Lian Li/DAN A4-H2O

Valantar

Shrink Ray Wielder
Jan 20, 2018
2,201
2,225
So the 2 Slot Design would still fit a 2,7 Slot GPU?

I would love to have the "old" design. Right now I'm more than happy that this product will come to live in the 10 Liter "class". Hopefully it will arrive in Q3 2021.
*thumps up*
Doesn't look like it - the outermost slot is very close to the side panels in the renders. 2.25-slot might work, but 2.7 will likely require the 3-slot layout.
 
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SiKiaTriK

Cable-Tie Ninja
Mar 28, 2019
166
147


Jokes aside, it is my most humble opinion that the original prototype is the way to go. The name itself stands for it: DAN A4 (with h20) and it should be totally recognisable at first glance by that concept.

"Hey, that's an A4! no, wait..." That was my first thought when I watched the Optimum preview and the product should go after that. Yes, it is good to innovate, it is refreshing somehow but there is a C4 coming in, with a totally unique design and features that will make it itself, the same way that the rounded front panel, button placement and some other subtle details make the A4 what it is.

Again, this is only my two cents on the topic and I mean no harm to the project and Dan awesome work!
 

10chris

Cable Smoosher
Jan 13, 2021
8
4
Guys, furthermore what is the meaning of a prototype, if you change completely the design, then (the final) is a different product...
 

BRSxIgnition

Master of Cramming
Mar 15, 2020
381
544


Jokes aside, it is my most humble opinion that the original prototype is the way to go. The name itself stands for it: DAN A4 (with h20) and it should be totally recognisable at first glance by that concept.

"Hey, that's an A4! no, wait..." That was my first thought when I watched the Optimum preview and the product should go after that. Yes, it is good to innovate, it is refreshing somehow but there is a C4 coming in, with a totally unique design and features that will make it itself, the same way that the rounded front panel, button placement and some other subtle details make the A4 what it is.

Again, this is only my two cents on the topic and I mean no harm to the project and Dan awesome work!
Orrrrrr..... Dan could just change the name and it could be an in-between solution, between the A4 and C4, and be its own case.
 

dondan

Shrink Ray Wielder
Original poster
DAN Cases
Feb 23, 2015
1,981
8,392
Following this logic every car series has to look the same? Or the Apple Mac is not allowed to change the design for every new release?

For me the first A4-H2O prototype does look a bit boring while the classic A4 does look interesting. Furthermore I know the old C4 design (now the new A4-H2O) design was very ver popular and so many were sad after I droped it. This is why I think the new design is the right decision.

I also talked with Lian Li (the company that will sell this roduct under their brand) and they does love the new design much more.
 

10chris

Cable Smoosher
Jan 13, 2021
8
4
Following this logic every car series has to look the same? Or the Apple Mac is not allowed to change the design for every new release?

For me the first A4-H2O prototype does look a bit boring while the classic A4 does look interesting. Furthermore I know the old C4 design (now the new A4-H2O) design was very ver popular and so many were sad after I droped it. This is why I think the new design is the right decision.

I also talked with Lian Li (the company that will sell this roduct under their brand) and they does love the new design much more.
For me the problem is not the name or the similarity with the old model (A4-sfx), but the fact that in my humble opinion the curved design is much more elegant, minimalistic and differs from the competition. No offence, i think that ''boring'' is something that you see all the time, like the vast majority of sff cases that are squared-off. You are an excellent designer and of course the final decision is Lian Li's and yours.
 
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swooby

Caliper Novice
Mar 2, 2021
23
10
I own two gen1 A4s, black and silver, mounted under my desk and I have to make it a point to not bump the power buttons with my knees (especially the black right one).
I do like the new design with the buttons on the side, but they would definitely need to be reversible if I wanted to be able to squeeze a thumb drive in the USB ports.
 

R-Oak

Cable Smoosher
Feb 24, 2021
9
1
I love all the change you have made, the case looks neat in the prototype and the new variant you are now looking at. Great job.
Just a small reminder that a lot of us still uses air-cooler and not aio in more (budget builds)

So please keep us in your mind when making the last few changes :)
Cheers m8!
 

R-Oak

Cable Smoosher
Feb 24, 2021
9
1
is there a prototype down the pipe, that would be designed for air-cooling from the get-go
right now our only options is the
NR200 (quite large)
ncase M1 (expensive)
Slagger cases (expensive)
SG13 (great, but cheap looking and lacks mesh to make cooling efficient)
 

Valantar

Shrink Ray Wielder
Jan 20, 2018
2,201
2,225
is there a prototype down the pipe, that would be designed for air-cooling from the get-go
right now our only options is the
NR200 (quite large)
ncase M1 (expensive)
Slagger cases (expensive)
SG13 (great, but cheap looking and lacks mesh to make cooling efficient)
The C4?
 
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Bonusround

Cable-Tie Ninja
Jun 26, 2018
220
243
Following this logic every car series has to look the same? Or the Apple Mac is not allowed to change the design for every new release?

Except neither Apple nor car companies do that. Any given model year delivers minor iterations and refinements on the base industrial design. Major design revisions only debut every five to seven years.

And hey, you don’t need follow anybody else’s example! I think the new design (the ‘OG C4’) looks superior to the prototype as-reviewed.* But do not be surprised if people now expect a family resemblance to the original A4, especially following OT’s video – expectations have been set.


* BTW, what happened to the curve on the H20 prototype? A consequence of integrating the front panel with the frame of the case?
 
Last edited:
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fish.ch

Caliper Novice
Jan 26, 2020
32
31
Major design revisions only debut every five to seven years.
Well in three months it would be full 5 years since original kickstarter :S

So only CPU Watercooling? No chance for GPU?
Noone is stopping you, but officially you're limited to a single 240 rad and it's better to use that space on CPU cooling. With three slots it's not hard to find reasonably quiet aircooled GPU.
 

DaHans

Average Stuffer
May 11, 2018
62
26
Well in three months it would be full 5 years since original kickstarter :S


Noone is stopping you, but officially you're limited to a single 240 rad and it's better to use that space on CPU cooling. With three slots it's not hard to find reasonably quiet aircooled GPU.
There are some 240mm radiators for the 3090 Series but the tubes are coming out on the upper side. So I dont know if there is enough space for routing them up.

There are some sub 56mm CPU cooler which work well.

I'll give it a try.