Compaq was a much better company at designing circuit boards than designing enclosures. It's pretty depressing when all that talent and experience is wasted on ugly bullshit like this. Sadly, many formerly great companies shared this fate (badge engineering).

My guess would be that they just wanted to make it a bit more "interesting" than just a plain rectangular box.

They failed.

Two things happened in the 90s that caused this to happen. First, almost all electronics manufacturing and design moved to Asia, and second computers became common household appliances. So basically you had dumb normies buying PCs based on what they looked like on the outside, and large gutted computer companies that were all too happy to profit from badge engineering because they had nothing else to offer.

everyone needs to go back to making these cases again

Badscrew wrote on 2019-09-30, 12:30:

Hello, everybody. I was able to pick up this computer really cheap as part of a hardware swap: a Compaq Presario model 4716. I […]
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Hello, everybody.
I was able to pick up this computer really cheap as part of a hardware swap: a Compaq Presario model 4716.
It's a Pentium MMX 133 (note: need verify the frequency).
It's in fully working condition, all original except the hard drive that was replaced and some RAM was added on top of its integrated 16 MB.

What the hell they were thinking while designing this case: already it's big and awfully heavy (lots of thick steel!) - why did they feel the need to make it even larger with this horrific face plate?!!

Hey I modded one of these. I have a video coming out on it soon. We've owned it since 1996. In 2017 I decided to make it my daily again. Here are some photos of it from 2017. Looks a bit more complete now, havn't had time for a photo sesh.

Compaq Presario Sleeper 4712 Progress! by Shyzah, on Flickr
Compaq Presario Sleeper Computer by Shyzah, on Flickr
20170701_124020 by Shyzah, on Flickr

Also, If you want to sell it please don't scrap it. I see you're in Europe. I would be willing to buy the plastic shell parts off of yours.

Anonymous Coward wrote on 2019-11-01, 02:04:

Two things happened in the 90s that caused this to happen. First, almost all electronics manufacturing and design moved to Asia, and second computers became common household appliances. So basically you had dumb normies buying PCs based on what they looked like on the outside, and large gutted computer companies that were all too happy to profit from badge engineering because they had nothing else to offer.

AHH!! I have come here to see everyone frying my favorite 90s PC case design (that's not Apple) alive ;(
RIP: My feelings

Shyzah wrote on 2020-03-27, 05:14:

[AHH!! I have come here to see everyone frying my favorite 90s PC case design (that's not Apple) alive ;(
RIP: My feelings

Don't worry, beauty is personal taste, sure your taste is terrible, but its yours 😉

Maybe it's one of those things that's so bad it's good.

Shyzah wrote:

Also, If you want to sell it please don't scrap it. I see you're in Europe. I would be willing to buy the plastic shell parts off of yours.

Scrap it - oh no, I'll be keeping it forever 😀

Anonymous Coward wrote on 2020-03-27, 11:55:

Maybe it's one of those things that's so bad it's good.

Probably. All the other designs Compaq came up with at the time were ducking ugly eye sores (or for you, all of the designs lmao)... and still are today. I have noticed some gamers who want to feel nostalgic for the era while playing 90s games are picking them up for higher prices recently maybe because they're so ugly that it's beginning to define the era. Just how boxy cars with pop up headlights defined 80s sports cars, minus the fact that they were not ugly.

Shyzah wrote on 2020-03-31, 20:45:

Just how boxy cars with pop up headlights defined 80s sports cars, minus the fact that they were not ugly.

moominholdingknife.jpg

the only reason there were pop-up lights is because US rules were forbidding the lights that were too low off the ground!