Computex 2008 Preview: Antec Skeleton Case Prototype
by Anand Lal Shimpi on May 30, 2008 3:07 PM EST- Posted in
- Anand
Antec gave us a sneak peek at an early prototype most controversial case design yet: the Skeleton. It's a totally open air case design, your motherboard is mostly exposed and sits on the upper level of the "case" while below it you have room for a power supply, optical drive and hard drive. The entire thing is cooled by a slow spinning 250mm fan and there's enough room to passively cool your CPU with a good heatsink.
Availability will be around September of this year and pricing has yet to be determined. What you see in the gallery is a very early prototype, the final product will be made out of better materials and have some minor changes to allow for things like larger video cards.
Gallery: Antec Skeleton Case Prototype
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trexpesto - Sunday, June 1, 2008 - link
yeah!phil126 - Sunday, June 1, 2008 - link
I keep seeing comments about how cases are supposed to reduce EMI/EMF. This is bull. When was the last time HP or Dell used a metal case. Or when was the last tiem a laptop was made of metal. Plastic does no better job of EMI sheilding then open air. You even put a laptop on your lap. There is virtually no shielding on a store bought computer. Take one into a testing facilty nad see how badly it fails an EMI test.mindless1 - Monday, June 2, 2008 - link
The answer is always, they have always not only used metal panels or metal skins inside their plastic, they have even had to keep the holes smaller than a certain size and in some cases have pop-in panels when an optical drive (for instance) isn't installed and there would've otherwise been an empty hole even if the pastic outer plate where there.You think a laptop has no shielding? Stick to what you know because it isn't electronic or RF design.
phil126 - Monday, June 2, 2008 - link
The basics of electromagnetism must have past right by you. For a piece of metal to be a RFI shield it must be grounded. Adding a small piece of metal to a plastic surround does not absorb the energy. It will at best act as a rf scatterer. I have taken apart many laptops and PC. The EMI shields that you refer to are not to protect the user; it is to keep the EMI out of the component. Do just a little EMI testing and you will see just how bad a cheap PC really is. I can detect the oscillator and its harmonics easily with a spec-an. If the sheilding of a laptop works so well, why can you have internal antennas for WI-Fi and bluetooth.GaryJohnson - Sunday, June 8, 2008 - link
Since when are PCs not grounded?Can you give us a make/model for one of these all-plastic ungrounded PCs you're taking apart?
GaryJohnson - Monday, June 2, 2008 - link
HP, Dell, & laptop cases might have plastic facades, but I've yet to see one that wasn't metal underneath.skyyspam - Sunday, June 1, 2008 - link
I just don't get it.quidpro - Saturday, May 31, 2008 - link
I've (finally) started to build my own open case, and am using the PC Workbench design mentioned here by several as a model. In the meantime, I've spent the past 1.5 years with a case that has both sides removed, as well as the top, so that it is essentially a wall-less case. With the HDs suspended it is the quietest case I've ever had. Course, there are minimal fans. Ove vid card fan, one cpu fan. Dust is just not an issue, because I'm more likely to go at it with an air can the way it is, than I was when it had the panels on. When I do go to dust it I'm always surprised at how little dusting needs to be done, really. I think it is interesting that the PC Workbench design is being stylized in this way.SonicIce - Saturday, May 31, 2008 - link
too bad its probably all plastic. i hope it's mostly metal.PC911mickster - Saturday, May 31, 2008 - link
I have one of the HSPC units and use it for new builds or current main system. It's a joy when you're oc'ing or trying new hsf/TIM and just changing hardware for the hell of it like a few of us do. I see those heads nodding.My question is price of the Antec unit.
If it's not insulting and they offer their usual rebates, could be a wise investment for most of us.