XFORMA Presents the MBX MKII Limited Edition PC Case

[btarunr]

XFORMA, creator of premium PC cases and accessories, today announced that the MBX MKII Limited Edition case is in production and available to pre-order. A limited series of 250 MKII cases are offered for sale, and are being manufactured in cooperation with SilverStone Technology; a Taiwan based global leader in the PC industry.

With the MKII, XFORMA takes aim at the high-end segment of the market. "Conversations with our Customers over the years led us to conclude that there's legitimate interest in a precision-crafted, ultra-refined product like the MKII. Every other area of consumer electronics has a premium segment except desktop PC cases, and we're proud to introduce the MKII into this underserved segment of the market." -Charles Harwood, Founder of XFORMA.



With its integrated systems, the MKII offers a "ready-to-go" case to discerning Enthusiasts wanting to create their own high-performance dream PC. Until now, such machines were exclusively available through boutique PC system builders. The MKII is unique in that it eliminates the need for extensive DIY tools or skills to achieve a beautiful, tailor-made result. "Our goal with the MKII was to design the definitive enclosure for creating the ultimate liquid-cooled PC; a machine that effectively blends extreme-performance with bold, refined styling."

Pricing and Availability
The price of the MBX MKII is US$1,250 in its base configuration. Original add-on parts designed specifically for the MKII are available to further enhance the case's form and functionality. XFORMA is taking orders now and expects production to be completed this summer.

View at TechPowerUp Main Site

 

[RCoon]

That's a nice Silverstone TJ07 you got there.

 

[The Terrible Puddle]

It's just so expensive

 

[vega22]

"Every other area of consumer electronics has a premium segment except desktop PC cases"

read: we saw the chance to make some mega profit from stupid people with more money than sense!!!!

 

[Katanai]

If I was Silverstone I would sue...

 

[Katanai]

Nevermind, this is the Murderbox. I know this case from long time ago.

 

[RCoon]

manufactured in cooperation with SilverStone Technology

If I was Silverstone I would sue...

Did you read the OP???

 

[GhostRyder]

Wow 1200+ bucks for this?????????????????????

I am sorry, it looks good but there is no way I would pay that much for this case and even looking over it in great detail cannot reveal where that cost is being justified. At least with cases from In Win which are just as crazy priced there is some nice features or glass that comes with it and I still could not justify those cases. But maybe I am missing something that makes this special...

 

[Katanai]

Did you read the OP???

Ah ok I see now, my bad.

 

[64K]

Wow 1200+ bucks for this?????????????????????

I am sorry, it looks good but there is no way I would pay that much for this case and even looking over it in great detail cannot reveal where that cost is being justified. At least with cases from In Win which are just as crazy priced there is some nice features or glass that comes with it and I still could not justify those cases. But maybe I am missing something that makes this special...

Yeah, on their website you can run the cost up hundreds and hundreds more with add-ons too. This case is for people that just don't care how much it costs. They want something that very very few others will have.

 

[Katanai]

Yeah, on their website you can run the cost up hundreds and hundreds more with add-ons too. This case is for people that just don't care how much it costs. They want something that very very few others will have.

For 1200$ I will build you a case exactly how you want.

 

[MakeDeluxe]

"A limited series of 250 MKII cases are offered for sale"

Is this seriously how they try to justify the ludicrous price?

 

[Petey Plane]

Wow 1200+ bucks for this?????????????????????

I am sorry, it looks good but there is no way I would pay that much for this case and even looking over it in great detail cannot reveal where that cost is being justified. At least with cases from In Win which are just as crazy priced there is some nice features or glass that comes with it and I still could not justify those cases. But maybe I am missing something that makes this special...

Yeah, for that much scratch, you could get a huge CaseLabs case and still have enough for a high end water cooling loop. There is nothing about this case that justifies the price.

 

[ZoneDymo]

Did you read the OP???

oh Deary, arn't we a little naive?
People don't read yo.

 

[Ferrum Master]

Looks like a towel dryer.

 

[Ikaruga]

Nevermind, this is the Murderbox. I know this case from long time ago.

Yea, me too, I recognized it right away:

http://www.million-dollar-pc.com/systems-2011/murderbox-mk2/murderbox-mk2.htm

 

[MpG]

Some people really need to try pricing out a limited run of precision metalwork for themselves. Startup and prototyping costs are massive compared the actual material costs, and most people really don't appreciate how important mass production is for making this stuff affordable. Even Caselabs stuff benefits heavily from their modular designs.

Personally, if this had been done in a case configuration closer to what I want, they'd have my preorder money already. As is it, I hope this succeeds, if only to encourage other designers to give it a shot.

 

[Katanai]

Some people really need to try pricing out a limited run of precision metalwork for themselves. Startup and prototyping costs are massive compared the actual material costs, and most people really don't appreciate how important mass production is for making this stuff affordable. Even Caselabs stuff benefits heavily from their modular designs.

Personally, if this had been done in a case configuration closer to what I want, they'd have my preorder money already. As is it, I hope this succeeds, if only to encourage other designers to give it a shot.

Here is something made out of the same materials, much harder to design and manufacture and at the exact same price: http://www.colt.com/Catalog/Rifles/LE6920Series.aspx
Now don't tell me this case is harder to make, to design or the machines involved cost more. They don't even make the case just some panels for it. So yeah taking a 300$-400$ case, dressing it up with some panels and asking 1250$ for it is not ok imo...

 

[felix_w]

http://www.million-dollar-pc.com/systems-2011/murderbox-mk2/murderbox-mk2.htm

As Ikaruga wrote before, Charles Hardwood is the inventor of the Murdermod for TJ-07.

