As far as fully-aluminum Mini-ITX cases go, there aren't many options. Sure, there are a lot more now than about a year ago, but they still haven't become available in very many shapes and sizes, so it's nice to see a new contender once in a while. This time around we have the Lian-Li PC-Q19, and it looks like a very solid option.
The case will house a Mini-ITX motherboard, along with dual-slot graphics cards measuring up to 22 cm long (perfect for those Mini-ITX oriented graphics cards) using a PCI-Express riser card. You'll also be able to fit CPU coolers up to 85 mm tall, along with up to three 2.5" drives and a single 3.5" drive.
To power that hardware, you're limited to using an SFX format PSU; however, these days there are plenty of quality SFX PSUs out there. Cooling is provided by a single 120 mm case fan, although installing a liquid CPU cooler will be difficult. Fortunately, a dust filter is provided.
Front I/O is covered by two USB 3.0 ports, along with a power button. No headphone or microphone jacks are present. Also included with the case is a vertical stand, which we expect most buyers to use. As a typical Lian-Li case, the side panels can be removed without the need for tools using the clip-system.
So, while you won't be able to house the most powerful graphics cards in the PC-Q19, the case certainly offers enough room for powerful mid-range Mini-ITX systems. Considering that the case is only 160 mm wide, this shouldn't be too surprising. Being able to house a little less power in exchange for a sleek and slim form factor will certainly be an acceptable compromise for many buyers.
Pricing is set at $149, with availability slated for the end of August.
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