computer-1, a Mini-ITX chassis

[TheLostSwede]

While setting up their first office many years ago, teenage engineering set out to create their ideal PC case. It was to have a small desktop footprint and be easy to move around. They built it with a laser cutter, high density board and spray paint. A simple, no frills computer case computer-1 has always been a work in progress. the board version worked ok, but the handles couldn't support the weight of the case when moving it around. so after some literal computer crashes, they turned to aluminium for a lighter and sturdier design.

Based on the build-it-yourself design of the pocket operator modular, they landed on the simple Mini-ITX case that they use today. A small desk footprint, compact and portable, computer-1 has a small desk footprint. the lightweight aluminium, and chrome handles, make it easier to move around when you have to. In powder coated pure orange RAL 2004, it's a small, no frills tool for any desktop. Built around the Mini-ITX motherboard and the SFX power supply format, it also fits a dual slot graphics card up to 170 mm. while compact, it's capable of housing a range of parts. From gamer to programmer, engineer and designer, the chassis can be equipped with whatever components you wish.



Update Nov 22nd: Our in-depth review of the computer-1 is live now.


Flat pack design
The flat pack, 1 mm aluminium, is flexible enough to bend into shape, and sturdy enough to keep your components secure. Each kit comes with all of the parts required to assemble the case

• Form Factor
  • Mini-ITX
• GPU
  • Dual-slot up to 180 mm
• Power Supply
  • SFX
• CPU Cooler
  • Height limit from motherboard surface 120 mm
• Material
  • Powder coated aluminium
• Color
  • Pure orange RAL 2004
• Outer Dimensions (mm)
  • W 170 D 190 H 322
• Inner Dimensions (mm)
  • W 164 D 189 H 275.5
• Price
  • US$195

View at TechPowerUp Main Site

 

[Deleted member 24505]

Wtf is that monitor?

 

[silentbogo]

Wtf is that monitor?

Eizo Flexscan EV2730Q

 

[Ferrum Master]

Wtf is that monitor?

Indeed, my eyes went like cuckoo...

Stupid artists, why did you put that thing there

 

[TheLostSwede]

Indeed, my eyes went like cuckoo...

Stupid artists, why did you put that thing there

Because that's what teenage engineering use when the design their PCBs by the looks of it?

 

[Valantar]

As I said somewhere else, this looks interesting, but the cooling seems poorly thought out (why only a ..80? 92mm? intake fan? There seems to be room for more), and the GPU clearance is minimal for the current generation of cards. Still probably fine for a midrange build or below.

Also, the assembly process including bending the tabs on the case? I can't imagine that not cracking the paint along the bends. Does not seem like a good idea.

Overall, there are definitely SFF options on the market that are more space efficient and better cooled, though not many that also look as interesting (though there are definitely some). Also, the price of this thing for what it delivers? Nah, I'd rather get an M1, A4 or Meshlicious. Or two NR200s.

 

[deu]

Hats off for the 'innovation'/willingness to challenge the existing product segment. Its a 'either you like or you dont situation (Not a fan myself), but still, hats off...

I have made some consideration in producing lasercut acrylic ITX cases ala dans a4/ghost. They can actually become really sturdy and stable with the right pattern. The price is also a fraction of dan a4/ghost. (though the look is still DIY look (though more complete than this) If I at some point start producing though a sideproject, ill be sure to send a case for techpowerup to review!

 

[Valantar]

Hats off for the 'innovation'/willingness to challenge the existing product segment. Its a 'either you like or you dont situation (Not a fan myself), but still, hats off...

I have made some consideration in producing lasercut acrylic ITX cases ala dans a4/ghost. They can actually become really sturdy and stable with the right pattern. The price is also a fraction of dan a4/ghost. (though the look is still DIY look (though more complete than this) If I at some point start producing though a sideproject, ill be sure to send a case for techpowerup to review!

Make sure you look around before you do - there are quite a few such designs out there already Mostly DIY projects though, relatively few that get any kind of volume production.

 

[Ferrum Master]

Because that's what teenage engineering use when the design their PCBs by the looks of it?

Even teenage engineers would not use an Eizo that costs ~1.5K$ besides it is really impractical for that purpose.

 

[deu]

Make sure you look around before you do - there are quite a few such designs out there already Mostly DIY projects though, relatively few that get any kind of volume production.

There are for sure. Properly someone that have made something the likes of what I did now, but when I made this it was at least above most in finish and price. This was version 1, and could be produced rather cheaply with easy customizability to the customer (airintake design, size, material etc.)

 

[TheLostSwede]

Also, the assembly process including bending the tabs on the case? I can't imagine that not cracking the paint along the bends. Does not seem like a good idea.

Put together an IKEA nightstand that you had to bend metal like that and the paint didn't come off, so I guess certain paints are sort of flexible.

Even teenage engineers would not use an Eizo that costs ~1.5K$ besides it is really impractical for that purpose.

How do you know? The company is called teenage engineering btw, if you missed that part.

 

[silentbogo]

Make sure you look around before you do - there are quite a few such designs out there already Mostly DIY projects though, relatively few that get any kind of volume production.

That's the beauty of modular designs, the whole thing can be operated on "build to order" model without compromising the price. We had a small company in Kharkiv that did custom plasma-cut cases like that, just a bit cheaper (mostly because they offered 1 painjob and bare minimum of trinkets).

As I said somewhere else, this looks interesting, but the cooling seems poorly thought out (why only a ..80? 92mm? intake fan? There seems to be room for more), and the GPU clearance is minimal for the current generation of cards. Still probably fine for a midrange build or below.

