Cases and cooling specialist Lian Li has released the Lancool 216 mid-tower chassis, which it initially teased back in the summer. This is a modestly modernized take on the Lancool 215, which we reviewed and praised back in January 2021, and addresses several of its predecessor’s shortcomings. It is now bigger, but in these days of gargantuan GPUs roaming the earth, the enlarged capacity might actually be good.
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Lian Li claims that the Lancool 216 can be optimized by a PC DIYer for either air cooling or AiO cooling. It certainly is flexible, and as well as making that cooling choice apparent, it supports up to E-ATX motherboards, has a removable top 360 radiator bracket, offers a 90-degree pivoting PCIe expansion slot panel, with a relocatable front I/O panel, has options for an external rear mount PCIe fan, plus provides plenty of expansion options for storage and today’s biggest GPUs. Buyers can also purchase this case in black RGB, white RGB, and plain black options.
One of the most significant visual differences between the new Lancool 216 and its predecessor is the refreshed “continuous front to top mesh” design. This update makes the design somewhat less boxy. In addition, the new front I/O panel is another welcome change, with two new features. First, the panel is relocatable from the top front edge to the front left side edge, and second, the I/O panel now includes a USB-C port.
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The previous gen model didn’t have a front dust filter, and the same is true of the Lancool 216. However, Lian Li is making a full-coverage dust filter available as an optional accessory for this section. Pricing for the accessory is unknown at this time.
We’ve discussed some of the characteristics of the Lancool 216 and highlighted new and improved features, so now it is time to look at the tech specs. For those who bought the Lancool 215 or were interested in it at the time, please check the comparative specs table below.
|
Lian Li |
Lancool 215 |
Lancool 216 – New |
|---|---|---|
|
Type |
Mid Tower ATX |
Mid Tower ATX |
|
Motherboard Support |
Mini-ITX, Micro-ATX, ATX, E-ATX (width under 280mm) |
Mini-ITX, Micro-ATX, ATX, E-ATX (width under 280mm) |
|
Dimensions |
(D) 462mm x (W) 215mm x (H) 482mm |
(D) 480.9mm x (W) 235mm x (H) 491.7mm |
|
Max GPU Length |
370mm |
392mm |
|
Max CPU Cooler Height |
166 mm |
180.5mm |
|
Max PSU length |
210mm |
220mm |
|
Internal Bays |
2x 3.5-inch, 3x 2.5-inch |
2x 3.5-inch, 6x 2.5-inch |
|
Expansion Slots |
7x |
7x |
|
Front I/O |
2x USB 3.0, 3.5 mm Audio/Mic Combo, LED control |
2x USB 3.0, 1x USB-C, 3.5 mm Audio/Mic Combo, power, reset |
|
Front Fans |
2x 200mm RGB (Up to 2x 140mm, 3x 120mm) |
3 x 120mm / 2 x 140mm / 2 x 160mm (provided) |
|
Rear Fans |
1x 120mm |
1 x 120mm / 1 x 140mm (provided) |
|
Top Fans |
Up to 2x 120mm, 2x 140mm |
3 x 120mm / 2 x 140mm |
|
Bottom Fans |
None |
None |
|
Side Fans |
None |
None |
|
RGB |
D-RGB |
A-RGB options |
The above specs help highlight some of the benefits the extra size of this already chunky chassis delivers. Users have traditional and vertical modes to choose from for fitting GPUs. The newer chassis has some extra length to play with – an extra 22mm. It is also notable that the 20mm wider chassis should help with any GPU power cable bending you might have to indulge in to fit the tempered glass side panel back on.
Other benefits of the extra capacity include; the increased max compatibility for CPU coolers and PSUs, the size and amount of fans, and additional storage device fitting capacity.
Lian Li says that the Lancool 216 is available now priced from $99.99, and you can check the product matrix below for models and prices. Be aware that the three models are all bundled with three fans (2x 160mm front, 1x 140mm rear), but with the RGB models, the two front fans feature RGB lighting and a USB controller. The USB controller is available separately at $13.99.
|
Model |
MSRP |
|---|---|
|
Lancool 216 Black |
$99.99 |
|
Lancool 216 RGB Black |
$109.99 |
|
Lancool 216 RGB White |
$114.99 |
If you are looking for a new PC case and the new Lian Li Lancool 216 appeals, please also check out the Tom’s Hardware Best PC Cases 2022: Our Tested Picks for Your New Build feature.