Beyond showcasing the latest in nifty desktop-PC cases you can buy for your next DIY build, Taiwan's annual Computex trade show is awash in ostentatious concept PCs and mods from professional designers. Often commissioned by component makers such as Asrock, Gigabyte, and In Win, many mods take off-the-shelf case designs and alter their colors and materials, sometimes beyond recognition. Others are wholly scratch-built. The result? Fighter planes, modern art, aquariums, and everything in between. Here are the best we saw.
This article originally appeared on PCMag.com.
Gigabyte Fish Tank
Immersion-cooled desktops are head-turning in their own right. They typically use mineral oil or a synthetic non-conductive liquid to surround the components and cool them. Here, Gigabyte took the design a step further, adding water with live fish on top of the coolant layer, and artfully arranging the graphics card to serve as a kind of artificial reef. Note: Nothing's separating the water and coolant, just the fact that the liquids don't mix.
Thermaltake Fighter Plane
This futuristic fighter-plane mod at the Thermaltake booth was among the biggest mods at the show this year. It includes cooling fans in the wings, and RGB lighting throughout to add color. It's no stealth craft, but it intimidates via sheer size.
Thermaltake Punisher-Theme Armed Robot
Thermaltake's regular modding competitions also gave rise to this R2-D2-like robot with Punisher branding that appears to be armed with a giant gun.
InWin Z-Tower
The In Win Z-Tower is a work of modern art that, oh, also happens to function as a PC. Besides looking beautiful, it's practical for cooling, since all of the components have access to unrestricted airflow.
Alas, it's very heavy. I could barely lift one of the spare fan blades positioned next to it, and I felt the strain in my arm for some time after.
Alas, it's very heavy. I could barely lift one of the spare fan blades positioned next to it, and I felt the strain in my arm for some time after.
Zotac Immersion Cooling Prototype
Compared with the Gigabyte fish tank, Zotac's immersion cooling case is a bit more "practical," as these things go. The company says it is considering putting it into production if it gets a lot of positive response from Computex attendees.
G.Skill Immersion Cooling
Yet another immersion cooling system, this time the product of a G.Skill modding competition. This one uses a synthetic liquid with a low boiling temperature, so that the liquid starts to boil as the components heat up. Fire up your favorite shooter on maximum quality settings for a few minutes, throw in some pasta, and you've got dinner.
G.Skill Ford Mustang Radio
A radio from a 1960s muscle car serves as the inspiration (and faceplate) for this case, also spotted at the G.Skill booth. Visitors weren't allowed to touch the dials, but company representatives assured me that the radio actually works.
Biostar Ironman Miner
One of many themed mods designed to house the banks of video cards needed for cryptocurrency mining, this example from Biostar has colors inspired by Marvel's Iron Man.
Biostar Convertible Miner
More mining madness! The point of cryptocurrency mining is to get rich, right? So what better way to animate that dream than by mounting your mining computer into the body of a sleek convertible?
Asrock Taichi Ultimate
Asrock's distinctive line of high-end Taichi motherboards features circular gears as the decorative motif, so a modder decided to make an entire case that syncs up with the gear theme.
Asrock Pink Z370
Meanwhile, another Asrock mod takes a much softer approach, adding pink bunnies to the interior of the case. There's even one perched on the top, reminding you that modded cases can be cute, too—not just killer bots and military gear.