InWin Z-Tower: Where PCs Crossover to Art
by Ian Cutress on June 18, 2018 9:00 AM EST
One constant over the last few years of Computex has been InWin’s ability to amaze. Out of all the companies to show new designs completely out of left field, InWin takes the trophy, especially as they do it with computer cases, one of the most commoditized parts of the component industry. This year’s entrant in the weird and wonderful combines the utility of a computer chassis with what can only be described as an art installation.
The Z-Tower is a 40 kg fully aluminium case designed using only five pieces of metal put together and hand polished to a brilliant finish. Each of those five pieces requires completely different tooling, and InWin stated that because of the fine work involved can only makes 10 units in a single manufacturing run. Each full design takes a full three days to make, resulting in 24 man hours after the components have come out of the machines.
To look at the design made me wonder if putting a PC inside actually spoils the aesthetic. Here is a chassis that could, genuinely, be worth more if the PC was removed. InWin does plan to put the design into retail production, however users will have to pay the sum of a small car in order to get one: initial estimates from InWin are around the $6000 range per unit. I wonder if you get free delivery with that.
Chances are these units will be sold to system integrators for custom builds or halo showcase designs for businesses. Imagine the VP that requires the expensive car, expensive watch, and absolutely needs to show off his/her l33t PUBG skillz at the office LAN event.
InWin is predicting a full launch near the end of the year / CES time.
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8 Comments
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Manch - Monday, June 18, 2018 - link
Needs more RGB...It's not absurd enough.Arnulf - Monday, June 18, 2018 - link
This is "art" only by Andres Serrano's standards. Definitely needs more urine.jordanclock - Monday, June 18, 2018 - link
It's an open bench with a weird metal thing around it. Hardly a novel 'case' in my opinion.Drumsticks - Monday, June 18, 2018 - link
I think that "weird metal thing" is the whole point. I don't see many cases that look like that. I wouldn't say it's a stretch to call it an art piece. Just because it's art doesn't mean you have to find it good-looking.wr3zzz - Monday, June 18, 2018 - link
Art is subjective but not everything that is strangely looking or impractical is automatically art.wrkingclass_hero - Tuesday, June 19, 2018 - link
I prefer to be protected from the electromagnetic radiation that the components emit, and have those components protected from the dust that I emit.Gc - Tuesday, June 19, 2018 - link
(Does art inspire you? Brainstorm your own caption.)Ventilated, to ~wring~ every last drop of performance.
Aw, Threadripper ripped my case!
Everybody, do the Twist!
Now, where's my ruby slippers...
mode_13h - Tuesday, June 19, 2018 - link
I see wasted opportunities. First thing I'm noticing is that the mobo is perpendicular to the ground. Why can't it be slanted to align with the angle of the helix?Second thought: why not have the PSU suspended apart from the mobo? It could go behind the motherboard, exhausting slightly upward, also aligned with the angle of the helix.
They could also mount the GPU in interesting ways, if you'd plug it into the motherboard via a cable, as I've seen in a few other cases.