My first PC case from ~2005. Classic mid 2000s "gamer" aesthetic

Posted by nobutternoparm@reddit | vintagecomputing | View on Reddit | 22 comments

I built my first PC back in about 2005 in this case and ever since I got back into retro computing I've been trying to find it. Finally got the idea to try the wayback machine. Sure enough, it looks like it was Tigerdirect's house brand of cases or something, "Power Up". I miss this thing! Especially the handle...I remember it coming in handy when I forgot to install MB standoffs and had to drag it into Geek Squad for them to tell me I fried the MB...doh!

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nobutternoparm@reddit (OP)

By the way... If anyone has this case or knows where I could find one I would love to do a retro or even modern build in it again

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flameingArrow03@reddit

I have one very similar to this with the same side panel with the fan in the center. I’m actually trying to identify what mine is cause it has a Z on the front of it. And what looks like a light to light it up, but it has that same fan side panel so if you want mine, you can probably have it. I’m willing to part with it, but I’m still trying to figure out what I have.

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nobutternoparm@reddit (OP)

Are you able to PM me a picture?

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Technical-Charge-404@reddit

If you're still looking. https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/452193423808368/?ref=search

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23027@reddit

I may have found one in Grey vouple hours from where I live. If you're still looking

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DifficultWalrus8811@reddit

It's not that exact one, but I have something very similar: it's blue and grey and has a handle on top. Unfortunately I don't think I can post a pic here

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Unfair_Audience5743@reddit

Haha love it. I built my first around the same time and had one with the blue 80mm fan in the side like that. So janky but I thought it was some of the coolest shit ever when I was 15.

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spicygrow@reddit

My first case was a cooler master storm sniper. It was also LAN party oriented, lol.

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calculatetech@reddit

I had one very similar from Micro Center. It was all black and no side window. It was also crap. I could not get enough airflow no matter how many fans I used, and the front panel audio shared its ground with USB which caused massive interference. I was able to fix the latter by severing the ground trace in the PCB.

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nobutternoparm@reddit (OP)

I'm sure mine was also crap haha. Room for a total of 3 80mm fans including the side panel. But it cooled plenty well enough for an Athlon XP and I think a Ti4200. Definitely wouldn't be acceptable for anything modern though

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ddrfraser1@reddit

Easy to cut some holes in the bottom to mount some fans.

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calculatetech@reddit

Would you look at that!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/175784630335?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=E7jXVwWdQXG&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=Wl_lW2koS_i&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

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rtplor@reddit

Actually strange pricing $140 :-)

And there recommended items follow, somewhere from $39.

In my very personal opinion dealing with old cases is more about saving from a dumpster and cleaning to shine again.

I guess $39 is just a new one from non A-brand, of course it would be smaller, but not that worse.

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nobutternoparm@reddit (OP)

Oh wow! That's it! Different colors obviously but otherwise exactly the same! Pretty steep price though....

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nobutternoparm@reddit (OP)

Yup. With blue LEDs

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nobutternoparm@reddit (OP)

The brand is "Power Up" from what I could find on Tigerdirect's website in 2005. I think it was a cheap chinese brand, maybe even Tigerdirect's in-house case brand