Cases & PSUs

Lian Li PC-10N Review

David Mitchelson
November 5, 2013 15 Min Read
2 0

An all-aluminium mid tower computer chassis with a specialised hinged 240mm radiator bracket and a twist on the traditional motherboard tray.


Product on Review: PC-10N


Manufacturer: Lian Li
Street Price: £99 / 119 EUR

Forerunners of spectacular aluminium computer cases, Lian Li are recognised as the crème de la crème of case designers. We’re generally always excited and intrigued by their products and today is no exception. Back in August of this year Lian Li announced the PC-10N and today we have the pleasure of taking a look at it.

Lian Li’s PC-10N is an all-aluminium mid-tower which besides allowing for a 240mm radiator to be placed on a hinged bracket, relinquishes the traditional motherboard tray and instead makes use of a rail mount design. Will this alternate solution work in Lian Li’s favour? Read on to find out!



About Lian Li
Lian Li Industrial Co., LTD was founded in 1983. We are one of the largest and most reputable manufacturer of aluminium PC case in Taiwan. With over twenty years of experience in the computer products field, our dedicated team of engineers, production specialists and administrative staff provide the finest quality accessories available on the market.

In 1993, Lian-Li Introduced the new lines of computer hardware, including bracket( for case & interfaces), Mobile rack(for H.D.D.), mounting kit(for FDD & HDD), aluminum PC cases, IPC, external cases, server cases and more. We also provide OEM & ODM services, you are assured of designs that will meet your exact specifications, innovative ideas in manufacturing that will give your products an essential market edge.

Our outstanding quality has earned us ISO 9001 certification for all of our products. In addition, we back up our quality assurance with a two-year a guarantee on most of our products.

Technical Specifications


Model
PC-10N
Case Type
Mid tower chassis
Dimensions
(W) 210mm
(H) 473mm
(D) 498mm
Color
Black
Silver
Front bezel Material
Aluminum
Side Panel
Aluminum
Body Material
Aluminum
Net Weight
5.4 kg
5.25″ drive bay (External)
3 (C-02 Optional)
3.5″ drive bay (External)
None
HDD bay
3.5″ HDD x6 / 2.5″ HDD x2
Expansion Slot
8
Motherboard
ATX
Micro-ATX
System Fan (Front)
120mm Fan x2
System Fan(Top)
140mm Fan x1(Optional)
System Fan(Side)
120mm Fan x2(Optional)
System Fan(rear)
120mm Fan x1
I/O Ports
USB3.0 x 2
HD Audio
VGA Card length
300mm
PSU length
300mm
CPU cooler height
155mm
PSU
ATX PSU (Optional)
Package Dimensions
(W) 266mm
(H) 527mm
(D) 568mm
Gross Weight
6.5 kg

Packaging & First Look


10N is presented in a large eco-friendly cardboard box. Due to this approach to packaging, the box can be discarded and recycled. The front shows an illustration of the case and around the back we have the same depiction. The side of the box features a list of technical specifications.

Inside, the case is covered in a clear plastic sheet and dual polystyrene supports are included to ensure safe arrival at the destination.


Eco-friendly packaging for 10N


As is typical of Lian Li’s product range, the PC-10N adopts a simplistic design for its external appearance. This minimalist approach to case design is very popular for system builders – especially those who like to keep things understated and clean.

A common attribute for Lian Li cases is to adopt all-aluminium construction and the 10N is no exception. Even the side panels are aluminium. 10N is available in silver or black and on the prominent side the panel has a perforated mesh section for the radiator support bracket inside. On the reverse side, the panel is just completely solid and without any significant features – since 10N has the aluminium side panels they are incredibly light!


Perforated mesh section on prominent side panel



Simplistic computer case styling

Exterior


The external styling on 10N is very sleek and professional with its brushed aluminium appearance. The front features a removable aluminium panel, containing a trio of 5.25” drive bay covers which are detachable from the inside of the case and a perforated mesh area in the lower section – to work in collaboration with the dual 120mm intake cooling fans.

Around the back of the case, at the bottom there is a space for mounting the PSU whilst above there are a total of eight PCI expansion slot covers – each have ventilation and thumbscrews for easy removal. At the top of 10N there is a 120mm rear exhaust cooling fan with two respective circular rubber grommets for tubing/cables.


The front and rear of 10N


Front panel connectivity runs along the outer edge of 10N and consists of just two USB 3.0 ports and headphone/microphone audio jacks. Lian Li have also only included a power button rather than combing with a reset button.

The USB ports use an internal motherboard connector.


Front panel connectivity


At the top of 10N there is a detachable aluminium panel which has an optional 140mm fan slot with cover. In its default state, the cover is attached to the case to prevent dust/dirt entering – this cover will obviously be removed once a cooling fan is installed.


The top section of 10N


On the underside of 10N there are four rubber feet to prevent the case from slipping on smooth surfaces. Lian Li have integrated a detachable dust filter for the PSU – due to the design, the case will need to be placed on its side in order to clean the filter.


