Featured

Lian Li PC-Q38 Mini-ITX Chassis Review

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

Lian Li PC-Q38 Mini-ITX Chassis Review

Page: 1 2 3 4 5

Peter Donnell

As a child still in my 30's (but not for long), I spend my day combining my love of music and movies with a life-long passion for gaming, from arcade classics and retro consoles to the latest high-end PC and console games. So it's no wonder I write about tech and test the latest hardware while I enjoy my hobbies!