Assembly

Installing the Mini-ITX motherboard is done just as you were using a mid-tower. Simply place it on the spacers and screw it down. Thanks to the removable hard drive cage, you should have enough space to work with. I have routed some cables below the motherboard, minimizing any mess from the start.


Placing the hard drives within the TU200 is done the same way as its larger, modern brethren. Simply clip the rail unto the drive and screw the big, special screws into it. Next, simply slide the drives into the bay until they attach to the SATA backplate. I have put three 2 TB drives within the system - which will run in RAID 5.


As I am using a 64 GB SATA II SSD as a boot drive, which usually stays in the system over extended periods of time, it was placed on the floor of the case. Lian Li supplies rubber rings and proper screws, so that it rests nicely on top of these contraptions.


Installing the optical drive means, that you will have to remove the front cover first, then slide the drive well past the front panel. Once there is enough space, put the front cover back into place and secure it with the previously attached screws. Lastly, line up the drive and screw it down as well. This entire procedure is a bit complicated, but we are talking about a very compact chassis here , so this was to be expected.


Lian Li has made sure, that you can install large and powerful graphics cards within the TU200. To show this, I have used one of the longest single GPU cards out there - a GeForce GTX280, with room to space. A GeForce GTX 670/680 or Radeon HD 7950/7970 should easily fit, which is certainly a cool feat. A support beam may also be applied to keep the card in place during transport.


With all the parts in place, before installing the PSU, the system makes a very clean impression - mostly thanks to the SATA PCB and the fact that the I/O cables were routed properly.


The best way to install a PSU is by using the frame of the chassis and then sliding it through the back of the enclosure. This gives you the chance to attach all the leads properly, before locking things down. Due to the compact size of the chassis, it is vital that you use a a short power supply. Lian Li recommends one with 140 mm length at most, but I suggest you go for a bit less, to give you some room to breathe.


Once everything is installed, it should become apparent, that Lian Li has really used every cubic inch of the chassis to the fullest. All of the cables are hidden behind the HDD bays, but I had to stuff some of these back into the chassis as the side panel would keep popping off due to the pressure exerted by the cables.

Finished Looks

With everything in place, the PC-TU200 makes a really cool impression. Considering the possibility of filling the case with a high-end graphics card, water cooling and high-end CPU really impresses. A blue LED lights up behind the PSU button, while the reset one also acts as a HDD activity LED.


Having used a Samsung DVD-RW drive, the front cover ensures, that things still look uniform - regardless of the drive color. As is the case with many different covers out there, the shape of the drive tray results in it getting stuck on its way in. Not a real deal breaker, but quite annoying.