In a nutshell: Shopping for PC cooling fans used to be a simple affair that came down to balancing performance, noise, and price. Nowadays, it's a whole new ballgame as addressable RGB, magnetic daisy chaining, and reversible fan blades have pushed the industry forward. Lian Li's latest creation goes the extra mile by adding an LCD screen to the mix.
The new Lian Li Uni TL LCD fan features a 1.6-inch, 400 x 400 resolution display in the center of the fan that can be programmed to show static images, looping GIFs or videos, or even system stats like CPU temperature and load. Lian Li says the panel is an IPS type with 500 nits of brightness and support for 24-bit sRGB.
The fans also pack dual RGB lighting zones (26 individual LEDs per fan) and a slide-together daisy chain system, and are being offered in 120 mm and 140 mm sizes in white or black with standard and reverse blades. Other highlights include an "infinity mirror" and built-in anti-vibration pads.
Spec-wise, the standard 120 mm unit is rated at 27 dBA and 62 CFM while the larger 140 mm model produces 28.5 dBA and 68.1 CFM. The reverse-blade models are a little bit noisier and don't deliver quite as much airflow as their standard counterparts, but they do allow you to see the screen from the "other" side of the fan.
Fans with LCDs might sound ridiculous, but they could be quite useful when used as sensor monitors in cases with visible intake or side panel fans. We've seen other components with displays as well, like CPU water blocks and heatsinks. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time anyone has put a screen on a fan.
Interested parties can pre-order Lian Li's new fans from today. Newegg has the 120 mm standard model priced at $46.99 each or $149.99 for a pack of three. Should you want the larger 140 mm fans with reverse blades, be prepared to pay $51.99 each.