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Lian Li LANCOOL 217 vs Phanteks XT Pro Ultra

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

all judged against PC cases at a similar price

The Lian Li LANCOOL 217 scores 7.4/10 overall, ahead of the Phanteks XT Pro Ultra at 6.7/10.

The Lian Li LANCOOL 217 leads on airflow and cooling, build and ease of building and noise.

They score the same on space and compatibility and value.

Lian Li LANCOOL 217

Lian Li LANCOOL 217

7.4/10verdict: good, not the best

The Lian Li LANCOOL 217 is for builders who want a mesh-front mid-tower with plenty of fans already fitted. It suits people fitting a long graphics card, a large air cooler or a 360 mm radiator in the top. It also suits anyone planning a vertical GPU mount, since Lian Li lists the case as supported by its VG4 kit.

Typically about £109.99 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

Phanteks XT Pro Ultra

Phanteks XT Pro Ultra

6.7/10verdict: good, not the best

The Phanteks XT Pro Ultra is a mid-tower for builders who want a mesh-fronted case with fans already fitted. It suits people planning a large graphics card, a tall air cooler or a 360 mm radiator. It is less suited to anyone who puts quiet running or a rigid side panel first.

Typically about £76.99 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

CriterionWeightLian Li LANCOOL 217Phanteks XT Pro Ultra
Airflow and cooling30%8/107/10
Build and ease of building20%7/106/10
Space and compatibility20%8/108/10
Noise15%5/104/10
Value15%8/108/10
Overall7.4/106.7/10

Specifications

SpecLian Li LANCOOL 217Phanteks XT Pro Ultra
Case type (mid tower, Micro-ATX, small form factor…)Mid-towerMid-Tower
Motherboard sizes supported (E-ATX, ATX, Micro-ATX, Mini-ITX)E-ATX, EEB (back-connect compatible)E-ATX (up to 280 mm wide), ATX, Micro-ATX, Mini-ITX; rear-connect boards supported for MSI Project Zero, ASUS BTF and Gigabyte Project Stealth
Maximum graphics card length (mm)380 mm (max)415 mm; GPU width 184 mm
Maximum CPU cooler height (mm)180 mm (max)184 mm
Power supply type supported (ATX or SFX) and maximum PSU length (mm)ATX; max length 220 mm in standard mode, 180 mm when rotatedMaximum PSU length 270 mm; bottom mount
Radiator support (e.g. 360mm top, 280mm front)Top: 360 / 280 / 240 mmTop: max 360 mm; Front: max 240 mm; Rear: 120 mm
Fans included and fan mounts5 pre-installed, including two 170 mm front fansFour M25-140 D-RGB fans included; top 3x 120 mm or 2x 140 mm; front 3x 120 mm or 3x 140 mm; midplate 3x 120 mm; rear 1x 120 mm or 140 mm
Drive bays (3.5 and 2.5 inch)not listed5x 2.5-inch plus 1x 3.5-inch HDD, or 3x 2.5-inch SSD plus 2x 3.5-inch

Strengths and weaknesses

Lian Li LANCOOL 217

  • + Five fans pre-installed, including two 170 mm front fans
  • + 380 mm GPU room with anti-sag bracket included
  • + Takes E-ATX and EEB boards plus 360 mm top radiator
  • − PSU length limit drops to 180 mm when rotated
  • − CPU cooler height is capped at 180 mm

Skip it if:

  • Buyers with a CPU cooler taller than 180 mm
  • Buyers with a power supply longer than 220 mm
  • Anyone who wants a solid-panel case chosen for quiet running
Read the full Lian Li LANCOOL 217 review ›

Phanteks XT Pro Ultra

  • + Four D-RGB fans included
  • + Roomy: 415 mm GPU, 184 mm cooler, E-ATX
  • + Owners praise cable routing and value
  • − Owners report noisy stock fans
  • − Side panel flex reported by owners
  • − Only two 3.5-inch bays at most

Skip it if:

  • Buyers who put quiet running first and don't want to deal with stock fan noise.
  • Anyone building a storage-heavy system with several 3.5-inch hard drives.
  • Buyers who want a rigid side panel.
Read the full Phanteks XT Pro Ultra review ›

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