The Swedish design firm Teenage Engineering has entered the world of PC cases. Its first entry, the computer-1, sold out almost immediately upon announcement.
Teenage Engineering, known for the Playdate and various synthesizers and pocket operators, did not go entry-level. The computer-1 case is a $195 mini-ITX chassis. It comes disassembled in a flat pack, so you'll have to build it yourself. It comes with instructions (see the PDF here) reminding you to "think twice, bend once!" as you bend the tabs and screw the sides together. You'll have to screw some of the sides to the components, adding even more building to putting together your own PC.
The case is made from powder-coated, 1mm aluminum, and yeah, it's orange. Of course, that's bound to make others take a second look at your desk, and that's without any RGB.
Teenage Engineering's design is a bit unorthodox. Perhaps the biggest question is the fact that the GPU goes at the top of the case with the fan facing the top (since this is a mini ITX case, only so many GPUs will fit at all). We have to imagine Teenage Engineering tested the thermals here, but we'll see as it ships to customers. This case can accommodate a dual-slot GPU up to 180 mm in length.
Additionally, the computer-1 can fit an SFX power supply (not a full-sized ATX) and a CPU cooler up to 120 mm from the motherboard. It's 322 x 190 x 170 mm (including the handles), while the internal measurements are 275.5 x 189 x 164 mm.
In some ways, the design mirrors Apple's Mac Pro, which also has aluminum handles sticking out of the top for portability. But, despite that, it's certainly unique, and with the orange color and the bold design, it will certainly make a conversation piece in your home office.
On its product page, the company claims that it designed this case because it couldn't find one up to its standards for its own builds. It is already stating it will further iterate on the design and is unusually humble about it, writing that "it's not a ground-breaking pc case, but we like it[.]"
For those looking to buy one, you'll have to wait for a restock. You can go here and click "notify me" to sign up for notifications.
