Lian Li PC-Q38 Mini-ITX Chassis Review
Peter Donnell / 7 years ago
Final Thoughts
Price
The Lian Li PC-Q38 is available now from most of the big name retailers. It’s not a big product line, so stock numbers aren’t huge, but a quick Google will find you one for around £115. It’s available in both black or silver. I think the black one looks far nicer than the silver, but it will be more prone to scratches. Both are something to consider.
Overview
Remember when Lian Li released a chassis, and you thought “wow, this thing really sucks!” Yeah, I don’t either, it seems like they can do no wrong. Time after time, Lian Li continue to blow us away with flawless engineering and build quality. They really are the masters of the aluminium chassis, and it shows with every release.
The PC-Q38 is one of the nicest looking and well-designed mini-ITX chassis on the market today. It does come with a premium price tag, but given the premium build quality and materials, you’re certainly getting what you pay for. If this were carved out of plastic and steel, it just wouldn’t look or feel right, and even if it were cheaper, it would lose too much of what makes it great.
To Glass Or Not To Glass
I would have liked to see a glass side panel, it’s not essential, but the market is changing and glass just looks cleaner and more uniform. However, that would likely jack the price a little higher, and it’s already pushing the limits of acceptable prices for a mini-ITX model.
If you’re looking for a chassis you can proudly place on your desktop, this is it. It’ll look great in a place of business, it’ll impress at LAN gaming events. From a compact workstation to an RGB lit gaming monster, it’ll fit the bill perfectly. Highly recommended.
Video
Pros
- Amazing build quality
- Tool-free panels
- Support a good size GPU
- Plentiful airflow
- Supports SFX or ATX PSU
- Removable feet
- Huge side panel window
- 240mm radiator support
- Good air cooler clearance
Cons
- None
Neutral
- A few more dust filters would be nice
- Cable routing can be tricky, so invest in nice looking cables