# *Pop* goes the side panel (i.e. shattered tempered glass side panels)



## 80251 (Sep 6, 2022)

https://new.reddit.com/r/pcmasterrace/collection/c537d31b-a24a-411f-83a8-3119bc50022b/

Give me old reliable sheet metal side panels any day over this.


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## nguyen (Sep 6, 2022)

yeah....


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## BSim500 (Sep 6, 2022)

80251 said:


> https://new.reddit.com/r/pcmasterrace/collection/c537d31b-a24a-411f-83a8-3119bc50022b/
> 
> Give me old reliable sheet metal side panels any day over this.


I never did understand this obsession with turning PC cases into fragile miniature greenhouses. Not only would I pick a 'minimalist' window-less, RGB-less, solid side panel every time, one of the coolest running cases I've owned by far was the 9 year old Rosewill Line-M. Despite being "old-fashioned" design (top-mounted PSU), it had 2x 140mm side air intakes blowing the coldest air directly onto the hottest components in addition to another one at the front. One dremel mod later (adding a 120mm air intake above the PSU then flipping that PSU to face up + a few passive top vent holes in the mid-top section (case was positive pressure), and CPU + GPU + PSU + VRM + M2 drive + bottom-front SATA SSD's all had cold air directly blown onto them from outside. Passive & semi-passive PSU's could also vent heat directly up & out of the case with the fan off, whilst VRM & M2 temps were regularly 20-30c lower sitting directly under a 140mm intake vs facing a wall of glass. If you were uninterested in water-cooling and wanted just a straight simple air-cooler, it was a fun build (and at £34 it was 1/2 to 1/3rd of the price of today's delicate art pieces yet still managed to come with 4x front USB ports whilst £100 'modern' cases like the Fractal Pop Air have turned having a 3rd front USB port / reset button / HDD LED into "Case DLC")...


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## dgianstefani (Sep 6, 2022)

The problem is that many case manufacturers don't bother with appropriate mounting, metal hinges on glass with zero buffer. 

There are certainly manufacturers that take a better approach, but I suspect having tempered glass on as cheap a case as possible is the main culprit, cost cutting measures are taken.


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## Kissamies (Sep 6, 2022)

Damn I hate reddit's UI, I simply don't know how to use it; I prefer traditional forums and imageboards.

I was worried of that when the glass side panels were getting more common and I stayed with acrylic ones, but damn these scratch easily. I have an acrylic one on my main system and a glass one on my HTPC, guess which one has seen more life?


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## dgianstefani (Sep 6, 2022)

Yeah acrylic has it's own problems. Well implemented tempered glass in a case with good airflow is certainly better.


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## AM4isGOD (Sep 6, 2022)

Could it be a problem with the quality of the glass?


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## Kissamies (Sep 6, 2022)

AM4isGOD said:


> Could it be a problem with the quality of the glass?


Not impossible. Also thermal expansion with no tolerances for it comes to my mind.


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## Vayra86 (Sep 6, 2022)

Take note, all of these cases, including the one posted here above, are on the floor.

Pro tip. Don't place your case on the floor, next to your feet... Darwin agrees... common sense has arrived. It wasn't a good idea to place a case on floor level even prior to glass panels, because its the worst place for dust.

'Pop' goes the side panel... yeah... or some fools trying to find excuses for their own stupidity? Build quality... I guess. But there is always a user in the mix here, glass panels don't just say pop because you look at them funny.


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## Kissamies (Sep 6, 2022)

Vayra86 said:


> Take note, all of these cases, including the one posted here above, are on the floor.
> 
> Pro tip. Don't place your case on the floor, next to your feet... Darwin agrees... common sense has arrived. It wasn't a good idea to place a case on floor level even prior to glass panels, because its the worst place for dust.
> 
> 'Pop' goes the side panel... yeah... or some fools trying to find excuses for their own stupidity ?


Depends on where you put it. My HTPC is on the floor, next to the TV shelf so it's practically impossible for me to damage it by accident. Though I got your point.

Also a computer gathers hella more dust when it's on the floor..


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## AM4isGOD (Sep 6, 2022)

agree about being on the floor, computers hoover dust into them if on the floor. Mine has glass panels, o11D, and no way i would have it on the floor.


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## Vario (Sep 6, 2022)

The tragedy of the tempered glass desks.  One probably shouldn't put heavy objects on a pane of glass.


