Fliptop, does that mean it has half the cover on hinges in the back?

Good luck finding one of these, they appear to be rather rare, even for an AT case.

Something like that might be in order for a 286 system, but even for a late 386, I'd say it's already a bit anachronistic. At least statistically, most actual cases of that era were already much simpler, i.e. cheaper.
So, basically, be happy if you can close them without having to curse or hurting yourself.

During the nineties, popular brands for PC cases were "desktop", "tower" and "case".

One I met who actually knew one by name was this guy:
Re: I recently found this hardware, AKA the Dumpster find thread.

Good hunting!

Thank you, yes I think the chances of getting my hands on one is very unlikely. Yes the fliptop ones have two silver buttons on the side and the case flips up for easy access to build or upgrade the system. In Australia we saw a lot of them around 1993 to 1995, 386 up to 486DX2 systems.

Like one of these cases? Push the two buttons in on the sides and the top half folds open with a little stay in the back on one side to keep it open?

I've no idea who made them but I have a couple with different badges on the front that look just like. I think all of mine have 386s in them. I've got an old Nippon (NEC) V20 PC which IIRC has this case opening feature as well though its a different (older) case design from the one pictured.

davidrg wrote on 2022-04-08, 10:19:

Like one of these cases? Push the two buttons in on the sides and the top half folds open with a little stay in the back on one side to keep it open?

I've no idea who made them but I have a couple with different badges on the front that look just like. I think all of mine have 386s in them. I've got an old Nippon (NEC) V20 PC which IIRC has this case opening feature as well though its a different (older) case design from the one pictured.

The first case is spot on. Thats the one. I sometimes see them come up on ebay but very rarely.

Skystar320 wrote on 2022-04-08, 10:05:

In Australia we saw a lot of them around 1993 to 1995, 386 up to 486DX2 systems.

OK, then Australians had significantly better taste or different budget priorities.

For, after the whole "AMD 386DX-40" flood in the early 90s, many OEM seem to have rapidly reduced the complexity and quality of secondary components like cases.
Meaning, more often than not, I met desktop and tower cases that had the bare U-shaped sheet metal that somehow had to be fumbled under the plastic front panel with a prayer and then screwed into place.
Some later AT cases are frankly hideous.

The flip top is basically the PC equivalent of the quick release bolts on the hood of the Shelby GT:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:%276 ... _2010).jpg
- quick access to all the components without any tools.
Nice to have.

If not that, it might be a matter of opinion, but to me, the type that combines the U-shaped cover with the front panel already constitutes a step forward for desktops.
There's some fumbling on the last inch with some of the outer drive frames, when closing it, yes. (one has to fix the drives very precisely)
But despite the fella I linked to even poopooing the venerable "Moretec" case, I think it helps that you merely need to pull it off half-way to access the cards.
And when closed, it pretty much stays put, even without the screws.
I have a very old one of that type, still with the large PSU with integrated big red power switch to the side. Says "Sunny" on the front and the inside is matte black, for whatever reason that used to be cool back then.

Plus, optically, that Moretec was basically the Bauhaus among late 80s baroque. I mean, some of the 286 and 386 era cases with their weird pseydo-functional off-color ornaments and Star-Wars-spaceship-like elements - just NO. You don't win retro by contracting eye cancer.

Also,

davidrg wrote on 2022-04-08, 10:19:

Like one of these cases?

Yes, that is some nice shell. And hell, is that thing new?
Only needs the LED display to be perfect.