The underside of 10N with dust filter for PSU

Interior


Both side panels on 10N are fixed into place with two thumbscrews. Upon removing these we are met with a rather interesting internal design. Rather than opting for the usual motherboard tray, Lian Li have chosen to use a combination of rails – cables are required to route behind these rails. Lian Li claim this design assists with better thermals:

Lian Li’s railing mount technology greatly improves airflow under the motherboard, helping systems run cooler. This design replaces the traditional solid motherboard tray which can block airflow and adds to system weight and cost. The railing system also provides better routing options for internal wiring and cables, reducing clutter, improving system appearance and further improving airflow.

10N also has a variety of tool-free mechanisms for installing kit inside the chassis and a unique radiator bracket has been integrated in the upper region of the prominent side.


An overview of the internal design



An alternative to the traditional motherboard tray


Beginning at the bottom of 10N we are now going to take a close look at the various features. The PSU sits on two platforms which are raised from the floor of the chassis – these platforms also have rubber strips to assist with anti-vibration padding. As already mentioned, the underside of 10N has a detachable dust filter specifically for the PSU.


Platforms and rubber strips for mounting the PSU


Moving our way up the case, there are a total of eight PCI expansion slot covers. Each are highly polished and have ventilation to encourage better airflow inside the chassis. Lian Li have included thumbscrews to make the job of getting them on and off, much easier.


Multi-GPU support


10N includes a feature which many will find very useful, especially since there is no allocation at the top of the case – a metal 240mm radiator support bracket has been included in the upper section which can open to a 45 degree angle. This bracket is detached from its hinge easily and can accommodate dual 120mm cooling fans and radiators which are 240mm – ideal for ALC usage. Later in the review we will make use of this bracket.


Handy radiator bracket for cooling

Interior (Continued)


At the back of 10N there is a 120mm rear exhaust cooling fan, this fan has a 3-pin motherboard connector and a Molex adapter for use with the PSU. The roof of 10N is completely closed off but there is a detachable cover and mounting holes for a single 140mm cooling fan should you opt for additional cooling.


120mm rear exhaust fan at the back


Over at the front of the case there are three bays for 5.25” devices. Two of the bays have a tool-free mechanism which we have seen on previous Lian Li cases – the latch system is simply flicked in order to secure the device.

In the lower bay standard screws are required to properly attach the device.


Tool-free mechanisms for the optical drive bay


For storage drives there are two aluminium cages which can house up to six 3.5” drives and two 2.5” drives. 3.5” drives require special rubber rings and screws to attach to the cage whilst the 2.5” drives sit on the roof (screws are attached to the underside). In the next section of the review we will reveal the installation methods for installing storage.

These cages are a design which Lian Li have used on previous products and use a locking mechanism on the outer edge – the thumbscrew needs to be loosened and the locking bracket is moved into an upwards motion to allow installation.

The lower cage is riveted to the chassis whilst the upper cage can be removed to aid long graphics card installations.


Two storage cages for mixture of 2.5” and 3.5” drives


Bringing cool air into the case, behind these HDD cages are two 120mm cooling fans. These fans are positioned to be intakes and have dust filters attached to them.

Making use of the same method of installation as the storage drives, these fans have a rubber ring so that they can be detached from the case without the need of having a screwdriver.


Dual 120mm cooling fans at the front with dust filters attached

Installation


Overall we found the 10N relatively easy to deal with when installing kit inside the chassis. The only aspect that we struggled with was the cable management which takes considerably more time and effort – not least because the cable brackets are positioned to be horizontal only and not vertical.

We’re pleased to report that all our high-end kit had no clearance issues at all and it wasn’t long before we were up and running. The lightness of this case with its aluminium construction really helps with the installation process – it’s easy to lift up the case at different stages compared to rival cases which are commonly steel, and heavy.


A very clean and tidy system



Cable management is slightly different


In order to install a 3.5” drive into 10N it is necessary to attached four specialised screws and respective rubber rings. These rings help the drive to slide into the HDD cage and offer a degree of anti-vibration.

For 2.5” drive installation the process is similar, except screws are attached to the underside of the drive along with the rubber rings. 10N has allocation for two 2.5” drive spots on the roof of either HDD cage as pictured below.


Special screws and rubber rings for HDD install



2.5” drives fit onto the top of HDD cages

Clearance – CPU Cooler, GPU, Cable Management, WC


CPU Cooler

Lian Li state there is total clearance of 155mm for CPU coolers but we can confirm there is slightly more than this. Our CPU cooler pictured below is Noctua’s NH-U12P which is 158mm in height, 10N can accommodate approximately 160mm.


Good clearance for high-end CPU coolers

Graphics Cards

Inside 10N there is the option to remove the upper HDD cage to assist with better graphics card compatibility but even with the cage installed there is adequate space for high-end graphics cards. Pictured below is XFX HD7970 DD which is 10.5” in length, there is approximately 11.5” of clearance before the card touches the HDD cage.


