Should we just choose based on the boxes? And both are almost identical. What's inside them?

From P4 era I would just build a computer from parts instead of getting some prebuilt brand computer. And if I'd build a system that aims to run games around mid 2000s, I wouldn't choose P4 as the platform, but A64 or then just go for something newer and higher performance, such as C2D.

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Why the hell are you asking us about aesthetics? You're paying for the hardware (one would safely assume), you should build what YOU want to look at.

Beyond perhaps early socket 7, prebuilt generic towers lost all their appeal to me (one off bizarre form factors excepted).

Just build a P4 from parts as has been suggested, then you can pick one of a myriad cases to suit your tastes without having to resort to the nasty cheap plastic crap that OEMs were churning out by 2003.

Señor Ventura wrote on 2026-01-13, 05:47:

Another thing is the heat, cause is a remarkable small mini tower...

This is where choosing an appropriate Pentium 4 processor is important.

I would go with either a socket 478 Northwood (TDP of 55W to 68W) or an LGA775 D0 stepping Cedar Mill (TDP of 65W). These will be the lowest power and coolest Pentium 4 processors to run.

Anything else and you're looking at TDP ranging from 85W to 115W or so, which will run a lot hotter.

The other option is to prioritize a case with good ventilation rather than just appearance.

3D printable minimal system board holder, bolted to large chopping board, vertical, dollar store rectangular bucket or wastebasket screwed down over top, held with cable clips with nail replaced with self tapping screw, drive cage from mesh letter rack/stationary stand bolted into top of bucket/basket.... arsefettix. 😜

Edit: these were the the motherboard stands, testbench, board holder things I had in mind if you've never seen them... https://www.printables.com/model/439834-versa … -testbench-case

well, or maybe not.