CyberPowerPC's MA-01 comes with analog color control knobs, woven steel mesh, and slanted airflow – modern trimmings meet retro design in new curved-glass PC case
Knobs, steel mesh, and slat vents designed to angle airflow toward hot-running components
System builder CyberPowerPC may be familiar to visitors to our Best Gaming PC guide, but it’s not particularly known for PC cases — at least until now. The company’s new MA-01, debuting at CES, is a striking “fishbowl” case with a curved glass front and component-hiding internal slats, for a clean modern aesthetic that, at least in its off-white colorway, reminds me of something straight out of Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey, or perhaps the AI Mainframe room of the original 1979 Alien.
Aside from the light-colored version, the company says, there will also be a “Matte Satin Dark Steel Gray” variant, as well as a “Satin Metallic Dark Silver” version. Back-connector motherboards are supported in this ATX / Micro-ATX mid-tower case. And CyberPowerPC says this is the first case to use a woven steel mesh as its top ventilation, with variations in porosity, shape, and depth. This is said to cut high-frequency resonance, cutting exhaust noise by up to 30%. The default top mesh will be chrome, with a premium stainless steel option costing $249, rather than the $149 starting price.
Those swooping vent covers that run along the front side, bottom, and rear exhaust are also not just there to look pretty. They are angled to “redirect all intake airflow directly onto critical components,” keeping cool air from entering and immediately exiting the system without actually cooling much of anything.
Lighting is a key focus with the MA-01 case, in more ways than one. You’ll find RGB in the fans and in a strip along the bottom, with a focus on indirect illumination, for a more subtle glow. And the three knobs on the side are for analog color control (the company also says this is a first, and I can’t think of another case like it), so you can literally dial in the exact hue, brightness, and mode that you want, with knob presses activating secondary features.
There’s certainly an argument to be made that RGB doesn’t need that level of control. But I’d probably be far more likely to tweak the lighting on a case if I could just reach out and turn a knob rather than having to deal with clunky software. And having a button right there to turn off the lights when you want to watch a movie (or sleep) is certainly a welcome feature.
Other interesting features include design choices made to minimize screw and PCI bracket mounting points for a cleaner, minimal look, and a curved glass front so there is no corner seam obstructing your view. The glass does come in two pieces, though, so there is a seam not far from the front corner.
I also personally like the look of having the front ports (two USB-A, one USB-C, audio) on the front bottom, mirroring the knobs right around the corner, with orange accents tying them together. That said, the knob and port placement mean this case is solely designed to live on your desk. As someone whose 55-inch OLED TV takes up the entirety of their desk space, I’d like to see CyberPowerPC create a future variant with the knobs and ports up top.
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CyberPowerPC says the case should go on sale “early in Q1,” starting at $149 for versions with the steel woven mesh top, or $249 for versions with stainless steel mesh vents.
We’ll be checking this case out in person at CES in Las Vegas and will update this story with photos and more details as we get them. We’ll let you know if it looks as good in person as it does in renders. We also hope to get one in for review before it goes on sale. But given its innovations, good looks, and reasonable price (at least for the chrome models), this is a case to watch out for in 2026, and if its airflow and noise hold up to testing, it may wind up on our list of the best PC cases.
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After a rough start with the Mattel Aquarius as a child, Matt built his first PC in the late 1990s and ventured into mild PC modding in the early 2000s. He’s spent the last 15 years covering emerging technology for Smithsonian, Popular Science, and Consumer Reports, while testing components and PCs for Computer Shopper, PCMag and Digital Trends.
