The ASUS Prime AP201 is the objective winner of this comparison, securing six spec victories against the single win held by the Lian Li A4-H2O. The most impactful advantage for the ASUS Prime AP201 is its maximum cooler height, which is 209% better than that of the alternative. This significant margin provides substantially more flexibility for internal component selection compared to the Lian Li A4-H2O, which only manages to outperform its competitor in the category of 2.5-inch drive bays.

Users prioritizing cooling compatibility and hardware clearance should choose the ASUS Prime AP201 for its superior cooler height capacity. Conversely, the Lian Li A4-H2O is the better option for builders who require additional storage capacity, as it offers a 50% advantage in 2.5-inch drive bays. Selecting between these two cases depends entirely on whether your specific build configuration demands more room for thermal management hardware or a higher density of small-form-factor storage drives.