literally what it's for.

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inyue@reddit

Right? I'm not murican and pisses me off so hard when canadians and australians complains about the prices of anything while not stating that is CAD or AUS dollar.

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MiloIsTheBest@reddit

I'm really glad that hardware unboxed has started analysing GPU data for multiple storefronts in multiple currencies, because while yes I agree the USD is the biggest and baddest, the fact is it stops being relevant for me when they talk US pricing because our pricing in Australia is just straight up disconnected from American pricing.

Like, our 'MSRP' (what we call RRP) is not even the same, even taking taxes into account. So it's not just a case of doing a currency conversion and adding the usual fat. In Australia the MSRP/RRP of a 5070 should be about $965 AUD, but it's not, it's $1109.

Take the tax off and convert back to USD and the 5070 in Aus is a $630USD card plus tax. That's the fake MSRP.

I know it would be a lot more useful for someone like me if channels devoted even a small amount of time to regional pricing. I get why it's easier for them not to, it's just annoying to see something launch like a case or a headset or whatever and see all the praise for the great pricing just to always have to disregard it because it's only applicable in the US.

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Jofzar_@reddit

Imo because everyone else (on YouTube) does. They are probably the biggest audience also.

LTT also doesn't other then to point out how they use US budgets not CAD budgets for their project videos.

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WildberrySelect_224@reddit

The video is about a LianLi case but the way that Corsair case flexes under lightest pressure, has left me speechless. At 4:40 I couldn't even tell if it's metal anymore, it wobbles like very thin acrylic.

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pawlakbest@reddit

Corsair used to have good products, but now they only have good PSU and RAM, as they don't make them themselves, only rebrand, but even then there are better or cheaper alternatives.

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Pidjinus@reddit

I think on the psu side, they share the designs or at least design them togheter with the oem, at least for the high end. I know nothing about the ram odm/oem.

But yeah, Corsair seems to have lost they direction..

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pawlakbest@reddit

For PSU Corsair usually use CWT or Seasonic designs, but they do make some changes to them.

I remember that HX series used CWT, but they changed the fan to more quiet one and changed how Silent Mode worked, that on top of checking power usage they added sensor to measure temperature.

I used to recommend RMx series(own one myself), but MSI AG is the same model/manufacturer, but usually cheaper or Be Quiet! Straight Power 11/12 which is much better for the same price.

As for the RAM, like every other company, they buy kits from Samsung, SK Hynix or Micron. They do tune timings themselves and add fancy radiator and RGB, but it's the same as any other company do.

I used to own K70 keyboard, which was way overpriced for what other companies offer nowadays, they never made good mouse and you can watch GamersNexus about their recent flops in PC Cases like 6500D and prebuilds like One i500.

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DwarfPaladin84@reddit

Their last good cases were the Corsair 4000D Airflow and 5000D Airflow. I use the 5000D Airflow and it's great build quality on it plus thermals!

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unknown_nut@reddit

And before that it was a bunch of trash cases excluding the 540 Air, that case was great.

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pawlakbest@reddit

Yes. These were great cases 4 years ago. Unfortunately for Corsair, other companies like Lian Li, Antec, Fractal are making much higher quality, more innovative and cheaper cases now.

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imaginary_num6er@reddit

I used to recommend RMx series(own one myself), but MSI AG is the same model/manufacturer, but usually cheaper or Be Quiet! Straight Power 11/12 which is much better for the same price.

Yeah but MSI is anti-AMD unlike Be Quiet! or Corsair

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pawlakbest@reddit

Yes but article mentions A-GS, and I was talking about A-G, which do have 2 8pin gpu connectors unlike GS which has only 1. And also not to confuse with A-GL which is lower quality than A-G and closer to RMe than RMx.

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Q__________________O@reddit

Their Samsung ram are great.. lets pay extra for those metal covers, and cheap Chinese LEDs

/S

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gusthenewkid@reddit

Their DDR4 was known to be pretty crappy. Haven’t seen the same complaints with DDR5 so maybe they improved.

