PC Specialist Liquid Series LS-E01 Gaming PC Review

A Closer Look

The NZXT S340 chassis contains blue highlights which perfectly matches the Mayhems Pastel Blue Berry coolant. This colour combination looks stunning and showcases how much thought has gone into the design process. Also, the PSU cover is a fantastic addition which obscures trailing cables and helps to maintain a tidy aesthetic. On another note, the front reservoir placement, and professional tubing run evokes a premium feel. Initial impressions are very positive and I love the build’s simplicity.

Here we can see the gorgeous tubing and how seamlessly it blends in with the chassis’ rear cabling cover plate Additionally, the exceptional CableMod braided cables are sublime and I’m particularly fond of the cable combs on the 24-pin connector. The cable’s blue and black finish compliments the system’s theme and adds a superb level of synergy.

Honestly, I would have preferred a more visually appealing GTX 970 model from EVGA featuring the ACX 2.0 cooler. The reference model’s lack of LED illumination and thick construction detracts from the system’s sleek design. Furthermore, it seems a little strange to focus on reducing noise via a custom loop and include a blower-style GPU which is bound to run louder than higher-end alternatives.

Up close, we can marvel at the stunning compression fittings, flexible tubing and strong reservoir mount.  I’m sure you’ll agree, this looks fantastic and really makes you proud to use the system on a daily basis.

The PCI-E cables are held in position using zip-ties and have a very clean run to the GPU’s power connectors.

Next up is the Phobya UC-2 Acetal CPU block which allows you to observe the coolant flow and features attractive mounting hardware. On another note, the 16GB HyperX DDR4 2666MHz memory’s neutral design isn’t overly distracting which means you tend to focus on the rig’s tubing instead.

The 240mm Alphacool ST30 radiator’s thick frame once combined with static pressure optimised fans can easily cope with keeping the CPU cool even when overclocked. As you might expect, the copper materials help to leverage significantly better performance than closed-loop coolers which use aluminium radiators to cut costs. Next to the radiator is a 60cm white LED strip which illuminates the system so you can clearly admire the water cooling hardware through the chassis’ side panel window.

PC Specialist’s branding is very subtle and their logo has been positioned on the front section in an elegant manner.

In terms of cable management, PC Specialist has done a splendid job and the build greatly benefits from using custom cables instead of PSU extensions. Clearly, the cables have been positioned in a logical arrangement and I didn’t encounter enter problems when shutting the side panel door. Furthermore, the tubing remains in a very solid mount and doesn’t push against the side panel. This means when you move the system, the tubing cannot become dislodged or apply pressure to the compression fittings.

Here we can see the power supply cables are routed in a proficient manner and held together with various zip-ties. Notice how the tubing isn’t surrounded by cables which mean upgrading the storage setup is an easy task and shouldn’t impact on the excellent cable management.

Towards the power supply, there’s an assortment of excess cables held together to maintain a clean look. Also, the 8-pin EPS is routed via the chassis’ integrated mounting holes and secured with lots of zip-ties.

Finally, this image shows how the tubing is held down with tight zip-ties and placed against a flat surface to prevent any sharp elements from causing leaks.