Plenty of space for graphics cards/center]

Cable Management

The cable management inside 10N is slightly different since the motherboard tray is quite unique. As such, we have to measure the rails that stretch behind the motherboard to reveal how much clearance there is between the side panel and the back of the motherboard. As you can see there is approximately 1cm for cables to fit – it can be a tight squeeze in this particular department, but we had no problem getting the side panel on with the arrangement we made.


Tight squeeze behind the motherboard tray

Water Cooling

Due to the lack of mounting holes for dual fan configurations, without the aid of the 240mm water cooling radiator bracket the 10N would not be able to sustain such a device.

We really like this feature Lian Li have implemented as it can be removed quite easily and it offers an alternative to mounting in the roof of the chassis.

Upon first using the mounting bracket we struggled to securely attach the Corsair H100 radiator to it for a push configuration. As you can see below, the mounting holes do not line up because of the ends of the radiator overlap – it simply doesn’t fit.


Radiator on its own cannot fit bracket

Instead, we had to install the fans first and then the radiator second. With the particular arrangement we can only have a push configuration (pushing onto the system) or a pull configuration (isn’t as effective).

We would therefore recommend mounting cooling fans on either side of the radiator for a push/pull configuration if you are wanting to make use of this bracket.


Radiator fits if cooling fans are attached first

Thermal Performance Testing


Lian Li’s PC-10N features three 120mm cooling fans. Two at the front of the case, acting as intakes and one rear exhaust. This configuration is well-known for yielding good results.

To discover the thermal performance of the PC-10N we will record idle temperatures after 20 minutes from a cold boot. We will then stress the system and temperatures will again be monitored after 30 minutes have elapsed.

For the purpose of accurate analysis the idle and load temperatures for CPU and GPU will be recorded and the range between idle and load will be calculated to determine how efficient cooling is.

NOTE: Ambient temperature is 20C

System Components

CPU AMD Phenom II X6 1055T 2.8GHz
Motherboard ASUS M4A89TD PRO
Graphics NVIDIA GTX 480 (Different from card pictured)
Memory 4GB Kingston HyperX DDR3
HDD Samsung Spinpoint 500GB SATA-II
PSU FSP AURUM GOLD 650M

Noise

We found the noise levels to be quite noticeable but not disruptive within PC-10N. The front cooling fans are responsible for this due to the front panel featuring lots of ventilation for airflow encouragement.



Conclusion


Lian Li are well-known for making some of the most spectacular, feature-rich and quirky cases on the market. Choosing aluminium as their material of choice and having their very own factory has allowed them to monopolise over the competition.

Whenever we receive a Lian Li sample, we’re never let down by the quality of engineering. PC-10N has an all-aluminium construction which lends itself to being very light and robust. As is typical of most of Lian Li’s product line, the 10N oozes style and finesse. Adopting a sleek and professional appearance, we’re confident this mid-tower will look great as part of any home office.

Throughout the chassis, tool-free mechanisms are there to be used for the installation process and they make the job of getting from start to finish much easier. We especially like the inclusion of the hinged water cooling bracket which can be detached from 10N if desired. Having the option to configure a 240mm radiator away from the case and in a different location than the roof is very thoughtful and creative.

We also discovered the thermal design with the push/pull arrangement of cooling fans worked very well indeed, yielding encouraging results straight out of the box.



There are however a few things to note which are worth mentioning. We’re pleased to see the inclusion of the PSU filter but unfortunately the case has to be placed on its side in order to remove this and clean. Typically, a system sits on the desk or beside it, moving it into a place to tilt it over – with all the cables plugged in will be cumbersome. We’d have liked to see a filter detachable whilst the case is stood up. Cable management is slightly different inside 10N due to the rail system for the motherboard tray, as a result extra care and attention is needed to get cables routed. Lian Li’s choice of brackets aren’t in the best of places and it can be tricky. Lastly – the hinged water cooling bracket demands either a push/pull configuration or just simply a pull. The design of the bracket hinders a 240mm radiator being installed on its own with the cooling fans on top for a push configuration (which most system builders use). A slight redesign of this would extend compatibility!

An all-aluminium mid-tower is never going to be cheap but we think the PC-10N, considering all that is included, is a great buy for just short of £100 (120 EUR).

PC-10N is a contemporary mid-tower that exudes class. Those wishing to indulge in an all-aluminium enclosure that also has support for 240mm radiators for less than £100 should look no further!

Pros
+ Sleek, professional aesthetics
+ Premium quality – all aluminium
+ Tool-free mechanisms for installation
+ Handy hinged water cooling bracket
+ Support for high-end components
+ Good value for money
+ Decent cooling performance

Cons
– PSU filter requires case to be turned on side
– Cable management can be tricky
– Cannot use WC bracket in push config – has to be pull or push/pull



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David Mitchelson