LIAN LI HASN’T MADE a super-compact
PC case with a carry handle in quite
some time. The TU150 is a long-awaited
follow-up to the classic TU100 and TU200
cases, which were released years ago
and, frankly, were ugly as hell. Nobody
wants their sweet portable gaming PC
to look like a shell case for their ailing
Fleetwood Mac cover band’s solitary
amplifier. If you disagree with that
statement, put down this magazine, and
go buy your bandmates another amp!
The TU150 is an altogether more
tasteful affair, engineered for the best
possible use of space, and crafted from
aluminum and steel, with a tempered
glass window or silver finish available
at no extra cost, should that take your
fancy. The panels pop off the TU150 with
a little pressure, allowing for screwless
disassembly. There’s no RGB lighting
to be found here—not even a tiny HDD
activity LED—but the TU150 still looks
significantly more attractive than its
predecessors, like an armored briefcase
containing nuclear launch codes or your
grandmother’s mac and cheese recipe.
The brushed aluminum front panel is
topped with a simple front I/O, which has
two USB-A 3.0 ports and a speedy USB-C
3.1 port, along with two 3.5mm jacks for
a mic and headset, plus the power and
reset buttons, of course. It’s nothing to
write home about, but it has all the usual
features, and looks nice and snug tucked
into a trapezoid slice in the metal casing.
We were worried that so much
aluminum might make the TU150 feel
flimsy, but it’s anything but. Lian Li has
brought its usual case construction chops
to this design, with a solid steel frame
underneath those brushed aluminum
panels, ensuring that the entire case
feels exceptionally robust. Even the
carry handle, which now snaps down
magnetically to sit flush with the roof of
the case when not in use, is anchored
directly to the frame. We wouldn’t be
worried to carry an expensive build
around in this.
Lian Li’s use of space inside the case
is inspired, from a PSU adapter cableOne briefcase please,
hold the brief
Lian Li
PC-TU150
9
VERDICT Lian Li PC-TU150PORTABLE Extremely sturdy
construction; great use of
internal space; reasonably priced.
PORTA-POTTY Limited to smaller PSUs; no
extra fans or dust filters included.
$110, http://lian-li.comSPECIFICATIONSForm Factor Mini-ITX
Motherboard Support Mini-ITX, Mini-DTX
Colors Available Black, silver
Window Available Ye s
3.5-Inch Support 1
2.5-Inch Support 1+1
Radiator Support 120mm front/rear
Fan Support
1x 120mm front,
2x 120mm base,
1x 120mm rear
Dimensions 8.0 x 14.8 x 12.3 inches
Graphics Card
Clearance
12.6 inchesthat routes along the top of the case
to the stripped-back motherboard tray
that allocates ample space for cable
management. The power supply mounts
to the upper-front of the case, which
leaves plent y of room for a gr aphic s card,
although, unfortunately, you’re limited to
SFX and SFX-L power blocks.
There are two separate drive mounts,
one for 2.5-inch SATA SSDs and one for
either an SSD or 3.5-inch HDD. The latter
sees your drive secured to the roof of
the case, which looks a little strange but
works well in the limited space.COOL CASE
Cooling is an issue that frequently arises
when it comes to ITX cases, but we’re
happy to say that the TU150 performs
reasonably well in this area. There’s a
decent amount of clearance for the CPU
cooler, especially for an ITX case, making
this ideal for compact builders who still
like a chunky air cooler. The case only
takes 120mm fans (and comes with
none as standard, so bear this in mind,
should you be considering a purchase),
allowing for one at the front and back,
and potentially two in the floor of the
case, as well.
There isn’t much room down there
at the bottom, though. If you want to
use an AIO cooler, you’re limited to a
single 120mm radiator at either the
front or back, and some bulkier GPUs
will preclude the use of fans in the case
floor. There’s no included dust filter here
either, which feels odd, given that the
front fan mount is protected by a fine
mesh shield. The case is well ventilated,
with tall feet and tidy perforation on the
base, rear, and sides, but that set offsome alarm bells regarding dust being
sucked in through the underside.
It’s a minor concern that could be
sorted out with a custom dust filter, so
we can’t mark the TU150 down too much.
This is the best ITX case we’ve seen in a
while, matching robust materials with a
clean new design. At $110, it’s sensibly
priced for what you get, sitting in the same
ballpark as ITX cases from Phanteks and
NZXT, so we can’t complain about the
price either. The TU100 is dead; all hail
the TU150! –CHRISTIAN GUYTONmaximumpc.com MAY 2020 MAXIMUMPC 77