Gizmodo: Case Mod

PC-XB01 Aftermarket Xbox 360 Case First Impressions (Verdict: Quieter...Sort Of)

Sean Fallon — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 16:30:00 EDT

The guys over at bit-tech have got there hands on one of those aftermarket Lian-Li PC-XB01 cases for the 360 and offered up a few initial impressions. One of the major criticisms of the design was that it seemed to add a lot of bulk to the already large console. Bit-tech noted that it appeared smaller in person and could fit comfortably under one arm. They also claim that the Xbox was whisper quiet after installation, but it still made too much noise when a game was running.

Bit-tech was also a bit concerned about the scratch prone brushed aluminum finish and what they considered to be shoddy craftsmanship in spots—but they still regard their overall first impression to be a positive one. No matter how you look at it, the XB01 case is definitely a lot bigger than the 360, the look is a matter of opinion, and it is not completely silent, so it really comes down to whether or not it does a good job of cooling down the console. Bit-tech hopes to have a temperature test up soon. [bit-tech]

Bloo Balls Custom PC Case Mod is a Whole New Kind of Punk

Kit Eaton — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 05:52:32 EDT

This custom case mod made for Bit-Tech is just eye-grabbingly bizarre... from the outside alone. Built by a guy called Craig, Bloo Balls was over a year in the making, which included and a whole lot of careful design, redesign and fabrication. There's a mass of careful plexiglass-carving in there, including a hand-made, custom-crafted liquid cooling system for both P4 processor and northbridge. Plumbing and CPUs don't often mix, which is why the build included one fried motherboard. Check out the gallery: it's amazing, inside and out. So amazing, it almost warrants its own genre name... we're just wondering what to call it.

That pic is of the guts of the beast—it's all glistening plexiglass and copper plumbing. And in my mind that sets off a "steampunk-meets Buck Rogers-style retro sci-fi" feeling, complete with flashing lights and lurid plastic colors, but without Tweaky. But that name isn't catchy enough. Over to you guys...[Bit-Tech]

Famous Batmobile Tumbler Case Mod on eBay

Sean Fallon — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 19:00:00 EDT

About a year ago, the Batmobile case mod lit up the internets with a design crafted from a Wal-Mart R/C Tumbler. The mod still kicks ass, but the specs were lame a year ago and are now...one year lamer. Still, it would make for a unique web surfing device and a great way to celebrate the opening of the new movie. Plus, its pretty cheap at the moment (although there is still a week left). [eBay via Geekalerts]

Double Case Mod: Xbox 360 and HDTV Mashed Up

Matt Hickey — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 21:00:56 EDT

It's not often that a case mod involves modding two cases into one, but it's not often you get to see an Xbox 360 stuffed inside an LCD HDTV. PvP LostKnight has done just that to save space, creating what's perhaps the world's first Xbox console console. Not only does it work but it looks really nice, something I'd put in my living room without having to make excuses to my parents when they come to visit. And it's fully functional. [PSPMod]

Aftermarket Xbox 360 Case Reduces Noise, Heat and Design

Sean Fallon — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 19:20:00 EDT

If the Xbox 360 is simply too loud, hot and small for your taste, the Lian-Li PC-XB01 case mod can help. The case can silence the disc drive with sound-proofing foam and keep things cool with improved airflow, a single 120mm fan or optional water cooling system. Plus, it is four times the size of the 360—so you know it will take up that extra space you have been meaning to fill. A price point has not been made available, but we do know that you can get your hands on this hulking beast sometime this August. [Lian-Li via Xbox Scene via Hack a Day via Boing Boing Gadgets]

16-Year-Old Builds Elaborate S.T.A.L.K.E.R, Chernobyl Themed PC

Sean Fallon — Mon, 12 May 2008 19:40:00 EDT

It took around a year to put together from scratch, but a German PC modder going by the name "Froop" managed to build an elaborate PC casemod inspired by the Chernobyl theme in the game S.T.A.L.K.E.R. The result is "Unit 4," a working PC model of Chernobyl complete with a flip-top that allows you to peer into the bowels of the destroyed power plant. The construction process is outlined in its entirety in the following links, but you can check out some pics of the early stages as well as the final product in the gallery. [Thebestcasescenario and bit-tech forums via TechEBlog]

Iron Man Mark 1 PC Case Mod: What Would Tony Stark Think?

