While there are plenty of classic ATX cases that manage to offer a similar set of fans and functionality, the direction Lian Li has taken at the price point is very refreshing. Instead of opting for a generic yet modern solution to compete with all those other offerings and then having to compete on price, the Lian Li Lancool 207 still manages to have a very good $79.99 price tag, but put their own unique spin on what a modern ATX chassis could look like.

By being price conscious, the Lancool 207 clearly sets its sights on the mass market target audience. While there are other SKUs in its line-up under or on the $100 mark, the Lancool 207 not only undercuts this considerably, but it also comes fully fitted out of the box. The fact that the case is only available in two SKUs - black and white, but not in different variations—say, without fans—speaks volumes on how the case was designed from the start. Lian Li has engineered the Lancool 207 so that it may then embed two 30 mm thick 140 mm fans in the front as well as the two units into the shroud. This is further underscored by the wiring setup, which is incredibly clean - something you won't see on any other case with four cooling units out of the box.

By re-arranging the PSU and storage placement underneath the shroud, Lian Li managed to solve all the issues usually found when trying to use shroud based fans, while opening the door for some additional unique selling points in the process. With the layout, the two fans no longer get in the way of the mainboard and have clear and unobstructed access to fresh air through the vented sides and rear. On top of that Lian Li managed to make the case compact, without any tangible drawbacks, still allowing for ATX motherboards and long GPUs. With the clever use of space, AIO support in the ceiling is arguably better than the vast majority of taller, traditional ATX enclosures as well. The one and only thing you have to watch out for is the size of your PSU. But while that may feel like a limitation on paper, there are so many high-quality ATX power supplies which fit the space, that it ends up not being something you should have to worry about.

All that said, and I have not even gotten to the thermals yet. Simply said, the compact size, coupled with the fan layout results in chart-topping thermals while remaining one of the quietest systems on our test bench.

This means that the Lian Li Lancool 207 doesn't have much to criticize. The biggest things end up being the plastic hooks at the top edge of the motherboard, or the fact that the fans on the shroud should ideally be inverse fans, so that you would not have to look at the spines and hubs of their frames.

Lian Li markets the case as "ATX Layout Re-invented" and while the actual change is small by swapping the PSU and HDD location under the shroud, the benefits are clearly present, and Lian Li really managed to take advantage of it all. Simply said, the Lian Li Lancool 207 holds true to its marketing tag line.