Apparently, Xforma us owned by him and co-operates with Silverstone to build this limited-edition beautiful case.

 

[dogchainx]

Wow. That is INSANE. That's about DOUBLE the price of a Caselabs case (AWESOME cases btw. I have their SMH10 case that just kicks arse.

 

[MpG]

Here is something made out of the same materials, much harder to design and manufacture and at the exact same price: http://www.colt.com/Catalog/Rifles/LE6920Series.aspx
Now don't tell me this case is harder to make, to design or the machines involved cost more. They don't even make the case just some panels for it. So yeah taking a 300$-400$ case, dressing it up with some panels and asking 1250$ for it is not ok imo...

I know what you're trying to say, but no.

Firstly, a large gun manufacturer like Colt has the advantage of common parts and tooling, decades of history/documentation, a product that changed a lot less than their salesmen would like to admit, and a nation/worldwide pool of experience to hire from, plus the size to take advantage of bulk ordering whereever possible. No disrespect to Charles, but a single human being can't be expected to compete with that.

Secondly, while I can't dig up exact numbers, given that every gun shop up to and included Walmart was selling that gun (any many others) it at one point, it can be reasonably inferred that WAY more than 250 of these were made. To use another example, a CPU or GPU could be reasonably inferred to be WAY WAY WAY more complex than either of these examples, and yet even EE/FX/X2/Titan versions have largely tended to cap at $1000, with the vast majority in the $100-300 range. I've heard it said in the auto industry that "the first unit costs billions, the rest cost fingernail clippings". When it comes to determined price, mass production tends to trump virtually anything else in the long run, and this case simply doesn't have that working in its favour.

Now, had Silverstone undertook this project from the outset, I would have judged that price on an entirely different scale, I agree.

 

[claes]

I'm no case modder or metallurgist or machinist or anything, but...

$375 - tj07
~$20 - lighting + 2 hours for mods
~$15 - custom SODD mount + 1 hour for mod
~$75 - custom front cover + many hours
~$50 - full demciflex kit
~$25 - custom power buttons + custom box + sleeved cabling + some hours
~$50 - custom bottom + hours
~$100 - custom 8mm aluminum motherboard tray
~$20 - custom reservoir mount
~$75 - custom 5” frame w/ cable management, custom drive sleds, sleeved cables
~$50 - custom PCBs for backplanes and power
~$100 - custom 2mm real-brush side panels + acrylic
~$50 - custom midplates, backplate, and PSU mount
~$100 - anodizing everything (truly guessing on this one)

= ~$1105

 

[The Terrible Puddle]

Should be mass produced.

 

[Katanai]

I know what you're trying to say, but no.

Firstly, a large gun manufacturer like Colt has the advantage of common parts and tooling, decades of history/documentation, a product that changed a lot less than their salesmen would like to admit, and a nation/worldwide pool of experience to hire from, plus the size to take advantage of bulk ordering whereever possible. No disrespect to Charles, but a single human being can't be expected to compete with that.

Secondly, while I can't dig up exact numbers, given that every gun shop up to and included Walmart was selling that gun (any many others) it at one point, it can be reasonably inferred that WAY more than 250 of these were made. To use another example, a CPU or GPU could be reasonably inferred to be WAY WAY WAY more complex than either of these examples, and yet even EE/FX/X2/Titan versions have largely tended to cap at $1000, with the vast majority in the $100-300 range. I've heard it said in the auto industry that "the first unit costs billions, the rest cost fingernail clippings". When it comes to determined price, mass production tends to trump virtually anything else in the long run, and this case simply doesn't have that working in its favour.

Now, had Silverstone undertook this project from the outset, I would have judged that price on an entirely different scale, I agree.

I just posted a link to Colt because that's the most well known brand for this product and it was the exact same price. You want me to post links to complete rifles made by small companies for well under 1000$ ? We can stay here all day and look at links. If you live in the US you can buy an M4 for well under 700$, you can also get the SilverStone TJ07 for 350$ from Amazon and still have 200$ or more to spend on whatever you like instead of buying this POS right here.

http://grabagun.com/palmetto-state-armory-m4-orc-16-556-mil-spec.html
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008J0ZODG/?tag=tec06d-20

We are in 2015 man. When you can cut out anything you want on a water jet machine for a reasonable price. The machine itself costs 10000$ or more yet these bastards want 300000$ for this run of 250 cases. They could buy 30 machines for the money they want to make. Yet I bet they didn't even buy one. Just paid a shop to cut it for them for well under 10000$ for the whole batch...

 

[Whilhelm]

I think this case is getting too much flak for its price. Its not meant for people that want a cost effective solution and to be honest I feel like the price is inline with what went into it. Granted it is super expensive but it isn't just a simple matter of getting some waterjet cut pieces of aluminum and bolting them into a TJ07 unibody. A large portion of these parts are CNC machined, it has custom made PCBs for the hot swap trays and fan connections and it has been engineered to so that anyone that purchases it can build an aesthetically perfect looking PC. Having worked with a couple TJ07s I can tell you that after looking at this in detail there isn't a single part that remains common to my case. Every single piece has been re-designed to improve functionality and aesthetics.

Finally, the people involved with this project are really trying to make something amazing but given the super low production numbers and the insane attention to detail with this case it ends up being really expensive.
It cannot be compared to any other mainstream case manufacturer because it is not mass produced. This case is the tailor made suit in a world full of ill-fitting mass produced suits