Sean Fallon — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 17:30:00 EDT

Like most nerds, I am in full Iron Man mode as the movie release date draws closer. So, I couldn't help but get excited after hearing about a PC case mod based on Tony Stark's Mark 1 Iron Man suit. Is it the best case mod I have ever seen? No, not really. In fact, I would have expected a little more from the dude who brought us the Team Fortress II sentry gun mod. Still, I appreciate the hand-crafted look and the 2x BFG 9800GX2 Quad Sli under the hood. At the very least, it is pretty damn cool for a three- week build. Check out the video after the jump.

[Ironmods Thanks Tom!]

DIY Case Mod Turns Your PC Into a Gigantic Heatsink

Sean Fallon — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 18:00:15 EST

Once PC case modder has taken his battle with heat to a whole new level using a design that is 100% passively cooled. That is to say, the entire case is one gigantic heatsink. Unfortunately, numerous problems were encountered during the project and in the end, a faulty motherboard and power supply issues made a proper test of the case problematic. So, even though the mod is flawed, there are plenty of ideas that can be gleaned from the process itself that could result in something a little more practical. Hit the link for instructions. [Metku via Hack n Mod via Gearfuse]

Giant NES Controller PC Case Mod...Bigger is Definitely Better

Sean Fallon — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 18:00:14 EST

If you liked the Giant Nintendo controller with the built-in NES, chances are you will get a tremendous amount of geeky gaming satisfaction out of this PC mod as well. The case was built as part of a school project by students in Sweden, and the result is a precise, clean-looking mod that cost only $300 to build. Why they decided to go so big is unclear, but it works—and talk about airflow! Hit the link for a complete photo gallery detailing the construction. [Project Page via TechPowerUp via Technabob]

Fan Case Mod Keeps CPU, Half the World Cool

Haroon Malik — Sun, 25 Nov 2007 09:45:00 EST

Sixty-six fans is a lot, but if you are planning to mod a standard PC case with fans allover, you shall be requiring that amount of cooling power. We very much doubt the mod retains the PC's original energy star rating, but if you have a problem keeping cool and you continually have your CPU shorting on you, why not put some extra cool on your case?

That is if you can stand the awful sight, deafening sound and dust build up, which will eventually cause your CPU to short out, anyway. Then you can go back to being sweaty and miserable—might we suggest a standard desktop fan? It just seems easier. [Boing Boing]

PC is Stark Naked, But Safe For Work

Charlie White — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 08:30:31 EST

The computer has no clothes, nor does it even have a case protecting all of those delicate electronic components. In a variation of that crazy case mod we showed you last month with a working PC exploded into a strange midair view, this one takes an approach that's even more whimsical. Each of its parts is neatly attached to the wall, and labeled so that passersby might know exactly what is what. In fact, it's downright educational. Sure, it's got Intel outside, but if you want to know what else was used to build this working PC, all you need to do is read the labels in the gallery below. [retardmedia]

Caseless Case Mod Splays Out 'Puter in Exploded Midair View

Charlie White — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 09:50:13 EDT

This might not be accurately referred to as a case mod, but WTF happened to this PC? The Sky Puter appears to be frozen in mid-explosion. Suspended from the ceiling with pieces of network cables, nobody can complain about lack of ventilation with this one. It's the first caseless case mod we've ever seen. You gotta see the gallery on this one for some close-up views. [Sky Puter, via What Jamie Found]

Hulk PC Mod is Nothing Short of Spectacular

Sean Fallon — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 19:40:19 EDT

It may have taken 14 months to complete, but I think you will agree that the gargantuan effort put forth on this Hulk PC Mod is readily apparent. This is in addition to the fact that it takes a tremendous amount of creative vision to attempt a caseless mod with a 13-inch poseable Hulk figure and a micro ATX motherboard. Plus it gets mad points for theatrics. [Fusion Mods]