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rthomasjr3@reddit

I wouldn't even say their ram is good anymore. I got two bad 32GB DDR4 sets a couple months ago until I brought some G.Skill that immediately worked out of the box

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Jeep-Eep@reddit

Also a very good GPU brace that you can't find for love or money atm.

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Jeskid14@reddit

Corsair went public a few years ago and sold out to some other company

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TheAgentOfTheNine@reddit

eagletree was the owner when they IPO'd. They've been dumping on investors ever since.

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strangedell123@reddit

Ya, that's the really annoying point on the case fir me, but bar that I love the case

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acAltair@reddit

Endorfy ARX 500 in EU is a good contender to all of these

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7Sans@reddit

I'm one of those people. I been getting Fractal expensive cases($200 ish ones)

but I have Switched to Lian Li 207 after checking cases out in microcenter and it really is great.

accessbilities is top notch and usability is great. for it's price i believe it really is great.

Only thing I would complain is the loudness of the front mounted fans. I like quiet fans so I switched out to noctua chroma fans i already had.

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A_Light_Spark@reddit

I mean... The biggest selling point of Fractual is usually their noise reduction, so there's that.

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cp5184@reddit

I just want a single 5.25" external bay and four 3.5" bays... I don't need to put three radiators in my case, I don't need 10 fans... Give me a dust filter, two 140mm fans and that's it...

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Jeep-Eep@reddit

It may have 2 5.25s, but the Fractal pop series seems to be a possible ticket for you.

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kikimaru024@reddit (OP)

There are still options for this. They're simply not popular or cheap.

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Jeep-Eep@reddit

I want those but all the fans I can cram in to keep the whole mess cool - something like a Focus G/Torrent hybrid.

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derpycheetah@reddit

207 is $119 CAD. Looks like they pretty much copied the NZXT H5 Flow which comes in at $129 CAD.

I'd definitely give it to the Lian Li tho. Two USBA ports. Better PSU placement, better cable management, and an internal dust filter for the front fans.

The case design dropped my temps by around 6C on max load compared to a similar sized case with front glass panneling. Super impressed with the all mesh designs.

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Unusual_Mess_7962@reddit

Looks like they pretty much copied the NZXT H5 Flow which comes in at $129 CAD

I dont think they copied that, the basic design reminds me of the older Lian Li 215. That on was kinda unique for having 2x 20mm fans in the front; though im sure its been done before. The side bottom air intake is also an older thing.

And really, theres only so many ways to build a case really, especially when you go for airflow.

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woozie88@reddit

When you look at the charts, the Montech 903 Max is the best contender and less than $80 US.

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Intelligent-Use-7313@reddit

You can also actually buy one, I can't find a non 3rd party seller for the Phanteks case.

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Fourthnightold@reddit

Montechs sell pretty well and have amazing price points.

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cactusfarmer@reddit

Not everyone is buying this case. I personally know a few people who didn't.

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Fourthnightold@reddit

Sensational headlines, nothing new in the reporting side of things especially YouTubers.

Just enjoy the review lmao

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dreamworkers@reddit

Doesn't speak well for the quality of a review if you won't even mention what product is being reviewed in the title

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Fourthnightold@reddit

It’s called an attention grabbing title,

36k views in less than a day isn’t bad.

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dreamworkers@reddit

I understand. I prefer useful titles which would indicate a review to be useful. I assume this review will be the same quality of typical YouTube reviews.

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kikimaru024@reddit (OP)

Sentational title aside, it is #11 on Newegg's list of best-selling cases under $100.

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W4ta5hi@reddit

So what is #1 (and why is everyon buying #11)?

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kikimaru024@reddit (OP)

#1 is Phanteks XT Pro Ultra ($80-90) - surprised it's not in the round-up tbh

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