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be quiet! Pure Base 501 Airflow vs Lian Li LANCOOL 207

Researched, not hands-on tested.How we review ›

all judged against PC cases at a similar price

The be quiet! Pure Base 501 Airflow and Lian Li LANCOOL 207 both score 6.8/10 overall.

The be quiet! Pure Base 501 Airflow leads on build and ease of building and noise.

The Lian Li LANCOOL 207 leads on airflow and cooling and value.

They score the same on space and compatibility.

be quiet! Pure Base 501 Airflow

6.8/10verdict: good, not the best

The Pure Base 501 Airflow is for builders who want a quiet, mesh-fronted ATX case with sound build quality. It suits mainstream desktops, workstations and homelab boxes that need a few drives and good front-to-back airflow. It is less suited to buyers who need long-GPU clearance confirmed or tall air coolers.

Typically about £118.49 in the UK when we researched itSearch Amazon UK (opens in a new tab, affiliate link)

Affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Details

Lian Li LANCOOL 207

Lian Li LANCOOL 207

6.8/10verdict: good, not the best

The Lian Li LANCOOL 207 is for builders who want a compact, airflow-first case for an ATX, Micro-ATX or Mini-ITX board. It suits anyone putting a hot CPU and a long graphics card into a small footprint. It is a better fit for a single-GPU gaming or workstation build than for a storage-heavy one.

Typically about £75 in the UK when we researched itSearch Amazon UK (opens in a new tab, affiliate link)

Affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Details

Scores, criterion by criterion

CriterionWeightbe quiet! Pure Base 501 AirflowLian Li LANCOOL 207
Airflow and cooling30%7/108/10
Build and ease of building20%7/106/10
Space and compatibility20%6/106/10
Noise15%7/105/10
Value15%7/108/10
Overall6.8/106.8/10

Specifications

Specbe quiet! Pure Base 501 AirflowLian Li LANCOOL 207
Case type (mid tower, Micro-ATX, small form factor…)ATX mid-tower-sized case, 450 x 231 x 449 mm excluding stands, 39.2 L volume, 6.8 kg net weightM-ATX sized case with ATX compatibility
Motherboard sizes supported (E-ATX, ATX, Micro-ATX, Mini-ITX)ATX / M-ATX / Mini-ITXATX, Micro-ATX and Mini-ITX
Maximum graphics card length (mm)not listed375mm
Maximum CPU cooler height (mm)178 mm maximum CPU cooler heightnot listed
Power supply type supported (ATX or SFX) and maximum PSU length (mm)ATX PS/2 form factor, maximum PSU dimension 180 mm (length not specified)ATX, front-mounted, maximum length 160mm
Radiator support (e.g. 360mm top, 280mm front)Front 120/140/240/280/360 mm; Top 120/240 mm; Rear 120/140 mmTop 360mm
Fans included and fan mountsTwo Pure Wings 3 140 mm PWM fans included (front and rear); maximum six (top 2x140 or 2x120; front 2x140 or 3x120; rear 1x140 or 1x120)Included: 2 x 140mm ARGB at front and 2 x 120mm PWM above PSU shroud. Mounts: front 2 x 140mm, top 3 x 120mm or 2 x 140mm, internal 2 x 120mm, rear 1 x 120mm
Drive bays (3.5 and 2.5 inch)3.5-inch: 2; 2.5-inch: 5; no 5.25-inch baysTwo drive positions, each taking a 3.5" or 2.5" drive

Strengths and weaknesses

be quiet! Pure Base 501 Airflow

  • + Quiet operation praised by reviewers
  • + Rigid chassis and solid build quality
  • + Mesh front with 360 mm radiator support
  • − 178 mm CPU cooler height limit
  • − No 5.25-inch bays
  • − One review found CPU cooling unimpressive

Skip it if:

  • Buyers who need a confirmed maximum GPU length before purchasing.
  • Builders who want 5.25-inch bays for optical or bay-mounted devices.
  • Anyone planning a tall air cooler above 178 mm.
Read the full be quiet! Pure Base 501 Airflow review ›

Lian Li LANCOOL 207

  • + Top thermal chart placement at GamersNexus
  • + Four fans included, with a 360mm top radiator mount
  • + Fits graphics cards up to 375mm
  • − Reviewers report cable management and PSU fit complaints
  • − Only two drive positions
  • − PSU length capped at 160mm

Skip it if:

  • Anyone building a storage-heavy machine that needs more than two drives
  • Buyers with a power supply longer than 160mm
  • Builders who want a quiet, closed-panel case
Read the full Lian Li LANCOOL 207 review ›

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