Antec Releases "Skeleton" PC Case 124
ThinSkin writes "It is appropriate to say that Antec was 'thinking outside the box' when the idea of the 'Skeleton' PC Case sprung to mind. The Antec Skeleton is an open-air PC case with a pair of shelves for the motherboard and other components — held up by arching arms. There are no side panels. This is ideal for the computer user who is constantly fidgeting with his PC parts, or someone who wants to show off his fancy components. Just have a compressed air can nearby. There is also a slideshow of Antec Skeleton images available."
Good for a lab. (Score:5, Insightful)
But man i would fear every open can of soda, and heaven forbid you have kids or pets.
But... (Score:5, Insightful)
Noise Level? (Score:4, Insightful)
My only concern would be the noise level from all of the components. I suppose it wouldn't matter if I had "quiet" devices. Overall pretty cool looking case.
Unpractical, really (Score:5, Insightful)
Even if we assume that there are no problems with air circulation and proper cooling (it's Antec, after all), this things takes up much more desk space than a normal tower case, cannot be used like a destop type case (however awkward they are) because of its shape and cannot really be placed under the desk (it negates the whole puprpose of such a design and most computer desks have no place suitable for something like that anyway, except maybe the printer shelf). So it's half a desk for a weird novelty. Not worth the hassle, IMO. Even for someone who likes fiddling with the parts a big tower without the left side panel and placed on the right hand side of the desk would be probably a lot more practical.
Re:But... (Score:5, Insightful)
Like the article says, this is for people who probably already have their case open anyways.
Re:Unpractical, really (Score:3, Insightful)
Hang it on the wall.
Re:But... (Score:5, Insightful)
I already have dust buildup in my closed case. It has an acrylic side panel, so it does not offer RF shielding. It has a top fan, so it doesn't offer much safety from a beverage set carelessly on top. As a matter of fact, no matter how much I wanted to I couldn't set a beverage on top of this Skeleton, so I would set it elsewhere -- this case is possibly safer as a result.
Perhaps closed cases are overrated in terms of the amount of "actual" protection they provide.
Re:But... (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Noise Level? (Score:3, Insightful)
RTFP: I said components, not the CPU fan. As someone else stated HD's, power supplies, overclocked GPU's....THOSE are the real noisemakers unless you use major passive or water cooling. The BFF over the CPU is only part of the solution.
Re:This is not the STUPIDIST idea ever (Score:3, Insightful)
If it was comparable with a standard simple case $40-100 I could see getting one just for the fun of it. Unless the entire thing is a solid block of Aluminum and functions as a giant passive heat sink there's nothing there worth almost $200.
Re:But... (Score:3, Insightful)
How many times have you nearly destroyed your computer, only to be saved by the case? Not once in 20 years for me. I have gone through about 10 keyboards though.
Re:EMI (Score:4, Insightful)
My previous computer was mostly plastic (yeah, bad choice... the case broke at a LAN party but I kept using it for 4 more years) with only a plate of steel behind the motherboard. This should *increase* the EMI (read: ground plane [wikipedia.org]) but I certainly never had a problem. A CRT monitor or even your cable box produces far more EMI (and in those cases, more "tonal" EMI) than your computer.
...just checked. The FCC compatibility requirement is basically a "free air" certification.
Re:Good for a lab. (Score:3, Insightful)
After that you'll just have to find a female connector if you got the male one, or a male one if you got the female one, and the rest is basic IO.
If you've got a female connector, you have no problem finding a male dongle for it. Ever.