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Apple made a splash when it introduced the iMac computer with its funky colors and sleek design. Love it or leave it, the iMac had a personality of its own, and more than a few non-Mac users turned green.
Well, the folks over at Computers Divine Inc. took this message to heart - in a different sort of way.
They don't build cases (though they do offer several brands like Enlight and Inwin). What Computers Divine will do is take your case and turn it into a work of art. Pick a color, any color, and C.D.I. will return your case in its new-colored suit and sporting several new fans to combat heat within seven business days. But it's not just the art of painting your case into a different color, C.D.I. goes an extra step and if you choose, they can turn it into a marbleized creation. We got a sample of their "Beautiful" case - a gold and black marbleized version.
The Guts
Coming out of the box the ATX case looked more like ritzy furniture that a computer-part. Two fans, one on each side near the top, are probably what you'll notice as you open the case, prepping it for its innards. However, the holes cut in the ATX case for the fans seem a bit on rough side-as are the wire screens that cover them. (They're held in place by transparent tape). One was mounted just a couple of centimeters off being flushed with the hole that's cut for it. Lastly there's an additional fan situated in the area under the floppy drive (it's hidden by the front cover of the case). But it all seems to work well and the standard PC stuff we crammed into it (video card, sound card, network card, etc.) didn't complain about heat after a week's worth of continuous operation. Another way to tell the fans were working was to put your hand over it (duh!) and just feel the warm air circulating out of your case - very nice.
One drawback to having a case with three extra fans is that you knowyou have a case with three extra fans. We placed the case within three feet of the monitor and the humming and whizzing let us know they were running. The noise is noticeable while gaming but after a while you get used to it. We recommend putting this puppy on the floor. (But then people won't notice the paint job as much. Oh, the irony.)
And more
To its credit, CDI offers customers who send in their cases the option to have the fronts of the drives customized to match the case for free. (Having a beige-colored DVD/floppy drive resting in a marble-ized box just doesn't look quite right.) You can also order a case from CDI and not have to bother with sending your own case in. (See their site for a full list of prices on sizes and packages)
And CDI will also customize your peripherals to match. For $100, it will customize any size monitor, and for $25 will decorate your keyboard or mouse. For the next generation of Cool Cases, it's adding even more fans - up to seven!
It's a great idea, and a consideration for the PC fanatic that has everything. With a little spit and polish in the fan-mounting process, it could be the answer to the hip neon-transparent threads the iMac is always boasting. The Cool Case can't be ordered in transparent, but it looks good, and I'll take classy over snazzy any day.-- Danny W. Lam / GamePro
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