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## Vayra86 (Sep 6, 2022)

Vario said:


> The tragedy of the tempered glass desks



I certainly hope this is not your battle station, if so I'll change my smiley  Otherwise... well played. How many kg's are (ahem, were...) on that desk even? Arm, peripherals, heavy PC, two big monitors...


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## Vario (Sep 6, 2022)

Vayra86 said:


> I certainly hope this is not your battle station, if so I'll change my smiley  Otherwise... well played.


No its from the reddit.  If my O11 Air Mini ever breaks its panel, I might make a new one out of thin plywood.  I don't really like the glass, but the nicer cases have them now.   I think the all mesh trend is about to take over though.


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## Vayra86 (Sep 6, 2022)

Browsing that reddit gallery... that's an awful lot of NZXT stuff there


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## bug (Sep 6, 2022)

Same thing happened to smartphones. First, all reviewers were giving accolades for metal cases. Then, one manufacturer (which shall remain unnamed, because we don't want to point fingers at Apple ) started adding glass backs and all of a sudden reviewers felt glass is a must have because "moar premium". Thus today most phones are slippery slabs that cannot be used without a case. Which both negates any design choices and doubles the volume of the phone.


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## dgianstefani (Sep 6, 2022)

Vario said:


> The tragedy of the tempered glass desks.  One probably shouldn't put heavy objects on a pane of glass.


Tempered glass is a very strong material, and can be used in many load bearing applications if engineered correctly - take glass floored bridges, pools or balconies for example.

The issue is how the glass is connected to the rigid, typically metal chassis of the item or structure.

Take phones for example, tempered glass backs are extremely common, due to having good strength but not blocking wireless charging coils, and in plastic framed phones with an adhesive layer between the chassis and the glass, dropping the phone, unless directly onto a focused point of the glass, is unlikely to cause cracks or shattering due to the impact not being instantly conducted into the glass, but absorbed by the plastic frame. However, for aesthetic and structural reasons, it's trendy to have a slim metal frame, and the glass seamlessly inset with very low margins into that frame - this causes issues with conduction of shock. There is no buffer between the hard, but omnidirectionally strong metal, to the hard, but brittle and unidirectionally strong glass - any shock (for instance the phone being dropped onto a metal corner) is conducted into the glass almost directly, causing shattering or cracks due to stress.

The solution is to use plastic (i mean in the physics sense of the word), buffer zones between the frame and the glass, allowing deformation, and to avoid concentrated impact forces on small areas of the glass, particularly edges and angles perpendicular to the panel (Z/Y axis). In this instance, with engineering design that takes into account the conditions which tempered glass is very strong, you end with a resilient and durable product that can bear load and perform well, while being aesthetically pleasing.

TL DR - glass is misused/applied without consideration for it's strengths/weaknesses in designs, where marketing and form over function "engineers" sacrifice intelligent design for aesthetic reasons.

As a side note, this is also why screen protectors work, and why "bumper" style cases (rhinoshield) also work, despite not covering the glass in question.


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## Frick (Sep 6, 2022)

Vayra86 said:


> Take note, all of these cases, including the one posted here above, are on the floor.
> 
> Pro tip. Don't place your case on the floor, next to your feet... Darwin agrees... common sense has arrived. It wasn't a good idea to place a case on floor level even prior to glass panels, because its the worst place for dust.
> 
> 'Pop' goes the side panel... yeah... or some fools trying to find excuses for their own stupidity? Build quality... I guess. But there is always a user in the mix here, glass panels don't just say pop because you look at them funny.



If one uses the desk for many things having the computer tucked away is almost essential. Plus most cases are so very boring looking and having them out and visible doesn't fly with me any more.


BSim500 said:


> I never did understand this obsession with turning PC cases into fragile miniature greenhouses.



Agreed.


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## bug (Sep 6, 2022)

dgianstefani said:


> Tempered glass is a very strong material, and can be used in many load bearing applications if engineered correctly - take glass floored bridges, pools or balconies for example.
> 
> The issue is how the glass is connected to the rigid, typically metal chassis of the item or structure.
> 
> ...


Or, you know, just don't use the material if it's so tricky to use correctly. I mean it's not like we're short on alternatives...


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## dgianstefani (Sep 6, 2022)

bug said:


> Or, you know, just don't use the material if it's so tricky to use correctly. I mean it's not like we're short on alternatives...


