Well, we recently discussed a similar topic. In my opinion, PC (case) design was never very sophisticated. After the XT, AT desktops steadily going downhill ...

Why have PC designs always been so crude ?

See, I would LOVE to agree with you, but the Compaq has a particular place in my heart as it was that shape on a Presario 5170 that was my entire high-school computing life. Quake II multiplayer was a beast on my PII-350.

There were still some wonderful industrial designs post beige-era though. See myriad CoolerMaster ATCS cases (200 and 201 in particular, but props also to the 110 and 111), or branded stuff like my Sun Ultra 40.

That said my early computing career was on Olivetti machines from 8088 through to Pentium MMX, and they were always goregous.

Yes! Early Olivetti PC's look very nice ! They have at least a coherent design very fitting for an office environment

Aui wrote on 2024-10-06, 11:18:

Well, we recently discussed a similar topic. In my opinion, PC (case) design was never very sophisticated. After the XT, AT desktops steadily going downhill ...

Why have PC designs always been so crude ?

Oh wow! It looks like exactly what I am saying, only in reverse! Ahahah, curious place is our world.

paradigital wrote on 2024-10-06, 11:20:

See, I would LOVE to agree with you, but the Compaq has a particular place in my heart as it was that shape on a Presario 5170 that was my entire high-school computing life. Quake II multiplayer was a beast on my PII-350.

There were still some wonderful industrial designs post beige-era though. See myriad CoolerMaster ATCS cases (200 and 201 in particular, but props also to the 110 and 111), or branded stuff like my Sun Ultra 40.

That said my early computing career was on Olivetti machines from 8088 through to Pentium MMX, and they were always goregous.

Oh, if we talk about Compaq until the 486 Prolinea and the Deskpro until the first Pentiums, then I am totally with you. I always had a sweet spot for Compaq systems. That Presario 5170 though, oh, sorry my friend, for my tastes, it is horrifying! xD
But I respect your sentiment.

I see your point about those COoler Master ATCS cases, I didn't know them. I might probably like them if they were beige plastic instead of aluminum.

Oh those Olivetti! You struck a hot spot here! I am Italian and when my computer passion started, I was surrounded by Olivetti PCs (From 8088 and 8086 to 80286, and later some 386 and 486 systems). Even my dad's workplace, which I sometimes visited, was filled with Olivetti PCs. What memories. And yes, I totally agree with you about their beauty as well as quality. And I used to love their keyboards as well.

Aui wrote on 2024-10-06, 11:28:

Yes! Early Olivetti PC's look very nice ! They have at least a coherent design very fitting for an office environment

yes!!! See above ↑

My pet peeve is glass side cases, I can tolerate a plexi window in a metal panel, but glass is ick.... as is picture number 8 and 9 in first post, not for me. ... though I am going through a phase of "try to put a motherboard in anything that will fit one" just coz I wanna save my nice cases for era apprope builds.

BitWrangler wrote on 2024-10-06, 13:50:

My pet peeve is glass side cases, I can tolerate a plexi window in a metal panel, but glass is ick.... as is picture number 8 and 9 in first post, not for me. ... though I am going through a phase of "try to put a motherboard in anything that will fit one" just coz I wanna save my nice cases for era apprope builds.

oh gosh! I hear you brother! I'm gonna add that glass thing too to my initial post! Editing... thanks!

Funny thing about curved cases is they always struck me as a call back to the 60's sci-fi aesthetic. Curved case design wasn't new thing. There were computer designs back in 80's or earlier that used rounded edges and curved shapes.

In the 2000s, the curved design comeback was just a way for manufacturers to differentiate themselves from the 90s beige box aesthetic. Meanwhile, modern case design has shifted back to angular geometry, with a lot of cases being standard rectangular shapes similar to your typical 90s tower cases.

I'm sure in time, curve cases will make another comeback.

Shponglefan wrote on 2024-10-06, 13:55:

Funny thing about curved cases is they always struck me as a call back to the 60's sci-fi aesthetic. Curved case design wasn't n […]
Show full quote

Funny thing about curved cases is they always struck me as a call back to the 60's sci-fi aesthetic. Curved case design wasn't new thing. There were computer designs back in 80's or earlier that used rounded edges and curved shapes.

The attachment TRS-80_Model_4.jpg is no longer available

The attachment Commodore-64.jpg is no longer available

The attachment intertec-superbrain.jpg is no longer available

The attachment Computer Space Arcade game.jpg is no longer available

In the 2000s, the curved design comeback was just a way for manufacturers to differentiate themselves from the 90s beige box aesthetic. Meanwhile, modern case design has shifted back to angular geometry, with a lot of cases being standard rectangular shapes similar to your typical 90s tower cases.

I'm sure in time, curve cases will make another comeback.

good points!
Indeed, I also like 'some' curved shapes, but not others. I don't know why.
Those you showed, for example: I love the C64. I kinda like the TRS-80. I totally dislike the last 2 you showed, especially the last blue one which I find an incarnation of a horror movie.

About modern cases shifting back to angular geometry, good point again. You're actually right. But have to understand yet why I don't like them. Perhaps it is the colors (non-beige), the sophistication of their design... yes they are angular shaped but they don't look classic. They look modern. I simply dislike that.

You could buy very modest, simple, dull cases (i.e. beige boxes) when ATX standards hit the market in 1996. You can still buy very modest, simple, dull ATX cases today, although they are more likely in black instead of beige. Examples: Cooler Master Killer 102 and SuperChannel LA-1710(B).

All cases I have chosen and purchased myself are very modest, simple, dull cases, beige or black. Acer Aspire in emerald green by Frog Design started the trend of useless curves in 1995; I hated it. Steve Jobs introduced iMac G3 (as included by OP) by Jony Ive in 1998; I hated it even more (its mouse was the worst part). For the record, Frog Design also designed much of Apple's Apple II and Macintosh product lines ("Snow White"), before Jony Ive broke the design language with his.

