Lian-Li published some new information on its prototype open air chassis on its blog.

The PC-05(Mini-ITX,) PC-06 (Micro-ATX), and PC-07 (ATX) all follow the same design but are in different sizes. The design is primarily for aesthetics, showcasing the parts of the user’s computer. IN WIN has been the real major player in these higher end open air chassis for quite a while, so Lian-Li is looking to challenge them in this segment. The design of the PC-0x series may bring up memories of case mods that prominently display different components on a board. This is something that Lian Li has taken and made into a unique case, as there are no other manufacturers right now making such a design.

Highlights of the open air chassis designs include:

• Wall Mountable
• GPU Riser
• Large Tempered Glass Window
• HDD Shroud
• Plentiful Cable Management Space
• Slim Optical Drive Bay

Interestingly enough the Micro-ATX and ATX variants will support water cooling radiators in the chassis, something that will definitely help the components stay cool in this case. Those cases will also offer support for up to a 360mm radiator, and if using air cooling those fan mounts will also help provide an ample amount of air. Lian-Li does not disclose what materials that the cases are made out of but by looking at the pictures it seems like aluminum, tempered glass, and plastic. The case maker would most likely use aluminum as It seems they are going for a higher end segment with these cases. IN Win’s high end open air cases also use aluminum, tempered glass, and plastic primarily.

These cases will only have limited room for expansion cards so choosing the right features on your motherboard will be key. The cases all offer front power button, USB 3.0 ports, audio jacks, and room for a slim optical disc drive. The Mini-ITX case will support video cards up to 200mm long, while the Micro-ATX and ATX cases support up to 290mm long cards. There is no word on pricing currently, but these will likely fall in line with mid to high end case prices. These cases certainly won’t be for everyone, but for those who do use them, they will definitely have a gorgeous piece for their desks.

The post Lian-Li Teases Upcoming Open Air Cases appeared first on VR World.

Lian Li has launched a new Mini-ITX case for people that want a slim and sleek low-profile PC that might serve as an HTPC. This new case from Lian Li, the PC-Q19, is also versatile as it can be held up vertically or horizontally with almost no effort. The PC-Q19 chassis is capable of also supporting a discrete graphics card, a rare feature for such a slim system, but still possible nontheless.

Lian Li PC-Q19 MultiView

The PC-Q19 case is made completely of aluminum with plastic fans and plastic removable dust covers that are magnetically attached. The PC-Q19 chassis does support dual slot graphics cards, however their length cannot be longer than 220mm and the CPU cooler cannot be taller than 85 mm. The case also has two front-mounted USB 3.o ports and a power button, which helps convey the PC-Q19’s minmalist looks.

The PC-Q19 unfortunately does not support standard ATX power supplies, which means that anyone looking to buy a PC-Q19 should think about buying a new power supply or buying the right one, which  is an SFX form factor. Other than that, this computer should allow gamers to be able to build a fairly powerful gaming machine, albeit nothing overly powerful inside of such a small case. Realistically, someone looking to build with this case would be looking at a half-length card like Nvidia’s GTX 750 Ti. However, looking on Newegg, something like Nvidia’s GTX 760 Ti may also squeeze in there according to Newegg’s dimensions of the ASUS card and Lian Li’s own limitation documents.

Cooling very hot components may also be a bit of an issue with this case seeing as it runs passively without any intake or exhaust fans. Thankfully there are components in place of  where a fan would be needed so that air flow can still be had.

Overall, this is a very attractive looking case, but may be a bit too niche for most consumers. Anyone looking to purchase this case must seriously consider their power supply situation and whether or not they’ll need to buy a new PSU (very likely).

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