Ultimate DIY Performance PC: EVGA & Intel Infused

As we mentioned earlier, the EVGA Classified SR-2 sports an HPTX form factor, which is much larger than the ubiquitous ATX form factor of most desktop motherboards. The good thing about this large form factor is that EVGA had a lot of room to work with to keep the layout clean and integrate lots of bells and whistles, but a major downside is that the motherboard simply won’t fit in the vast majority of cases currently on the market.

The Lian Li PC-V2120A

At this point, the EVGA Classified SR-2 can only be installed (without modifications) in a handful of Mountain Mods cases using an updated motherboard tray, and a couple of Lian Li cases. For the purposes of our build, we reached out to Lian Li and were one of the first to get our hands on a new PC-V2120 prototype, fresh of the show floor at Computex.

The Lian LI PC-V2120 is an ultra-high-quality, all aluminum full tower, designed for enthusiasts or workstation professionals. The case will be offered in three versions, the PC-V2120B, which is black with a brushed aluminum interior, the PC-V2120A, which is all brushed aluminum, and the PC-V2120X, which is black inside and out.
The case is as spacious as can be—it has to be to accommodate the SR-2—and it outfitted with a ton of drive bays and cooling options. There is an integrated fan controller on the front, behind the finned door that covers the entire fascia. There are dual 140mm intake fans at the front, additional 120mm exhaust fans positions at the top (there were two on our prototype, but retail versions will have three), a 120mm rear mounted fan, and two more internal fans inside a movable drive mount and on an optional motherboard fan (the motherboard fan has to be removed for the SR-2 to fit).

There are positions for 11 expansion slots, 12 drive bays (four external 5.25”), and a separate zone at the bottom of the case for the PSU. There is sound deadening material installed on the side panels and front, and all of the intake fan positions have filters to prevent dust build up.

At the top of the case, four USB ports (2.0 or 3.0) are available, along with an eSATA port and headphone and microphone jacks, all under a little door that features the Lian Li logo.

As is typical of Lian Li products, the PC-V2120 is of the utmost quality. Even the prototype we worked with features excellent fit and finish and a flawless appearance. It’s a $499 - $549 case depending on your color choice, which isn’t cheap, but it’s an ideal enclosure for a system based on the EVGA Classified SR-2.