BitWrangler wrote on 2024-10-06, 13:50:

My pet peeve is glass side cases, I can tolerate a plexi window in a metal panel, but glass is ick.... as is picture number 8 and 9 in first post, not for me. ... though I am going through a phase of "try to put a motherboard in anything that will fit one" just coz I wanna save my nice cases for era apprope builds.

My modern rig uses a Montech Guardian Angel case with a glass side panel. Not that I liked it; only because it was on sale. 😜 Other than the glass panel, it is still a very modest, simple, dull ATX case. For the record, my pet peeve is RGB lighting.

dormcat wrote on 2024-10-06, 14:07:

You could buy very modest, simple, dull cases (i.e. beige boxes) when ATX standards hit the market in 1996. You can still buy ve […]
Show full quote

You could buy very modest, simple, dull cases (i.e. beige boxes) when ATX standards hit the market in 1996. You can still buy very modest, simple, dull ATX cases today, although they are more likely in black instead of beige. Examples: Cooler Master Killer 102 and SuperChannel LA-1710(B).

All cases I have chosen and purchased myself are very modest, simple, dull cases, beige or black. Acer Aspire in emerald green by Frog Design started the trend of useless curves in 1995; I hated it. Steve Jobs introduced iMac G3 (as included by OP) by Jony Ive in 1998; I hated it even more (its mouse was the worst part). For the record, Frog Design also designed much of Apple's Apple II and Macintosh product lines ("Snow White"), before Jony Ive broke the design language with his.

BitWrangler wrote on 2024-10-06, 13:50:

My pet peeve is glass side cases, I can tolerate a plexi window in a metal panel, but glass is ick.... as is picture number 8 and 9 in first post, not for me. ... though I am going through a phase of "try to put a motherboard in anything that will fit one" just coz I wanna save my nice cases for era apprope builds.

My modern rig uses a Montech Guardian Angel case with a glass side panel. Not that I liked it; only because it was on sale. 😜 Other than the glass panel, it is still a very modest, simple, dull ATX case. For the record, my pet peeve is RGB lighting.

Yes!!!! I hate lighting (RGB or not) too! Thanks! Oh gosh I didn't know about that Aspire Frog s***!!! Couldn't he have been busy with something else those days? (mmmmh... gotta add a few notes on my 'to undo list' in case I'll ever get a time machine somehow!).

About modern 'dull' ATX cases, I appreciate your effort, but, no. None of those you mention click with me in any way, even trying to imagine them in light beige color. Thanks though!

Ah yes, I too like cases that had followed German office regulations. Computers should be fun inside not outside! 😉

Joakim wrote on 2024-10-06, 14:34:

Ah yes, I too like cases that had followed German office regulations. Computers should be fun inside not outside! 😉

ahahah, I love the way you sound. And, what exactly are those "German office regulations"?

Yes! Your last sentence is the PERFECT summary!

"Computers should be fun inside not outside! 😉"
(By Joakim).

aries-mu wrote on 2024-10-06, 13:44:

Oh, if we talk about Compaq until the 486 Prolinea and the Deskpro until the first Pentiums, then I am totally with you. I alway […]
Show full quote

paradigital wrote on 2024-10-06, 11:20:

See, I would LOVE to agree with you, but the Compaq has a particular place in my heart as it was that shape on a Presario 5170 that was my entire high-school computing life. Quake II multiplayer was a beast on my PII-350.

There were still some wonderful industrial designs post beige-era though. See myriad CoolerMaster ATCS cases (200 and 201 in particular, but props also to the 110 and 111), or branded stuff like my Sun Ultra 40.

That said my early computing career was on Olivetti machines from 8088 through to Pentium MMX, and they were always goregous.

Oh, if we talk about Compaq until the 486 Prolinea and the Deskpro until the first Pentiums, then I am totally with you. I always had a sweet spot for Compaq systems. That Presario 5170 though, oh, sorry my friend, for my tastes, it is horrifying! xD
But I respect your sentiment.

I see your point about those COoler Master ATCS cases, I didn't know them. I might probably like them if they were beige plastic instead of aluminum.

Oh those Olivetti! You struck a hot spot here! I am Italian and when my computer passion started, I was surrounded by Olivetti PCs (From 8088 and 8086 to 80286, and later some 386 and 486 systems). Even my dad's workplace, which I sometimes visited, was filled with Olivetti PCs. What memories. And yes, I totally agree with you about their beauty as well as quality. And I used to love their keyboards as well.

My father worked for Olivetti throughout his career, through the change to OlSy and later Wang Global and Getronics.

Olivetti PCs were all I knew until I was a teen, they were my bread and butter.

paradigital wrote on 2024-10-06, 15:30:

My father worked for Olivetti throughout his career, through the change to OlSy and later Wang Global and Getronics.

Olivetti PCs were all I knew until I was a teen, they were my bread and butter.

Oh my goodness! Some experiences he must have had!

aries-mu wrote on 2024-10-06, 14:37:

ahahah, I love the way you sound. And, what exactly are those "German office regulations"?

There is a rumour going around there was a German regulation that office supplies should be beige. Can't find any sources at the moment, but the internet sais so, must be true. I just think it's funny, so I choose to be a believer.

I was always a bit partial to pops of color in the late 90s.

My first computer in the early-90s was a Gateway 2000 386. That case, while light gray/beige, had lovely curves.

Well, I'm in the same boat, except I hate the beige color too. My favorite cases are the brushed aluminum Lian Li, closely followed by black or dark gray, or even white cases with black accents. But modern cases made with glass, rgb blinkies, and lacking 5.25" expansion bays are of no interest to me.