InWin's new cases include flat-packs and modular frames
Take your case apart, put it back together the way you need it.
InWin, perhaps the standard bearer for interesting and unique cases, came to CES with a few new housings for PC builds that definitely fit its reputation. Among its offerings in Las Vegas are a new adjustable flatpack case and a modular PC that can change to prioritize storage, cooling, a PSU, or a GPU.
That flatpack case is part of the POC line, which launched in April. The new entry, the POC One, has the panels pre-linked, which should make the construction of the case easier (and perhaps more solid). Handles can be placed at the top of the case to pick it up and move it or on the sides to be used as feet, should you want to have your build sitting horizontally.
Initially, these mini-ITX cases are set to come in two color combinations: black with orange accents and a combination of blue and silver. They're made of aluminum, other metals, and acrylic.
The POC One has three PCI-E expansion slots and can support a 3.5-slot GPU with its included riser cable. It can support GPUs as long as 335 mm, as thick as 62 mm, and CPU heatsinks as high as 140mm. You can fit a PSU up to 160 mm in length. The whole case is 11.9 x 8.3 x 16.2 inches (L x W x H).
InWin didn't provide pricing. We also saw an optional acrylic front panel in the booth, providing a mysterious, fogged look into the case.
The Mod Free Mini Mod-II and Mod-III take a different tact, with modular frames built around a center console. These allow various setups to attach a GPU, radiators, a bigger PSU, or more room for storage.
The center attachment is 126 mm across. The Mod-II is 270 mm x 425 mm, while the Mod-III is 270 mm x 525 mm. An assembly app is available on the web for iPhone and Android. The additional frames are made from a mix of aluminum and walnut wood.
Lastly, InWin has its F5 and D5 PC chassis. The F5 features swappable front-panel bezels and is designed for motherboards with rear connectivity, like MSI Project Zero and Asus BTF boards. The D5, meanwhile, is set to launch later, and it also features a GPU bracket so that you can mount the GPU either vertically or horizontally.
We have no pricing or release information, though we expect the F5 to release in January. Hopefully we'll have the rest in short order.
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Andrew E. Freedman is a senior editor at Tom's Hardware focusing on laptops, desktops and gaming. He also keeps up with the latest news. A lover of all things gaming and tech, his previous work has shown up in Tom's Guide, Laptop Mag, Kotaku, PCMag and Complex, among others. Follow him on Threads @FreedmanAE and Mastodon @FreedmanAE.mastodon.social.
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thestryker
It looks like a ModFree design with more modules on the sides (maybe even a new type of module as I don't see seams): https://www.in-win.com/en/ibuild-ishare/modfreejojesa said:What's the name of the PC case with cube shape at the beginning of the article?
This is a really interesting concept which I've been hoping to see them expand and what they have there looks great.
edit: TechPowerUp had some more shots of it and it does seem to be a ModFree with a main module, front module and 4 side modules https://www.techpowerup.com/317684/inwin-shows-modular-ai-workstation-and-new-f5-d5-case-series -
bolweval
Caselabs did a similar design modular, interchangeable pieces, add bases, bigger tops, don’t know if the new owners will ever get their act together and start selling parts again. i’m still using my Mercury S8, but I need some parts….thestryker said:It looks like a ModFree design with more modules on the sides (maybe even a new type of module as I don't see seams): https://www.in-win.com/en/ibuild-ishare/modfree
This is a really interesting concept which I've been hoping to see them expand and what they have there looks great. -
brandonjclark "InWin, perhaps the standard bearer for interesting and unique cases..."Reply
Man, you could NOT say those things back in the day. IN 2005 (roughly) I was manufacturing PC's for a local PC company. I remember, at the time InWin were considered the most boring and cheaply-made cases.
At least by our team's standards.
I guess times have changed. -
thestryker
Yeah it was around 2015 when they started branching out, but I'll bet the OEM style cases probably make up most of their revenue still.brandonjclark said:I guess times have changed.
If you're interested in the unique cases the article was referring to it'd be these: https://www.in-win.com/en/gaming-chassis/list/20 -
TechLurker That modular case up top is a good application of their modular case concept discussed sometime last year.Reply