Question Does anyone here miss cool looking colorful computer cases?

[ultimatebob]

Once upon a time, all PC cases were all boring beige and white boxes. Then Apple released the iMac in 1998, and for a brief moment we have a bunch of manufacturers who were making colorful computer cases to compete. One of my favorites was the Sony VAIO, which was a cool combination of gray with purple accents:



This era only seemed to last for a few years, before Apple switched over to making white and silver colored computers from 2002 onward. Most of the PC manufacturers followed suit, and PC cases have all been various boring shades of Gray, Silver, or Black ever since. Sure, you can get them with a window or cheesy LED lighting, but the cases themselves all seem to look pretty similar.

Does anyone else miss the era of colorful PC cases? Anyone else have a favorite that they would like to mention?

 

[UsandThem]

Does anyone else miss the era of colorful PC cases?

Not even for one second.

Looking back at most case designs back in that period, I think they are ugly compared to newer models (kind of like occasionally seeing old 1990s cars on the road).

 

[VirtualLarry]

Looking back at most case designs back in that period, I think they are ugly compared to newer models (kind of like occasionally seeing old 1990s cars on the road).

I dunno, I still respect those dudes that are rocking a classic 80s Trans-Am/Firebird. Bonus points, I guess, if they're still sporting a mullet. LOL.

 

[UsandThem]

I dunno, I still respect those dudes that are rocking a classic 80s Trans-Am/Firebird. Bonus points, I guess, if they're still sporting a mullet. LOL.

A classic car like that I can understand.

However, I envisioned cars more along the lines of say a 1990 Toyota Corolla.

 

[sdifox]

Does this count?

 

[ultimatebob]

Yeah... now THAT is a cool case. It reminds me of the Falcon Northwest Exotix cases that they used to do, where you could get automotive quality paint on your case in any color you wanted.

You want to match that unique shade of orange on your McLaren? They could do that

 

[sdifox]

it's this

https://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1455850

I still have the box lol

it is glossy painted steel.

 

[aigomorla]

I had one of these but i lost all my pictures of it when i forgot to backup the memory stick on my digital camera.... it was an age when digital cameras were still considered better then phones.

ironically i ended up selling the case for more then i bought it from a private seller. (one of my biggest regret)
The purple anodized version was supposedly near impossible to get state side, and i was one of the lucky few in a group buy from the vendor direct to get one.

Not even for one second.

If i could get into another group buy on a WinDy case i would do it in a heart beat... but they were EXPENSIVE cases.... i paid well into 600 dollar range with shipping for that one. But back then Luxury cases all were around 500 dollars, and they were all made of Alu, and not Steel.

 

[ultimatebob]

Say what you want about Apple, they did make some cool looking computer cases in the 90's and early 2000's. This is the backside of my old 2000 era iMac G3:

 

[Soulmetzger]

I use to love large loud color cases where as soon you walk into the office it attracts your attention immediately. In the past 10 years my taste has swayed more towards smaller dark and sleek cases. I really like cases with tempered glass on all sides.

 

[Kenmitch]

Not really.

I still have this invisible one!














Just can't find it! I seemed to have misplaced it somewhere?

 

[KentState]

I'm sure this will get me perma-banned from the forum, but I prefer the current trend of either a black, white or gray chassis and then the option to use lighting, fluids and trim pieces to add color. I like going from a Halloween glowing pumpkin style to red and green for Christmas with just a little tweaking of the RGB.

 

[UsandThem]

I'm sure this will get me perma-banned from the forum, but I prefer the current trend of either a black, white or gray chassis and then the option to use lighting, fluids and trim pieces to add color. I like going from a Halloween glowing pumpkin style to red and green for Christmas with just a little tweaking of the RGB.

You know deep down inside you really want a case like this.

 

[chrisjames61]

I had one of these but i lost all my pictures of it when i forgot to backup the memory stick on my digital camera.... it was an age when digital cameras were still considered better then phones.

ironically i ended up selling the case for more then i bought it from a private seller. (one of my biggest regret)
The purple anodized version was supposedly near impossible to get state side, and i was one of the lucky few in a group buy from the vendor direct to get one.



If i could get into another group buy on a WinDy case i would do it in a heart beat... but they were EXPENSIVE cases.... i paid well into 600 dollar range with shipping for that one. But back then Luxury cases all were around 500 dollars, and they were all made of Alu, and not Steel.

If I had that case I would still be using it today. Even expensive cases today are cheaply made and flimsy pieces of garbage compared to a Lian Li PC60. Tempered glass, thin steel and RGB don't make for a good case.