It's not tricky, you just have to be a competent designer. Should we avoid using steel because it rusts? Should we avoid using copper because it oxidises on exposure to air? No, we just take appropriate measures such as alloying and protective covers. There's plenty of established precedent to using tempered glass appropriately. Glass is made from silica or sand, one of the most abundant and easy to process materials on the planet, all it needs is energy to manufacture, which can be generated with nuclear or other clean sources. Lot less polluting than steel or copper extraction.


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## droopyRO (Sep 6, 2022)

Vayra86 said:


> Pro tip. Don't place your case on the floor, next to your feet... Darwin agrees... common sense has arrived. It wasn't a good idea to place a case on floor level even prior to glass panels, because its the worst place for dust.


There is a downside to placing your unit on your desk. It can be tiped over or it might fall if you live in an active seismic zone. I have yet to figure out a mount that will secure it on my desk while making it easy to remove when i need to clean or tinker with it.


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## bug (Sep 6, 2022)

dgianstefani said:


> It's not tricky, you just have to be a competent designer.


That may work for premium products, but it will fail big time when, as shown, less-than-premium manufacturers want to look like they're offering premium products.


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## Sithaer (Sep 6, 2022)

This reminds me of this vid:









When I bought my first tempered glass side panel case _'In Win 101C'_  I was also worried but so far it survived 4 years already with maybe a scratch or two on it.
Yes I do keep my PC on my desk and I take care of it and even then whenever I have to take off the side panel I'm extra cautious and I think that should be normal while handling anything glass.

On the other hand my previous acrylic side panel case looked like ass after a few years cause of all the scratches and all the random damage it collected.
Personally I like tempered glass cases and I wouldn't go back to anything else. _'If I break it then thats on me'_


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## bug (Sep 6, 2022)

droopyRO said:


> There is a downside to placing your unit on your desk. It can be tiped over or it might fall if you live in an active seismic zone. I have yet to figure out a mount that will secure it on my desk while making it easy to remove when i need to clean or tinker with it.


Yeah, I still miss the days when desktops were engineered to sit on the desk's top (i.e. horizontally, under your monitor).
These days, you have to use a proper desk. One that has a PC compartment so the case doesn't sit on the floor. But these are rather hard to find, most of them are designed poorly and restrict access to the cables at the back.


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## dgianstefani (Sep 6, 2022)

bug said:


> That may work for premium products, but it will fail big time when, as shown, less-than-premium manufacturers want to look like they're offering premium products.


Where do you think "premium" products get their tempered glass from? You think they manufacture it themselves? No.

The issue is production and design related, the autocad "designer" could alleviate most of the risk of shattering/damage by making a couple of inspired changes to the design, at little to no additional material or manufacturing costs.

Again, the issue with this, and most other "inherent problems" is bad design.


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## Frick (Sep 6, 2022)

dgianstefani said:


> It's not tricky, you just have to be a competent designer.



And the person assembling the thing has to be competent as well, or just not have a bad day.


dgianstefani said:


> Where do you think "premium" products get their tempered glass from? You think they manufacture it themselves? No.
> 
> The issue is production and design related, the autocad "designer" could alleviate most of the risk of shattering/damage by making a couple of inspired changes to the design, at little to no additional material or manufacturing costs.
> 
> Again, the issue with this, and most other "inherent problems" is bad design.



So much this. Attaching glass panes to any surface has been a solved problem for a really long time.


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## dgianstefani (Sep 6, 2022)

And before you start talking about how "premium" products cost more to design, maybe that's true, but it's the budget, economies of scale cases that bring in the dosh for OEMs and brands. Who cares about a few thousand "premium" cases sold annually, when the same OEM sells hundreds of thousands of the cheaper cases? In this way, it makes sense for all tiers of products to be well designed, as margins/scale make up for it anyway.



Frick said:


> And the person assembling the thing has to be competent as well, or just not have a bad day.
> 
> 
> So much this. Attaching glass panes to any surface has been a solved problem for a really long time.


So your stance is that it's just _too hard _for OEMs to sort out their supply, design, manufacturing and logistics? They shouldn't exist then, and the only reason they do is because the uninformed support the incompetent with their purchasing power. Our job as reviewers is to raise awareness of bad practice, and force OEMs to get their s**t together or go out of business. As it should be.


