Flat-packed PC cases seemed to me like an inevitability, right? I’m just surprised it’s taken this long. InWin has a couple of flat-packed PC cases I had a chance to check out over at Computex, and today Cooler Master has another ready to go: the QUBE 500 Flatpack.
If you hate IKEA furniture, this might not be the PC case for you. But I quite like the challenge and usually don’t mind putting it all together. This flat-packed PC case comes in individual panels that Cooler Master says makes for a “fun and flexible build experience.” Though it would say that, wouldn’t it?
Besides simply taking up less space, this flat-packed chassis also has the benefit of allowing for swappable panels to suit your build. The QUBE 500 case, available from October, comes in either black or white for a usual price of £80, though there is the creatively named ‘Macaron edition‘ for £100 that comes with mint, pink, and cream/orange panels, too. I don’t have US pricing yet, but these aren’t all too expensive.
The actual case itself is rather compact at 406 x 231 x 415mm, though it’ll fit a full ATX motherboard if required. It also doesn’t skimp out on some key features for its flat-packed nature, with USB Type-C support on the front IO panel, radiator support up to 280mm, and graphics cards support up to 365mm. Also Cooler Master cites it as more eco-friendly due to its smaller packaging—thus taking up less space needlessly for transportation.
My only hesitation is that it’s an awfully perforated PC case, meaning it might be a bit of a pain to clear out from dust. It’s also not going to appeal to everyone’s tastes on looks alone.
I don’t mind the look, but it definitely has that vibe of ‘children’s playground’ about it. (Image credit: Cooler Master)
It seems a decent case on the surface, though, and I’m keen to try it out to see how it really comes together. Moreover, I just want rid of these damned large PC case boxes. When you review a few, you find they take up a lot of space real quick.
InWin’s Dubili flat-packed PC cases are also now available if you’d rather have a more classy look. They’re going on the InWin website, starting at $230/€270.
