Its looks are undeniable. | Teenage Engineering
You can finally get your hands on Teenage Engineering’s absolutely tiny and absolutely orange Computer-1 PC case again, months after it initially went on sale and sold out. If you were really hoping to buy the $195 build-it-yourself mini-ITX case, you can head over to the company’s website and add it to your cart — though before you do, it’s probably worth refreshing yourself on the Computer-1’s… particularities.
When Teenage Engineering announced this case, we had some concerns. It has barely any room for a modern graphics card (even this tiny RTX 3060 is bigger than Teenage Engineering recommends), the airflow situation seemed a little suspicious, and the “think twice, bend once” warning in assembly guide made the building process seem high-stakes.
Image: Teenage Engineering
Some assembly required.
People who have since built systems in the case say the bending and the airflow aren’t huge problems, but they also discovered that the holes don’t come pre-tapped. That means that screwing into them might be a time-consuming forearm workout — not exactly the experience you’d expect with such an expensive piece of kit. (Quality Mini-ITX cases range from under $100 to around $200 — but those usually come pre-assembled).
Image: Teenage Engineering
On one hand: practicality. On the other: you get to turn your computer on by flipping a switch. (I’m not judging, a “cool” power button is what sold me on my first PC case.)
With all that said, the Computer-1 is undeniably a fashion statement, something that can’t be said about the rather plain boxes most PCs call home (there are, of course, exceptions). And while there may be better ways to spend $200 on an orange flatpack PC frame — the Playdate that TE designed with Panic seems pretty fun and plenty stylish too — you don’t have many other options if you absolutely need a computer case that looks inspired by the Half-Life HEV suit. Just be ready to spend a lot for something you have to bend and build yourself; beauty doesn’t come cheap.