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## xtreemchaos (Sep 6, 2022)

done it myself, i look at it as a right of passage sorta thingy its easyer on the brain that way   .


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## bug (Sep 6, 2022)

dgianstefani said:


> Where do you think "premium" products get their tempered glass from? You think they manufacture it themselves? No.
> 
> The issue is production and design related, the autocad "designer" could alleviate most of the risk of shattering/damage by making a couple of inspired changes to the design, at little to no additional material or manufacturing costs.
> 
> Again, the issue with this, and most other "inherent problems" is bad design.


Bad design describes probably 80% of the stuff we buy today. People may say otherwise, but they just buy as cheap as possible. Straight from Alibaba, with 0 warranty many times.


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## Vario (Sep 6, 2022)

Any time I move my case, or even turn it on its side, I take the glass panel off.  I have a cardboard box the same dimensions so I slide it in there until I'm done.  If they sold the O11 Air Mini with all metal sides, I would have bought it.  I have a spare metal panel from the opposite side (because they shipped it with a defective metal side panel and sent me a replacement) but it doesn't fit the window side.


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## dgianstefani (Sep 6, 2022)

bug said:


> Bad design describes probably 80% of the stuff we buy today. People may say otherwise, but they just buy as cheap as possible. Straight from Alibaba, with 0 warranty many times.


So they should reap what they sow. The rest of us get on with life without constant crisis.


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## Arco (Sep 6, 2022)

Ouch, I'm not a looks guy so I'm going with no glass for my case. How bad was it to pick up?


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## freeagent (Sep 6, 2022)

I love my case, it’s got two glass panels, so can’t just flop the case down to work on it like normal. You can once you pull the glass off though.


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## Audioave10 (Sep 6, 2022)

I liked the way the Hiper Anubis was done. All metal with glass and covered with a black mesh that protects the glass (and also
gives it a shaded look).


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## Arco (Sep 6, 2022)

freeagent said:


> I love my case, it’s got two glass panels, so can’t just flop the case down to work on it like normal. You can once you pull the glass off though.


Going for almost the same case. Just the full-scale size.



Audioave10 said:


> I liked the way the Hiper Anubis was done. All metal with glass and covered with a black mesh that protects the glass (and also
> gives it a shaded look).


Microwave, jokes aside that looks pretty good.


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## Frick (Sep 6, 2022)

dgianstefani said:


> So your stance is that it's just _too hard _for OEMs to sort out their supply, design, manufacturing and logistics? They shouldn't exist then, and the only reason they do is because the uninformed support the incompetent with their purchasing power. Our job as reviewers is to raise awareness of bad practice, and force OEMs to get their s**t together or go out of business. As it should be.



I'm saying the process is more "delicate" than akrylics. A person doing something wrong in assembly can mean cracked windows a few months down the line. Note how I agreed that it's not hard. It isn't. But it requires doing things properly (moreso than with acrylic/plastics), and shaving costs wherever possible can mean broken windows. And yes, that is the point of reviews and forum reports.


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## dgianstefani (Sep 6, 2022)

Well said.


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## Vayra86 (Sep 6, 2022)

droopyRO said:


> There is a downside to placing your unit on your desk. It can be tiped over or it might fall if you live in an active seismic zone. I have yet to figure out a mount that will secure it on my desk while making it easy to remove when i need to clean or tinker with it.


Just attach some tie rips to your desk and through the case bottom holes? Out of sight, secure as it gets, and will even take some smaller rumble on the chin as there is some flexibility.


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## bonehead123 (Sep 6, 2022)

Both glass-topped computer desks & putting a computer on the floor = "stupid is as stupid does" IMHO...

As for TG side panels, IMHO they are ok *IF*, and only *IF*:

1) they are thick enough to be durable (4-6mm with smooth tapered edges), and 
2) the method of attaching them to the case frame is designed correctly, to minimize vibrations, allow for airflow, and does not compromise the integrity of the glass itself...

I've seen & owned cases that had all of the above (TT900, Air740/540 and a few others), and other cases that had NONE of these factors, which I hated & quickly sold off or donated...

But as usual, YMMV & you should get whatever suits your tastes and usage requirements, and not gripe about those cases that don't


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## ShiBDiB (Sep 6, 2022)

Vario said:


> The tragedy of the tempered glass desks.  One probably shouldn't put heavy objects on a pane of glass.


