AT-AT PC Casemod is Cooler Than Hoth

Posted on 06/05/2012 by Technabob

I was just watching that Family Guy episode where they referred to Imperial Walkers as “robot camels,” and they are so right. Not that it makes AT-ATs any less cool – especially when the AT-AT in question is actually a computer.

Modder Asphiax has put together this Imperial Walker PC using one of those giant Hasbro AT-ATs as the starting point. Instead of Imperial troops, the AT-AT PC has a Zotax Z68 Mini ITX mobo inside with an Intel Core i7-2600K CPU, a Sapphire 6870 GPU and 8GB of RAM.

The system is cooled by Koolance 370 CPU and mosfet waterblocks along with a Heatkiller NB/SB waterblock, and XSPC pump, 2 x 240 radiators, 4 x 120mm Enermax Fans, and controlled by a Scythe Mediabay. Boy, that sounds more complex than the insides of an actual AT-AT. Then again, they probably didn’t need much cooling on Hoth.

It also has a USB powered Arduino which controls a pair of red lasers installed in its head-cannons. Cool.

You can check out more photos of the AT-AT PC build, and many other sci-fi inspired mods over on Asphiax’ website or his SCIFI OCD Facebook group.

AzTtec PC Case Mod: Doomsday Device

Posted on 09/04/2012 by Lambert Varias

We’ve featured a lot of unique case mods, but this has to be the most beautiful and detailed one that I’ve ever seen. It’s called the AzTtec and Dan McGrath is the talented architect and artisan behind it. The world had better not end before McGrath gets the most out of his beautiful creation.

AzTtec thermaltake pc casemod by dan mcgrath

McGrath made AzTtec for a Thermaltake-sponsored competition last year (guess who won). McGrath covered a Thermaltake Level 10 GT case with balsa foam that he meticulously etched with Mayan, Olmec and Aztec references and designs, including a likeness of the infamous Mayan calendar on one side of the case:

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Not content with being merely awesome, McGrath went to 11 – I guess that would be “This goes up to 2012!” in Mayan slang – and also made a matching keyboard and mouse. Note that he had to take apart the keyboard and insert the designs on each key.

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Here’s a short video of McGrath presenting his case mod at CES 2012:

I don’t need a special calendar to predict that you will check out McGrath’s documentation of his build process on Bit-Tech. My crystal ball app also says you’ll take a look at his thread on the Bit-Tech forums to take a better look at the case and its details.

[via Digital Trends]

4M Retro Wooden Computer: HAL 1000

Posted on 03/04/2012 by Lambert Varias

The 4M is another retro wooden computer from Swedish artist Love Hultén. Unlike his earlier creation Sputnik 0667, which was an all-in-one PC, the 4M has a more conventional tower and monitor set up. Hulten counts steampunk and HAL 9000 from 2001: A Space Odyssey as the influences behind this lovely computer.

4m wooden computer by love hulten

The tower’s front panel and the monitor’s frame are both made of walnut lumber. The menacing red orb in front of the 4M isn’t an eye, although it really is a window to its soul. The brass window has a magnifying lens that lets you see the CPU cooler inside. I’m not sure if the joystick controls the lens or if it’s at all functional. Maybe it opens a pod bay door somewhere.