New series by Lian Li combines desk with housing
Lian Li has shown three enclosures in the DK series at his Computex booth. The housings are full-fledged desks with a glass plate as worktop, under which one or even two computers can be housed.
The flagship of the series is the DK-02X: a black metal desk with tubular legs and a glass top. The hardware is visible under the tempered glass worktop, which is dark-tinted and can hold at least 80 kilograms. With the DK-02X, this can be two complete systems: a simple mitx system can be accommodated on the left, while a powerful PC with motherboards up to the largest sizes can be built in on the right. The desk itself is 125 centimeters wide, 80.5 cm high and 60 cm deep.
The two systems can each use their own power supply and the small system can have two expansion slots and eight 3.5″ or 2.5″ drives. An optical drive bay can be shared or used for a 2.5″ drive. The larger system has eight expansion slots and nine drive bays. The cooling of the whole is provided by eight 120 mm fans, but of course radiators of all sizes can also be used. water cooling can be built in. Both systems are equipped with four USB 3.0 front panel connectors and audio connections.
One or more displays can be attached via an optional monitor stand and keyboards and mice can be placed on a tray. That work surface can also be unscrewed so that the mouse and keyboard lie on the glass. A holder on the side of the desk can be used to store peripherals such as mice, keyboards and headphones.
To install the systems or to carry out maintenance, the entire tray with hardware can be slid out, so that the glass plate does not have to be removed from the desk. This is, however, possible, if necessary. This most expensive version of the DK series will cost $ 1199, a price that probably translates 1-to-1 to euros.
A slightly more affordable version is the DK-01X: it should cost $999. This desk, which at 90 centimeters is slightly less wide than the 02X, can only accommodate one system, like most housings, but it will fit the largest motherboards. There is also room for ten expansion slots and for storage there is room for ten hard drives and an optical or 2.5″ drive. The cooling is controlled by seven 120mm fans and 360mm radiators are of course also possible.
Finally, there is a small DK-Q1X that seems intended for the Japanese market. This lower variant is only 50cm high and 70cm wide. The specifications are largely the same as the DK-01X, but for storage there is room for five 3.5″ drives and two 2.5″ drives. The idea behind this housing is not so much its usability as a desk, but as a media center under the TV.
It is not yet known in which editions the three DK housings will be made and in which countries they will be for sale. Lian Li sees the housings as a piece of furniture in the living room or office.