Why would a company known for making tiny synths make a PC case? We don’t know. If you’re bored with the same black tower boxes you can get from the local PC supplies store, though, the Teenage Engineering Computer-1 should make an interesting chassis for your next desktop build.
No, it’s not a particularly wild PC case like some of Lian-Li’s crazy creations. It doesn’t break any ground or put up any unique milestone, either. Instead, it’s just a funky-looking box with a little more pizazz than your average drab PC case, making it perfect for folks who want to liven up their desktop setups without adding a crapton of multicolor LEDs.
The Teenage Engineering Computer-1 isn’t that much different from conventional desktop cases, with its powder-coated aluminum build, boxy profile, and tower form factor. Except… you know… it’s clad in orange, with an industrial design touch that makes it look a whole lot more fun compared to a traditional PC chassis. It’s an ITX case, by the way, so it’s a mini-tower, with enough room inside to fit most motherboards, two GPUs up to 180mm, and an SFX power supply unit. Dimensions are 6.7 x 7.5 x 12.7 inches (width x depth x height), so it’s compact enough to keep on most desks without taking up a whole lot of room.
Similar to their miniature synths, the chassis ships flat-packed, so you can build the PC case the same way you build all that flat-packed furniture you purchase online. You will have to bend some sections, particularly, the parts you have to screw together when assembling the case. Given that it’s 1mm-thick sheet aluminum, you will need a bit of hand and wrist strength, although they did perforate along the folds to make the process just a little easier.
The Teenage Engineering Computer-1 has a small patch of mesh perforations along the front, right next to some built-in I/O holes, along with a bigger patch of mesh perforations in the back with cutout sections for the power supply and ports. On one side, you get a big round vent for the CPU fan, although they added no mesh perforations, so we’re not sure about the case’s overall thermal performance. Since the outfit claims they’ve been using this same case for the PCs they use at the office, we imagine, it should work just fine.
At the top, they also added a pair of chrome handles, which should make it just a little easier to carry the desktop by hand, whether you’re rearranging your desk setup, moving to a different room, or loading it on your car for a LAN party. Nah, we haven’t been to a LAN party in ages, either, but we imagine some kids probably still do that today. All the parts, by the way, are included in the flat-packed package, complete with illustrated instructions showing how each part connects and exactly which sections to bend.
The Teenage Engineering Computer-1 is now available on the outfit’s website. While currently sold out, they are restocking. Price is $195.