Lian Li’s O11D EVO XL Hands-On: Roomy and Massively Customizable

Taiwanese component company Lian Li is well known for its premium PC cases and fans, but the company also offers power supplies and AIO coolers. We’ve recently tested their newest 360mm AIO, the Galahad II Trinity Performance, and found it to be one of the best liquid coolers on the market. 

Today we’re looking at Lian Li’s latest collaboration with German hardware reviewer der8auer, the O11D EVO XL. This large case is in many ways an upsized model of the O11D EVO we looked at a couple of years ago. The XL model supports an immense variety of features and customization options, which we’ll go over in detail below.  

Case Specifications

Unboxing 

Image 1 of 5

Features of Lian Li’s O11D EVO XL

The O11D is practically overflowing with features and, in keeping with the EVO sub-brand, it’s designed to be customized in more ways than pretty much any other case.  

Designed with cable management in mind

The EVO XL was designed with cable management in mind, and all cords in the case can be tucked away behind the motherboard and kept tidy using the included straps.

Support for up to three 420mm radiators

The O11D EVO XL was designed with liquid cooling enthusiasts (and modern high-end hardware) in mind, and as such has support for up to three radiators of up to 420mm in size. Radiators can be installed on the top, side, or bottom of the case. Additionally, a single 120mm radiator can be connected to the case exhaust. Because the motherboard tray can be lowered or raised, the total fan + radiator thickness supported is up to 126mm at the bottom and 118mm at the top.

Removable and Rotatable Fan Brackets

All of the fan and radiator brackets can be removed from the case, and the side bracket rotates backward for easy access.

Image 1 of 2

Height-adjustable motherboard tray

With most computer cases, the motherboard attaches directly to the frame of the case. The O11D EVO XL, on the other hand, has a removable motherboard tray. This design was a lot more common 15-20 years ago, and has both advantages and disadvantages.

Image 1 of 2

Advantages to this design include being able to set up the motherboard outside of the case, and being able to adjust the position of the motherboard. This can be particularly useful for those building custom liquid cooling systems. In a more typical case, you’d be limited in the size of the radiator – but with the O11D EVO XL, you can simply lower (or raise) your motherboard to provide more room where you need it at the bottom or top of the case.

Image 1 of 2

The main disadvantage to this design is that if you ever decide to change the cooler on your computer, you’ll have to disconnect everything and take the motherboard tray out – you can’t access the CPU backplate unless the tray is removed from the case.

Supports up to seven 2.5/3.5-inch storage drives, with two rotatable drive cages

The O11D EVO XL has room for all of your storage needs. In addition to any m.2 drives on the motherboard, the case includes a tray that supports three 2.5-inch drives, and there are and two rotatable hot-swap supporting drive cages that fit an additional four storage drives of either 2.5- or 3.5-inch size.

The cages have both power and SATA connections pre-routed to the bottom for convenience.

Reversible frame for right- or left-oriented showcase builds

Most computer cases are “right-handed” – they’re designed to be viewed by looking to the right. Lian Li’s case is “ambidextrous,” in the sense that it’s right-handed by default, but can be fully reversed for users who prefer to have their PCs on their left.

Redesigned GPU anti-sag bracket

The O11D EVO XL contains a redesigned anti-sag bracket to support large graphics cards. Previous Lian Li designs required access to the standoff hole located in the middle of the motherboard. This creates incompatibilities with many newer motherboards which often cover that standoff with armor or some other component. The new bracket design uses the standoffs at the right side of the motherboard, and it’s curved to avoid touching the motherboard.

Tool-free GPU clamps

To make graphics card installation easier, the 011D EVO XL gets rid of the need to secure a GPU using a screw. The PCIe expansion slot covers are secured by two clamps which lock in place magnetically and are padded by silicone to ensure a tight, secure connection. The screw hole covers have been replaced by small knobs which help keep the PCI-e devices secure when the magnetic bracket is open. In addition to the magnetic lock, the clamps can also be secured using a thumbscrew.

Image 1 of 2

Optional upright GPU support

As graphics cards have gotten flashier (and far more expensive) upright GPU mounting has become more and more popular, allowing you to show off your gaming investment. With the optional purchase of a $6.99 Upright GPU kit for the EVO XL, you can install your graphics card on the side radiator bracket. The bracket supports graphics cards of up to 80mm (3.15 inches) in thickness and up to 150mm (5.9 inches) tall. If you decide to go this route, don’t forget you’ll also need to purchase a GPU riser cable separately. The $6.99 kit just contains the mounting mechanism. PCIe 4.0 riser cables cost between $40-$60 on their own.

Optional vertical GPU support

Lian Li also offers vertical GPU support with the purchase of its Universal 4-Slots Vertical GPU Kit, which includes a PCI-e 4 riser cable. Due to the cost of the included PCI-e 4.0 compatible riser cable, this upgrade has a cost of $59.99. 

Brushed aluminum design

Most of the EVO XL, outside of the tempered glass panels, is made of high-quality brushed black aluminum, giving off a premium vibe and good looks from any direction.

Removable support pillar

Lian Li designed the O11D EVO XL in a way that allows the front pillar of the case to be removed without fear of compromising the case’s integrity. This gives you a less obstructed view of your components and is a design aesthetic made popular by cases from NZXT, Hyte, and others.

Front I/O Panel 

The O11D EVO XL’s front I/O panel offers One USB-C port, fourUSB-A ports, and a single combo audio jack – but that’s not all. The position of IO panel can be moved from the front to the sides or the rear of the chassis. It is secured, and can be removed, using the built in latch.
 

Image 1 of 2

Minimalist front ARGB strip

As with the original O11D XL and O11D EVO cases, the front panel is illuminated with a slim LED strip that runs from the top to the bottom. Its lighting style and colors can be controlled by buttons on the front panel, or alternatively connected to a motherboard for more nuanced lighting control.

Conclusion

Once again, Der8auer and Lian Li’s collaboration in the O11D EVO XL delivers a quality case with customization options only limited by a user’s imagination. If you’re interested in this case, it launches this month for $234.99. Just note that, like the previous EVO chassis, it ships without fans. So unless you have fans you want to carry over from a previous build, outfitting this case with fans is going to add a fair bit the the overall price.

MORE: Best PC Cases

MORE: Best Mini-ITX Cases