With top-mounted GPU and perforated lid it makes CPU area much cooler comparing to bottom-/sude-mounted GPU. Also it looks like you can install a 120mm on the back, if you need to.

Even teenage engineers would not use an Eizo that costs ~1.5K$ besides it is really impractical for that purpose.

To each their own. Some people like 16:10, some people love 3:2, some people can't live without a secondary portrait-mode monitor, some like it "square".
Even if it's not "practical", it sure makes up as a bad-ass marketing prop. Just look at this thread - we've spent half the posts just talking about it.

 

[Flanker]

Eh, personally I would prefer a desk mini with a decent APU if I want something this compact.

 

[Valantar]

That's the beauty of modular designs, the whole thing can be operated on "build to order" model without compromising the price. We had a small company in Kharkiv that did custom plasma-cut cases like that, just a bit cheaper (mostly because they offered 1 painjob and bare minimum of trinkets).

Yeah, there are a couple of SFF case makers that I know to be very open to customization - Lazer3D, Revoccases, all kinds of Taobao companies. Different methods and materials (laser cutting, CNC; acrylic and aluminium), but modern low-volume production methods allow for a lot of flexibility.

With top-mounted GPU and perforated lid it makes CPU area much cooler comparing to bottom-/sude-mounted GPU. Also it looks like you can install a 120mm on the back, if you need to.

Stated CPU cooler clearance is ~120mm, so there's no way you can fit a 120 exhaust - maybe a 92mm, but likely 80. And it would be up against a relatively thikc (1mm panelling) and restrictive metal grille at that, with no real fan mounts.

Also, this orientation/design is hardly rare, and while you're right in general (though the GPU up against that grille could get noisy, depending on the fan and turbulence created), that still doesn't take away from the fact that a 120mm intake fan would have been better in every way (noise, airflow, choice). This seems like a choice made mainly for maintaining a certain type of aesthetic. Which is of course fine, but it does limit the build flexibility of the case. And while this is pretty small at ~9l (without the handles), there are similarly sized or smaller cases that do equally well or better (though most these days do tend to prioritize larger GPUs and go for a higher volume overall).

 

[Ferrum Master]

How do you know? The company is called teenage engineering btw, if you missed that part.

Yeah. The site doesn't expose their real taxpayer/company name, thus you cannot check them fast and review their tax history, like it is accustomed here, thus as a buyer you can distinct a scam versus a normal business. Maybe I missed.

 

[Valantar]

Yeah. The site doesn't expose their real taxpayer/company name, thus you cannot check them fast and review their tax history, like it is accustomed here, thus as a buyer you can distinct a scam versus a normal business. Maybe I missed.

This is a pretty well established company - including a relatively large scale collaboration with Ikea. Though possibly most known for their synths. Definitely not a scam.

 

[Ferrum Master]

This is a pretty well established company - including a relatively large scale collaboration with Ikea. Though possibly most known for their synths. Definitely not a scam.

Yeah, that's the thing that caused suspicion, their distribution network consist of Pro audio dealers, not PC sales. But aye... let it be.

 

[Valantar]

Yeah, that's the thing that caused suspicion, their distribution network consist of Pro audio dealers, not PC sales. But aye... let it be.

Yeah, they've never made a for-sale PC component before AFAIK. Oh, btw, for info on any Swedish company, there's a highly useful service called Hitta.se, which combines company info including addresses, phone numbers, business registration numbers, CEO (or equivalent), when it was established,, public financial info, and more. There are also several different public business registry services (though some require registration, others only supply information through paid certificates, etc.).

 

[TheLostSwede]

Yeah. The site doesn't expose their real taxpayer/company name, thus you cannot check them fast and review their tax history, like it is accustomed here, thus as a buyer you can distinct a scam versus a normal business. Maybe I missed.

Teenage Engineering - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Teenage Engineering AB - Gratis årsredovisningar online

Gratis årsredovisningar från Bolagsverket. Hitta omsättning, finansiella resultat, styrelse och andra nyckeltal för Teenage Engineering AB.

www.hitta.se

 

[Ferrum Master]

Teenage Engineering - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Teenage Engineering AB - Gratis årsredovisningar online

Gratis årsredovisningar från Bolagsverket. Hitta omsättning, finansiella resultat, styrelse och andra nyckeltal för Teenage Engineering AB.

www.hitta.se

Did you find it on their site? Or deduced from experience?

 

[silentbogo]

Teenage Engineering - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Teenage Engineering AB - Gratis årsredovisningar online

Gratis årsredovisningar från Bolagsverket. Hitta omsättning, finansiella resultat, styrelse och andra nyckeltal för Teenage Engineering AB.

www.hitta.se

I knew about synths (OP-1 specifically), but I did not know that they had their hands in Nothing earbuds and Ikea home audio...

 

[TheLostSwede]

I knew about synths (OP-1 specifically), but I did not know that they had their hands in Nothing earbuds and Ikea home audio...

I guess you don't read enough tech news

Did you find it on their site? Or deduced from experience?

I used Google...
And I guess it helps that I can read Swedish and that I already knew about the company, since they've been around for quite a while.

 

[Valantar]

Did you find it on their site? Or deduced from experience?

I agree that their site ought to list some form of registration info, but they do list their business address. From that (and it being in Sweden) it shouldn't be that hard to find what you want on Google.

 

[awesomesauce]

200$US for mini itx case

 

[TheLostSwede]

200$US for mini itx case

No, US$200 for a flat packed, self assembly mini-ITX case.