I don't understand the appeal... Ignoring the chance that it explodes and cuts your leg off, has anyone successfully kept a glass desk clean?


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## Arco (Sep 6, 2022)

bonehead123 said:


> Both glass-topped computer desks & putting a computer on the floor = "stupid is as stupid does" IMHO...
> 
> As for TG side panels, IMHO they are ok *IF*, and only *IF*:
> 
> ...


Make sure you never clean your pc too!


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## dgianstefani (Sep 6, 2022)

bonehead123 said:


> Both glass-topped computer desks & putting a computer on the floor = "stupid is as stupid does" IMHO...
> 
> As for TG side panels, IMHO they are ok *IF*, and only *IF*:
> 
> ...


The thickness is borderline irrelevant. An inch thick pane of tempered glass will shatter if struck in the same weak points, with the same force, as a 5mm thick panel. The issue is that the glass does not have omni directional strength, and is vulnerable to focused force at the Y and Z plane. Thickness only increases number of laminate layers in some cases, so the outer layer could shatter etc.


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## 80251 (Sep 6, 2022)

Maybe they could use bullet proof glass instead of tempered glass?


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## Vayra86 (Sep 6, 2022)

ShiBDiB said:


> I don't understand the appeal... Ignoring the chance that it explodes and cuts your leg off, has anyone successfully kept a glass desk clean?


Let alone place bare arms on it. Its horrible, you'll stick to the glass in no time


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## A Computer Guy (Sep 6, 2022)

80251 said:


> Maybe they could use bullet proof glass instead of tempered glass?


Or even glass like those used for windshields so the shards won't explode everywhere.


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## bug (Sep 6, 2022)

A Computer Guy said:


> Or even glass like those used for windshields so the shards won't explode everywhere.


Then you can break them on purpose to show off your pattern on reddit


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## Arco (Sep 6, 2022)

Linus Drop Tips here. Today we will be testing (Abusing) side panels.


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## AsRock (Sep 6, 2022)

Vario said:


> The tragedy of the tempered glass desks.  One probably shouldn't put heavy objects on a pane of glass.



Stupid is, Stupid does


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## MarsM4N (Sep 6, 2022)

If you read through the comments the problem was bad handling & the wrong flooring. _*Ceramic tiles*_ are "harder" than glass, that's why it broke. 
When getting it off place it on some clothers or something else soft. Watch out for the edges, they are very sensitive.

Personally not a fan of glas side panels. When putting it under the table or on the "wrong side" of the table I can't see it anyways.
And the most dumb part, you can't even order metal side panels optionally, lol.



Vario said:


> The tragedy of the tempered glass desks.  One probably shouldn't put heavy objects on a pane of glass.



The problem is *the thickness* of the glas panels on those desks. I had a diner table back in the days with a super thick glas, dropped a full glas bottle on it.
It was really loud and I was scared it would completely shatter, but there was only a thumb sized pice chipped off around the edge. 

I wouldn't buy another glas table, ever. Needs too much cleaning and in the cold days it's freezing your arms.


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## nomdeplume (Sep 6, 2022)

My case has a slightly inset acrylic side panel protected by no less than 2" of aluminum panel on any side.  This feature was highly undesired at the time of purchase but they do make inspecting the state of fans and cpu cooler heatsink as simple as a sidewards glance.  

Protective plastic has never come off the outside.  I'm sure the inside has scratches just from dust particles passing over it.  A perfect record of never cleaning it once in multiple years of daily use is highly acceptable to me.    Glass


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## ThrashZone (Sep 6, 2022)

Hi,
Glass panel I'd prefer one seeing there is no static electricity unlike plexi glass hell just slowly put you arm close to plexi panel your hairs will stand 
I read static electricity is good for electronics


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## caroline! (Sep 6, 2022)

Glass anything on a computer is dumb. 



bug said:


> Yeah, I still miss the days when desktops were engineered to sit on the desk's top (i.e. horizontally, under your monitor).
> These days, you have to use a proper desk. One that has a PC compartment so the case doesn't sit on the floor. But these are rather hard to find, most of them are designed poorly and restrict access to the cables at the back.


Cases would be too thicc and top panels certainly bend under my monitor's weight.

I'm eyeing an used full tower case that would fit even more hard drives and a dual socket mobo with 2 large air coolers. 

Using a thick piece of wood (old kitchen countertop cut in half) on top of six cinder blocks to support a 60kg UPS next to the desk. 