 

[chrisjames61]

I use to love large loud color cases where as soon you walk into the office it attracts your attention immediately. In the past 10 years my taste has swayed more towards smaller dark and sleek cases. I really like cases with tempered glass on all sides.

Tempered glass on all sides you might as well have your components in an oven with the thanksgiving turkey.

 

[Soulmetzger]

Tempered glass on all sides you might as well have your components in an oven with the thanksgiving turkey.

Don't you worry. There is plenty of ventilation.

 

[chrisjames61]

Don't you worry. There is plenty of ventilation.

Not in any I have seen reviewed.

 

[dlerious]

If i could get into another group buy on a WinDy case i would do it in a heart beat... but they were EXPENSIVE cases.... i paid well into 600 dollar range with shipping for that one. But back then Luxury cases all were around 500 dollars, and they were all made of Alu, and not Steel.

That was me with Caselabs. Still have a Mercury S8 and pedestal in their flat pack boxes.

 

[Stuka87]

I think these days people (myself included) just use different lighting to change up the case. And there is nothing stopping people from custom painting a case. Still plenty of people that do that.

But for the record, nobody ever said a VIAO looks cool

 

[ultimatebob]

I think these days people (myself included) just use different lighting to change up the case. And there is nothing stopping people from custom painting a case. Still plenty of people that do that.

But for the record, nobody ever said a VIAO looks cool

Yeah, I guess that it's possible to tastefully light up a case with RGB. That said, THIS is what my new gaming rig looked like out of the box:



Damn, that looks tacky!

 

[mindless1]

Don't miss them at all, I just want my cases to disappear under a desk, and no need to create a glow like some alien life form is spawning inside. Never got into case lighting except a few built for younger kids.

However, I am using very old cases. My newest was bought in 2007 and only then because it was nearly free after rebate. Almost everything else, recycled even if it meant I had to cut another or larger fan holes. I just don't care how fancy a case is inside if it does the job and has large enough fans for low RPM and noise, and filtered intake but just about any *normal* case design can have a filter thrown in behind the front bezel.

Nothing beige though, all shades of silver, gray, and/or black. I have painted a few from beige to black years ago, used appliance paint. That stuff is noxious but about as durable as it gets till you move to a 2 part epoxy paint.

 

[Stuka87]

Yeah, I guess that it's possible to tastefully light up a case with RGB. That said, THIS is what my new gaming rig looked like out of the box:


Damn, that looks tacky!

Yeah, I am not a fan of the rainbow look at all.

I typically run with my favorite color blue (kind of a deep sky blue color) with the brightness turned way down so the lights are just barely on. But sometimes I mix it up. Currently I have a really deep red (also at low brightness).

The downside is I have to use three different pieces of software to color the LED's across my fans/AIO, motherboard/display, and video card.

 

[ultimatebob]

Yeah, I am not a fan of the rainbow look at all.

I typically run with my favorite color blue (kind of a deep sky blue color) with the brightness turned way down so the lights are just barely on. But sometimes I mix it up. Currently I have a really deep red (also at low brightness).

The downside is I have to use three different pieces of software to color the LED's across my fans/AIO, motherboard/display, and video card.

I have an MSI motherboard and video card, so the Dragon software will control the lighting on those. The AData memory needs it's own control software, as does the lights on the Logitech mouse.

I went with a dim blue and purple color for everything. It looks nice sitting next to that iMac

 

[nakedfrog]

it's this

https://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1455850

I still have the box lol

it is glossy painted steel.

I've still got an extremely similar one, except in metallic blue, I may rebuild it as a retro box.

I had one of these but i lost all my pictures of it when i forgot to backup the memory stick on my digital camera.... it was an age when digital cameras were still considered better then phones.

ironically i ended up selling the case for more then i bought it from a private seller. (one of my biggest regret)
The purple anodized version was supposedly near impossible to get state side, and i was one of the lucky few in a group buy from the vendor direct to get one.



If i could get into another group buy on a WinDy case i would do it in a heart beat... but they were EXPENSIVE cases.... i paid well into 600 dollar range with shipping for that one. But back then Luxury cases all were around 500 dollars, and they were all made of Alu, and not Steel.

I do like that.

You know deep down inside you really want a case like this.

What case is that?

 

[UsandThem]

What case is that?

I can't remember.

I saw it on Newegg when I posted the image. I just tried to find it again, and I couldn't find it.

Not sure if it's something that's discontinued or not, or if I'm just not able to find it.