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One case for sneakerheads and another for people with taste
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For Cooler Master’s 30th anniversary, the company has announced several products — some zanier than others. I cannot continue another word without mentioning Sneaker X, which is literally a sneaker-shaped PC case. It builds off of the work from modder JMDF, who originally submitted the design at the brand’s Case Mod World Series 2020.
It’s tough to get a sense of the scale of the Sneaker X case from the images. It is, however, nowhere near as small as an actual shoe. This video from JMDF shows that — beyond being a feat of engineering and a grand homage to sneaker culture — it’s big. The design was inspired by some of the pricey sneakers from brands like Balenciaga, Nike, and Adidas.
As for what can fit inside, Cooler Master says that Sneaker X can “accommodate the latest top-of-the-line CPU and GPU as well as an AIO cooler.” The video linked above shows a 600W power supply in the case, so that should put the size into perspective. Though, I wouldn’t be surprised if some aspects of the design have changed in the Sneaker X from JMDF’s original design.
A price for the Sneaker X case hasn’t been shared, but hopefully, it’s a little less than the $3,999 cost for JMDF’s hand-made mod. Cooler Master will start taking preorders in Q3 2022.
I was also drawn to Cooler Master’s two-toned small form factor (SFF) case called the Mini X. It’s a mini ITX model with colorful, swappable panels. So far, it has shown four color schemes, ranging from a plain black and gunmetal gray combo and a black and purple duo to ones that have a little more pop, like one that delivers pink and a light blue.
Cooler Master hasn’t shared the dimensions for the Mini X System, so we don’t know exactly what kind of hardware can fit inside. It also hasn’t shared a price. Though, it’s opening preorders for this model in Q2 2022, so we may not have to wait long for more info.
Uttering the words “PC case” in The Verge’s Slack summoned the room’s SFF enthusiasts out of thin air, who pointed out that there are some other equally fetching options out there. If you want swappable panels in a Mini ITX case, Lian Li’s $159.99 Q58 has you covered. The $295 Louqe Ghost S1 doesn’t have swappable panels, but it sure looks great. So, while Cooler Master’s Mini X isn’t breaking new ground, it’ll likely be more accessible — both in price and stock — than cases made by boutique brands.
If you want to get a closer look at these products and more, Cooler Master is streaming a big event at Twitch later tonight (or early tomorrow, depending on where you live). It starts at 11PM PT / 2AM ET.
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