Spoiler












I'm gonna need the other half countertop if I switch to a bigger case, and 6 more cinder blocks.


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## 80251 (Sep 7, 2022)

I can't imagine the insanity of that glass computer desk breaking and then taking out a pair of monitors. I'll never be buying a glass computer desk.


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## freeagent (Sep 7, 2022)

caroline! said:


> Glass anything on a computer is dumb.


Yeah I thought the same.. until I put my computer in one. Looks great with the dark tint, even on the back side   

The glass is thicker than steel, I think it may help with it being as quiet as it is.. but I could be wrong.


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## tabascosauz (Sep 7, 2022)

nomdeplume said:


> My case has a slightly inset acrylic side panel protected by no less than 2" of aluminum panel on any side.  This feature was highly undesired at the time of purchase but they do make inspecting the state of fans and cpu cooler heatsink as simple as a sidewards glance.
> 
> Protective plastic has never come off the outside.  I'm sure the inside has scratches just from dust particles passing over it.  A perfect record of never cleaning it once in multiple years of daily use is highly acceptable to me.    Glass



I could never get away with not cleaning like that  

One thing I appreciate about TG is that acrylic warps pretty easily. Not so much a problem with mainstream cases very thin windows, but Sliger's acrylic panels are literally acrylic slabs with a thin aluminium frame glued (riveted??) on top. Over time I managed to coax the panel to flatten enough to use but for the first few months I couldn't bear even look at it, it was so curved

At one point I seriously considered getting a custom cut piece of TG and gluing magnets to the back to make a custom TG panel, but I stopped using the Cerberus X again.



ThrashZone said:


> Hi,
> Glass panel I'd prefer one seeing there is no static electricity unlike plexi glass hell just slowly put you arm close to plexi panel your hairs will stand
> I read static electricity is good for electronics



I HATE that property of acrylic. I'd carefully clean the panel inside and out with a wet microfiber cloth, look away to check my phone, and by the time I looked back the dust would be settling on it again.

The loop finally allowed me to use the windowed panel and it was marvelous......for the better part of 2 days before I started noticing how dusty it was


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## caroline! (Sep 7, 2022)

freeagent said:


> Yeah I thought the same.. until I put my computer in one. Looks great with the dark tint, even on the back side
> 
> The glass is thicker than steel, I think it may help with it being as quiet as it is.. but I could be wrong.


I don't route cables they just hang all over the place for quick access. 
Windowed cases require time dedicated to make the computer pretty. Guess mine is just like me, ugly but functional /s



80251 said:


> I can't imagine the insanity of that glass computer desk breaking and then taking out a pair of monitors. I'll never be buying a glass computer desk.


Definitely not if you play Touhou Project games. Mine is made out of dark hard wood and if I dare hit it I'd bruise my hands, old stuff was built different.


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## johnspack (Sep 7, 2022)

One thing about acrylic...  you can handle it and not need windex every dam time!  Just about to take off my deepcool case glass panel...  it's only held on by 4 screws.
That's even more annoying.  Try to put it back on without fingerprints....  arg.


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## InVasMani (Sep 7, 2022)

I can just hear it shattering now in my mind the first time I try to take the side panel off.


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## Fouquin (Sep 7, 2022)

Vario said:


> The tragedy of the tempered glass desks.  One probably shouldn't put heavy objects on a pane of glass.



One should know the load limits of their pane of glass, and also not use a desk-mount multi-monitor setup that stresses the edge of tempered glass. I know not everyone understands the physics of tempered glass, but a VERY BASIC understanding is DO NOT APPLY CLAMPING FORCE, and DO NOT STRIKE THE EDGE.

The glass does not care about your aesthetics, about your desire to clamp your monitor stand to the edge, or about your desire to pile your entire setup onto the desk surface.

Thickness, area, support span. Know your glass before you load it.


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## Dirt Chip (Sep 7, 2022)

Don`t build your rig using glass, don`t put water inside it and avoid un-necessary cables and other power consuming parts that to nothing beside light.  

Sound pretty trivial to me...


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## Chomiq (Sep 7, 2022)

80251 said:


> Maybe they could use bullet proof glass instead of tempered glass?


Good luck trying to lift your case with them installed.


