Lian-Li PC-A05 Mid-Tower Case

Reviews: Cases

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Alex Ksiazek
Kurtis
N/A
Jul. 11, 2007

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Introduction

What can be said about Lian-Li? I have always felt their name was synonymous with quality, style, and shiny brushed aluminum. Lian-Li's own website describes the company as one of the largest and most reputable manufacturers of aluminum PC cases in Taiwan. And rightfully so. With over twenty years of experience, Lian-Li is a salty dog.

The PC-A05 is a new offering, and a departure from previous doctrine 'Big Is Beautiful', which targets the lower segment of the market. The case promises to be very un-big in size while remaining big on features. An ambitious endeavor, but can it deliver?

First Impressions

The first thing I noticed after removing the Styrofoam supports and plastic wrap was the size. I guess I didn't know what I was expecting. Everything I had read online described the overall size as small or tiny. Maybe I have gotten used to the mid-tower frame of most of my previous pre-built systems. It seemed wider than I expected, an entire inch wider on both sides of the optical drive bays. After looking up the dimensions and realizing this isn't abnormal compared to other cases, I determined that the small vertical height had sort of created an optical illusion, giving the whole case a kind of 'squat' look. So is it big or small? Well, it is a little larger then anything you'll find at BestBuy, but it is certainly smaller than any full size tower.

Lian-Li includes the PC-A05 in its Classical Series and it certainly does have a classical look. The exterior, save the back panel, is brushed aluminum. It has an impressive shine in the right light that just begs to be admired. It was at this point that I noticed my drool beginning to pool near the Multi-media I/O... kidding. I was, however, leaving fingerprints everywhere.

On the front panel we can see two external optical drive bays, one 3.5" drive bay, black plastic power and reset buttons, blue power LED, red HDD activity LED, and a Lian-Li badge. The front panel takes little effort to pop off and is held in place much like the face of a speaker. The edges are rounded and along the sides on the front panel are the exhaust vents... yes exhaust... yes the front... yes I'm sure.

The expansive sides and top are uninterrupted, except for the Multi-media I/O on top which includes headphone and microphone jacks, two USB ports, and a FireWire port. I must say I liked the positioning of the I/O, since the case is sitting below my desk.

From the back we can see the 120mm intake fan, rear I/O, and the Lian-Li Patented Adjustable Cooling vent. I must note that while I have a BS-01 exhaust blower mounted, it was not included with the case. We can also see that the case incorporates an inverted motherboard design and that the power supply is nowhere to be found.

The bottom isn't especially exciting. There are four hard plastic feet and a few rivets. Rubber or silicone feet would have had better noise dampening qualities, but no big deal.

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Page 1: Introduction & First Impressions
Page 2: Inside the Case
Page 3: Quality Check
Page 4: Conclusion

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