Lian Li PC-A05FN Review

👤by David Mitchelson Comments 📅27-10-11
Conclusion

We’ve experienced the wealth of Lian Li case manufacture in the past and been impressed but does the new PC-A05FN continue a good thing?

Initial observations identify that the PC-A05FN is a short but deep mid-tower chassis capable of accommodating both mATX and ATX systems. Lian Li have designed the PC-A05FN in such a way that it changes the way we look at case design and airflow. The PSU sits at the front of the case, meaning the case can be shorter and the idea with airflow is that it should enter from the rear of the chassis and exit via the front.

The PC-A05FN looks great with its sleek and professional appearance and as you would expect from Lian Li’s use of aluminium, build quality is excellent. However, overshadowing this is poor airflow and a limitation on what hardware you can get inside PC-A05FN with a full ATX motherboard. In our examination of the case we used an ATX motherboard and an Enermax Evolution 850W and it was a struggle to get both components in but when we finally got there the PSU blocked various storage ports and pins for power/reset buttons. The GTX 480 used inside PC-A05FN overlapped the PSU meaning multi-GPU configuration was out of the question. Struggling for space around the GPU, PSU and HDDs means that cable management also takes a hit.


Though the PC-A05FN will allow for mATX systems and with this form factor some of the clearance issues would be avoided, this case is touted for ATX and it’s a little disappointing to see these short-falls present. Priced at £75-80inc. VAT it’d be ideal for a media PC but if you are planning on installing a mid-high end system inside PC-A05FN then things are going to get extremely cramped and you could well face clearance issues.

The bottom line is PC-A05FN is a great looking addition to the already fruitful Lian Li lineup but it falls short with its drastic change to layout and airflow. For an ATX system space is tight and limiting but those with low-end systems and possibly media PC then clearance will be more forgiving.

Pros
+ Sleek, professional appearance
+ Aluminium construction throughout
+ Tool-less design for device installation
+ Just 4KG without any hardware
+ Reasonable pricing

Cons
- Limited to low-end, smaller hardware
- PSU blocks some ports on ATX motherboard
- Airflow reversed has nowhere to exit



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