Computex has made me finally care about PC cases and it’s not just because of rig envy

Screens, cases, collaborations. These were the three most prominent things I took note of at this year’s Computex. Okay, really, it’s screens first, then the other two, but still, I spent the last week looking at multiple excellent gaming rigs every single day, and it all made me realize my case is kind of boring.

First, let’s start with why exactly I’ve never really spent much time exploring the wonderful land of PC cases. Frankly, the idea of caring about the look of yet another part of my gaming setup feels like quite a lot of work.

I like a cute keyboard (looking at you, Ducky One 3 Matcha), but cases involve more work. You have to figure out if the parts you get actually fit, and swapping a case takes more effort than just grabbing a new peripheral.

My PC tends to get tucked away under my desk so that I don’t need to find room higher up to store it, and putting in all this effort for a thing I can’t see feels a bit unnecessary.

I still get the glare of the RGB lighting on the front fans and find some joy in it, but my eyes are usually on the screen (and maybe the keyboard if it has particularly great lighting). However, I’ve come to the realisation that a good gaming PC is sort of like a gorgeous guitar. Maybe I’m a little more ready to boot the ‘ol thing up if it looks nice as it whirs up.

Half the reason I practice guitar is just to get the chance to hold it in my hands, and though I don’t plan on picking my rig up, swapping out that case for something a bit prettier might actually encourage me to do the cable management I’ve been holding off for some time.

Taking pride in hardware is a surefire way to ensure I don’t let it get dusty, and my current rig has picked up a layer at the back that I really should have cleaned last week.

Seeing all these builders and manufacturers showing off all their tech at Computex makes me realize what my rig could look like, as obvious as that may sound. It is, of course, a PC case seller’s job to, well, sell cases, and I’d like to think I’m a little less prone to marketing than I actually am.

Though the looks of these rigs may have melted my heart, it’s the potential utility of PC cases that made it grow three sizes.

There are two main cases from Computex that really changed my mind. The first is a Corsair Frame case with a built-in DAC/amp at the bottom.

This not only means the PC has a dedicated external sound card, but it also means I can plug in an instrument and record some music without having to dig out my audio interface, with all the wires and troubleshooting that comes with it.

A built-in DAC also saves space, as it means I don’t need some sort of table to pop my Focusrite 2i2 on. I think part of the reason I liked PCs in the first place is the Tetris-like game of stacking all those bits in, and the thought of slapping a DAC onto my case intrigues me for the same reason. Just think of the efficiency.

The second case that really got my attention is Noctua’s Antec collaboration chassis. Not only does it look lovely, with sleek black metal, walnut wood inlays, and dark brown grating, but it comes with a whole host of Noctua Fans that are said to “substantially reduce noise”.

Now, combining impressive looks with a genuine use case (get it?) and you have me. At least this way, I can tell myself I’ve picked up the more expensive case because it actually serves some sort of purpose.

Okay, I definitely don’t need a Monster Hunter Wilds custom PC where the sword is an RTX 5070 Ti or a PC case that kind of looks like a coffee cup. However, it has got me thinking that maybe there’s a nicer way to display all that hardware I cram into my daily driver. Maybe tucking it away under a desk for its RGB fans to shine into nothing is a little bit of a waste, and maybe I should actually take some pride in my rig.

Or maybe I’m just a bit of a cheapskate when it comes to cases and really just need to get my head around the cost. Either way, Computex has turned my head, and I’ll be keeping an eye out for a good deal now.