External Design

The Lian Li Tyr PC-X2000 is a full size ATX case, meaning it's quite large with dimensions 23 x 43 x 68 cm (9 x 17 x 27 in). The Tyr PC-X2000's design is a little different than the standard, as Lian Li has gone for a taller yet narrower format.

Why they went with this profile is not entirely clear, though we have to admit we really like it.

In fact, it's not just the size and shape of the case that is unusual. The front facet of the case would appear to be a door that opens to allow access to external 5.25" drive bays, yet it is not a door and it does not open, at least not how you would imagine. Rather it is a cover, much like the side door covers, and it can be completely removed from the main structure.

By simply grabbing the front plate using a small amount of force it can be removed, exposing three 140mm fans which are protected by a dust filter that can also be removed with ease for cleaning as needed.

This front cover is extremely light as it is constructed entirely from aluminum. The top and bottom are curved inwards, giving it a very nice finish. The aluminum used to construct the front cover, and much of the rest of the case, is just 1mm thick allowing Lian Li to create a very light full size ATX case.

Something that we found interesting about this case is that both the right and left doors are exactly the same. Normally this wouldn't be so unusual if it wouldn't be for the fact that both doors have two external 5.25" bays and a single 3.5" drive bay on its top right corners.

Although the side doors are still quite light, they are heavier than the front cover, largely due to the use of 2mm thick aluminum. Inside the case door is a large sheet of black 4mm thick foam meant to act as sound deadening material.

The top of the case is quite plain featuring simple power and reset buttons, along with a small I/O panel which includes four USB 2.0 ports, one Firewire, a single eSATA port, and two audio jacks. The bottom of the case is just as simple using four small round feet.

Finally around the back we have quite a number of things going on. Starting from the top, there is a large grill that measures roughly 17cm across and 10cm tall (6.7 x 4in). Directly under this is a removable power supply bracket which is again constructed from aluminum. There is a fourth 140mm fan opposite to the I/O panel, followed by 8 expansion slots. Then, at the very bottom we have two more fans, though these measure just 8cm (3in) in diameter.

From the outside the design is certainly interesting and it does appear very functional. From an aesthetic point of view, the Lian Li Tyr PC-X2000 is a seriously good looking case, in my opinion.

Considering that I haven't been completely impressed with previous Lian Li cases, the Tyr PC-X2000 has really made a statement for itself. Without even opening this case up you can get a real sense of quality that seems almost unmatched.