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## AM4isGOD (Sep 7, 2022)

Well the glass in my Li Li case seems to be good quality, but who knows. If struck it will shatter still, no doubt, though can't say i have heard on the net of a Li Li panel shattering.


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## Vario (Sep 7, 2022)

Fouquin said:


> One should know the load limits of their pane of glass, and also not use a desk-mount multi-monitor setup that stresses the edge of tempered glass. I know not everyone understands the physics of tempered glass, but a VERY BASIC understanding is DO NOT APPLY CLAMPING FORCE, and DO NOT STRIKE THE EDGE.
> 
> The glass does not care about your aesthetics, about your desire to clamp your monitor stand to the edge, or about your desire to pile your entire setup onto the desk surface.
> 
> Thickness, area, support span. Know your glass before you load it.


I am amazed that someone actually thought it was a good idea to clamp their monitors to the glass.


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## silkstone (Sep 7, 2022)

Vayra86 said:


> Take note, all of these cases, including the one posted here above, are on the floor.
> 
> Pro tip. Don't place your case on the floor, next to your feet... Darwin agrees... common sense has arrived. It wasn't a good idea to place a case on floor level even prior to glass panels, because its the worst place for dust.
> 
> 'Pop' goes the side panel... yeah... or some fools trying to find excuses for their own stupidity? Build quality... I guess. But there is always a user in the mix here, glass panels don't just say pop because you look at them funny.


I had my case on the desk. Took the side panel off and it exploded in my hands when carefully placing it on a tile floor. Rubber mounts on the screw-holes. Tempered glass can be unpredictable and you don't know what microfractures/stress has occurred during the manufacturing process. I'd never have a tempered glass desk, but I just got a non-tempered glass replacement for my side panel.
For the record it's a Xigmatek Aquarius.


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## ThrashZone (Sep 7, 2022)

tabascosauz said:


> I HATE that property of acrylic. I'd carefully clean the panel inside and out with a wet microfiber cloth, look away to check my phone, and by the time I looked back the dust would be settling on it again.
> 
> The loop finally allowed me to use the windowed panel and it was marvelous......for the better part of 2 days before I started noticing how dusty it was


Hi,
Think both are pretty good dust magnets


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## Arco (Sep 7, 2022)

Vario said:


> I am amazed that someone actually thought it was a good idea to clamp their monitors to the glass.


XD, ah yes, let's put a heavy height that doesn't take up a lot of space and has to clamp down on the edge of a brittle thin glass pane.


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## Dirt Chip (Sep 7, 2022)

Vario said:


> I am amazed that someone actually thought it was a good idea to clamp their monitors to the glass.


It worked, until it doesn't.


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## nomdeplume (Sep 7, 2022)

tabascosauz said:


> I could never get away with not cleaning like that



More accurate way to state this would've been the acrylic has never been wiped off.  I normally just decharge the static and give the whole panel a whack.  

Knocking the dust off compared to actually cleaning everything else.


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## Vayra86 (Sep 7, 2022)

silkstone said:


> I had my case on the desk. Took the side panel off and it exploded in my hands when carefully placing it on a tile floor. Rubber mounts on the screw-holes. Tempered glass can be unpredictable and you don't know what microfractures/stress has occurred during the manufacturing process. I'd never have a tempered glass desk, but I just got a non-tempered glass replacement for my side panel.
> For the record it's a Xigmatek Aquarius.


Ill just pray Fractal makes decent cases then with my Define TG... 

I do know its my last one with glass. Gimmick feature wore off about a month after purchase. Now Im like okay, I can see how dusty it is so I know when to clean


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## Arco (Sep 7, 2022)

I'd rather just put the money towards performance or function. I'm not looking at my pc case, I'm looking at the screens! Other than the keyboard or some bias lighting. I don't really see the point of RGB and glass if it costs more and is more complex to set up.


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## caroline! (Sep 7, 2022)

Chomiq said:


> Good luck trying to lift your case with them installed.
> View attachment 260915


everyone knows how much a _757 cabin door_ weighs...... americans will use anything rather than kg lol


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## Vayra86 (Sep 8, 2022)

Frick said:


> If one uses the desk for many things having the computer tucked away is almost essential. Plus most cases are so very boring looking and having them out and visible doesn't fly with me any more.
> 
> 
> Agreed.


Get a bigger desk  No really though, its about priorities.
And boring case <> picking TGlass seems counter intuitive...


