Lian Li’s refreshed desk cases take luxury to the next level

Why it matters: Lian Li is best known for its premium aluminum PC cases featuring unique designs, but that doesn’t mean it lacks creativity with standing PC desks. The company’s latest touch to an otherwise familiar design is to use electrochromic glass, which allows you to quickly switch between a clear view of your components and RGB lights, and a frosted glass aesthetic that hides them from envious eyes.

Lian Li quietly released the latest refresh of its DK-04 and DK-05 PC desk cases, with a new twist on a classic design that’s been out there for years.

For people with a lot of money and time to spare, building custom PCs into their desks is an art that makes their systems unique and luxurious. For others, Lian Li has been making ready-to-buy PC cases that double as standing desks.

The DK-05F is able to house two systems with E-ATX motherboards, while the smaller DK-04F model only has enough space for one system. They’re both height-adjustable from 69 to 117.5 cm, and they can accommodate liquid cooling, graphics cards up to 390mm or even 400mm in length and several 3.5 inch HDDs, not to mention 140mm fans on the front and rear.

Something that drew everyone’s attention to these desks when they were first revealed at CES 2019 was the 8 mm tempered glass top that can instantly switch from transparent to opaque at the press of a button.

The way they achieve this is by using electrochromic glass – often referred to as “smart glass” – which has the ability to turn opaque when you apply an electrical voltage across it. Several types exist, from glass that merely darkens and is used in photochromic lenses for eyeglasses, to glass that becomes translucent and is used to block sunlight or protect someone’s privacy and glass that can switch between mirror-like, transparent, and semi-transparent states.

The aesthetics of the new PC desk cases are nothing short of impressive, as is their ability to hold up to 80 kg of additional hardware on them, but the price tag is still a mystery at this point. Lian Li says these will become available on Newegg on April 16, and judging by the price of the previous models, you’ll have to pay upwards of $1,500 for the privilege of owning one.