Batmobile Tumble Case Mod, Bye Bye Mac

Mark Wilson — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 09:11:37 EDT

After finding himself bored by his Wal-Mart R/C Tumbler, one modder decided to do the only logical thing: make the toy into a badass case mod. While the specs are a bit on the lame side—AMD Sempron 2800+, 40 gig HD, 736 MB of DDR 400 ram and a CD/DVD drive—we're still fairly certain this computer could beat the crap out of a more Vista-capable machine without hesitation. And Christian Bale could use a Bat Computer...

[casemodgod via gearfuse]

Projekt V2 Harley Davidson Case Mod is a Real Running Engine (Kinda)

kthompson — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 20:09:00 EDT

Case mod may be a bit of an understatement here—this monstrosity is really a case fabrication project, done almost entirely from scratch. A huge fan of Harley Davidson motorcycles, a computer geek with a knack for shaping acrylic decided to build a 1:1 scale Harley Davidson V2 engine. A case this meticulously detailed would be commendable, but this engine actually runs! The pistons fire and pump the water through the system to cool everything off. Did we not mention it's water-cooled? Hit the jump for the must-see video and photo gallery.

From the initial concept drawing, it took designer maicoX nine grueling months to complete this bad boy. In the gallery, you can see some selected shots of the acrylic work he had to do in order to get everything working and it is really quite amazing. It features some ingenious little quirks, too, like a key ignition instead of a power button. There are real Harley Davidson motorcycle pieces built in, most notably the chromed out exhaust pipes. The blue-and-red LEDs are probably overkill, but it would be a crime to sequester a work of art like this in a dark room anyway.

Oh, there is a computer inside, too. It won't set any speed records, but it'll still get you where you need to go.

• Motherboard: Abit AW9D-MAX
• HDD: 2x Seagate Barracuda ES 750
• Memory: Corsair DOMINATOR 2 x 1Gig
• Video Card: 2 x XFX7900GT
• Power Supply: Be quiet! Dark Power Pro BQT P6 PRO-600W
• Processor : Intel® Core™2 Duo 2800 E

[Projekt V2 (German) via HardForum]

CeBIT '07 Mod Contest Demonstrates Some People Have Way Too Much Free Time

www.gizmodo.com — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 22:20:05 EDT

Hello, I am a PC. Really, I am. I mean, if I were a Mac, I would probably be a New York cheesecake. With a T-shirt. Or a black turtleneck. Actually, this... thing is one of the entries for the PC case-mod contest celebrated at the World Cyber Games event, in CeBIT 2007.

Weird stuff there, from the "Twins" (two computers that glow in colors thanks to cycling LEDs) to the "Blockenblick" (a retrofitted old tube TV which seems to also have a built-in DVD). There's also a Bosch refrigerator and your usual military gear. My favorite is the one made out of a Netzregler power converter, but check the galleries for the rest of the entries and pick yours in the comments. Even if only to burn it before the others. – Jesus Diaz

Case contest - CeBIT meeting place (in japanese) [PC Watch Japan]

Outrageous Motorcycle Computer Case Mod

Charlie White — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 09:12:43 EST

In what must be the most outrageous computer case mod yet, Chopper Computers of Colorado created this prototype of a chopper-style computer where the only things missing are handlebars and wheels. One-inch steel tubing is used for the frame, the same material used to build roadworthy choppers, and the seat has a hinge for easy access to the power supply. The motherboard is in the rear and is mounted on a tray that slides out for easy access.

Like the finest chopper, this PC is loaded with speed-burner components, with an AMD Athlon X2 4800+ dual core processor, two gigs of RAM and dual XFX Nvidia 7800GT graphics cards in SLI mode. But unlike real motorcycles, this baby is quiet because it's liquid-cooled. Best of all, Chopper Computers will let you design your own with only a two-week lead time from order to shipping. The company hasn't revealed price information yet, but by the looks of it, this can't be cheap.

Amazing Chopper PC Case Mod [Kotaku]