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## Athlonite (Sep 8, 2022)

droopyRO said:


> There is a downside to placing your unit on your desk. It can be tiped over or it might fall if you live in an active seismic zone. I have yet to figure out a mount that will secure it on my desk while making it easy to remove when i need to clean or tinker with it.


My PC weighs upwards of 25KG good luck in accidentally tipping it over or it doing so in an Earthquake (it's already been through several in its lifetime). Or you could change your desktop configuration to something like this


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## Arco (Sep 8, 2022)

Athlonite said:


> My PC weighs upwards of 25KG good luck in accidentally tipping it over or it doing so in an Earthquake (it's already been through several in its lifetime). Or you could change your desktop configuration to something like this
> 
> View attachment 261015


Simple fix! just hot glue it! XD Maybe double-sided tape could work. Maybe put something to the sides that would help stabilize it.

You could be a chad and use it as a monitor stand.


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## CrAsHnBuRnXp (Sep 8, 2022)

Sithaer said:


> This reminds me of this vid:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Was just going to post this.


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## The Von Matrices (Sep 8, 2022)

I've been using the same glass desk for the past 15 years with no issues.  After using some window cleaner it looks as good as the day I bought it.  I can't say that about any wood furniture I've owned.


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## dgianstefani (Sep 8, 2022)

The Von Matrices said:


> I've been using the same glass desk for the past 15 years with no issues.  After using some window cleaner it looks as good as the day I bought it.  I can't say that about any wood furniture I've owned.


Gosh it's almost like a well designed piece of equipment with a user who has an IQ above room temperature will last  

Jokes aside tempered glass gets way too much flak for being fragile - it's an extremely strong material when applied in the right way.


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## caroline! (Sep 8, 2022)

dgianstefani said:


> Gosh it's almost like a well designed piece of equipment with a user who has an IQ above room temperature will last
> 
> Jokes aside tempered glass gets way too much flak for being fragile - it's an extremely strong material when applied in the right way.


Not good for soldering or using tools tho. I mean it's a PC desk sure but mine is usually full of tools and electronic components like right now there's a power supply, light, soldering iron, pump, screwdrivers and a radio I'm trying to fix lol


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## Count von Schwalbe (Sep 9, 2022)

caroline! said:


> Not good for soldering or using tools tho. I mean it's a PC desk sure but mine is usually full of tools and electronic components like right now there's a power supply, light, soldering iron, pump, screwdrivers and a radio I'm trying to fix lol


Your main PC desk? 

Nothing else is allowed on my PC desk - but to be fair, it is only 18 inches wide.


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## caroline! (Sep 9, 2022)

Count von Schwalbe said:


> Your main PC desk?
> 
> Nothing else is allowed on my PC desk - but to be fair, it is only 18 inches wide.


My only PC desk    36"

I have a workshop but don't want to use it for something as simple as a radio. I keep some basic tools and gizmos in the drawers just in case, cheap or homemade ones.


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## OkieDan (Oct 21, 2022)

A Computer Guy said:


> Or even glass like those used for windshields so the shards won't explode everywhere.


That would be two panes of glass with a plastic between them.  You can get a similar, though not quite as good result, if you put tint on the glass.


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## TheoneandonlyMrK (Oct 21, 2022)

Swap a perfectly sized piece of ptge clear plastic in it and move on, it won't break again either, I have done this a few times for people.

@bug I sit my main rig on a three drawers metal cabinet drawer with bonus lockability for loot and crack, next to my desk.

Obv jk on crack.


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## sLowEnd (Nov 15, 2022)

Vario said:


> The tragedy of the tempered glass desks.  One probably shouldn't put heavy objects on a pane of glass.



Damn, that's tragic. I've had too many tempered glass bowls, plates, and French presses suddenly go boom for me to trust a tempered glass table with anything important.


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## freeagent (Nov 15, 2022)

We live near some train tracks, and because of that our house experiences seismic activity usually every couple of hours. I had a glass TV stand with a nice LG on it that also had a glass face. The stand was rated to hold the weight, until one fateful morning shortly after 3am the house must have had some good bounce to it because that stand shattered, and my TV was destroyed. No more glass stuff holding heavy objects now 

Tragic


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## Vayra86 (Nov 16, 2022)

Tragic as it may be, can we keep this topic updated with more glorious pictures of glass Darwin moves?

This has potential to rival the Ghetto Mods topic in entertainment value!


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