Modifying Lian Li PC-A03 computer case

I have been modifying computer cases for a while now and this Lian Li PC-A03 is the smallest one that I worked with. I've got this Lian Li from a friend after selling it in a very low price. This is a second-hand case and you can't see this case on Lian Li's website anymore because it is one of their old products. It is old and used but it is still very valuable to me because it is my first time to hold a Lian Li. I hold it, touch it, feel it, and agree to everyone that says Lian Li is the best computer case manufacturer that boasts to their trademark - the all-aluminum build. When it comes to quality and strength, the aluminum sheets will define everything. This also makes their cases lighter and easy to carry, though this case has no handles on it.

Though it is small, you can do many things to it. The side panels of this case are so thin and light make cutting easier. It belongs to the mini-tower category. What is difficult with this case is the fan mounts. By default, you can only put two fans for this case, 1 in the front and 1 at the back. The other difficulty is the right-side style of this case that puts the CPU down and the GPU up in the motherboard. This is not the common style of having the video card mounted below the CPU. This case does not also support good cable management where you can put cables at the back of the motherboard and run to holes.

Plan

I am planning to cut a window in the right side panel for the see-through acrylic. I am also drilling/cutting holes beside the bed for the motherboard to run cables under it. I am also planning to remove the black paint of the casing and retain its aluminum glass-like exterior. The final challenge will be putting additional fans inside the case.

 

 

Result

As you can see in the images above, I did cut a window in the right side panel. I did not put an acrylic to it yet and just put plastic book cover to it as a temporary see-through window. I mounted three 120mm fans inside the case (with blue led). This case will be blue-themed. The second fan is above the hard drive mount. The exhaust fan mounts with a 90-120mm fan adapter at the back of the case. I am planning to buy an aftermarket cooler for this build and might replace the 120mm exhaust fan with a 90mm fan to remove the fan adapter out of the way as well. The holes and cuts of the motherboard bed were helpful in running the cables below the bed and concealing it from the right side view. So far, the case looks and sounds good when turned on. The blue theme is cool as the right side panel window reveals it. The Cooler Master 120mm fans are silent and everything went well with the modification.