On Thursday Lian Li introduced two new brushed aluminum Mini-ITX cases for your DIY building pleasure: the PC-Q27 and the PC-Q28, available this May here in the States for $78.99 and $118.99 respectively. However the company is also giving away one of each to a lucky fan on Lian Li's Facebook page.
According to Lian Li, both cases feature the company's railing mount motherboard tray design which was introduced in the PC-9N chasis back in February. Instead of using a steel plate with one cutout, this design features several rectangular cutouts. Thus, air is allowed to flow up and under the motherboard -- helping the system run cooler -- while providing additional cable routing options in the process.
In addition to the new motherboard tray design, these two cases sport a new side panel removal design. After removing a single screw, the side panel easily slide off with minimal effort, the company said.
The cheaper PC-Q27 is best suited for a small form factor office PC, HTPC or gaming rig. It's slightly taller than the previous model thanks to front and rear feet stands pulling the case off the floor, and is wider and deeper, allowing for graphics cards up to 7.6-inches long. Overall the chassis measures 7.8 x 11.8 x 9.4-inches.
Up to three 3.5-inch drives can be crammed inside this case as long as one is mounted in the 5.25-inch bay. A single 2.5-inch SSD can be installed on the bottom as well, but if the system builder wants to include a second SSD, one of the HDDs in the front cage will need to be removed. Two USB 3.0 ports are included on the I/O panel which is mounted on the right side of the chassis front.
"The PC-Q27 features passive cooling design, due to less heat generation from Mini-ITX systems," the company said. "Significant ventilation along the bottom and rear of the chassis keeps the internal components cool. For users who do want additional cooling, a 120-mm fan can be installed on the bottom of the PC-Q27 once the bottom hard drive cage is taken out."
The more expensive PC-Q28 case is ideal for creating a gaming or home server rig, capable of housing graphics cards up to 11.4-inches, and seven hard drives in multiple 3.5-inch and 2.5-inch setup variations. Overall this case measures 8.9 x 12.0 x 13.5-inches, and sits up off the floor thanks to front and rear feet stands, just like the previous PC-Q27 case.
"This is especially important since the Lian Li PC-Q28 does not have visible front ventilation," the company said. "Instead, the front 140mm fan pulls in air from a vent on the bottom of the chassis, which reduces system noise, while providing effective cooling. The dust filter over the vent prevents dust from coming in. For expelling hot air out of the chassis, there is a top 120mm fan."
Both of the PC-Q28's hard drive cages are removable with a few twists of thumbscrews and screws. There are also two USB 3.0 ports and HD audio connections located on the right side of the chassis front so that observers will only see the rig's brushed aluminum look and its dual LED illuminated power button.
To enter Lian Li's Facebook giveaway, head here. Both cases can be purchased online at Newegg, AVADirect and several other etailers next month.
