Thinking Outside the Box: Top 10 Unconventionally Brilliant PC Cases
We live in a world where the realm of PC building is in constant flux and sees a wide range of creative and varied design philosophies manifest in the chassis that hold our beloved silicon inside. Some of the more interesting PC cases buck the more standard and tedious ‘orange-anodised-aluminium-all-angles-y-y-y’ school of design, and in fact this list was born from the possible usefulness of such a diversity of examples. What’s most important, perhaps, is to recognise that the majority of these cases are sold either by enterprising manufacturers privately, or as OEM for other manufacturers. In other words, if people weren’t willing to buy them, then large numbers of perfectly good staff work and production lines would be wasted. So, with that in mind, let’s run through the top 10 insane PC cases from around the world, and let’s just give HP their own entry as well.
Diving into the Sci-Fi Fantasy: The DeepCool Tristellar
With a design that evokes too many science fiction fantasies to count, the DeepCool Tristellar appears to be the result of an extraterrestrial engineer sending back blueprints for human-scale tri-compartment stardust bathed in RGB lighting. Each of the three sides is far bigger than it needs to be, but that thermodynamics-driven, partitioned design isn’t merely an aesthetic flourish; it keeps the heat from your GPU separate from your CPU and PSU. It fits full-size components. And if even an alt-dimension case isn’t unique enough for your tastes, well, you could build within an enormous canvas of cosmic inspiration.
Elevating the Game: DeepCool Quadstellar Infinity
Picking up where the DeepCool Quadstellar left off, the Quadstellar Infinity is a complete desktop battleship. It keeps the compartmentalised aesthetic, while also supporting E-ATX motherboards and ridiculously opulent liquid cooling. This is a case for creatives and pros who want both exceptional cooling performance and a statement piece on their workstation.
The Arachnophile's Dream: Lian-Li PC T1R
The Lian-Li PC T1R is a cyberpunk nightmare, shaped roughly like a large spider ready to leap Upon a desk. It’s probably the most daring open-air test bench ever conceived, though mostly for an exotic market: Yes, your mother will stare in confusion; yes, it’s extremely difficult to stop a curious cat from walking across it; yes, a pit of foam is a necessary catch for an accidentally-kicked drink. Still, it’s a unique testing bed for anyone with the courage to show off their hardware in as unabashed a way as possible, or to build a system that can truly make a statement.
A Whisper of Luxury: Thermaltake Level 10 GT
As cool as it looks, it is about as silent as a jet engine. Its quiet operation is remarkable considering how big it is. Its size and unparalleled aesthetic quality made it perhaps the most unique luxury enclosure on the market when it first launched in 2011. The Thermaltake Level 10 GT is still the gold standard for cooling-optimised, noise-attenuated enclosures.
Demanding Attention: Cooler Master Sneaker X
The Cooler Master Sneaker X channels sneakerhead culture into a form that is unmistakably footwear and, inevitably, robotic. It’s a gambit that, for LAN parties at least, will open eyes and mouths.
Minimalist Elegance: Thermaltake Core P90
A Thermaltake Core P90 case, with its frank exposed casework and engineered open-air cabinet, is the eager’s modding antihero: stripped to the essential elements, the mechanically inclined can leave their innards to dangle bellows-like, displayed in a manner fit for a turn-of-the-century post-impressionist art show. So considered; so defiant. Its brazen open design compensates for its lack of bombshell-style aesthetics; it can only work optimally if maintained impeccably.
HP's Entry into Gaming Lore: HP OMEN X
HP OMEN X: We Are HP, Surrender Your Wallets. With This Case Ready To House Your PC Warfare, HP’s Quality Meets An Audacious Design. HP: Serious About Gaming Too!
COUGAR Conquer: A Sculptural Masterpiece
There is a case design so architecturally beautiful that it honours the legacy of CB3000: the COUGAR Conquer. An aggressively angled slab of smooth aluminium that looks like a supercar ready to pounce on your keyboard, the Conquer isn’t just a case – it’s a showpiece, a talking point, a shout at the world to say: ‘Fuck your beige, I’m a king, and this is my throne.’
The Ultimate in Desktop Real Estate: The Hydra Desk
The Hydra.Designer boldly consolidates desk and PC case into a single extravagant, minimalist statement piece. For the Tony Stark in us all, a declaration of excessive form and function.
Crafting a Space for Your Imagination
And the fact is that, for many people, the very process of building your computer isn’t just about the putting-together, of creating space inside the black box or the white box, it’s about your identity, your likes, it’s almost your dreams. These cases – from the DeepCool offerings that celebrate the stars to the ultra-libertarian roar of the HP OMEN X – are not just home for your guts, they’re canvases.
About HP
Hewlett-Packard (HP) is a name synonymous with innovation, quality and dependability. A technology giant for more than eight decades, HP has played a central role in growing the IT industry through its broad portfolio of products, from desktops to printers and beyond. Today, with access to the best talent in the industry, HP continues to expand into transformative new markets – like gaming – with products such as the HP OMEN X – that demonstrate the ability to deliver high-performance, quality hardware that meets the demands of gamers and creators alike. From expertly crafted PCs to reinventing the very concept of computer cases, HP clearly has the talent and determination to not just keep up with the advancement of technology, but to help drive it.
